Vielé, Teresa Griffin, 1831 or 1832-1906

Teresa Griffin Vielé lived in New York City in the 1870s. She was married to General Egbert L. Vielé‚ with whom she had five children: Kathlyn, Herman, Teresa, Egbert and Emily. Around the year 1870, Teresa and Egbert Vielé‚ sued each other for divorce on almost identical grounds: adultery, insanity, and cruelty.

Mrs. Vielé was accused of having an affair with General W.W. Averill, and Mr. Viel with Miss Julia Dana. The suits also involved a custody battle for their five children. Because of the Vielés’ high social standing and the relative rarity of divorce the 19th century, the case was widely publicized in the New York papers.In June 1871, Teresa Vielé‚ won custody of her two youngest children only to have that court order postponed until October. On October 2, 1871, the divorce trial resumed but soon afterwards the Vielés withdrew their mutual charges and the children were divided among them.

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