William Williamson was the brother of my 3rd great-grandmother, Rebecca (Williamson) Carter. He married Alfreda Bean, aka Lydia Alfreda Bean, who was 19 years younger and they had two children. Twelve years after they were married, she was granted a divorce on the grounds that he deserted her and treated her with "unkindness and neglect." I wonder if he was around when the divorce was filed since from 1864-1866 he was acting assistant surgeon with the army in Eastville, Virginia.
Chris Dunham of the Maine Genealogy Network found this court record of the divorce proceedings on Family Search. I am very thankful for all the help Chris has provided me. I highly recommend the Maine Genealogy Network to any genealogist with Maine connections!
To the Hon. Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court
to be holden at Paris within and for the County of
Oxford on the third Tuesday of September AD 1866.
The
undersigned, Alfreda L. Williamson
wife of William Williamson of Bethel in said County
respectfully libels and gives this Court to be informed
that she was lawfully married to the said William
Williamson at said Bethel on the twenty fifth day
of August AD 1854 and that they lived together at
said Bethel as husband and wife for several
years after their said marriage; that she had by
him two children, one of whom only, Julia
Williamson, aged eleven years, is living;
that she has always conducted towards him as
an affectionate, chaste and faithful wife, yet the
said William Williamson wholly regardless
of his marriage covenant and duty, on the tenth
day of July A.D. 1860 wholly abandoned and
deserted her and has continued his desertion
up to the present time, and ever since their said
marriage has treated her with great unkindness and neglect;
Deeming it
reasonable and proper and conducive
to domestic harmony and consistent with the
peace and morality of society that she should
be divorced from the said Williamson, she prays,
right and justice, and that she may be divorced
from the bands of matrimony between her and
her said husband, and that the custody of the
said Julia Williamson, on account of her
tender years and the neglect of said Williamson
may be committed to her and as in duty
bound will ever pray.
August 8, 1866 Alfreda
L. Williamson
This libel
was entered at the present term and when
the Libellant appears but the Respondent though called
to come into Court does not appear, but makes default.
And now the material facts alleged in said libel
having been fully proved, it is ordered and decreed by
the Court that the bonds of matrimony heretofore existing
between the said Alfreda L. Williamson and the said
Williamson be and hereby are dissolved for the causes
set forth in said libel and that the custody of the
minor child Julia Williamson be intrusted to the libellant.
