By Marie E. Matyjaszek
It’s probably no shock that I am drawn to legal topics, especially those that are off the wall. During one such online session, I learned that oil baron Henry Flagler used his wealth and power to have the Florida legislature enact a law allowing him to divorce on the grounds that his spouse was incurably insane.
Flagler was thrice married, first to Mary #1, then Ida Alice and finally Mary Lily (aka Mary #2). Mary #1 died at age 47 of poor health, which was an easy path to marriage #2. However, in 1895 Ida Alice was institutionalized for mental illness at Pleasantville Sanitarium (a fantastic name for an insane asylum if you ask me).
Back in the day, one could not divorce a spouse for simply being insane; accordingly, Henry used his moolah to make it happen. According to a 1901 news article in the “San Francisco Call,” Flagler went to Miami with Judge Jones and Judge Raney, with Raney sponsoring a new law that allowed insanity to be grounds for divorce.
Coincidentally, notice of Flagler’s intent to divorce Ida appeared in papers and was tacked to the courthouse shortly after the trio’s arrival in Florida. Four years after the passing of the law, it was repealed, with Flagler being the only individual to be divorced under the law.
Rumors swirled that Henry and Mary #2 were involved pre-divorce, and their marriage a mere 10 days post-divorce seems to bolster that theory. Flagler built her the opulent estate known as Whitehall, which is now the Flagler Museum.
Karma, however, had the last laugh. Flagler fell down the steps at Whitehall and died shortly thereafter.
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The author is an Attorney Referee at the Washtenaw County Friend of the Court; however, the views expressed here are her own. Email her at matyjasz@hotmail.com.
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