American lawyer (1818-1891) best known as Lincoln's law partner from 1841. He later wrote a biography of Lincoln, Herndon's Lincoln: The True Story of a Great Life, which provided an important up-close account of Lincoln's career in law and politics. Scarce ADS, twice signed as “W. H. Herndon,” one page, 7.75 x 9.75, no date [1858]. Document concerning a divorce lawsuit between George M. Caldwell (1835-1909) and his wife, Laura S. Irwin Caldwell, whereby Herndon attests that the latter “lives in the State of Kentucky.” In fine condition, with splits to the ends of the horizontal folds.
George M. Caldwell was actually Lincoln’s client when he filed for divorce from Laura in May of 1858, claiming that their marriage ‘became…uneasy…unpleasant and annoying on account of the irritable fire & powder disposition of…Laura.’ In August 1858 Caldwell requested and subsequently received a dismissal of the divorce proceedings. Curiously, around this same time period, George married Gabriella Kitty Robarbs (1836-1903). This suggests that Herndon may have found a legal basis (ostensibly this document) for setting aside the marriage to Laura on grounds other than divorce, thus making unnecessary the original divorce proceeding.
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