Martin Co., IN., Clerks Office, Courthouse in West Shoals, Vault Box 282, 3-2-2001.

    ) Lucinda Inman vs. John Inman
    ) April Term 1878
    ) Petition for Divorce

Lucinda Inman, Plaintiff, statement - "from 3-1-1876 to 9-1-1876, she was keeping house by herself and her little children in McCameron Township. When John Inman came home and she went with him to Jeffersonville, Indiana, where she remained as his housekeeper, until December 24, 1876. When he left her, and her friends came and brought her back to McCameron Township, Martin Co., Indiana. She commenseced housekeeping with her children, where she remained until about the 24th of December 1877, when she went to her Mother, Hester Richardson's house in said Township, where she remained until about the first day of February 1878, assisting her Mother in her household duties, when she mover to the home of Tho. G. Inman in West Shoals, where she has remained ever since assisting in doing house work."

her
Lucinda X Inman
mark

(NOTE: I copied most of the letter as it was written. The letter to the Court was probably written by her Lawyer.)

The next letter in the Box was from John's Lawyer, Henry A. Reed, and reads in part (the letter was only 4 hand written lines) - "he denies each and every material allegation herein". The letter was signed by Henry A. Reed.

The 3rd and final letter in the Box was from the Court proceedings. The first part re-states Lucinda's letter and adds: - "John abandoned her in Jefferson, and went to 'parts unknown' with one Sarah Baily (that's how it was spelled in the letter) a woman of bad repute, with whom he lived in adultery some when in Illinois until November 1877. When he returned to this State, bringing with him the said Sarah Baily to Washington, Indiana, and then to West Shoals, whom he has habit of visiting ________ (I couldn't read this word) since that time. That he has kept up his adulterous intimacy with said Sarah Baily err since he left your petitioner as afor said, and has been guilty of adultery with said Sarah Baily in the State of Illinois, in the town of Washington, Indiana and West Shoals, Indiana." 

At the bottom of this letter the Court was asked to dissolve the marriage. The children's names were written as: George, Hester A., James, Wm, Isaac and Noah. Lucinda asked for custody of Hester and Noah.

Land Deed Record - Book 27, 2-1879 to 1-1880, Martin Co. Recorder's Office, page 331: John and Sarah J. Inman, warranty Deed to James D. Huff for $450.00 on 9-20-1879 the following described land: NE NW, Section 10, T5N, R4W, 40 acres. This land description is next to his Father, George's land.

Land Deed Record - Book 28, 2-1880 to 3-1881, page 295: John Inman and Wife, Quit Claim to James Inman for $400.00 on 8-13-1880 the following described land: John and Sarah J. Inman of Montague Co., TX convey and Quit Claim for 10 acres off W side of SE quarter, Section 1 and SW quarter, Section 2 and SE quarter of, Section 3 excepting part of SW corner of said tract owned by Francis Atchley and N half of NE quarter, Section 10 and NW quarter,
Section 11 and W half of NE quarter, Section 11 all in T5N, R4W.

Signed John Inman
Sarah Jane Inman

before Justice of the Peace, Montague Co., TX
Dated 8-13-1880.

The last Land Deed Record I have for John and Lucinda is: John Inman and Wife, Warranty Deed to Lucy Alexander for $1600.00 on 11-24-1877, signed by John Inman and Lucinda (her mark) Inman.

It seems that James, ID I43729, took care of George's Estate and land holdings. All of the children signed Quit Claim Deeds so James could sell the land. I have more work to do on the Land Deeds, but one record has George, James' younger brother, sending a Power-of-Attorney from Montague Co., TX, to James in 1888. I also think that Isaac, John's son, b. 1870, is the same Isaac that married in Indian Terr. in 1898 (from your information). George had about 640 acres of land in McCameron Township when he died in Feb. 1880. A sizeable amount for that time period.

Submitted by Joe Smiddie