He's Just Not That Into You: James Willison & Violet Blackmore

     The approach taken by the individual responsible for putting final court records down on paper can make a huge difference in what can be learned about our ancestors.  In Hamilton County, Indiana, during the 1820s, that person apparently had an endless supply of ink and paper, an abundance of energy, and the personality of a born gossip.

     Take, for example, the petition for divorce filed by James Willison against Violet Willison on 18 July 1827.  It states that the two were married in 1823, and that she was the former Violet Blackmore.  His statement has some dramatic quotes, such as, “with whom he lived demeaning himself toward her in all respect faithfully and affectionately” until about 1 May 1825 “she abandoned him.”  On Violet’s side, she said, “He would divide his pork and dodger* with her, but that he would not sleep with her.”  Violet went to live with her parents, stating that “she would live with him if he slept with her.”

     Ultimately, the court found insufficient evidence for divorce.  She should recover her costs from him.

     Of great interest is the fact that the court session was held at the house of Joseph Willison, and that an associate judge in attendance was William C. Blackmore.  Perhaps neither of them could be considered disinterested parties.

     Intrigued, I did a quick look on Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and the Indiana State Library website.  No evidence is easily found, that a relationship between these two parties ever existed, not in indexed marriage records, and certainly not in unsourced pedigree charts.  There are indeed a couple of men of that name, who lived in Indiana around the right time frame.  Anyone researching a James Willison may want to consider the possibility that another chapter needs to be added to his story.  As for Violet Blackmore Willison, this may be one of the only indications that this woman ever existed.     

     I salute these frontier gossips, who took such time bringing their neighbors to life.

Source:  FHC#2412383 Hamilton Co., IN circuit court final record 1824-1842

*dodger:  a small, hard fried or baked cornmeal cake, a boiled cornmeal dumpling.

Photo courtesy www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/2876984696/