TRANSCRIPT OF DOCUMENT WRITTEN BY
GEORGE WASHINGTON DELK, JUNE 28, 1895.

This is a record of my father and mother, Ethelred and Nancy Delk. My father, Ethelred Delk, emigrated to this country (Ohio country) after the war of 1812, from the state of North Carolina. He enlisted in the war of 1812 as a recruiting officer, and after the war emigrated to Ohio and was married to Nancy Bye (note: actually Byers) of Preble County, Ohio. This was August 4, 1814. Ethelred Delk was born Feb. 16, 1784 and departed this life Feb. 14, 1837. Aged 53 years, 11 months and 28 days. Nancy Delk, wife of Ethelred Delk, departed this life August 19, 1835, aged 35 years, 7 months and 27 days. My father bought a small farm in the southeast corner of Darke county adjoining the Preble county line, near the village of Gordontown and lived there for several years and then bought 80 acres of land joining the little village of Beamsville, 6 miles northeast of Greenville, the county seat of Darke County, Ohio. There my mother died. Then my father bound me and my next oldest brother out 'til we were of age, to farmers. He was teaching school. There were nine children in his family. All lived to be grown. Their names as follows: John, Mary (Polly), Isaac, Elizabeth, William, George W., Sally, Ibby and Joseph O.

June 28, 1895. Darke County, Ohio.

This is a record of my life to this date.

I was born in the year A.D. 1826 Aug. the 9th, in Darke County, Ohio near Gordontown on the line of Darke and Preble counties. Then moved to Ft. Jefferson and then back to the old homestead near Gordon. Then 6 miles northeast of Greenville, Darke County, Ohio. Then, lived nine years as a bound boy with Jesse Tillman near Sampson, a little village in Neave Twsp., Darke County, Ohio. Then I went to Greenville to learn the wagon-making trade with Mr. John Cox and served two years as an apprentice for thirty dollars a year. After my apprenticeship was over, I went to Farmersville and worked for the Toby Bros. a short time and then went to Palestine and worked.

I worked there awhile and then went back to Greenville and worked with my old boss Mr. Cox until I was married, Aug. 9th, A.D. 1849, being 23 years old. I married Mary Jane Dynes, the oldest daughter of Bennett and Provy Dynes. He had a family of 15 children. All lived to be grown. The first one died in the army of the war of 1861. There were 8 girls and 7 boys. Mr. Dynes was married twice after his first wife died and was the father of 4 more children, making 19 in all. After I was married, I bought a house and lot in Abbottsville and there built a shop and set up my trade and worked till the year 1852. I then sold out and moved to Greenville, Ohio to work with my old boss, Mr. Cox as a partner. But, my wife not being satisfied with the place, I did not enter into a full partnership. Then I moved my family, a wife and one son, to the country on a farm of my wife’s father, joining the Abbottsville Cemetary, located on the road known as the Old State Road leading from Greenville to Dayton, about five miles from Greenville, Ohio.

I then followed farming and repairing wagons for a few years, till I finally quit repairing wagons altogether and at about the time of the war, went to making ax handles instead, which business I have kept up ever since, to the present writing 1895. In 1865 I bought 40 acres of land from my father-in-law in Van Buren Twsp. Near Abbottsville and built a log house and moved into it in the spring of 1865. Afterwards, I built a frame house near the church known as Caylor Chapel and lived there until Oct. 18, 1885, my wife having died on Feb. the 4th. previous to this time. I then moved to Dunkirk, Ind. and rented property for six months and lived with my son Francis M. B. Delk. Then we moved to Albany, Delaware County, Ind., rented property and lived there till June 15, 1886. I then bought a house and one half acre of ground on the outskirts of Dunkirk, Ind. where I have lived ever since.

In the year 1887 I was visited by my brother John from Iowa and he remained with us until the spring of 1888, April 3rd. when I started with my brother to Missouri to visit with a sister I had not seen for 51 years. After spending 8 or 10 days with friends in Missouri, I started with my brother for Iowa to his home in Decatur county arriving on his 73rd birthday, the 17th of April. I then visited with his children and friends for a couple of months and then went to work at house painting, which I worked at till the last of August for which I received about 80 dollars in money. During this time, my brother visited with my sister in Missouri and took sick and died one week after he got there. He died on the 4th of August. I got to his sick bed the same day he died and then stayed with my sister until after my birthday Aug. 9th. And then returned to Iowa and stayed till the 1st of Sept. 1888. I then went back to Missouri to see my dear afflicted sister Elizabeth who had been afflicted with a stroke of paralysis for about two or three years and who has since passed away, we hope to a better land. She died in the triumphs of a living faith.

I then started for home on the 10th of Sept. and arrived at Chicago on the 11th. Then started for Columbus, Ohio and arrived there about 9 o’clock PM. The centennial was in Columbus at that time and I remained there until the 14th of Sept. I saw a great many things I had never seen before. I then started for my sister’s in Darke County, Ohio and visited with her a few days and then went to visit my children, a son and a daughter in Darke County, Ohio. I stayed with them until the 29th of Sept., then returned home having been gone six months, lacking 3 days. My son, F. M. B. Delk left Dunkirk on the second day of October for Terre Haute, Ind. and I did not see him for about 4 years. Then after my son moved away, I kept house by myself till April 25th, 1889.

I then married Margaret Jane Pogue, a widow, being the eldest daughter of Alfred and Sarah Lee of Albany, Ind. Her father died in January following, being about 79 years of age. Her mother will be 84 her next birthday in July. I lived with my second wife till the 4th of May, 1895 when she died, having lived with her for 6 years and ten days. We lived together for over three years very happy, till affliction set in bringing sadness to our hearts and home. She was a kind and loving companion, wife and mother. I am now left very sad and lonely, but Jesus is my comfort. She suffered, no tongue can tell the pain, from rhumatism, but she passed away without a struggle, and we have great reason to believe she has gone to her reward in Heaven. For she lived as she died, in peace with all.

My first wife, Mary Jane Delk, died after a short illness of 8 days with lung and pneumonia fever and died in the triumph of a living faith, bidding her friends farewell, to meet them in Heaven. My first wife was born Nov. 30th. A. D. 1828 and was married Aug. the 9th. 1849 by Rev. William Ault, and departed this life Feb. the 4th. 1885, age 57 years, 2 months and 4 days. My second wife was born Oct. the 24th. A. D. 1836 and was married on the 25th of April 1889, and departed this life May the 4th. 1895, aged 58 years, six months and 10 days. We were married by Rev. C. E. Dysbro.

I united with the church of the United Brothern in Christ and was converted in the year 1844. I have tried to live a Christian life ever since, sometimes in great weakness and sometimes in great ecstacy of joy. Was licensed as an exhorter in that church about the year 1867 as near as I can tell and was convictioned for the blessing of sanctification which I received about the middle of Aug. 1885 at a camp meeting at Lewisburg, Preble County, Ohio and found it just what I needed in my Christian life. I enjoyed it in it’s preciousness. For some years, at times, it seemed I did not enjoy it quite so rich and sweet, but I never lost it.

After I moved to Dunkirk, I united with the Methodist Protestant Church and remained with them as an exhorter till after I was married to my 2nd wife. She was a member of the M. E. Church, so I went in the M. E. Church with her and have remained with them as an exhorter up to the present writing. My object is to do all the good that I can for the Lord’s cause, and to let my light shine before men and to do unto others as I would have them do unto me. I write this record, that it may be a blessing to my children. My prayer is and has ever been that they may love and obey God, their Heavenly Father and ever shall. I trust that they may raise their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord, that we may all meet in Heaven at last. Now may the divine blessing of God, the father, the son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost rest and abide with you all. AMEN.

Written by your father, George W. Delk in his 69th. year. Written at his son’s in Van Buren Twsp., Darke County, Ohio.

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