Lennie E. Richardson vs. Lorena Mabel Richardson, Divorce Petition, Monroe County Civil Court Records, Box 980, Research Library, Monroe County History Center, Bloomington, Indiana. NOTE: The item below is the divorce petition and it is most likely NOT the only item in this file related to the divorce. Lennie Richardson, the son of George and Sarah (Shields) Richardson, married Lorena Conner, the daughter of William H. and Anna Conner, in Monroe County on May 4, 1916, as noted in a Monroe County (IN) marriage record index. He was granted a divorce from Lorena on April 30, 1920, and he married Bessie (Bayne) Relaford later than same year. Bessie was granted a divorce from him in 1937. Lennie E. Richardson vs. Lorena Mabel Richardson February 1920 Plaintiff of the above-entitled cause complains of the defendant and he alleges that plaintiff is now and for more than two years last past has been a bona fide resident of the State of Indiana and for more than six months last past has been a resident of Monroe County of said state: that plaintiff and defendant are husband and wife, that they were duly married on the 4th day of May 1916, and were separated on or about the 30th day of January 1920, and are still separated; that they have not lived or cohabited together since said 30th day of January 1920. That the defendant has been guilty of cruel and inhuman treatment of this plaintiff in this to wit: that said defendant has since their marriage and during their entire married life failed to keep the house in a clean and inviting manner for this plaintiff; that she at all times has been wasteful and caused this plaintiff to pay unnecessary grocery bills and other unnecessary expenses for the household; that the defendant has failed to cook meals for this plaintiff making it necessary to him to prepare his own meals or board away from home; that this plaintiff has been sick since January 1 with sciatic rheumatism and unable to wait on himself; that this defendant refused to give him medicine and care for him during his sickness making it necessary for him to call in his mother that he might receive aid and relief; that this defendant would fly into a fit of anger and curse this said plaintiff without cause and would call him "a son of a bitch" at different times; that this defendant would attend dances against and over the protest of this plaintiff; that she kept company with other men of questionable character for the past two years. This plaintiff further complains of this defendant and alleges that on the (blank) day of (blank), 19(blank), at their home in the City of Bloomington that this defendant committed adultery with one Stanley Hill; that this defendant has made it impossible for the plaintiff to live with her and that on the 30th day of January 1920, that this defendant took their 18-month-old child, Hilda Frances Richardson, and left the said plaintiff; and the plaintiff alleges that during their married life he did all in his power to keep peace and happiness in the family and was without fault in all of their family relations. That to the fruit of this marriage there was born a girl, Hilda Frances Richardson, now age eighteen months; that this defendant is not a fit and proper person to have the care and custody of said child, wherefore this plaintiff is a fit and proper person to have the care and custody of said child. Wherefore plaintiff prays the court that the bonds of matrimony existing between the plaintiff and defendant be dissolved and that this plaintiff be granted the care and custody of said child, Hilda Frances Richardson, and that plaintiff be granted a divorce and for all other proper relief. John P. O'Donnell, Attorney for the Plaintiff