Notorious Woman: The Celebrated Case of Myra Clark Gaines (Southern Biography Series)

The legal crusade of Myra Clark Gaines (1804?-1885) has all the trappings of classical melodrama--a lost heir, a missing will, an illicit relationship, a questionable marriage, a bigamous husband, and a murder. For half a century the daughter of New Orleans millionaire Daniel Clark struggled to justify her claim to his enormous fortune in a case that captivated the nineteenth-century public. Elizabeth Urban Alexander taps voluminous court records and letters to unravel the twists and turns of Gaines's litigation and reveal the truth behind the mysterious saga of this notorious woman. Myra, the daughter of real estate heir Clark and Zulume Carriere, a beautiful young Frenchwoman, was raised by friends of Clark and kept ignorant of her real parentage until 1832, when she discovered her true lineage in letters among her foster father's papers. She thereupon returned to Louisiana with tales of a lost will and a secret marriage between Clark and Carriere and claimed to be Clark's missing heir. Was Myra the legitimate daughter of the prominent merchant, or the "fruit of an adulterous union?" The courts would decide. The great Gaines Case wound it tortuous path through the United States legal system from 1834 until 1891. It was considered by the U.S. Supreme Court seventeen times and pursued even after Gaines's death by lawyers trying to recoup fees. By courageously bringing her case to the courtroom and doggedly keeping it there, Alexander asserts, Gaines helped instigate a new type of family law that provided special protection of women, children, and marriages. Though Gaines never recovered more than a tiny fraction of the rumored millions, this riveting chronicle of her struggle for legitimacy and legacy as told by Elizabeth Urban Alexander is a goldmine for anyone interested in legal history, women's studies, or a good yarn superbly spun. The Legal Crusade of Myra Clark Gaines (1804?-1885) has all the trappings of classic melodrama -- a lost heir, a missing will, an illicit relationship, a questionable marriage, a bigamous husband, and a murder. For a half century the daughter of New Orleans millionaire Daniel Clark struggled to justify her claim to his enormous fortune in a case that captivated the nineteenth-century public, providing fodder for gossips, sensational headlines for newspapers, and employment for generations of lawyers. Elizabeth Urban Alexander taps voluminous court records and letters never before utilized by historians to unravel the twists and turns of Gaines's litigation and reveal the truth behind the mysterious saga of this notorious woman.When thirty-year-old Daniel Clark inherited his uncle's vast property holdings in Louisiana, he found himself one of the richest men in North America. As he established himself in New Orleans in the early nineteenth century, he became romantically involved with Zulime Carriere, a young Frenchwoman of extraordinary beauty, vivacity, and charm. Their daughter, Myra, was raised by friends of Clark and kept ignorant of her real parentage until 1832, when she discovered her true lineage in letters among her foster father's papers. She thereupon returned to Louisiana with tales of a lost will and a secret marriage between Clark and Carriere and claimed to be Clark's missing heir. Was Myra the legitimate daughter of the prominent merchant or the "fruit of an adulterous union"? The courts would decide.The Great Gaines Case wound its tortuous path through the United States legal system from 1834 until 1891, pursued even after Gaines's death by lawyers trying to recoup fees. It was considered by the U.S. Supreme Court seventeen times. By courageously bringing her case to the courtroom and doggedly keeping it there, Alexander asserts, Gaines helped instigate a new type of family law that provided special protection of women, children, and marriages. Her lawyers skillfully wove together the strands of this emerging domestic relations law and the popularity of nineteenth-century sentimental fiction to fabricate a true-life romance, manipulating both the courtroom and public opinion with common stereotypes.Though Gaines never recovered more than a tiny fraction of the rumored millions, this riveting chronicle of her struggle for legitimacy and legacy is a gold mine for anyone interested in legal history, women's studies, or a good yarn superbly spun. The Legal Crusade Of Myra Clark Gaines (1804?-1885) Has All The Trappings Of Classic Melodrama - A Lost Heir, A Missing Will, An Illicit Relationship, A Questionable Marriage, A Bigamous Husband, And A Murder. For A Half Century The Daughter Of New Orleans Millionaire Daniel Clark Struggled To Justify Her Claim To His Enormous Fortune In A Case That Captivated The Nineteenth-century Public, Providing Fodder For Gossips, Sensational Headlines For Newspapers, And Employment For Generations Of Lawyers. Elizabeth Urban Alexander Taps Voluminous Court Records And Letters Never Before Utilized By Historians To Unravel The Twists And Turns Of Gaines's Litigation And Reveal The Truth Behind The Mysterious Saga Of This Notorious Woman.. The Great Gaines Case Wound Its Tortuous Path Through The United States Legal System From 1834 Until 1891, Pursued Even After Gaines's Death By Lawyers Trying To Recoup Fees. It Was Considered By The U.s. Supreme Court Seventeen Times. By Courageously Bringing Her Case To The Courtroom And Doggedly Keeping It There, Alexander Asserts, Gaines Helped Instigate A New Type Of Family Law That Provided Special Protection Of Women, Children, And Marriages. Her Lawyers Skillfully Wove Together The Strands Of This Emerging Domestic Relations Law And The Popularity Of Nineteenth-century Sentimental Fiction To Fabricate A True-life Romance, Manipulating Both The Courtroom And Public Opinion With Common Stereotypes.. Though Gaines Never Recovered More Than A Tiny Fraction Of The Rumored Millions, This Riveting Chronicle Of Her Struggle For Legitimacy And Legacy Is A Gold Mine For Anyone Interested In Legal History, Women's Studies, Or A Good Yarn Superbly Spun.--book Jacket. Introduction: The Celebrated Case Of Myra Clark Gaines -- A Journey Of Discovery -- The City By The River -- A Pair Of Unscrupulous Adventurers -- A Man Of Energy, Intelligence, And Pliability -- A Life Of Intrigue -- A Romance In Real Life -- A Most Unusual Woman -- A Prolonged And Interesting Lawsuit -- The Supreme Court Changes Its Mind -- Victory At Last -- Conclusion: The Most Remarkable Case. Elizabeth Urban Alexander. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [245]-284) And Index. The legal crusade of Myra Clark Gaines (1804?--1885) has all the trappings of classic melodrama -- a lost heir, a missing will, an illicit relationship, a questionable marriage, a bigamous husband, and a murder. For a half century the daughter of New Orleans millionaire Daniel Clark struggled to justify her claim to his enormous fortune in a case that captivated the nineteenth-century public. Elizabeth Urban Alexander taps voluminous court records and letters to unravel the twists and turns of Gaines's litigation and reveal the truth behind the mysterious saga of this notorious woman.Myra, the daughter of real estate heir Clark and Zulime Carrière, a beautiful young Frenchwoman, was raised by friends of Clark and kept ignorant of her real parentage until 1832, when she discovered her true lineage in letters among her foster father's papers. She thereupon returned to Louisiana with tales of a lost will and a secret marriage between Clark and Carrière and claimed to be Clark's missing heir. Was Myra the legitimate daughter of the prominent merchant or the'fruit of an adulterous union?'The courts would decide.The Great Gaines Case wound its tortuous path through the United States legal system from 1834 until 1891. It was considered by the U.S. Supreme Court seventeen times and pursued even after Gaines's death by lawyers trying to recoup fees. By courageously bringing her case to the courtroom and doggedly keeping it there, Alexander asserts, Gaines helped instigate a new type of family law that provided special protection of women, children, and marriages.Though Gaines never recovered more than a tiny fraction of the rumored millions, this riveting chronicle of her struggle for legitimacy and legacy as told by Elizabeth Urban Alexander is a gold mine for anyone interested in legal history, women's studies, or a good yarn superbly spun. Notorious Woman brings us the complex story of the legal crusade of Myra Clark Gaines. When Gaines discovered she had been reared not by her biological parents, but instead by friends of Daniel Clark- her true father and one of the richest men in America- she returned to New Orleans where her deceased father's fortune remained. Gaines struggled to lay claim to her inheritance in a case that wound its torturous path through the United States legal system from 1834 until 1891. Though Gaines never recovered more than a tiny fraction of the rumored millions, Elizabeth Alexander asserts that Gaines helped instigate a new type of family law that provided special protection of women, children, and marriages. As she struggled to gain to her father's riches, the legal crusade of Myra Clark Gaines captivated the 19th-century public. This text taps court records and letters to unravel the twists and turns of Gaines' litigation and reveal the truth behind the mysterious saga of this notorious woman.