Divorce in Defiance Co, OH - Heacock, 1849

Larkin Heacock v Mary M Sherrod Heacock - Divorce in Defiance Co, OH, 1849

By Pamela Pattison Lash

From a newspaper account one can begin to do some research on the couple known as the Heacocks or Haycocks.

Defiance Democrat (Defiance, OH), Saturday, 23 June 1849, p3 c4

Petition for Divorce

-         Larkin Heacock v Mary M Heacock

-        The defendant will take notice that on 1 February 1849 a bill was filled in the Court of Common Pleas of Defiance, Oh by the said Larkin Heacock, praying to be divorced from the said Mary M Heacock, his wife. The cause was neglect of duty, willful absence, and at the next term of said court an application will be made for a decree divorcing said complaint from said defendant.

So what do we know about this couple?  Here’s what I found:

Larkin Heacock, son of Samuel Heacock and Esther Antrim, was born on 11 April 1812 in Washington Co, PA and died on 16 October 1887 in Holgate, Henry Co, OH.  He was buried in Riverside Cemetery, Defiance, Defiance Co, OH. Larkin appears to be a Quaker

Mary M Sherrod, the daughter of William Sherrod and Mary Polly Nicholas, was born on 18 October 1815 in Orange, Carroll Co, OH, and died c1880.  The couple was married on 20 November 1834 in Carroll Co, OH. 

In 1840 the couple lived in Warren, Tuscarawas Co, OH with head of household Larkin Haycock having the enumerated as 1male under 5, 1 male 20-29, 1female under 5, 1 female 5-9, and 1 female 20-29.  They were living next door to a John c Haycock and a Caleb Haycock.  Ten years before Mary’s father, William Sherrod, Sr was enumerated in Warren, Tuscarawas Co, OH.

On 3 October 1842 in Carroll Co, OH a will was brought to the court for probate.  The will belonged to William Sherrod, Mary’s dad.  The will was signed by his mark on 4 September 1842, giving out bequests to his beloved wife, his youngest son David B Sherrod as his executor, and his youngest daughter, Mary Haycock, wife of Larkin Haycock, in addition to what I gave her, $200 starting on 17 June 1844 setting up a promissory note and each year $25 to be taken from this sum for her, and my son-in-law Larkin Haycock is NOT to use or have any contact with the aforesaid money.

Well it looks like Larkin did not have a great relationship with his father-in-law.  Perhaps Mary was no longer living with Larkin by that time.  Larkin’s obituary stated that he moved to Defiance from a farm near Evans port about 1845 and was  for a number of years head miller at the Defiance Mill.  Later he was proprietor of the Russell House and afterwards had charge of the Larkin and Empire Hotels.

In 1850 Defiance, Defiance Co, OH shows Larkin Heacock 39 PA miller $300 real estate living with Frederick and Elizabeth Stevens.  Frederick was also a miller. 

On 19 May 1853 in Defiance Co, OH he married Susannah Hamilton.  Susannah Clarissa Iler, was born on 14 April 1824 at Kirks Mills, Washington Co, PA and died on 21 September 1894; she is buried next to Larkin in Riverside Cemetery.  She had two children from her marriage to Mr. Hamilton – John Hamilton and Emma Hamilton Booth (George).  Her obit stated that she came from Columbiana Co, OH with her widowed mother, Jane Iler and her two children to Defiance in 1854.  After a few years she married Larkin Heacock who had two children, Sherrod and Martha. Together they had Edward Byron, Ambia B, Victoria, Ulysses Grant, Alice K, and Tecumseh Sherman. 

Obviously when one examines the vital records, one finds that this narrative is incorrect as she had already married Larkin in 1853.

On the 1860 federal census for Defiance, Defiance co, OH one finds Larkin Heacock 48 running a boardinghouse PA with Susannah 36 PA, Sherrod 20 OH law student, John Hamilton 11 OH, and Heacock children Emma 8 OH, Edward 6 OH, Ambia 2 OH, and Victoria 4/12 OH.  Again Larkin was listed in 1870 Defiance, Defiance Co, OH as 58 hotelkeeper PA, Susan C 46 PA, Sherrod 30 OH, Edward B 16 OH, Ambia B 12 OH, Ulysses G 8 OH, and Hamiltons John 21 OH farm laborer and Emma J 18 OH milliner/dressmaker.

By the 1880 Defiance, Defiance Co, OH federal census L Heacock 69 PA was hotel keeper along with Susanna 56 PA, Sherrod 40 OH lawyer, EB 25 OH traveling agent, AB 22 OH, and Grant 18 OH.  In 1882 the couple moved to Holgate, Henry Co, OH where Larkin died. More information is needed about ex-wife Mary M Sherrod Heacock.