Martha S. Mattox seeks a divorce from her husband, George H. Mattox, charging that "his whole object in contracting said marriage, was to possess her property & defraud her of the same." Martha cites that her former husband, Anthony G. Tinsley, conveyed three slaves "in trust for the use & support of herself, & any child that she might have, free from the charge or incumbrance of her present, or any future husband." The petitioner asserts that George has "possessed himself of such property as she held absolutely, viz. the negro Ammon, her crops horses, hogs, choses in action & fifteen dollars in money ... & appropriated them to his own use." She further charges "that in less than one week after their marriage, said Mattox had by importunity & fraudulent misrepresentation, induced her to execute a deed, conveying to him all the property (then owned by her), embraced in the deed" aforementioned, including two slave children born since the making of the deed. Martha confesses that George later "by threats of personal violence, drove her from his house." The petitioner therefore prays that the court "grant her a divorce from her husband ... that the deeds conveying her property to him ... be declared null & void, & the property mentioned therein, be reconveyed & delivered to some suitable trustee to be held for her separate use &c, that said Mattox be decreed to pay her alimony."
Result: Partially granted.
Or you may view all people.
Repository: Circuit Court Building, Rustburg, Virginia
