In March 1852, Harriet K. Schwrar married Philip G. Schwrar. The couple, who resided together in Annapolis, produced four children. At the time of the marriage, Harriet Schwrar owned a considerable sum of money and several slaves, "her own separate property." Five years into the marriage, Philip began drinking heavily and neglecting his business. In order to support the family, Harriet opened a boarding house, but "her efforts have been neutralized and her means wasted by his debauched habits and his drunken and offensive conduct towards her boarders." Her husband frequently collected rent from the boarders and "applied the same to gratify his thirst for drink ... not contributing one dollar to her or his family." Harriet believes that he "cordially hates her and his children" and intends to "reduce them to much abject want and poverty." Philip also became "excessively vicious" towards her, "striking her several blows the marks of which remained for days afterwards." He has choked her and once "drawn out his pistol and threatened to shoot her dead." She claims that "she lives in constant apprehension of her life." Philip recently forced her to sell one of her slaves and to mortgage three others, in order to cover his debts. Harriet K. Schwrar says that to "continue longer to live with her said husband is intolerably for the sake of humanity," and asks the court to grant her a divorce from Philip G. Schwrar and custody of their children.
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Repository: Maryland State Archives, Annapolis, Maryland
