A 74-Year-Old Man Files for Divorce
After 52 years of marriage and a long separation, an elderly man seeks a legal dissolution to secure his modest property rights in Seattle.
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.
John P. Fait, at the age of 74 years, has brought suit for divorce from Maria Fait, whom he married in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, in 1840. In his complaint, he alleges that she deserted him in 1877 and has since refused to live with him. By saving up his small earnings, he has managed to buy a little property in this city, and the suit is really brought to protect his rights in this. He asks the court for a decree of divorce and to have the property set aside as his own.
“By saving up his small earnings he has managed to buy a little property in this city, and the suit is really brought to protect his rights in this.”
While divorce laws have changed significantly, the struggle of an elderly person seeking to preserve their assets and housing security remains a timeless concern in Seattle's property courts.
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