Delk Family History (and more!)

I have added some documents for Franklin Delk, Elmer’s son first child. In doing so, it solved a mystery for me. I had some photos with people id as the Isom’s, no idea who they were or how they were related to the Delk family. Turns out that Isom is the maiden name of Elizabeth Delk, Frank’s last wife. Her obituary is a part of the documents that have been scanned and uploaded,  take a look. Hopefully will be adding more in the next few months.

Not only letters, but hair samples and a new photo of Theodore and his son Louis. These letters also chronicle his cousin John Dickson’s illness, (where Theo doesn’t think he will live much longer) and his run in with thieving crooks who stole something from him but not sure yet.

Will have more to share latter this summer. I am going on a hiatus while I get my daughter pointed in the right direction for college. In the meantime, Dad will start to put together some more documents and photos, and I will quietly upload more photos and letters when I get a chance. Hopefully by the time I get back, one of Virginia’s grandchildren will have some stuff to share with us.

Until then, Brian

Around 1928 my Great-Great Uncle, Joseph Theodore Delk, started corresponding with his niece, Mary May Delk. True to the Delk hoarding gene, she kept all of the letters. I have had these letters for awhile, but had stored them before a move ten years ago, and am just now getting back to them. You see, I have the hoarding gene as well, which is bad for the home life, but good for future genealogist. So, I am now scanning the letters, as well as transcribing them. My goal, is to do at least three a week. The first three are up on his home page.

As a side note, his death certificate and 1930 census information shows that his father was born in Ireland. That, as we all know, is not the case.

Until next time,

Brian

I have added three letters to Martha (Maitlen) Delk from her son, Charles Wesley. Two of them are from when he was at Camp Pike, Arkansas. Apparently he did not want to be there and was trying to get Martha to write a letter stating that he was needed back home. The other letter was the birth announcement of his son, James William. There are some good details in that one about how they were surviving pretty much day to day.

Also fixed a few links over on the Maitlen side, I will be adding some documents in a little bit that I had scanned earlier, but held on to them until I had people to attach them to. Will keep you posted.

Brian

We know Martha (Maitlen) Delk wrote poems, and yes, I have more to display, but did you know one of her poems was put to music? Check it out on her page, under Documents. The song or poem, is titled “My Little Rosebud.” It may not have been a Top 100 chart topper, but it was good enough to be published and that is all that counts.  I will be posting more documents and photos in the coming week, until then, stay warm and keep in touch.

Brian

And letters to boys of World War One. We have a collection of letters and postcards to and from Frank, Russel and Charlie to Elmer and Martha. In them we learn the little things, who got married, who passed away, what Company is in quarantine because of an outbreak of scarlet fever; you know, the little things. Actually, these letters are a treasure chest of information not only about the Delk family during World War One, but of Weldon, Iowa and the different Companies that the three boys were in. So check out the new letters, they are mostly from Frank and Russel, or Elmer and Martha. Also, on some of them, I have included the scanned postcards with them.

I will be adding more documents in the coming weeks.

Brian

There are now sixty pages of poems from Martha up on her site. As I mentioned in the last post, I am a slow typist. So, with poem 19, I started scanning them and just making them images. You will see a difference between the new poems and the earlier ones, but who’s counting. Coming up is the Delk annual picnic. I will not be able to attend this year due to a conflict, but I like to give a shout-out to everyone who does make it. If you have anything you would like to share, please pass it along to my Dad and he will make sure it is posted.

Until next time,
Brian

While waiting for my father to gather a few more documents and letters, I thought I would add six more pages of poems from Martha (Maitlen) Delk. There are many more to come. The only thing really holding me back from adding all of them at  once is the sheer number of them. I am a slow typist, so bare with me. Not only that, but these poems, while being little ditties, also represent times in her life. For example, Page 13 has a poem about one of her children who had died as an infant. In modern times we are given medication to help us cope with the hard times, a hundred years ago, my great-grandmother had her poems.

Stay cool in this summer heat.

Brian

In terms of my family line, I know where I came from. I can show who was my Grandfathers’ Grandfather. I know some of the basic facts of there lives. What I do not know is who they were. But I am finding out. And that is what this website is about. I may have never known my Grandfather Charlie Delk, but I do know he played cribbage and he taught my Father, who taught me and who has taught my son. I am learning more about him through the letters he wrote home to his parents during WWI. I know that his Mother was distraught over the death of her children and wrote poems to get through the tough times. And lucky for us, her daughter Mary May saved almost everything, and now we are able to share that with you. And getting to know who our family was and what their lives were like is just as important as the 1900 census. The story of our family starts to develop as we gather the photos, letters and documents that were left behind. We begin to learn that Russel Delk was at Camp Dodge on Thanksgiving day in 1917 and that his brother Frank was getting to know the women in Germany. Charlie was at Camp Pike, while his future wife Bernice Butler was studying to become a teacher at Drake University. There are new photos, documents, and letters for all of these family members, and as we uncover more, we will get to know who they were. Have a safe and prosperous 2012. Brian

My Great-Grandmother was a poet and she did know it. We are currently going through her poems and transcribing them. Seven pages have been added to Martha Maitlen Delk’s page, along with some more photos and two more letters. Some of the poems are Christmas poems that she wrote to friends and family. I will also have some pictures of her and Elmer, Mary May and others, along with some more documents by the end of next week. Until then, Have a Merry and Safe Christmas Holiday.

Brian