Mary A. Harper seeks a divorce from her husband, Alfred Harper, and asks for "a reasonable suport out his estate." Mary claims that her husband began verbally and physically abusing her "about six weeks after said Marriage." In one violent episode, he seized her "by the hair of her head" and dragged her "over the house." He also began inviting "negroes to visit him at his own house" and, on a night in August 1842, he made an "arrangement to give a Super to the Negroes at 25 Cents a head & the use of his kitchen to dance in during the night & he remained with the Negroes dancing with them Most of the Night." Mary also accuses Alfred of committing "acts & deeds inconsistant with the matrimonial vow by conducting adultery with his sd. negroe woman Lacy." Informing the court that Alfred owns 119 acres of land, two slaves, and "stock of various kinds," she seeks an injunction, barring him from disposing of his estate until a final decree of the court. Alfred denies associating with "negroes ... on equal terms" in his answer. In a related petition, Mary Harper, recently divorced by court decree at August Term 1843, seeks custody of her infant child, who was born "whilst said Bill was pending in said court." She cites that her divorce from Alfred Harper was granted, but "no order was made in said decree as to who should have the custody of said child." She asks for custody "of her said child free from the contact or disturbance of said Alfred."
Result: Granted.
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Repository: Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee
