The couple was divorced by 1870, and the 1870 census showed her living in Putnam County with the Albert and Nancy Russell family and their three children. Clarinda had three children, as well, George - 8, Jessie - 4, and Charley, 2. She married Darius French on May 12, 1873. They had at least one daughter, Ella, in the next year, but this marriage did not last either and the couple divorced. A Sheriff's Sale of Property was held to settle the suit of Clarinda against Darius on August 28, 1880.
The Defiance Democrat of May 15, 1879, reported:
"Clarinda French against Darius H. French. Defendant ordered to pay $4.00 a month for benefit of infant child and child given to plaintiff. Defendant to have access at 6:00 each Sabbath night."
In the census of 1880, now divorced twice, Clarinda (sometimes called "Clara") settled into a home with three children: George Williamson, 19, who worked on a farm; Charley Williamson, 7; and Ella French, 6. Clarinda was 38 and reported that she worked as a seamstress.
In the 1890 Veterans Census, George Williamson was listed at a veteran of Company B, 76th Ohio Infantry. He served from March 15, 1864, until June 15, 1865. Above his name was the notation, "Clarinda French, former wife of "
Does that mean she would benefit from his pension someday? George Williamson was lost after this census, with no clear record of his death, a remarriage, or anything else.
It was about this time that Clarinda's choice of the use of her home began to bring her trouble. Divorced twice, it was likely that she was quite poor and decided she needed some easy extra income. It was in 1891 that her name became regularly written about in the newspapers of Defiance. Early morning raids were held and she was fined quite consistently for running a house of ill fame.
By March 3, 1892, the Defiance Democrat reported that "The only occupant of the city's free institution (the stone yard) at present is Clarinda French, who has been serving time since the 12th day of last December." That's 2 1/2 months in the winter in the stoneyard. Would she learn her lesson?
In March, 1892, a murder occurred in the county infirmary...and the guilty party was named as Charles Brown, illegitimate child of Clarinda French and son of Jonas Brown.
Defiance Democrat, March 17, 1892
"BROWN THE IMBECILE
HE IS EXAMINED BY PHYSICIANS IN REGARD TO HIS MENTAL CONDITION."
Tuesday Charles Brown, the imbecile and murderer of young Rich (Joseph E. Rich) was brought into Probate Court.
The idiot is a repulsive creature and there is no doubt as to his mental condition. He has a low forehead and his hair grows nearly down to his eyes. If he had not such an idiotic expression, he would be considered vicious looking. Mrs. Clarinda French, his mother, appeared in court. She says he is the son of Jonas Brown and is twenty four years old. He is a bastard child. Mrs. French is a resident of this city.
Brown does not stay at the Infirmary regularly. Doctors Chapman and Berchtold took the young man into a private room and made an examination of him in regard to his medical condition. Brown says he is going back to the Infirmary and 'do up' John Bordner.
The certificate of the physicians pronounces him insane, but Judge Baker says it is doubtful whether the keepers of the asylum will receive him as our quota of inmates is now exceeded by five more than the county is entitled to."
As the doctors proclaimed, "A man who will deliberately butcher up a person, as was the case with Rich, is not safe to be at large..." Charles" fate is unknown.
When the 1900 Federal Census was taken, Clarinda French ,55, was at her home at 336 Danforth Street, Defiance, where she gave her occupation as washerwoman. With her lived her oldest son, George, 38; John Williamson, her nephew; Ottenger Wells, a boarder; Laura Bennett, 22, dressmaker and boarder, and Nettie Bennett, 24, a widow. Newspapers indicated that the business was going strong.
"TRAPPED DOVES.
Sunday morning officers Shea, Rath, McDonnel and Stock made a raid on Clarinda French's castle for soiled doves down by 'Sulphur Hollow.' It was not a water haul, and Mrs. French, the proprietress, Ella French and Della Bird were the females bagged. Two men, giving their names as George Green and George Smith, probably fictitious, were also 'caught in the shuffle' The feminine portion of those nipped were put in the cooler, but Green and Smith put up ten dollars each for their appearance this morning and forfeited that amount by not showing up.
This morning the females were brought into court. Mrs. French was charged with keeping a house of prostitution and Ella French and Della Bird had a charge of being inmates of a house of ill fame placed opposite their names. The French's pled not guilty and their trial is set for Wednesday.
Della Bird, who has figured quite prominently in this section of the state was found guilty and fined ten dollars and costs. She is now in city prison and will stay until someone puts up for her. The police are elated over this arrest and it will probably break up a place of bad repute."
Notice that Clarinda now had her daughter, Ella, as one of the workers in her business!
Della Bird (aka Della Ocobock) was notorious in the state as the girlfriend of convicted murderer, Martin Kuhns. Her testimony sent him back to a second term in the Ohio Penitentiary. "She was a bad lot," stated one newspaper.
A page by page search of the newspapers of the time did not lead to a conclusion for the case against Clarinda.
In the Federal Census of 1910, Danforth Street, Defiance - Clarinda French, 65, widow and washerwoman at other homes, lived with her oldest son, George Williamson, single, and 49, a laborer at odd jobs. It seemed Clarinda's former business was done.
Clarinda/ Clara died on October 10, 1915, in Defiance at her home at 339 Danforth Street, 3rd Ward. She was found dead in her bed after complaining of stomach trouble. The physician concluded that she had a valve disease of the heart. She was 71 years and 7 days old. No obituary could be found.
George Williamson continued to live in the house until he died quickly on May 23, 1930, of a pulmonary hemorrhage.
"EX-CITY WORKER IS FOUND DEAD. GEORGE WILLIAMSON TAKEN IN NIGHT BY HEMORRHAGE AT THIS HOME.
George Williamson, 69, an employee of the city until recently, was found dead shortly afternoon today in his house at 239 Danforth Street where he lived alone. Coroner Fred W. Watkins pronounced death as due to a hemorrhage after viewing the body.
Fred Hoge, 620 Adams Street, found the body and called Coroner Watkins. Mr. Hoge was attracted by a light shining through the bedroom window as he passed the place. He found Williamson's body in bed.
Ben Bailey, Timothy Street, an uncle, was called. Mr. Williamson was a bachelor and had no near relatives.
Mr. Bailey said Williamson had been suffering from hemorrhages during the last week and that he had tried to get him to go to his home. Williamson had taken dinner Friday at the Bailey home.
Mr. Hoge said he had been at the house with Williamson about 7 p.m. Friday and that he was all right when he left him.
His mother, Mrs. Clara French, was found dead in the same house nine years ago. Mrs. S. E. Huffman, 301 Gray Street, who assisted in arrangements for Mr. Williamson this afternoon said she had found Mrs. French's body. No funeral arrangements had been made this afternoon. The body was removed to E. W. Hoffman's funeral establishment."
Both Clarinda French and her son, George Williamson, were buried at the Brunersburg Cemetery. A look in the Tombstone Inscriptions (DCGS book) for that cemetery did not show a tombstone for either.
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