Sensational Divorce Suit

[genealogynut]

Howard Courant
July 19, 1928

Joe H. Porter's part Indian common law wife has sued him in Elk County district court for divorce and responsible settlement.  She has lived with him for more than thirteen years and he has repeatedly acknowledged her as his wife.  She alleges through her attorney P.S. Davis of Tulsa, that Porter has more than 9,000 acres of land and by reason of immense profits in oil properties is worth at least $20,000,000.00.  This is likely to be a case as rich as the Jackson Barnett case, before it is through.

[Mom70x7]

Wow! 

That is definitely a sensational amount, especially for the times.

[genealogynut]

Yeah, I thought so, too.  I went back and triple checked the amount to be sure my eyes weren't playin tricks on me!  I counted off the zero's as I could hardly believe the figure.  Man, I was seeing' $$$$$$$$$ !!!!   Even today, that sounds like quite a sum (to me anyway). 

There was big money to be made then in the oil business, and even more so today.

[Wilma]

Could we possibly claim to be descendants of this man?  Maybe there are a few dollars unclaimed some place.

[Mom70x7]

Wonder if the settlement was ever published?

What was the wife's name? Did she stick around?

And what is the

This is likely to be a case as rich as the Jackson Barnett case, before it is through.

Jackson Barnett case?

Inquiring minds want to know . . . . 

[genealogynut]

If I lived closer to the Elk County courthouse, come Monday morning, I would be "beatin" on the District Clerk's door wanting to see the divorce records, etc.  As Don and I are wondering if that $$ was fact or fiction.  That sounds like an awful lot of money, especially for that time period. That is probably about the only place (district court)  a person can get some answers on this case.  But I'm not going to drive 40 miles over there just to satisfy my curiousity.  And I wondered, too, what was meant by the Jackson Barnett case......maybe the answers to that would be found in the same place.

Would there be any volunteers closer to the courthouse, willing to check that out?

[genealogynut]

Here's some info that just might "knock yo' hat in the crick."  I looked up Joseph H. Porter on the 1920 census and he is age 66, living in Union Center township, gives his marital status as widowed, and has a housekeeper, Mae, living there also, her age is 28 and she's single.  I'm beginning to get the impression she was trying to "line her pockets," by claiming to be a common law wife. There were no children listed in that household in the 1920 census.