St. Clair County
Circuit Court Records

Divorce Decree
Elva W. Ridgway - Gertrude R. Ridgway

Circuit Court Record, St. Clair Co., MO:
13 November 1912, Third day of November Term
Elva W. Ridgway, Plaintiff vs Gertrude R. Ridgway, Defendant.
Decree of Divorce
Now on this 13th day of November 1912 being the third day of the regular November Term of the Court the above entitled cause comes regularly on for hearing and plaintiff appears in person and by his attorney and defendant although three times solemnly called does not appear nor answer but makes default and the cause is heard by the Court and from the evidence introduced by plaintiff Courts finds.
1st That the defendants Gertrude R. Ridgway is a non-resident of the State of Missouri.
2nd That the defendant, Gertrude R. Ridgway was duly and regularly served with summons in this cause according to law more than thirty days before the first day of this term of Court by the Sheriff of Bourbon County, Kansas, delivering to said defendant Gertrude R. Ridgway, a copy of the said summons together with a copy of the petition in this cause as certified to by the Clerk of this Court, said service being proved by the affidavit of the Sheriff of Bourbon County, Kansas, stating the time and manner of such service made before the Clerk of the District Court of Bourbon County, Kansas and such Clerk certifying to the official character of the said Sheriff and to his authority to serve process within the County of Bourbon, State of Kansas, and said certificate of the Clerk being attested by the seal of the District Court of Bourbon County, Kansas.
3rd That plaintiff and defendant were lawfully married on the 4th day of December 1907 in Henry County, Missouri and lived together as husband and wife from the day of their marriage aforesaid until the 7th day of June 1912; that during such time plaintiff faithfully demeaned himself and discharged all his duties as husband of defendant but that the said defendant wholly disregarding her duties as wife of plaintiff on or about the __ day of May 1912 and at various other times in St. Clair County Missouri committed adultery with one James Lewellen.
4th That the plaintiff Elva W. Ridgway is now a resident of St. Clair County, Missouri, and has resided within the State of Missouri one whole year next before the filing of this petition.
5th That there was born of said marriage between plaintiff and defendant one child a boy aged about thirteen months, named Elva Wallace Ridgway, and that the plaintiff is a fit and proper person to have the care and custody of such infant child.
Wherefore it is ordered by Judge and decreed by the Court that the bonds of matrimony existing between plaintiff, Elva W. Ridgway and defendant Gertrude R. Ridgway, one and the same are hereby dissolved, and that plaintiff Elva W. Ridgway have the care and custody of the child, Elva Wallace Ridgway.