Second divorce case: Court Records
To the Hon Superior Court to be holden at Bridgeport in and for the county of Fairfield on this 2nd Tuesday in December AD 1872 the petition of Emily K. Bailey of Ridgefield in said County [respectfully?] represents that on the 3rd day of October Dec AD 1854
She was lawfully married by the name of Emily Keeler to Halcyon G Bailey of said Ridgefield with whom she thereafter lived in the due
performance of all the duties and obligations of the marriage covenant and relation on her part to be done and performed
until on or about the 1st day of January AD 1864 When the said Halcyon G Bailey became violent in temper and abusive in conduct and has continued his abuse of this petitioner and has been guilty of such [gross?] misconduct towards the petitioner as permanently to destroy the
happiness of this petitioner and defeat the purposes of the marriage relation.
And the petitioner further says she is the mother of Annie K Bailey the fruit of said said marriage and that the said Annie is a minor under the age of twenty one years to wit about twenty years of age and the respondent is unfit to have the custody of said minor.
And petitioner prays that this court take this case into consideration and inquire into the facts therein asserted and on finding them meet and true to grant her a divorce from the said Halcyon G Bailey and the custody of said minor child and a change of name to the said Emily Keeler or in same other way to send the petitioner adequate relief as in duty bound she will thus pray
Dated Danbury Nov 25 1872.
Emily K Bailey
by her Atty
Roger Averill
I accept hereby the service of this petition to be legal and sufficient
Halcyon G. Bailey
To the Sheriff of the county of Fairfield his deputy or to either constables of the towns of Danbury and Ridgefield within said county Greeting
By authority of the state of Connecticut you are hereby commanded to summon the said Halcyon G Bailey the said respondent to appear
before the superior Court next to be to holden at Bridgeport within and for said County of Fairfield on the second
Tuesday in December AD 1872 There and then to answer unto the aforesaid petition and show cause if any he have why the prayer thereof
same is not be granted
Here of fail not &c.
Dated Danbury November 25 1872
Roger Averill Justice of the Peace
Outside of packet
Emily K. Bailey vs Halcyon G. Bailey
Sup. Court
December 7, 1872
[unreadable]
Recorded p. 152
Book of Divorces
Final divorce decree
This item is a form and so items which were hand-written are underlined in the below transcription. Some parts are printed on the form and crossed out. Illegible parts are noted.
At a Superior Court, holden at Bridgeport in and for the County of Fairfield, on the 2nd Tuesday of December A.D. 1872
Upon the Petition of Emily K. Bailey
of Ridgefield in said County, showing that on or about the Third day of October A.D. 1854 she was lawfully married <by the [unreadable] of Emily Keeler> to Halcyon G. Bailey of said Ridgefield
with whom Petition lived in the performance of all the duties of the covenent on her part to be performed until on or about the 1st day of January A.D. 1864, when the said Respondent willfully deserted the Petition, and has continued said desertion, with total neglect of all the duties of the marriage covenant on ____ part to be performed from thence hitherto,
Halcyon G Bailey became violent in temper and abusive in conduct and has continued his abuse of the petition and has ever since And further showing that the said Respondent for a period of more than years last past has been guilty of such misconduct as permanently destroys the happiness of the Petitioner, and defeats the purposes of the the marriage relation.
And further showing that the said Petitioner has a minor child the issue of said marriage, viz: Annie K Bailey
And that the Respondent is an unfit person to have the control and custody of siad minor child Praying for a DIVORCE, [with?] custody of the said minor child and a change of name to that of Emily Keeler as by her Petition on file, dated November 23, A.D. 1872 more fully appears: THIS PETITION came to the December Term of this court 1872
The Court finds that said petition has been duly served, and that the Respondent has had actual notice therofo.
And now the Petition appeared to prosecute said petition: and the Respondent being called appeared not.
And the petition was fully heard, with evidence and by counsel.
WHEREUPON the allegations in said Petition having been proved, are found true, and it is adjudged, ordered, and decreed by this Court, that the said Emily be and she is hereby divorced from the said Halcyong G. Bailey and discharged from all the duties and covenants which she is under to him by reason of the marriage aforesaid. And the said Emily is hereby declared to be singled and unmarried. And that she has the care custody and control of the said minor child until she comesat the age of twenty one years and the name of the petitioner is changed to Emily Keeler.
[signed, mostly unreadable] Blake
Clerk
