Rosina and third husband John Sutton called Jay. Date of photo on or after 16 Jul 1894 when they were married, could be a wedding photo. Rosina was Edward and Nancy LaFountain's daughter, Albert E. was her brother. She was called Rose, not to be confused with Edward's brother's daughter Rosa.Rosina was a fiesty woman who married at least four times and mainly wore the pants of the family. She had two children with her first husband James Brown a farmer; they were Franklin and Rella. Both children spent so much time with their grandparents it was as if they were their children rather than grandchildren.
Rosina owned land in Lapeer and Oakland Counties. She divorced Brown and married the brother of her sister-in-law Elizabeth LaFountain. She and Norton Gordinier were married in Oakland Co. Norton must have been good to her and the kids because Franklin took on his name and is buried next to him. Norton was killed on 3 Jul 1893, by a train while working for the Pontiac Railroad. She sued for wrongful death for $10,000. Can you imagine how wealthy she would have been back then if she had won the case. However, it was settled out of court and she got $100.
Rosina next married John Sutton called Jay. Oakland Co. courts became a happening place for Rosina after she married John. In 1900 many complaints were filed for abuse. She filed for divorce on the grounds of cruelty and failure to support. She said he wasted his money on "riotous living" and she had to depend on family for money. One complaint states, John threw all her possessions out of the house and once had dragged her outdoors by the hair. A newspaper article dated 14 mar 1913 states John "dropped dead" on a Pontiac street at age 69.
Information reprinted with permission "The Gardenier/Gordinier Family" by Hollace Gordinier, Jr. ©1990