Leta and Ralph divorce, part one

On June 28, 1922, after nine years of marriage, my great-grandmother Leta M. (Scott) Chetister filed a petition for divorce from my great-grandfather Ralph M. Chetister in the Court of Common Pleas of Lucas County, Ohio.  The petition was submitted by her attorney Telma R. Smith. One certified copy was given to the Sheriff. The cost was $15.00.

I have a copy of this document, as well as several attachments.

First, Leta “says that she now is, and for more than one year last past has been, a bona fide resident of the State of Ohio, and for more than thirty days last past, a resident of Lucas County in said state.

In order to file in the county in the state, she was required by law to fulfill these basic residence requirements.

The document reveals the basic of the family: 1) marriage date – April 19, 1913; and 2) two children – “Vivian, age 8 years, dale, age 5 years.”

It further notes that Leta and Ralph had separated on February 15, 1922. They resided at different locations in Toledo, three-quarters of a mile apart.

Following the basic introduction comes the complaint by the Plaintiff (Leta) against the Defendant (Ralph):

“Defendant has been guilty of extreme cruelty toward plaintiff in this, to wit:- that on the 1^st day of February, 1922, defendant threatened to kill plaintiff, called plaintiff vile and indecent names, unfit to be set forth herein, charged plaintiff with unchastity, when defendant knew, or had ample opportunity to know that plaintiff was chaste, putting plaintiff in great fear and causing plaintiff great mental and physical suffering and anguish; that on the 15^th day of February, 1922, when plaintiff was very sick, defendant refused to summon a physician for plaintiff, notwithstanding plaintiff’s suffering and physical distress.”

Although I am not positive how this worked, if she was so ill, but this was also the day of formal separation.

However, according to the document, these instances were not the first signs of marital distress. On October 15, 1921, four months earlier, “defendant struck plaintiff a violent blow, bruising plaintiff’s flesh, calling plaintiff vile and indecent names unfit to be set forth herein; that in July of 1919, defendant attacked plaintiff, choking plaintiff, bruising plaintiff’s flesh, causing plaintiff great pain and suffering; that on June 25, 1919, defendant struck plaintiff, causing plaintiff great pain and suffering.”

The overall reason for these actions was attributed to Ralph’s “vicious and ungovernable temper, and that on many occasions without just cause defendant became enraged, striking plaintiff, calling plaintiff vile and indecent names, charging plaintiff with unchastity.”

There is a pattern here – temper, violence and accusation.

TO BE CONTINUED.