Deposition of Olive Pruett
I am 53 years of age; my post office address is R.F.D. No. 4 Aurora, Illi., Resident newar Aurora. Occupation house-keeper. My husband's name is Chas. Pruett. His occupation assit. shipping clerk for Miller, Bryant & Pierce. The claimant, Lydia A. Aldrich is my sister. I came to Sandwich Ill., with my parents when I was about 4 years old, and lived there until about 7 years ago. Claimant for a time lived in Wisconsin, but aside from that has lived in Sandwich and vicinity ever since we first moved there from Vermont. I don't know just how old she was when we came from the East. She is just 10 years older than I.
Claimant was first married to Duncan McDonald and he was killed in the army shortly after their marriage. She next married John Heburn. I don't know just when that was, but not very loong after McDonald's death. I don'ts know where Heburn came from, but I believe claimant first knew him in Sandwich. I think Heburn had been previously married and that I have heard it so stated. I never heard what became of his first wife. If he was previously married it was before he came to Sandwich and I know nothing as to where he lived before he came there. After claimant and Heburn were married, they lived in Sandwich awhile, don't know how long and then went to Wisconsin somewhere near Kilborn. I think they were in Wis. About 1 1/2 years. I was in Wisconsin with my mother and sister Martha at the time claimant and Heburn lived there. They had trouble of some kind tho'. I don't know what it was about, and parted, and claimant came back to Sandwich. I don't think Heburn knew she was going to leave. I have never since heard anything direct from Heburn, but someone said he was married again. I never heard that he was divorced. I know nothing whatever about any of Heburn's relatives. Claimant next married, I believe, a man named James Millay. I never say him very much as I was working out. I did not know they intended getting married, until I heard they were married. I knew nothing of it. He lived in Leland, and had been married before. I don't know of more than one prior marriage. I don't know what her name was, or what became of her. Don't know if she was dead or divorced. I can't tell how long claimant and Millay lived together. We, my husband and I, lived in Michigan about a year, in 1878 or 1879, and during that time claimant and Millay separated or he left, but I know nothing whatever about the circumstances. I remember that my father went to Kansas and that later claimant went or else they went together, but why she went I don't know. I don't think Millay went with them, and don't think he was with them, but I believe he went away about that time and he never came back. We later heard he had died somewhere in Kansas but I don't know where. I think it was about a year or year and one-half after he went away that we heard he was dead. I heard he was dead through my sister (the claimant), but I don't know how she heard it. Claimant next married Luke Aldrich I don't know what year they were married. I can't recall dates. I can't say if she married Aldrich before of after she heard that Millay was dead. I don't know. Aldrich had been married before, but I think only once.
Report said his first wife was dead, and all I every heard anyone say about her was that she was dead. I can't say where she died. My sister was never divorced from Millay or Heburn. I don't know how long claimant and Aldrich lived together, but they had trouble and he left her. When he went away I was there, and I don't think she thought he was going to stay away, but I thought he was. I think the separation was his fault as much as hers. He said before leaving that he would send for her when he got settled. He was awful mean to claimant and I think he drank. II have heard him talk mean to her and use bad language at her but never saw him strike her. I don't know where he went, and don't know what became of him. I never heard he was divorced, but about 2 years ago I heard he was dead.
Claimant next married Barney Wheeler. I can't give date of marriage. He had been married only once before. His wife died I believe in Iowa. I don't know how long they lived together, but He left her, or else they drove him out he was so mean. He wouldn't pay his debts, nor provide for her and he abused her terribly. I have seen him brace his hand to strike her and call her vulgar and indecent names. I don't if he left on his own accord, but it seems to me the town ordered him to go. I think he went to the Soldiers home in Iowa. Claimant got a divorce from Wheeler and from Aldrich 2 or 3 years ago, but I was not there and know nothing about them.
I don't know that claimant had any reason to believe herself free from any bond of matrimony at any time that she married, subsequent to her marriage to John Heburn. I never heard that claimant and Millay had any trouble and I don't know why he left. I never up held claimant in her action of marrying so often because I didn't believe she had any right to get married so often and I thought she was better off single. I don't know why she waited so long before applying for a divorce. I don't know why she finally applied for divorce and have wondered why she did it. Claimant was here just after New Year's but she said nothing about her divorce actions. She has told me she was divorced from Wheeler and Aldrich, but nothing in particular was said about it. Claimant was never married but five times and only to the parties above mentioned. I have said to claimant at different times that I thought she out not to get married without a divorce and have asked her why she did it, but she would say she knew why. She never attempted to justify her action marrying without divorce of being free from other marital bonds. Claimant has no properties of any kind. I have no pecuniary interest in this claim. Have heard my foregoing deposition read, have understood your questions and my answers have been correctly recorded.
Mrs. Olive Pruett
25 January 1907
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