106 years ago, 19 November 1912, my grandmother’s sister, Essie, married Louis Kincaid Postle in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio.  Aunt Essie was 21, Louis was 25.  The marriage was not a good one and would end in divorce.  In the 1920 census, the couple appeared to be living with Louis’ mother and siblings, but by the time the 1920 Columbus City Directory went to print, Aunt Essie was back living with Great Grandmother Koontz.

The only photograph I have of Essie and Louis together was taken on the eve of my grandparents’ wedding in April of 1918:

That is Great Grandmother Koontz between Louis and Essie.

I knew that Essie and Louis were divorced, but never know when or why.   We were always quite glad that she married the second time to Harold Spuhler who was one of our favorite uncles who visited my grandparents long after Aunt Essie passed away in 1953.   I did finally write to the Clerk of the Court in Franklin County, Ohio asking for a copy of the decree for Aunt Essie’s divorce.  They were quite helpful and supplied the decree and the supporting docuementation – the divorce was granted on 13 October 1922, with the grounds of gross neglect of duty [possibly due to the fact that he was living in Indiana and she was in Ohio]. Filed by Essie 4/28/1922. Attorney fees: $15.00, Court Costs $12.00 – assessed to Louis Postle. Essie Koontz name restored.   She and Uncle Harold were married 30 April 1923.