Rockbridge County, VA Decided Causes. ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ************************************************************************** From: "Louise M. Perkins" Re Divorce Case of John W. Green and wife: John W. Green vs. Bettie E. Green alias Mary E.Green: To A Bettie E. Green alias Mary E. Green Defendant-Take notice that at the Office of Letcher and Letcher, in the Town of Lexington, Virginia, between the hours of six a.m. and six p.m. on Saturday the 31st day of August 1889, the depositions of witnesses will be taken on behalf of the Plaintiff in the above named cause. s/Letcher & Letcher p.g. Aug. 20th 1889. John W. Green vs. Bettie E. Green--Notice--Executed Aug. 23d 1889 by reading & explaining this copy to Bettie E. Green. No copy having been furnished to the Executors. s/W. F. Templeton D.S. for r. R. Witt S.N.G. John W. Green vs. Bettie E. alias Mary E. Green: Depositions of J. H. Whitmore and others, taken before me G. D. Letcher, a Notary Public for the County of Rockbridge, State of Virginia, pursuant to Notice hereto annexed at the Office of Letcher & Letcher in the Town of Lexington, on the 31st day of August 1889, abetween the hours of six a.m. and six p.m. to be read as evidence on behalf of Jno. W. Green, in a certain Suit in Equity depending in the Circuit Court of Rockbridge wherein John W. Green is Plaintiff vs. Bettie E., Alias Mary E. Green is Defendant. Present:-S. H. Letcher, Atty for Plaintiff J. H. Whitmore being duly sworn deposeth & saith as follows:-Questions by S. H. Letcher 1. Do you know Jno. W. Green and what is your opinion concerning his character? Ans. I know him; I have known him since the war; he worked for me one year about in 1883 and is now on my place with me, working for me. He has a good character as far as I know-a good sober and industrious man, energetic and hard worker-he was a good provider for his family and as far as I could see, he was loving and kind to his wife and family. I do not know of any poor man who could prove a better character. I do not know and never heard that he had anything to do with other women than his wife. His character for morality and uprightness is unblemished as far as I know. 2. What is the "General Reputation" concerning his wife's chastity? Ans. The general belief in the neighborhood is that she has not been a faithful pure and faithful wife and such has been the general and open talk among the neighbors. I state this from my knowledge of her "General Reputation." s/ J. H. Whitman. Witness: G. D. Letcher Jesse D. Campbell being duly sworn deposeth and saith as follows: Questions by S. H. Letcher 1. Do you know John W. Green and if so state your opinion of his character. Ans. I know him and have known him ever since I could recollect-have lived within 3 or 4 miles of him for 6 or 7 years and have been intimate with him in that time. He has always been intimate with him in that time. He has always been an honest and upright man and a hard working man. While he was near us he was a good husband and provided well for his family. I never heard anything immoral about him. 2. Do you know the "General reputaion" of Mary E. Green for chastity and virtue ? and if so, what is it. Ans. I do know his "general reputation" in her neighborhood for chastity and virtue-it is that she is not a faithful wife to John, but carnally knew other men. 3. Did you ever see men other than John visiting her suspiciously in John's absence? Ans. I have frequently, among others, Houston Campbell. s/J. D. Campbell Witness: G. D. Letcher. James L. Gibson being duly sworn deposeth and saith as follows: Questions by S. H. Letcher 1. Do you know the parties to this suit? Ans. I do-John Green is a first-rate man and I never heard anything against him. Mary E. Green his wife is not personally well known to me but her reputation is bad. 2. Did you ever know men other than her husband to visit her suspiciously. Ans. I did. Once in coming from fox-hunting with Gibson Alexander as we passed the house he asked me to hold his horse that he wanted to go in and get some "pickles". I did so and he went in and stayed with Mary Green for about a half an hour-her husband was away. I understood by "pickles" that he meant carnal connection. Another time he went into the house under suspicious circumstances leaving me under the impression that the same was his object. 3. Did anyone ever make admissions of carnal connection with her, if so state them? Ans. Gibson Alexander, Nute Blackwell, and Bill Ramsey, now dead, each and severally admitted to me that they had had carnal connection with her. s/James L. Gibson; Witness: G. D. Letcher. Newton B. Blackwell being duly sworn deposeth and saith as follows: Questions by S. H. Letcher 1. State if you know Jno. W. Green and Mary E. Green? Ans. I know them both. So far as I know Jno. W. Green has a good character. His wife's reputation is bad. 2. State if you know of anyone ever having criminal conversation with her othern than her husband? Ans. I do-I myself was intimate with her and carnally knew her at different times. I have heard Cal Brown admit that he had carnally known her several times. On one of my visits to her, when her husband was away from home, Bill Ramsay, dec'd. was with me and although he did not admit to me that he carnally knew her, yet from circumstances I could almost swear that he did-this I firmly believe. We went to her house together-I first went in her room and carnally knew her, I then came out and Bill Ramsay went in with her and remained alone with her for 15 or 20 minutes. I think Gibson Alexander also told me that he had had connection with her, of this however I will not be certain. s/Newton B. Blackwell, Witness: G. D. Letcher (charges 90 cents paid) John W. Gibson being duly sworn deposeth & saith as follows: Questions by S. H. Letcher. 1. Do you know the parties to this suit? Ans. I know John W. Green well and have a high opinion of him; his wife I only know by reputation. 2. Did you ever hear anyone admit that they had connection with her? Ans. I have heard Nute Blackwell and Bill Ramsay say that they had had connection with her; and the general impression in the neighborhood is that she is a woman of loose character. s/Jno. W. Gibson; Witness: G. D. Letcher. H. Campbell being duly sworn deposeth & saith as follows: Questions by S. H. Letcher 1. Do you know the parties to this suit? Ans. I do. 2. Did you ever hear anyone state that they had carnally known her? Ans. I have heard Nute Blackwell say so. 2. Did you ever know Nute Blackwell to visit the house in the absence of Jno. W. Green under suspicious circumstances? Ans. I have, several times. s/H. Campbell (hismark) Witness: G. W. Letcher (charges 45 cents paid). J. Gibson Alexander being duly sworn deposeth & saith as follows: Questions by S. H. Letcher 1. Do you know Jno. W. Green and Mary E. Green, his wife? Ans. I do. 2. Did you ever have connection with Mary E. Green? Ans. I did. s/J. G. Alexander; Witness: G. D. Letcher. State of Virginia, County of Rockbridge to wit: I, G. W. Letcher, a Notary Public for the County aforesaid in the said State, do certify, that the foregoing depositions were duly taken, sworn to and subscribed before me, at the time and place mentioned herein. Given under my hand this 31st day of August 1889, s/G. D. Letcher, Notary Public. John W. Green vs. Bettie E. Green Depositions. Witness: J. H. whitmore; Jesse D. Campbell; James L. Gibson; Newton B. Blackwell; John W. Gibson; H. Campbell; J. G. Alexander. Witness charges $1.35; Notary Fee $3.00, Total 4.35, paid in full. G. D. Leltcher, N.P. Filed Aug. 31, 1889. John W. Green vs. Bettie E. Green: To the Honorable William McLaughlin, Judge of the Circuit Court of Rockbridge County: Your orator, John W. Green, of the said County of Rockbridge, humbly complaining, showeth to your Honor, That on the 25th day of November 1869, as shown by the Records in the County Clerk's Office, your orator entered into the holy bonds of matrimony with his wife Bettie Ee. Green, nee Bettie E. Johnson. This marriage was never blest with that unrestricted confidence, trust and love which should characterize the relation. Although your orator ever loved his wife, made her a good and faithful husband, and labored hard to provide for her wants and desires, yet she was never appreciative and grateful for the same; but on the contrary, often and over expressed and showed hatred and aversion towards him, which the presence of third parties failed to restrain; scorned his love; repelled his endearments; alienated the affections of his children; and at times denied him the privileges of a husband. Your orator further avers that at different times during his married life, unexplained circumstances and the reports of neighbors and friends brought home to him the horrible thought and suspicion of his wife's infidelity; but when questioned concerning it, her emphatic and indignant denial far too easily silenced that suspicion. Your orator further affirms that during wed-lock five children have been born of his wife, all of whom the law recognizes as his own; but from facial resemblances, periods of denied intercourse, and other circumstances, thoughts many times recalled by his memory and revolved in his mind, the suspicion is strong within him that two of those children have sprung from the loins of other men. This your orator cannot prove but gives it simply as a personal conviction. Your orator's married life became more and more unhappy to him, especially during the last year that they lived together, thought thickened into belife, suspicion into conviction; then such a life of disgrace and misfortune became unbearable; then your orator, abeing a man in whom every feeling of honor and self-respect was not yet dead, determined to separate from her never to return; this he did in April 1889. Your orator avers that the culminating quarrel was concerning the attentions of a young man in the neighborhood, named Houston Campbell. He forbade his wife receiving them believing them to be improper, but she persisted in allowing him to visit her in the absence of your4 orator. Your orator is prepared to prove all these facts; and also that upon one occasion a man other than himself was seen in bed with his wife; that men were seen to visit the house in his absence under the most suspicious circumstances; that these men had acknowledged to other parties that they had carnally known her; that the "General Reputation: in the neighborhood was that she was a wife without virtue. All these things your orator charges; and asks that Bettie E. Green of Rockbridge County, his wife, abe made the party defendant to this Bill and be required to answer the same on oath, as fully and particularly as if she had been specially interrogated thereto. Your orator affirms that in April 1889, as soon as he was convinced of his wife's unfaithfulness, he at once left her and has recrimination be sustained against him. In tender consideration whereof and in as much as he is without remedy save in a Court of Equity where such matters are exclusively, relievable and conginzable, your orator prays that your Honor will grant him a divorce a vinculo matrimonii from the said Bettie E. Green; that your Honor will, because your orator is without fault in this matter, decree that his property be freed and directed of the contingent rights of dower of the said aBettie E. Green; and that your Honor will grant him such further relief as the circumstances may require and to equity may seem meety. (?) And your orator will ever pray by (?) s/John W. Green by Counsel. Letcher & Letcher p. q. The Commonwealth of Virginia, To the Sheriff of Rockbridge County--Greeting: You are hereby commanded to Summon Mary White (Cold) James Gibson, John Gibson, Nute Blackwell, Saml. P. Campbell, Jesse Campbell, Tom Campbell, Gibson Alexander & Houston Campbell to appear at the office of Letcher & Letcher in Lexington on the 31st day of August 1889, to testify on behalf of the Plaintiff in a Chancery Cause now pending in the Circuit Court of Rockbridge between John W. Green Plaintiff, and Bettie E. Green, Defendant. And this you shall in no wise omit under penalty of 100. And have then there this writ. Witness, John C. Boude, Clerk of our said Court at the Court House, the 27th of August 1889, and in the 114th year of the Commonwealth. s/ John C. Boude. John W. Green v. Bettie E. Green 1889 Aug 31st Executed on all ? within Aug 30th 89 s/W. F. Templeton for R. R. Witt S R O? The Commonwealth of Virginia, To the Sheriff of Rockbridge County, Greeting: You are hereby commanded to Summon Bettie E. Green to appear at the Clerk's Office ofour Circuit Court for Rockbridge County at the Rules to be holden for the said Court on the 3d Monday in August Inst to answer a Bill in Chancery exhibited against her in the said Court by John W. Green and unless she shall answer the said Bill with 15 days thereafter the Court will take the same for confessed and decree accordingly. And this she shall in no wise omit under the penalty of 100. And have then there this writ. Witness, John C. Boude, Clerk of our said Court, at the Court House, the 12th day of August 1889, and in the 114th year of the Commonwealth. s/John C. Boude, Clerk. Executed by delivering an office copy of the within ? in chg to Bettie E. Green some times known as Mary e. Green in person on this 17th day of August 1889. s/W. F. Templeton, D.S. for R. R. Witt S R C. John W. Green vs. Bettie E. alias Mary E. Green-Final Decree. This Cause, coming on this day to be finally heard on the Bill and Depositions of witnesses, and it appearing that the subpoena in chancery was duly issued and process regularly served upon the defendant and that the cause was fully matured, was argued by Counsel. On consideration whereof, the Court being of opinion from the evidence furnished, that the Defendant has been untrue, to her marital vows, having been guilty of adultery, doth adhydgem irderm abd decree that the marriage heretofore had and soleminized between Bettie E. alias Mary E. Green the Defendant and John W. Green, the Plaintiff shall be and the same is hereby dissolved; and that the said John W. Green be forever divorced a vinculo matrimonii from the said Bettie E. alias Mary E. Green; and that all rights of the said Defendant resulting from the aforesaid marriage with the Plaintiff shall cease and are hereby barred and divested. John W. Green vs. Bettie E. alias Mary E. Green-Final Decree. Enter N. B. B. Entered Sept. 3d, 1889.