While Hazel’s early years as a wife and mother were captured in city directories, newspaper articles, and census records, the years following in the 1940s tell a more complicated story. A brief but telling record gives us a glimpse into a significant and difficult chapter in the lives of Hazel and Thure Bergquist: their divorce and the custody battle for their daughters.
Court dockets publicly available online at FamilySearch.org help frame this event.
On October 30, 1944, Thure appeared in Plymouth County Court, petitioning for custody of his two daughters, Elaine and Brenda. By January 29, 1945, Thure was granted custody, and the divorce was finalized. While this record offers us a snapshot of the legal proceedings, it leaves many questions unanswered. The specific details of the divorce, including the reasons behind it, remain unclear.
💡 Genealogy Tip! It is important to note that court dockets, like record indexes, guide the researcher to the original record, they do not provide all of the detailed required to achieve reasonably exhaustive research.
💡 Genealogy Tip! In cases of divorce or custody disputes, the original court records can be a goldmine for understanding family dynamics. These documents often provide insight into the lives of your ancestors during tumultuous times.
What This Record Tells Us
This brief record offers valuable insight into a pivotal moment in Hazel’s life:
- Custody Battle: Thure’s petition for custody and the eventual decision to grant him custody of Elaine and Brenda gives us an understanding of their family situation in 1944-1945.
- Divorce Proceedings: While the details of the divorce itself are not revealed here, the record provides a date and context for Hazel and Thure’s legal separation.
- A Glimpse into Hazel’s Life: The paternal custody decision, especially in the context of the time, raises questions about Hazel’s personal struggles—though the full story is still waiting to be uncovered.
This record leaves us with more questions than answers, but it’s a crucial piece in understanding Hazel’s life beyond the censuses and early family records. It’s a reminder that families are messy, with real people navigating difficult moments.
🧩 Future Research: While this index gives us an important starting point, there’s still much to uncover. The specifics of Hazel and Thure’s divorce and the circumstances surrounding Hazel’s custody loss remain unclear. To fully understand this chapter of Hazel’s life, seeking out the full divorce records at the Quincy court will be necessary. These records could provide more insight into the emotional and legal dynamics of the separation, shedding light on what happened during those years and offering a clearer view of Hazel’s struggles and resilience during this difficult period.
Leave a Reply