Many of us are privy to the long-standing mystery of Amelia Erhardt and her final flight.  In an earlier blog entry here I shared that the story of the pioneering female pilot was one of the tales that sparked my life-long interest in the mysterious and unexplained. 

While I cannot boast any personal connection to the iconic but tragic figure, I do have my very own Erhardt mystery that I’m keen to share.

Soon after discovering my grandfather’s strange alias – Gordon Roy Hammond – I became privy to a number of documents and newspaper announcements outlining the details of his sad union with a woman named Bertha Erhardt.  Specifically, I discovered a 1915, Salt Lake City, Utah marriage certificate showing the union between a twenty-five-year-old Bertha and my twenty-six-year-old grandfather.  From there my search turned to newspapers.com where I found a series of distressing details.

A 1916 article titled, Six Wives Beaten, Weather is Blamed outlined charges of domestic abuse against my grandfather.  An announcement in 1918 shared that Bertha was initiating divorce proceedings against my grandfather.

A visit to the Utah State records website and I was in touch with an excellent clerk, keen to help me fill in the details.  In no less than two days, I was emailed divorce docs from 1919, 1922 and finally, 1938.  My interest was piqued at the multiple proceedings.

Diving into the documents, I soon discovered that Bertha withdrew her 1919 complaint, as the young couple had triumphantly reunited…at least for a time.  In 1922, it was actually my grandfather who initiated charges, only to see Bertha countersue for alimony.  It seems that Bertha won a judgement and divorce seemed imminent; however, once again nothing was followed to conclusion. 

Finally, sixteen years later, in 1938, a third attempt, this time again initiated by Bertha.  In the document she shares she has been abandoned sixteen years by my grandfather and had no details of his immediate whereabouts.  The documents show that this time the divorce would be final.

Based on these details, as well as my grandfather’s unfortunate track record with women, I certainly felt a degree of sympathy for this poor, young woman.  I wanted to know what humble beginnings she appeared from and also – what I hoped would be – her improved fate after the 1938 divorce.  So, I did what all family historians do.  I attempted to dig deep. 

Check back for Part II soon.