Fifty-nine-year-old Milly Perdue seeks a divorce from Isaiah Perdue, whom she married when she was quite young and to whom she "has born ... a large family of children." Perdue maintains that for many years they lived together in peace and happiness, working "together side by side in the same field," and "that the property of which he is now possessed was procured to a considerable extent by the joint labour of your oratrix and her husband." The petitioner laments, however, that his conduct toward her changed as "she became advanced in years." She cites that "he has of late years been insufferably abusive and violent in his treatment to her." She recounts that he has "beaten her with his fists sticks and wagon whips in a most cruel and unfealing manner and has repeatedly threatened to kill her and do other severe bodily injury to her." In addition, he "frequently had illicit intercourse with a negro woman belonging to him and residing on the same place with your oratrix by whom he has had several children." Admitting that she has fled to the home of "a friend and relation," the petitioner prays for a divorce and sufficient "provision for her support."
Result: Granted.
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Repository: Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
