Isaac Howe Burch (1815-1883)

His divorce in 1860 made headlines across the country. He sued his wife, Mary (Turner) Burch, on the grounds of adultery. She asked for the trial to be held in Naperville to prevent Cook County judges from being swayed by her influential husband. Mary’s uncle, the industrialist and New York congressman Erastus Corning, supported his niece and paid for her legal defense. During the month-long trial, Burch accused his popular society hostess wife of committing infidelity with former Michigan congressman David Stuart and others. Mary claimed her husband was “enamored with a fascinatress” staying as a guest in their family home, and that he indulged in extreme cruelties, including extorting a false confession from her. In the end, the jury found in favor of Mary Burch. She successfully sued Burch for divorce in 1863. He subsequently left for Europe with his elder daughter, Mary, who married Alexandre Ribot, Prime Minister of France. He remained in France and died at 8 Boulevard (Rue) Longchamp, Nice.