Divorce records search available?

[msr]

Bertram Foster Chase married Mary Jane Dobson in Hudson, New Hampshire in 1892.

In 1905 Bertram married again in Vermont, to Juliette M Wheeler, and he says he is divorced.

In 1909 Mary Jane Dobson Chase marries William F M Smith, in Mass., again divorced.

Is there any way at all of discovering when Bertram and Mary Jane divorced?   William too for that matter, as this was his second marriage.

Any help will be very much appreciated. 

[shellyesq]

Out of those states, I think New Hampshire is the only one with divorce records online for that time frame, and I don't see them in there.  If you know where they lived in between the marriage and divorce, there might be a mention of it in the local newspaper.

[shellyesq]

It looks like William Smith's previous marriage was in 1903 - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N47F-QYH

[Michael ONeil]

I wouldn’t be too sure they actually divorced. I was informed by someone who works where divorce records are kept in the UK when I made a similar enquiry that they never checked. Basically if a couple turned up at a registrar to get married and one or both said they were divorced then that was what was entered - no having to prove it. And given the expense of a divorce then most folk never bothered.

It tended to happen more for those that could afford it or where local shame and knowledge might play a part - i.e infidelity, woman pregnant when the father cannot possibly be the husband, etc. If both parties lived in the same town then there’s more chance they’d get divorced but if the locations were miles away (New Hampshire - Mass.) then no-one would know would they?

[msr]

Hi Shellyesq, thanks for the reply.

I do know of William's first marriage in 1903, and she (Bertha) was back with parents on 1910 census, saying she is single, which I suppose was correct if divorced.

Meanwhile, a quick breakdown of Mary's life as I know it:
Mary Jane Dobson, born 24 Feb 1873 in Blackburn, Lancashire
Emigrated to Canada with mother – after 1876, with 1900 census indicating 1878
1892, marries Bertram Foster Chase in Hudson, New Hampshire
1893, son Arthur is born and dies
1894, son Harold is born
1895, daughter Edith is born, she dies in 1896.

1900, Mary Jane is enumerated as Servant in the Goodwin residence, Abbott St, Nashua, Hillsborough.  Married 7 years, with one child.  However, son Harold Bertram Chase is with the Wright family in Merrimack, as nephew.  Husband Bertram is in Middlesex, Vermont.  On his own and says single, and a farmer.
1905.  Bertram marries Juliette Wheeler (a widow, maiden name Carpenter)
1909. Mary and William Smith marry in Lynn City, and this is where they are in 1910 census.
1910. Mary and Bertram’s son Harold is still with the Wright family, this time as Adopted son.
1914. Harold marries
1915. Bertram dies and is buried in North Branch Cemetery, Middlesex, Vermont

1923.  Mary Jane Smith dies.

[msr]

Thanks for your reply Michael.  I was hoping that USA divorces may have been easier to find.