Fifty-five-year-old Elizabeth Wade requests a divorce from her husband, William O. Wade, custody of her children, and possession of the estate of her first husband, Charles Ferguson. She avers that William was kind to her in the early years of their marriage, but he has become violent due to intemperance. On one occasion she attests that he beat her sufficiently to cause her to be "speechless and senseless, and also biting out of her hand a large piece of flesh." She states that the last time he abused her he "stripped her clothing above her waist, and inflicted upon her naked limbs and the lower part of her person a most severe and cruel whipping with switches, cutting her skin in a great number of places, and making her bleed most profusely; " he then pointed a pistol at her head and threatened to kill her if she told of the assault. After the said whipping, Elizabeth reports that William "left the house to go to the negro quarter to send for more liquor," whereupon she and her son made their escape to a neighbor's house. Elizabeth also states that William did have "criminal intercourse with his own slaves, and boast of it." She notes that he also beat the slaves "with the most excessive severity, saying that they were 'like their mistress and always needed the lash.' " In addition to a divorce, Elizabeth requests support to maintain herself and clothe and educate her son.
Result: Granted.
Or you may view all people.
Repository: Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
