Hansley v. Hansley: 1849

As required by North Carolina law at that time, a jury trial was held in 1848 before the Superior Court for New Hanover County during which Mr. Hansley denied all of his wife's allegations. At the trial, evidence was submitted about the "acts of familiarity" between Mr. Hansley and Lucy as well as about Lucy acting "as a sort of manager of his house." Testimony was also given that Lucy had a child, that Mr. Hansley twice admitted that the child was his, and that Mr. Hansley, when approached by his brother-in-law about a possible reconciliation between him and his wife, said that "he [Mr. Hansley] would part with all the property he had before he would [part] with the said Lucy and his child."

The jury found Mrs. Hansley's allegations to be true and an absolute divorce was granted. In addition, an inquiry was ordered to determine a financial settlement between the parties. Possibly trying to avoid any payments to his wife, Mr. Hansley appealed.