Bloomington (IN) Telephone
January 17, 1913
page 4

DIVORCE AFTER 50 YEARS

Elbridge Emerson of Lawrence County, aged about 80 years and a veteran of the Civil War, has just learned through the pension department that his first wife, who he thought died many years ago and has since remarried twice, is still among the living and has made application for a pension as his widow. As a result, he has filed suit for divorce, now more than 50 years after the marriage ceremony was performed.

In his complaint for divorce, Mr. Emerson says that he was married to his first wife at Lamberton, New Hampshire, in 1857 and that they lived together until 1861 when he was compelled to leave her on account of her misconduct and infidelity. He went to war, and she went to Vermont, and he says he never saw her after 1863. In 1868 or 1869, while in Alabama, he received a letter from his brother saying his first wife had died, and the first information he ever had to the contrary was when the special pension examiner visited him as above stated.

Typed and donated by Randi Richardson.