Florida’s forgotten divorce law that existed for just one man – Henry Flagler

Flagler’s $125,000 Bribe for Florida Divorce Law

Henry Flagler bought more than just railroads in Florida.

In 1896, the Standard Oil tycoon had his second wife Ida Alice locked away in an asylum after she claimed to talk with spirits and said the Russian Czar loved her.

Meanwhile, Flagler grew close to Mary Lily Kenan. He then paid Florida lawmakers $125,000 to pass a divorce law based on insanity in 1901.

Just ten days after his divorce, Flagler wed 34-year-old Mary Lily and built her the grand Whitehall mansion in Palm Beach.

The stunning Whitehall estate still stands today, where visitors can see the very bedroom where Mary Lily once lived her gilded life.

Flagler’s Second Wife Started Acting Strangely

Ida Alice Shourds first worked as a nurse for Henry Flagler’s sick first wife before marrying the oil rich businessman in 1883. By the mid-1890s, she began acting oddly.

She claimed she could talk to famous dead people through Ouija boards and told folks the Russian Czar was madly in love with her. Her weird behavior got worse over time.

She made wild claims and had sudden outbursts that made her wealthy husband look bad at parties. Flagler got more and more upset as she got worse.

A Handy Doctor’s Report Got Ida Out of the Picture

In 1896, Flagler asked his friend Dr. Anderson to check on Ida Alice. The doctor quickly said she was crazy, giving Flagler the perfect reason to lock her away.

She went to a private mental home where she couldn’t shame him or mess up his social life anymore. This worked out great for Flagler, who already wanted out of his marriage.

With Ida Alice safely stuck in a mental home, Flagler lived like a free, rich man while his wife stayed locked up.

The Pretty Young Southern Woman Caught Flagler’s Eye

Mary Lily Kenan, a beautiful 34-year-old from a rich North Carolina family, caught Flagler’s fancy while his wife sat in an asylum.

They met at a Palm Beach party in the late 1890s. Flagler, then in his 60s, gave her lots of attention and costly gifts. Their romance soon became hot gossip.

By 1899, papers said Flagler gave Mary Lily jewelry worth over $1 million, a huge sum back then. The couple traveled openly together, barely hiding their affair.

Newspapers Started Asking Tough Questions

By 1899, news folks found out about Flagler’s relationship with Mary Lily. Gossip columns buzzed about the rich businessman’s young girlfriend.

Society pages printed hints about the scandal. One paper boldly asked if Flagler was cheating while his wife sat in a mental home.

People whispered about how wrong it all seemed.

Flagler needed to make his relationship with Mary Lily legal, but he faced a big problem: Florida law didn’t allow divorce for insanity.

Florida’s Divorce Rules Blocked Flagler’s Plans

Flagler hit a roadblock in his plan to marry Mary Lily. Florida’s divorce laws in 1900 didn’t count insanity as a reason to end a marriage.

The law only allowed divorce for cheating, leaving, or cruel treatment. Since Ida Alice hadn’t done any of these things, Flagler couldn’t legally divorce her.

He needed a new law that would let him dump his locked-up wife. Flagler knew his huge wealth and friends in Florida could help him change the law itself.

Cash Bought A Special Divorce Law

Flagler paid Florida lawmakers $125,000 to create a law just for him. On April 9, 1901, a bill showed up in the Florida Legislature making “incurable insanity” grounds for divorce.

The bill moved through voting with strange speed. Few people asked questions. Governor William Sherman Jennings signed it on April 25, 1901.

Papers found years later proved Flagler’s bribes. Everyone called it the “Flagler Divorce Law” because they knew who it was really for.

The New Law Worked Just Right

Flagler quickly used his custom-made law. He filed for divorce right after the bill passed.

The court process moved very fast. On August 14, 1901, less than four months after the law was created, Flagler got his divorce from Ida Alice.

The judge cited her “incurable insanity” as the reason. No one from Ida Alice’s family came to the hearing. She had no lawyer to fight for her.

Everything worked out perfectly for Flagler.

Flagler Married His Girlfriend Just Ten Days Later

Flagler married Mary Lily Kenan on August 24, 1901, barely a week after his divorce went through. The wedding took place at her family home in North Carolina.

Flagler was 71, Mary Lily just 34. Society pages covered the wedding like a normal event, barely mentioning his past marriage.

Flagler’s money helped smooth over any scandal. The couple went back to Florida as husband and wife, ready to enjoy life together.

A Mansion Built For His New Wife

Flagler built Whitehall, a 75-room marble mansion in Palm Beach, as a wedding gift for Mary Lily.

The huge home cost over $2.5 million in 1902 (about $83 million today). It had gold fixtures, hand-painted ceilings, and costly art.

The couple lived like kings, throwing big parties for rich friends. Whitehall showed off Flagler’s wealth and power, proving he could get whatever he wanted.

The mansion still stands as a museum, though visitors rarely hear about the scandal.

The Controversial Law Vanished Almost As Quickly As It Appeared

Florida lawmakers repealed the “Flagler Divorce Law” in 1905, just four years after its creation. Public outrage grew once people realized the law was bought and paid for by a single wealthy man.

Flagler remained the only person who ever used the law. He lived with Mary Lily until his death in 1913 after falling down a marble staircase at Whitehall.

The scandal faded from headlines as Flagler continued building his Florida empire of hotels and railroads.

The Forgotten Woman Spent Decades Locked Away

Ida Alice Shourds remained institutionalized at Dr. MacDonald’s sanitarium for over 35 years until her death in 1930.

She spent more than 12,775 days in solitary confinement while her ex-husband lived in luxury with his new wife.

Flagler never visited her after the divorce. He paid for her care but she died alone and forgotten, her story overshadowed by Flagler’s legacy.

Today, few visitors to Flagler’s grand Florida buildings know about the woman he discarded to build his empire.

Visiting Henry M. Flagler House, Florida

You can explore Henry Flagler’s controversial past at his Whitehall mansion at One Whitehall Way in Palm Beach.

Adult tickets cost $26, kids 6-12 pay $13. The mansion is open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday noon-5pm.

Docent tours run at 11am, 12:30pm, and 2pm most days.

Your visit includes the 75-room mansion, grounds, and Flagler’s private railcar. Buy tickets online ahead of time or walk up during museum hours.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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