After 11 years of marriage and several children, Nathan Gray
and his wife, Lydia G. Gray, decided to separate. Lydia agreed to leave "the bed and board
of the said Nathan and he in full discharge and payment to her for all alimony,
dower or other interest which she may have in and to his estate"[1]
and Nathan promised to give her a gray mare with "Laydies"
Saddle and bridle, blanket, a feather bed and furniture, spinning machine, a
cow and a set of plates.
Not only did Nathan and Lydia divide the household items, they also divided the children. Lydia was permitted to take Caroline,
Elizabeth and Lucretia, the three daughters born of this marital union, and
Nathan would take the [unnamed] sons born to him and Lydia. One has to wonder
how one feather bed would be sufficient for Lydia and three young daughters.
It was also agreed
that Nathan and Lydia would have a divorce as soon as they wish or the law
would permit. Nathan signed his name to
the separation agreement and Lydia signed by making her mark. The document was
recorded the same day it was written - 2 September 1847.
And then ... something happened to change their minds. Less
than two months later, the couple announced that a "new order of things has taken place
between them and Gray and wife having now thought better of it, they do
mutually agree ... to annul and make
void the ... articles of separation
..."[2]
"They do hereby pledge themselves to each other that
they will henceforth faithfully and affectionately discharge their several
duties as husband and wife and endeavor to live for the sake of themselves and
their children in the affectionate and tender relation of husband and wife the
remainder of their days."[3]
No clue is given in public records as to why the couple
separated or reconciled, but they appear together with their children,
including two born after the separation, on the 1850 Caldwell County census[4].
This isn't my family and I don't know many details, but Lydia was listed as
married at her death on 28 November 1858.
[1] Caldwell
County, Kentucky Deed Book N:251, 2 September 1847.
[2]
Caldwell County, Kentucky Deed Book N:279, 16 October 1847.
[3] Ibid.
[4] 1850
Census, Caldwell County, Kentucky, 2nd District, p. 368A, image 314,
Ancestry.com, accessed 11 May 2015.
Published 25 June 2015, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment