Notes for: Florence May Bodine
From Ronny Bodine:
On 21 June 1902, Florence May Bodine applied for a passport for which she reported her birth as 19 Nov 1878 in New York City.
From New York City Marriage Records:
Herbert Masterton AND Florence May Bodine were married 18 June 1904 in Manhattan.
1910 Manhattan, New York City, NY: Florence B. MASTERTON 31 NY divorced sufferagist, Louis A. S. BODINE 36 NY physician.
From New York City Death Records:
Florence Masterton died 31 July 1912 in Manhattan, aged 33 years.
The San Francisco (Calif.) Call of 20 Feb 1908.
"Mrs. Masterton is Granted a Divorce." The refusal of Mrs. Florence M. Masterton, formerly Miss Florence M. Bodine, to put her private fortune into the business ventures of her husband, Herbert S. Masterton, led to a violent quarrel between them in in New York in November, 1904, followed by Masterton's desertion of his wife, upon which ground she obtained a divorce in Judge Mogan's court yesterday. The Bodine family, of which Mrs. Masterton is a member, is well known in social and business circles in New York. The Bodines are said to be worth $7,000,000 or $8,000,000. A peculiarity of the case was that Masterton, who is now employed as a salesman in this city, testified in support of his wife's assertions. He admitted that he had deserted his wife and that he never intended to live with her again. Mrs. Masterton's testimony was submitted as a deposition, taken before a notary in New York. Immediately after the marriage in June, 1904, the Mastertons went to live with his father, Mrs. Masterton paying her own board. In her deposition she stated that afterward she furnished an apartment, paid half the household bills and bought her own and her husband's clothing. Masterton began the suit which ended yesterday in his wife securing an interlocutory decree. He sued for divorce on the ground of habitual intemperance, charging that his wife had smashed a chest of chinaware while drunk, had been unable to play at a tennis party at a Long island clubhouse for the same reason, had staggered into the dining room when Masterson brought home a friend and had fallen down an elevated railroad stairway in New York. Depositions were submitted yesterday by Philip Devlin, Mary E. J. Devlin, Fedora M. Runk, Oliver Stott Gabriel, Angela M. Devlin, Harold Bodine, Rosalie Bodine and others that they had never seen Mrs. Masterton drunk. Mrs. Masterton also denied the allegations. At the Long Island party, she said, she had played three sets of tennis. The chest of chinaware was smashed because Masterton nailed it up insecurely, she insisted. In answer to another allegation by Masterton that a maid had carried her to her room while drunk she stated that the maid is a little woman, less than 5 feet high, while Mrs. Masterton weighs more 200 pounds.
From The New York Herald of Tuesday, 17 March 1914.
A codicil signed by witnesses other than those who signed her will was necessary in order that Miss Florence B. Masterton, who died July 31, 1912, might give her dog, Mirsa, to John Ewen, a friend, of Spuyten Duyvil. Miss Masterton left a net estate of $38, 271, according to a transfer tax appraisal filed yesterday with Edward W. Buckley, Deputy State Controller. In her will, dated January 10, 1912, Miss Masterton left the dog to Mr. Ewen and also made him one of the witnesses of the document. When informed that it would not be legal for a witness of the will to be a legatee as well, she ordered a special codicil drawn to confirm the paragraph siving Mirsa to her friend. It was signed by other witnesses and in no way changed the disposition of the estate. Mrs. Rosalie C. Bodine, sister, receives $22,796, and Jeannie V. Miller, friend, a life estate in $15,000, the principal to go on her death to Mrs. Bodine. The assets included mortgages valued at $22,790; stocks, $14,316, and an interest in the estate of George Chesterman, $8,790.
On 12 Sept 1918 Herbert Seymour Masterton registered for the World War I Draft in Alameda County, California, reporting he was born 4 Sept 1876. He lived in Alameda County the rest of his life.
From California Death Records:
Herbert S. Masterton, born 4 Sept 1876, died 8 June 1961 in Alameda County.
Burials in Ripon Cemetery, Ripon, San Joaquin County, California.
(For grave marker photo see Find A Grave Memorial No. 46334929)
Herbert S. Masterton Sept 4 1876 June 8 1961