Divorce Action in Williams County, Ohio - McKee (Roll 48)

Elizabeth Burkholder McKee v Alexander McKee (Journal 15 p151 – Dec 1889; p164 – 20 Dec 1889; Roll 48 Box 158 case number 2131 – c7 Nov 1889)

By Pamela Pattison Lash (updated 19 December 2011)

The couple was married in Arcanum, Darke Co, OH on 7 Feb 1884.  Elizabeth charged her husband with gross neglect and extreme cruelty.  She did not know his place of residence.  He had been absent for more than three years. Elizabeth called four witnesses for her side:

1.  Martha Burkholder (Martha Esther Brock 1843-1930), her mother, 46 years old from Arcanum – Martha said Alexander left her daughter on 1 Oct 1886 with no provisions or support.

2.  Hiram Burkholder (1838-1930), her father, 51 years old from Arcanum – Hiram stated his daughter lived at his home.

3.  Clarence Siler, teamster and brother-in-law, 27 years old from Arcanum

4.  William Burkholder, her brother, 21 years old

Alexander did not answer the complaint and in default, Elizabeth, requesting custody of her minor child, Adolph aged five, received a divorce on 20 Dec 1889.  Elizabeth also received alimony of $500 and restoration of her maiden name, Burkholder. There was a legal notice in the Bryan newspapers starting on 7 Nov 1889.

Elizabeth Burkholder, the daughter of Hiram and Martha Brock Burkholder, was born in Whitlley Co, IN c1866.  Her parents were married in Whitley Co and by 1879 they moved to Darke Co, OH.

1870 Columbia, Whitley, Indiana; Roll: M593_373; Page: 362B; Image: 374; Family History Library Film: 545872.

Burkholder, Elizabeth 4 IN living with her parents and grandfather Brock

1880 Van Buren, Darke, Ohio; Roll: 1011; Family History Film: 1255011; Page: 340C; Enumeration District: 71; Image: 0059.

Burkholder, Elizabeth 15 IN living with her parents

Anyone know what happened to the couple or their son?

Divorce Action in Williams County, Ohio - Kurts (Roll 48)

George W. Kurts v Malinda Catherine Esterline Kurts (Journal 9 p119 - 11 June 1877; p487 - 29 June 1878) Additional data in (Roll 48, Box 106, case number 2185) – June 1878

By Pamela Pattison Lash (updated 11 Feb 2011)

As I continue to research the early divorces I am bound to run into a former detailing as is the case here.  I am reposting this one as I discovered more data in Roll 48.  I do not know why George refiled in another state but he did and received the divorce in Michigan.  His second wife was a resident of Hillsdale so that could be the reason. Any new data appears in red.  Also note that the surname has been recorded as Curts, Kurz and Kurts.

The couple was married on 5 Sept 1872 in Wms Co (Marriage V4 p235).  At first the case was continued but the later entry showed the case was dismissed.

In Roll 48 the marriage was again stated as happening on 5 Sept 1872 in Williams Co, OH.  George’s deposition stated that Malinda committed adultery on 1 Aug 1873 with a Mr. Smith.  On 1 Aug 1874 she committed adultery with a William Beatty and on 5 July 1875 with an H. Shipman.  The following people were subpoened as witnesses for George:

William Fulks

Daniel Fortney

Richard Finegan

John Kurtz

Almina Esterline

There was no notation as to the result of this action but it appears that George refilled in Hillsdale Co, MI (see below) and received a divorce.

1880 Mill Creek, Williams, Ohio; Roll: 1077; Family History Film: 1255077; Page: 494C; Enumeration District: 4; Image: 0623.

Curts, George W 30 PA-PA-PA farmer living with Townsend Crow and wife

Note it has George listed as “married” but no wife is with him

George W. Kurtz was born in PA on 8 May 1850; he was the son of John and Susan Hersh Kurtz.

 According to the 1860 Madison Twp, Wms Co, OH federal census p206a, a George Kurtz family was listed as George 44 PA, Ann 38 PA, Christina 14 OH, Marian 10 OH, Anna 6 OH, Benjamin 6 OH, John 4 OH, and Henry 1 OH.  This may be a relative of George.

Malinda was the daughter of Rueben and Sarah Rupley Esterline.

1870 Mill Creek, Williams, Ohio; Roll: M593_1282; Page: 125A; Image: 253; Family History Library Film: 552781.

Esterline, Malinda 13 OH  living with Reuben and Sarah Esterline

By the 1880 federal census she is not living with her parents.

On 17 Feb 1879 George Kurtz divorced Malinda in Hillsdale Co, MI on the grounds of desertion and this was finalized on 2 Oct 1879.  Sometime after this he married Chloe Loraine Barnes, the daughter of Eber and Evaline Seeley Barnes.  They had the following children: Clyde, Glen, George, Flossie, and Lottie.  Chloe died on 14 Nov 1924 in Sylvan Twp, Osceloa Co, MI and George died on 20 Dec 1929 in Evart, MI.

Divorce Action in Williams County, Ohio - Kuhfal (Roll 48)

Eliza Kaundis Kuhfal v Henry Kuhfal (Journal 15 p412; Roll 48 Box 163 case number 163) – June 1890

By Pamela Pattison Lash

The couple was married on 16 July 1885 in Fulton Co, OH; she was 18 and he was 21 according to online marriage certificate. They had a minor son, William, who was three years old.  Eliza charged that Henry lived in Archbold, OH, and had been willfully absent for more than three years plus he was guilty of gross neglect.  The court granted Eliza a divorce.

I’m scratching my head on this one. This is all I could find on the elusive Kuhfal family – anyone have info??

1870 Franklin, Fulton, Ohio; Roll: M593_1202; Page: 91A; Image: 185; Family History Library Film: 552701.

h/h Cufall, Henry 40 farmer Pruss

Phoeon 34 Pruss

Henry 7 Pruss

Lydia 5 OH

Pauline 3 OH

Harry 1 OH

1880 Burlington, Fulton, Ohio; Roll: 1017; Family History Film: 1255017; Page: 136A; Enumeration District: 22; Image: 0711.

h/h 2 Kuhfal, Henry 47 divorced Germ-Germ-Germ working on  farm

Emma 17 dau Germ-Germ-Germ (married Franklin W Page)

Elizabeth 15 dau OH-Germ-Germ

Lena 13 dau OH-Germ-Germ (married Abner Page)

Henry 12 son OH-Germ-Germ

The couple married in Fulton Co, OH on 16 July 1885.

On 2 May 1886, a son William Kuhfal was born to Henry Kuhfal and Louisa Contest in Elmira, Fulton Co, OH.

1900 Tiffin, Defiance, Ohio; Roll: T623_1263; Page: 15A; Enumeration District: 18.

h/h 285/299 Kuhfal, Henry (Sept 1827) 72 widower Germ-Germ-Germ to USA 1865 naturalized 35Y day laborer

Eliza dau (Jan 1869) 32 single OH-Germ-Germ housekeeper

Divorce Action in Williams County, Ohio - Hughes (Roll 48)

Elizabeth Bratton Hughes v Oliver Hughes (Journal 15 p150 – Dec 1889; Roll 48, Box 158, case number 2124 – Nov 1889)

By Pamela Pattison Lash (updated 19 December 2011)

The couple was married on 7 Oct 1856 in Williams Co, OH (Marriage V2 p171).  Elizabeth stated they were married in 1887 and their children plus ages were as follows: Laura A 28, Thomas F 23, James 20, Dora M 15, and Glen 8.  Oliver has refused to support her or the minors and was guilty of gross neglect, adultery, absence for more than three years, and consorting with various lewd women and prostitutes.  He was worth $1000 and she wanted custody of minors and alimony.

Oliver by deposition stated that Elizabeth was wrong on the marriage date and the ages of the children; in particular the true ages of sons are James aged 22 and Glenn aged 10.

He denied any gross neglect of duty or any adultery.  She was guilty of extreme cruelty for more than 10 years.  She was a “scold in bed” and often he would leave the house and sleep in the barn.  On 23 Nov 1885 he had 130 acres of land in Superior Twp plus livestock.  Elizabeth tried to defraud Oliver by attempting to deed land to William Bratton.

Oliver further stated that she would have thrown their child Dorah into a well as she threatened many times to do; he has managed to stop her but she’s scratched his face and pulled his hair.  In the summer of 1884 she grabbed son Glenn and was about to throw him in the river and was stopped again, but not before she struck the child and hid his clothes.

Oliver told the court he had lost his left arm in 1879 and it has been difficult to earn money.  In June 1888 Elizabeth ordered Oliver out of the house.

In Dec 1889 Elizabeth stated that she owned 36 acres in St Joseph Twp; Oliver removed his cross petition. The court granted Elizabeth a divorce and she received the property.

Now if you didn’t know that this couple was divorced and that Oliver had remarried, you might think they stayed together because they are buried together in West Buffalo Cemetery, Florence Twp, Williams Co, OH. 

First we’ll take a look at the Hughes/Bratton family.

Oliver Hughes (30 Sept 1833 Licking Co, OH – 9 Oct 1893 Williams Co, OH; burial in West Buffalo Cem, Florence Twp) was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth McCracken Hughes.

The History of Williams County, OH, Weston Goodspeed, 1882, p638 – Oliver Hughes’ family came to Seneca Co, OH c1833 and his father, Thomas, died there on 14 June 1865.  Oliver had located c1854 to Superior Twp, Williams Co, OH where he owned a sawmill.  His children are Laura, Thomas, James, Dora, and Burr W.

Elizabeth Bratton Hughes (20 Oct 1837 PA – 15 Dec 1914 Mishawaka, IN; burial in West Buffalo Cem, Florence Twp) was the daughter of James and Mary Hackenburger Bratton.

The History of Williams County, OH, William Shinn, 1905, p300-301 – James Bratton, Elizabeth’s grandfather, was born in Mifflin Co, PA and was a veteran of the War of 1812; he settled in Florence Twp, Williams Co, OH c1847.

1850 Florence, Williams, Ohio; Roll: M432_741; Page: 61B; Image: 125.

h/h 842/845 (next door to his parents – James and Hannah) Bratton, James  47 PA

Mary 48 PA

John 22 PA

Rebecca 19 PA

Nancy 15 PA

Elizabeth 13 PA

William 9 PA

Andrew 7 OH

1850 Liberty, Seneca, Ohio; Roll: M432_728; Page: 407B; Image: 239.

Hughes, Owen 18 OH with parents and siblings

Oliver Hughes married Elizabeth Bratton, 7 Oct 1859.  They were the parents of:

1. Joseph (1859 Superior Twp – bef 1870)

2. Laura A (1862 Superior Twp - )

3. Thomas Forrest (4 Jan 1865 Superior Twp - )

4. James D. (7 Aug 1867 Superior Twp – 17 Feb 1945 Defiance Co, OH)

5. LaDora M aka Dora (30 July 1874, Superior Twp – 18 Apr 1891 Superior Twp @ 16Y 8M 11D; buried with parents)

6. Glenn aka Burr W (29 June 1879 Superior Twp – unnamed son of Oliver Hughes and Elizabeth Batton)

1860 Superior, Williams, Ohio; Roll: M653_1052; Page: 190; Image: 385; Family History Library Film: 805052.

h/h 941 Hughs, Oliver 23 OH farmer

Elizabeth 22 PA

Joseph 5/12 OH

1870 Superior, Williams, Ohio; Roll: M593_1282; Page: 260B; Image: 526; Family History Library Film: 552781.

h/h 85 Hughs, Oliver 37 OH sawmill

Elizabeth 32 PA

Laura A 8 OH

Thomas 5 OH

James 3 OH

1880 Superior, Williams, Ohio; Roll: 1077; Family History Film: 1255077; Page: 535A; Enumeration District: 7; Image: 0704.

h/h 42/44 Hughes, Oliver 46 OH-OH-OH sawyer

Elizabeth 41 wife PA-PA-PA

Thomas 15 son OH-OH-PA

James 13 son OH-OH-PA

Dora M 6 dau Oh-OH-PA

Infant son 11/12 (June) OH-OH-PA

The couple is divorced c Dec 1889.

Oliver Hughes married Susannah Fleckinstein on 2 June 1890 at Branch Co, MI; he was 58 and she was 40.  Susannah was the daughter of Wilson and Abigail Bl****).

Oliver Hughes died on 9 Oct 1893 as a result of a sawmill accident and was buried in West Buffalo Cemetery.

1900 St Joseph, Williams, Ohio; Roll: T623_1332; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 114.

h/h 100/103 Hughes, Elizabeth (Feb 1845) 55 wid 4/6 ch PA-PA-PA farm owner

Glen son (June 1879) 20 single OH-OH-PA farm laborer

Note that Elizabeth’s birth date is wrong but all other vitals check out; she is described as a widow rather than divorcee’.

1910 Superior, Williams, Ohio; Roll: T624_1241; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 0135; Image: 1063; FHL Number: 1375254.

h/h 209/213 Hughes, Elizabeth 78 widow PA-PA-PA (I think living next door to her son Fir J)

Elizabeth Bratton Hughes died on 15 Dec 1914, possibly at Mishawaka, IN and she was buried next to her former husband in West Buffalo Cemetery.

Divorce Action in Williams County, Ohio - Hayes (Roll 48)

John W. Hayes v Almeda Patten Hayes (Roll 48 Box 163 case number 2186) – Jan 1890

By Pamela Pattison Lash (updated 16 Feb 2011)

The couple was married on 4 July 1879 in Bryan, Williams Co, OH (Marriage V4 p636).  John stated that they had three children – Warren Francis, Minnie May, and Harry Harlwell Hayes.  He claimed in July 1889 and at other times as well, Almeda committed adultery with a man unknown to John.  On 9 Jan 1890 she struck him and refused to do any housework.  The court granted a divorce.

Here is what I found on the Hayes family:

John William Hayes (Sept 1858, Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH – 19 Apr 1915, Toledo, Lucas Co, OH) was possibly the son of Richard and Constant Stattler Hayes. His father died and his mother remarried a David Handcock as evidenced in the 1870 census below.

A guardianship was set by the Williams County, OH Probate Court on 24 Nov 1869 case number 1328 for minors Jacob W, John W, and Jesse T Hayes.  Prior to this there is an estate settlement for Jonathan Hays on 5 May 1864 case number 84.  Whether this estate has anything to do with the principals of this case is not currently known.

1870 Pulaski, Williams, Ohio; Roll: M593_1282; Page: 172A; Image: 347; Family History Library Film: 552781.

h/h 215/215 Handcock, David 52 NY farmer

Constant 50 OH

Hayes, Jacob 16 OH laborer

John 12 OH

Jessie 10 OH

1900 Bryan, Williams, Ohio; Roll: T623_1332; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 112.

h/h 182/184 Handcock, Constant (Jan 1821) 79 widow 5/3 ch OH-NY-NY living with her son and dau-in-law; note the record says she is Jessie T Hayes’ mother-in-law

Constant Handcock died in Bryan, Williams Co, OH on 20 Aug 1905; she was born in Morrow Co, OH c1819.  David Handcock died in Bryan on 12 Aug 1892; his estate was probated on 2 Sept 1892 case number 3340.

The Bryan Press, 3 July 1879, p5

Married

Hayes-Patton

On the 4^th of July 1879 at the office of and by Milton B Plummer, JP, Mr John Hayes and Miss Almeda Patton, all of Pulaski Village.

John Hayes married Almeda A Patten on 4 July 1879.  Almeda (1854-1925) was the daughter of David and Elizabeth Crum Patten, native of PA.  David was born in 1818 and died on 30 Oct 1900 in Wells Co, IN.  Elizabeth was born on 6 Aug 1820 and died on 24 Dec 1884 in Wells Co, IN.  The Patten family can be found in the 1860 Jackson, Richland, Ohio; Roll: M653_1028; Page: 109; Image: 222; Family History Library Film: 805028 and the 1880 Pulaski, Williams, Ohio; Roll: 1078; Family History Film: 1255078; Page: 617D; Enumeration District: 11; Image: 0096.

1880 Pulaski, Williams, Ohio; Roll: 1078; Family History Film: 1255078; Page: 617C; Enumeration District: 11; Image: 0095.

h/h 21/26 Hayes, John W 23 OH farm laborer

Armeda A 26 OH

Warren F 1/12 Apr OH

The couple was divorced in the January Term, 1890.

On 8 Oct 1895 in Williams Co, OH Almeda Hays married John Roskoff/Roskopf (Marriage V6 #1487). John Roskopf, the son of Philip and Amelia Donabach Roskopf, died in Bryan on 16 Feb 1928.

1900 Bryan, Williams, Ohio; Roll: T623_1332; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 112.

h/h 170/172 Roskopf, Jno (May 1852) 48 mar 5Y NY-NY-NY barber

Almedia A wife (Feb 1854) 46  1/1 ch OH-PA-PA

Hayes, Harry H step son (Aug 1885) 14 OH-OH-OH

1910 Pulaski, Williams, Ohio; Roll: T624_1241; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 0130; Image: 943; FHL Number: 1375254.

128 North Enterprise St

h/h 216/234 Roskopf, John 61 mar 1x for 15Y NY-NY-Germ barber in shop

Almeda wife 55 mar 2x 3/1 ch OH-PA-PA

Hayes, Harry H son 24 single OH-OH-OH barber in shop

1920 Pulaski, Williams, Ohio; Roll: T625_1450; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 162; Image: 304

128 North Enterprise St

h/h 78/79 Roskopf, John 70 NY-US-US owns barber shop

Almeda wife 65 OH-PA-PA

Almeda A Patten Hayes Roskopf died in 1925 and was buried in Shiffler Cemetery, Jefferson Twp, Williams Co, OH.  Her children were also buried there as Warren F Hayes (1880-c28 Jan 1892), Minnie Hayes (27 Nov 1881 – 1893), and Harry H Hayes (6 Aug 1885 - ?).  Her husband John was later buried beside her; his estate was probated on 21 Feb 1928 case number 8168.  Curiously, Almeda’s estate was not settled until 10 May 1946 case number 13106.

So what happened to John W. Hayes?

John W. Hayes married Cora Vaughn (1877 MI – aft 1920); Cora was the daughter of George and Emma J. Culver Vaughn, but by 1910 the Hayes family is divorced; Cora lived in Toledo, Lucas Co, OH with her mother Emma and daughters Viola and Myrtie Hayes plus an adopted daughter Verna May Hayes.

John W. Hayes died in Toledo, Lucas Co, OH, on 19 Apr 1915. @59Y.