A North Carolina Woman Who has Five Husbands Living

Charlotte, NC, July 3 – Today Samuel NICKSON appeared before Register COBB and requested a marriage license for himself to Isabelle DAVIS.  License was promptly issued, but before it had been used it was discovered that the woman who was already married and that her husband was yet living.  Further investigation revealed the fact that she was a bigamist, and consequently a warrant for her arrest was put in the hands of an officer.  She was before a justice of the peace this evening.  The evidence was fast accumulated against her and soon it was proven that she now has living five husbands, four of whom live in this State and one in South Carolina.

The woman is now only about thirty-two years old. Her son, a lad about sixteen years old, testified against her in court.  She married the first time at the age of fifteen and has lived with no one husband eighteen months.  She was married first in 1872 to Amos JOHNSTON, and separated from him the following year.  In 1875 she married S.B. McCANE, and lived with him till Christmas of 1876.  Again in 1878 she married Rev. Abram McELMORE, and left him in 1879.  In 1885 she married Paul R. HALTON, and left him the same year, but only lived with him a few weeks. She married William R. FURGERSON last year but only lived with him a few weeks.  All are now living.  Paul R. HALTON after being separated from her married Jane ALEXANDER, and he, too, is to answere the charge of bigamy.  All the parties have been bound over to the Criminal Court. — Richmond Dispatch

Source: Roanoke Beacon, 12 July 1889.  Available online at digitalnc.org.