The Saum Family

EVENT TEXT: SAUM, A. L.
  State: IA Year: 1860
  County: Wapello County Record Type: Federal Population Schedule
  Township: Ottumwa Page: 772
  Database: IA 1860 Federal Census Index


A.L. Saum, 28, Male, Cooper, Born Ohio
Lavina Saum, 24, Female, Born Ohio
David A. Saum, 4, Male, Born Ohio
William L. Saum, 1, Male, Born Ohio.

EVENT TEXT: Petition of William H. Wortman

I was a Corporal in Co F, 7th Iowa Regt. was acquainted with Adam L. Saum a Corporal of Co K, 2nd Iowa Infty. Knew him initially before the war and knew him to be in good health when he enlisted in Ottumwa, Iowa. Early in 1861 "July of 1861 I enlisted in Co F, 7th Iowa Vol Infty and in September 1861 our Regt the 7th Iowa was joined by the 2nd Iowa at Ironton MO where I met the claimant Adam L. Saum. He was scarcely able at that time to get about with the aid of a cane. From an injury to his back" our Regts the 2nd and 7th Iowa was Brigaded together and camped side by side and I was with the claimant almost every day and know that from that time until he left the Regiment he was scarcely a day fit for duty. Our Regiments were together at Fort Donaldson and at Pittsburgh Landing and in the latter part of April 1862 after the Battle and just before we started the campaign against Cornith Mississippi I went to Claimants Tent and found him in very bad health. His eyes were swollen and inflamed, he told me the Surgeon had given him medicine that had nearly killed him. It purged and vomited him nearly to death, he was suffering from Piles and lame back at the same time. I knew the claimant after the was as I worked for him in the cooper shop and lived neighbor to him for ten years and during that time he was a great sufferer from lame back and Piles and was not able to work but a little during the ten years from 1865 to 1875.

W.H. Wortman  

Current Pension: $12 per month.
Requesting: Increase.
Unable to perform any manual labor.

Pulse Rate: 72
Respiration: 14
Temperature: 98.6
Height: 6 feet
Weight: 174
Age: 66

Skin pale; muscles and palms soft: Injury of Spine: states he severely sprained his back in unloading siege guns from steamer in 1861: remained with regiment but did not do duty for 3 months. We note marks of wet cups on either side of the spine in lumbar region: otherwise no objective or subjective signs of alleged injury: no rate.

Piles: we note prolapsus of the rectum, the presenting mass is the size of a small orange. Three distinct pile tumors, large 1/2 x 3/4 inch, ulcerated, tender and bleeding are observed. States that he has had piles since 1862; that he frequently hemorrhages confining him to bed several days. No fissure, fistula or structure. Prolapsus mass can be put back but escapes on standing or any exercise. This condition wholly disables him from the performance of any manual labor except light chores: rate 17/18.

Disease of the rectum, see above: no other disease of R. found.

No other disabilities found.

Vicious habits do not exist.

He is the subject of multiple limpoma 43 tumors of size ranging from filbert to small lemon being counted on right arm, about same number on left arm; scattering tumors on trunk and legs not disabling.  no rate.

EVENT TEXT: State of Indiana
Allen Court

Lavinina [sic] Saum

Adam L. Saum

Lavinia Saum plaintiff herein swears that she is and has been a bonafide resident of the City of Fort Wayne, County of Allen, State of Indiana from the 29th day of June 1880 until the making of this affidavit livd [sic] in said City Ienolif [sic] county and State oty [sic] deceu  tain [sic] is a housekeeper.

Signature Levina Saum

Subscribed to me this 7th day of August, 1882. Martin Spencer.

FILED 7 AUG 1882
Case #526 Allen County Court, File Box #72

Lavinia [sic] Saum; plaintiff, complains that Adam L. Saum, defendant and says they were intermarried March 12, 18856 [sic] her seven children living named David a.; William L.; Isey M.; Josephine H.; and Sylvia E.; of which the plaintiff is entitled to the keeping as her after that plaintiff is a bonafide resident of the State of Indiana since June 26th 1880 up to the filing of this complaint.

That defendant without fault on plaintiff's part has wholly failed for two years past to support plaintiff and her family and has wholly deserted them -- that during said time defendant has lived in adultery with Anna Haight a divorced woman and now threatens to remove to and live with her in Michigan -- that defendant has not only abandoned and failed to provide for plaintiff for two years past, but has committed adultery with several parties to defendant unknown -- to the (???) by name of said facts defendant is unfit to have custody of said children.

Wherefore plaintiff demands judgment for one thousand alimony, custody of said children, a decree of divorce and other relief.

Covnif Bull Tmin's
Attys. for Plaintiff

EVENT TEXT: State of Indiana
Allen County
Circuit Court
September Term 1882
Ans. and Cross Complaint.

Lavinia Saum
vs
Adam L. Saum

Comes now the defendant Adam L. Saum and for answer to Plaintiff's complaint denies each and every allegation therein contained.

The defendant Adam L. Saum by way of Cross complaint complains of the Plaintiff and says that he intermarried with the Plaintiff on the 12th day of March 1854 at Van Wert, Ohio. That Alexander L. Saum aged 16 years Isey May Saum 14 years of age Josephine Saum 10 years of age and Sylvia E. Saum 8 years of age are the minor children of this defendant and said plaintiff.

The the defendant has been a bonafide resident of Allen County in the State of Indiana for the last two years past. That the defendant and said Plaintiff lived happily and prosperously together as husband and wife from the date of their marriage up to the year 1877 when the Plaintiff after a continued use of opium for a year or more became an habitual "opium eater" and kept herself continually under the influence of opium making herself disagreeable to this defendant and their said children. That from that time up to the time of the filing of her said complaint the affectations of said Plaintiff have been estranged from this defendant that she has wholly neglected her duties as a wife and mother. That her conduct as a woman has been such as tended to deprove the morals and habits of their said children that she has upon all occasions during the last five years past taken advantage of every opportunity however unfounded to cause abuse, illtreat and humiliate this defendant in the presence of their said children, that she has endeavored to teach them disrespect and disobey this defendant without cause or foundation on her part for so doing that on January 31st 1881 she caused this defendant to be arrested on a false charge of "Disorderly Conduct" and caused and procured his child Isey M. to swear falsely against him upon the trial of said charge. That on the 11th day of June A.D. 1881 she procured her said child Isey M. to file an Affidavit against this defendant falsely charging him with "Provoke" that she the said Plaintiff was at said time confined in a County Jail awaiting her trial upon a charge of Perjury contained in an indictment returned by the Grand Jury of Said County.

Defendant says further that on the 13th day of January 1881 the plaintiff assisted by her paramour one Joseph H. Adams committed an assault and battery upon this defendant by then and there striking and beating this defendant with her fist. That she upon all occasions has endeavored to quarrel with him by calling him vulgar and indecent names and applying to him low and wile epithet that by reason of her aforesaid conduct and by reason of the said plaintiff having in this defendants house where he and said plaintiff lived committed adultery with one Joseph H. Adams on the 6th day of January 1881 and on the 13th day of January 1881 and at other times and places to the defendant unknown the defendant on the 2nd day of February 1881 refused to longer live and cohabit with her and has not lived or cohabited with the plaintiff since that time. And defendant further says that ever since that time the plaintiff has led an immoral dissolute life. That she has been a woman of low and unchaste habits, being arrested upon one occasion [to wit] on the day of March 1881 for keepping [sic] a house of illfame and harboring prostitutes therein and defendant says that by reason of the immoral habits of said plaintiff she is an unfit and improper person to have the care and custody of said children.

Wherefore defendant prays the Court that he may be divorced from said Plaintiff and that he be awarded the care and custody of said children.

Sinclair and Humme
Attys. for defdt.

Filed September 16, 1882

EVENT TEXT: Lavina Saum vs. Adam Saum

It is therefore considered that the marriage contract heretofore existing between the said parties be and the same is hereby set aside made null and void and of no effect as fully to all intents and purposes by and in virtue of this decree as if the same had never been entered into by these, and said plaintiff is hereby declared forever and absolutely divorced from said defendant and is awarded the sole care custody and control of David A.; William L.; Edward E.; Alexander L.; Ivy M.; Josephine H.; and Sylvia E. Saum the issue of their said marriage. And it is ordered that said defendant be permitted to visit and see said children at all suitable and proper times. And it is further considered that said plaintiff recover her costs herein expended.

EVENT TEXT: Death Record: Bakersfield, Kern, California.

David Albert Saum. Died September 19, 1923 at Kern General Hospital, as a result of a fractured skull in an auto accident. He was 67 years, 6 months, 13 days, birth date April 6, 1856. Father: Adam Saum; Mother: Levina Workman.

David A. Saum was the proprietor of a Service Station. He was buried in Los Angeles, on September 22, 1923. His wife was Nellie E. Saum, and the reporter was David A. Saum, Jr. of Mojave, California.

EVENT TEXT: David Saum is recorded as purchasing some household items on 5 Mar 1881 at his wife's uncle Joshua Chilcoat's Estate Sale [Van Wert County Estate File #1414; Vol 1401, page 340.]

He also owed some notes to this estate. The following not found in the estate papers shed some light on David's character.

"D.A. Saum, against the accountant recover one of said judgments for over three hundred dollars had conveyed his property away to cheat his wife and creditors, as accountant is informed. A petition will have to be filed to avoid said transfers of said property in order to collect said judgment."

This is a harsh accusation. David Saum may have all ready fled to Windfield Kansas by this time.

EVENT TEXT: Superior Court of Kern, State of California, Probate.

In the matter of the Estate of David A. Saum, petitioner Nellie Saum.

David A. Saum, died September 19, 1923 in Kern County. He had both Real and Personal Property, valued at $12,200.

Heirs: Nellie Saum, widow, lives Mojave, California. David A. Saum, Junior, age 28, son, lives Victorville, California; David L. Saum, 27 of Mojave; Dolly May Saum, 32, daughter, lives Kernville, California.

"That the descenden [sic] has five children by a former marriage the names and residences of said children being unknown to petitioner."

***David apparently left no will. Document dated 21 Sep 1923. Two days after his death, one day prior to burial.