Stearns Petition for Divorce (1872)
Petition for Divorce
Circuit Court, Polk County, Tennessee
Sarah STEARNS vs. William B STEARNS
Came the complainant and filed her petition for divorce, and it appearing that the defendant is a non-resident of the State of Tennessee, so that the ordinary process of law cannot be served on him: It is therefore ordered that publication be made in the Cleveland Banner, a newspaper published in the town of Cleveland, Bradley county, Tennessee, for four successive weeks, requiring the said William B. STEARNS to be and appear before the Circuit Court, at a Court to be held for the county of Polk, at the court house in Benton, on the 3d Monday of May next, and plead, answer, or otherwise make defense to complainant’s petition, or judgement pro confesso will be taken and the cause set for hearing ex parte.
John C. WILLIAMSON, Clerk,
[originally published April 19, 1872- 4w press fee $5] (page 5, col 4)
Source: Cleveland Banner (Cleveland, TN); 3 May 1872. Available online at Google News Archive.