Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-04-18
Divorce Statistics.


They worth cutting out for future reference
Most Of the figures are from official sources.
The few exceptions are taken from local
newspapers or have been given by persons
who have carefully searched the records OF
the courts.
Connecticut granted Of divorces in ls49,
then rapidly increased the number until the
average annually for the fifteen years end
ing in 1878 was exactly 445. The ratio OF
divorces to marriages in this period was
1914. In 1879 and 1880, after the repeal OF
the "omnibus clause" the number was 3l6
and 332. Massachusetts, under an in
creased number of causes for which divorces
are granted, ran up her divorces from 243
in 1860 to 600 in 1878, the ratio to marriages
rising from in 81 to in 2l4. Maine
granted AIS in 1878 and 5S7 in 1880. Mar
riages are not reported, but moderate es-
innate would make the ratio Of divorces to
marriages in 1880 / TO 0, while some have
said to 8. Nine Of the ten counties in
New Hampshire granted 90 divorces in
1860, while returns from all but one county
give 281 in 1882, the ratio to marriages be-
ing well nigh as great as in Maine. Yer
mont divorces rose from "a in 1860 TO 1877
in 1878, the ratio to marriage increasing
from / to 1872 to ] to Ia. Rhode Island
had 1862 divorces In 1869 and 26S in 1881,
the ratio in the earlier year being / to AL
and in the later. to 1914. The four New
England states, excepting one county,
whose statistics reach 80 far back as 1850,
granted 700 divorces in that year. The
same territory had 1909 in 1870 and l,4l4
in 1878. think il is safe to say that New
England more than doubled her divorces in
twenty years. Her population meanwhile
increased 27.s per cent.
A few western statistics are available.
The ratio of divorces to marriages in Ohio
was l to 26 in 1865 and to II in 1881.
For the four years 1S7S-S1 the ratio Of di.
vorces to marriages in the "a northern
counties of Ohio was to IL, while the rest
of the state had only l to 81. Michigan
had one divorce to 10 % marriages, suit to
marriages, as the average of "a counties
in 1881. But Judge Jameson OF Detroit
reports POP divorce suits to 92l marriages in
Kent county for the sixteen months ending
May, 1882. That is to say, two couples in
every nine married in that county are
likely to seek divorce. In Minnesota the
ratio of divorce suits to marriages rose be
tween 1871 and 1881 from in 30 to in
90 in one populous county, and from in Is
to in IL in another. Louisville had ratio
of to Is in 1881. st. Louis granted 26t
last year; San Francisco, 1913 in 1881 ant
1854 in 1872. Philadelphia had, according
to newspaper report, 10l divorces in 1862
2l5 in 1872, and AT in 1882. Cook county
ILL.,, for the six years ending 1850, had
suity to 9.5 marriage licenses. 1t was found
that in one year one-fifth of the petitions
heard were denied Hence the ratio to mar
riages was not greater than to ~, while
Judge Jameson finds the actual ratio of di
vorces to marriages last year to be to Is A
Four states in New England have made
more or less changes in their divorce law
the better within five years. Divorces have
in consequence fallen off nearly one-third il
Vermont, one-fourth in Connecticut, ant
the important changes made the past month
in Maine laws are likely to be attended witt
still greater reductions in the number of di
vorces granted.
Some European statistics, taken chiefly
from the last report Of Italian Statistical
Bureau, are suggestive. They are statistici
of the number per thousand marriages eithel
of divorces or separations-the latter gener
ally in Catholic countries-between 1877
and 1881. A few countries give shorter pc
RODS. Between 1871 and 1879 France in
creased from 446 to Ola; England ant
Wales from ,9S to 2 II; Denmark, from
1927 to 40.9S. Between 1871 and 1880 1t
ally remained stationary Belgium increased
from So to 7.40; Holland from 500 to 1856
Scotland from IL to 20; Sweden from
4,96 to $50; and Roumsnia from 9.05 t
1886. Switzerland has averaged about Al
divorces per 1000 marriages in five years
Wurtemburg increased from 5.67 in 1875 Il
1926 in 1879, and Saxony from 81 in 1877
to 3142 in 1878. Turingia from 1888 II
l74S in eight years, and Baden from 4 So il
73l in seven, and Alsace-L Lorraine from
446 in 1874 to 1856 in 1880; Norway from
.35 in 1875 to 10 in 1880; Hungary from
GA in 1876 to 10 in 1880, and Russia from
1888 in 1871 to 205 in 1877. Divorces il
Sweden for the ten years 1Sal-4O averages
95 annually; for the ten years, 1S71-SO, l9a
These figures, together with similar ones TO
France, England, and Belgium for about A
years, tend to show that many, perhaps
great majority of European countries, ar
moving in the same direction with many o
the states in our Union, though as yet ia
behind the high ratio of 100 or more d
vorces per 1000 marriages, found in som
American states.