Transcribed from Adams County court records by Carol West.
Submitted by Ellen Pack

The transcription was taken from records deposited at the
Mississippi Department of Archives and History.


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Adams County, Mississippi: Petition for
Divorce - BRADLEY vs. BRADLEY, 1826





In Chancery Western District 

Lydia BRADLEY - Calvin BRADLEY 

Served personally on Calvin Bradley 19th July 1826 

                             ****************** 

Lydia Bradley 

Bill for Divorce 

Calvin Bradley 

[lots of hard-to-read writing] [?????????????] 

To the right honorable Joshua CLARKE chancellor of the state of 
Mississippi for the Western District humbly complaining sheweth 
unto your honor your oratrix Lydia Bradley that she was at an 
early age married to a Gabriel SWAYZE with whom she spent almost 
an ordinary lifetime in the happiest bonds of matrimony and by 
whom she has a numerous family of children. That said Gabriel
Swayze resided a number of years, with his family, in Adams 
County, Mississippi where he departed this life about the year _____, 
leaving a large estate at his death for the benefit of his
family, which he had acquired by a number of years of toil [?????]
and economy. That some short [time] before said Gabriel's death he 
made and published a last will and testament in and by which
he devised his real estate to your oratrix and his children by 
several parcels. Leaving your oratrix the plantation dwelling house 
and improvements whereon Gabriel died with four hundred
surrounding acres of land -- and dividing the remainder of his 
landed estate among his children and heirs -- that said Gabriel 
Swayze in his said will directed and provided that the whole of 
his slaves and other personal estate should remain in the hands of 
your oratrix and a certain Nathan SWAYZE, whom he constituted his 
Executrix and Executor to be managed as your oratrix and said
Nathan should think to the best advantage for his said children 
and heirs a authorized said Nathan and your oratrix to set apart 
and give to his said heirs as they should become of age or marry 
such part of said personal estate and slaves as they should think 
proper so as not to deprive the younger children of their portions -- 
A copy of which will with the probate thereof is here filed and made a
part of this bill -- that your oratrix and Nathan Swayze at first 
joined and took upon themselves the execution of said will -- that 
said Nathan shortly thereafter departed this life l }[?] ving your 
oratrix sole Executrix of said will -- That your oratrix continues to 
reside on and manage the plantation aforesaid upon which her said 
husband died and to provide for and support such of his said children
as were under age or unmarried and like } wise to possess, use and 
manage the slaves and all the personal estate left by said Gabriel 
Swayze as she considered to the best advantage of said heirs
and as she thought in strict compliance with the dying wishes of her 
said husband. 

That this state of things continued to exist and your oratrix continued 
in the full enjoyment of that unruffled domestic life which the society 
and happiness of her children could afford till sometime about the _____ 
day of 1823 -- that a short time previous to the latter period, a certain 
Calvin Bradley had been in habits of intimacy in your oratrix family, 
seeming to feel a most deep and lively interest in their welfare and 
happenings -- that said Calvin often professed the most warm and sincere 
regard for your oratrix and at length proposed to her as a means of 
promoting their mutual happiness, a union in this bond of matrimony. 

That your oratrix, in consideration of her age, the number of children 
which she had by her former husband for whom she was entrusted to 
provide, and the many duties which had been committed to her charge 
under the will aforesaid for a length of time resisted the idea of 
ever again marrying whereby she might possibly risqu[?] the introduction
of any disorder or discord into the family which she then had in charge --
and from those conversations, at first, rejected the repeated
importunities of Calvin upon that subject.

That said Calvin persisted in his matrimonial suit and in order to 
accomplish his foul and deceitful purpose, resorted to every expedient 
which would be calculated to portray himself the most strict
and exemplary moral character and to induce your oratrix and her children
to believe that they would find in him a protector and friend.

That this course of conduct in said Calvin at length enlisted that 
esteem and regard from your oratrix which determined her to enter into 
a matrimonial engagement with said Calvin, supposing that appearances 
that she would find in said Calvin that extraordinary temperance and 
discretion which would measurably counterpoise (?) the fifteen or twenty
years which she had advantage of him in age.

That accordingly she was united with said Calvin in the bonds of matrimony
in the said county of Adams, about the _____ day of June 1823 -- and said
Calvin therefrom took charge of the residence and plantation of your 
oratrix aforesaid and therefore got the possession and control of the 
large and valuable stock of Negroes and other personal property which
your oratrix had in charge as aforesaid under the will of said Gabriel
Swayze, dec'd. -- that a very short period had elapsed after the marriage
aforesaid before said Calvin Bradley shed the most woefully deceptive
mark under which he had elicited the esteem and inspired the confidence
of your oratrix exhibited to your oratrix, when it was too late to profit
by it, the most conclusive and afflicting evidence that she had committed
herself to the charge and was within the power of the veriest (?) monster
(?) in human shape -- Every promise of kindness to herself and family 
which were so successfully  imposed on her as aforesaid, were instantly 
violated -- and from the perverse and harsh course observed by said Calvin
towards her and her children, it seemed evident that his object was to
drive them from their home and thereby to consummate the original foul 
project which tempted and prompted(?) him herein -- that of monopolizing
and exclusively enjoying the various and ample means left as aforesaid 
by said Gabriel Swayze for the support and comfort of your oratrix and
family. 

That your oratrix at that time had two of her sons, children of said 
Gabriel, under her charge as their natural guardian and living with her
-- that the remainder of the children of said Gabriel had intermarried(?)
and removed from the family residence occupied by your oratrix -- that 
the two sons remaining as aforesaid were infants of but tender years 
whose education and moral habits required the strictest attention and 
care and your oratrix more with a view of having it in her power to 
perform towards them those pious duties from the bounty left by their 
father for that purpose, was moved(?) to submit to the cruelties 
instituted in the first instance by Calvin used every persuasive means 
in her power to recall him to a proper sen[?] of that kindness which 
duty and religion requires at his hand and to overcome or at least to 
mitigate the severities of the course which he has been pursuingbut 
every effort on the part of your oratrix to this end proved unavailing
and instead of softening the temper and mitigating the cruelties of said 
Calvin, only stimulated him to the invention of new and more severe 
torture for the accomplishment of his purpose -- he refuses to send or 
permit the said infant children to be sent to school or to provide or 
allow any means for their education and forbade your oratrix using any   
portion of her deceased husband's estates for that purpose -- his 
treatment towards said children was marked by continued neglect and 
unfeeling abuse setting before them the worst and most immoral examples 
and denying them those comforts of life which they had been accustomed 
to receive from their father and your oratrix -- That said Calvin's 
conduct towards your oratrix assumed an aspect of the most cruel and 
savage character --
He would in the most wanton manner, without provocation, violently assail 
the person of your oratrix and so beat and bruise her with his fist or 
with such instrument of torture as he could lay his hand upon, that 
her life would be much endangered -- and [????] a repetition of said 
Calvin's assaults of that extremely dangerous character your oratrix 
was deterred from remaining any longer in his power and at length left 
her home, in which she had hoped to end her days in peace and plenty,
and sought protection and support from the charity and kindness of those
of her children that were married as aforesaid and never has returned to
live with Calvin. 

That the two infant children of said Gabriel Swayze, dec'd., were at 
length taken charge of by persons appointed as their guardians and 
likewise left their home solely depending upon the individual bounty of 
their respective guardians for support, clothing, schooling and -- that
said Calvin has now become sole master as well of the fortune left by 
said Swayze for his children as aforesaid as of every article of property 
owned by your oratrix in her own right -- and denies to your oratrix and 
said children any provision or means of support whatever but leaves them 
to depend only upon the bounty and charity of their relatives and friends 
for the necessities and comforts of life -- Thus from the most abject 
poverty the said Calvin has, by the grossest fraud and most unhallowed
machinations, filched from the widow and orphans of a deceased benefactor
the home and the wealth which had with anxious and frugal care been 
provided for them. \

Your oratrix is deprived by said Calvin from executing the provisions of 
her said husband's will in any part thereof and said Calvin positively 
refuses to permit said heirs to enjoy the benefit of said slaves or other 
personal property specified in the will of said Gabriel Swayze as aforesaid,
but on the contrary is treating it as his own and wasting and consuming 
it in the support of his debaucheries and extravagant excesses. 

Now so it is (?) and for as much as your oratrix is without relief at law 
in the premises(?), May it please your honor the premises(?) considered to
grant to your oratrix your [???????], writ of [????????] as [???????] 
against said Calvin Bradley (who is made defendant hereto) -- that he be
compelled to answer each and every allegation in this bill, fully and 
distinctly -- that he exhibit and set forth to this honorable court a 
true, full and perfect inventory of the several slaves and other articles
of personal property with their in??? which he became possessed of on his
marriage with your oratrix -- as well that which your oratrix had in charge
as Executrix aforesaid as that which she possessed in her own individual 
right -- and then what has become of the same. 

And may it please your honor by your final decree therein to grant to your 
oratrix a divorce from the bed and board of said Defendant and to cause 
such provision to be made for her by the way of alimony or otherwise as
may be just and right -- And should your Honor see fit to permit any
portion o the personal estate which your oratrix owned in her individual 
right upon her marriage with said Calvin to remain in said Calvin's 
possession that said Calvin, who has only a limited estate therein, be 
decreed to give security for the preservation and security of such portion
as so remains in his hands and to respond therefore to those in reversion
or remain in interest. 

That your oratrix be permitted to renounce and relinquish the further 
execution of the said Gabriel Swayze's will which she here offers to do
and that some fit person be appointed by your Honor to succeed her herein
and that said slaves and personal estate be taken from the possession of 
said Calvin and committed to the charge of the person so appointed -- And 
that some provision the meantime be made to protect your oratrix rights 
and to provide for her support and for the security of her person -- And 
such other further relief as equity may dictate and as in duty bound she 
will ever pray

Lydia Bradley

By Poindexter D. CALDWELL her counsel