Divorce and Desertion in Walla Walla
A local mother is granted custody of her son after her husband abandons the family for two years.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Frankie Hawks has been granted a divorce from Clyde Hawks and is awarded the custody of the 10-year-old son, the issue of the marriage. According to the report of Otto B. Rupp, who was the referee in the case, the testimony shows that they were married in Waitsburg, October 24, 1892. On June 5, 1901, Hawks deserted his wife and child and since that time has failed and neglected to support them. Upon the findings of the referee, Judge Brents signed an order dissolving the bonds of matrimony and awarding the custody of the child to the mother.
“Hawks deserted his wife and child and since that time has failed and neglected to support them.”
Divorce filings in the early 20th century were often summarized in the local paper with clinical, public detail. This case highlights the precarious economic reality for women left behind by deserting husbands—a struggle for family security that remains a cornerstone of housing and social policy today.
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