Susan Sorey seeks a "reasonable alimony" from her estranged husband, Nathaniel Sorey, whom she charges with domestic violence and assault. She testifies that on one occasion Nathaniel "commenced stripping her clothes from her person, ripping them off with a knife, and exposing her to the observation of his slaves and the family." She endeavored to overlook his behavior at first, attributing it to "the intemperate use of ardent spirits." He soon, however, "commenced to starve her, by depriving her of common sustenance, maintaining this stand by suspicious vigilance" and finally drove her "with the lash" from their plantation, a 400-acre tract of land that she derived from her father and on which Nathaniel cuts timber for their support. In his answer Nathaniel alleges that Susan has abandoned him without reason and declares that he did not marry her "for the sake of her property."
Result: Granted.
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Repository: Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
