The Delph Brothers - Clarence Philip

Clarence Philip Delph was the seventh child of Philip and Elizabeth Witzgall Delph and their third son.  He was born September 6, 1885 and was a farmer all his life. 

He married first Mary E. Bailey (known as Ella) on December 17, 1910 as recorded in the Fulton County, Ohio marriages index.  In the April 1910 census, Clarence was still living at home at 24 and farming on the home farm with his parents, while Ella, at 28, was living with her grandmother, Mary Taylor, in Defiance, along with Morris, 9, labeled as Mary’s grandson.    The Defiance County birth records show a Morris Bailey, born to Bostel Bailey and Mary Bailey  on May 9, 1901.

The census was taken in April 1910, and by December 1910, Clarence and Mary E. Bailey were married.  At some point before 1920, Morris took the Delph name.
More research needs to be done on what happened to Morris's father and if there was an official adoption.  Did Bostel and Mary divorce? 

In the 1920 census, Clarence, age 34, and Mary E., age 37, lived in Monroe Township, Henry County with Morris E. Delph, age 18, son, and Helen I. Delph, 15, daughter-in-law.  Neither Morris or Helen was in school and Morris was listed as a farm laborer on the home farm.  So we must assume that Morris has married a very young Helen, but a marriage record has not been located yet.

Sometime between the January 3, 1920 census taker’s visit and sometime in 1922, Mary E. Delph died or there was a divorce, and Clarence remarried.  In 1930, Clarence at 44 was married to Margaret C., 44.  Living with them was Maggie Wirth, his mother-in-law, aged 76 and a widow.  It was reported that Clarence’s first marriage was at age 25 and Margaret’s first marriage was at 37.   That means the marriage took place about 1922, but no record has been found yet.

The Helen I. Delph who married Morris Delph had moved back to her mother by 1930.  Her mother, Ann Meyer, 55 and her sister, Iona E., 20 and little Helen M. Delph, presumably Morris’s daughter, completed the household.  Where was Morris in 1930?  He has not been found as yet. 

Clarence Delph registered for both the World War I (1918) and World War II drafts (age 56), but did not serve in the military.

Margaret and Clarence were married until his death on March 15, 1951 of heart disease.  Margaret lived on until March 1, 1968.

Clarence and Maggie Wirth Delph.  Possibly Morris in the back.  Who is the young girl?

“Northwest-News, March 22, 1951

C. P. Delph Buried Saturday

                                 

Clarence Philipp Delph, 65, Monroe township farmer, died Thursday at the Heller Memorial Hospital in Napoleon after a short illness.

The body was removed to the Boyer-Walker Mortuary where it remained until time of funeral services Saturday morning in St. Augustine’s Catholic Church.  Rev. Joseph Myers officiated, followed by interment in St. Augustine’s cemetery. 

Surviving are his wife, Margaret; three sisters, Mrs. Lem Ordway, Malinta; Mrs. Bruce Robinson, Portage, Ohio; Mrs. Julia Spangler, Malinta; three brothers, Otis and George of Malinta, and Cecil of Portage; also several nieces and nephews.”

“Northwest-Signal, March 5, 1968

Mrs. Margaret Delph

Mrs. Margaret C. Delph, 82, Route 5, Napoleon, died Friday evening in Northcrest Nursing Home. 

She was born August 10, 1885 in Monroe Twp, a daughter of John M. and Margaret (Hunt) Wirth.  Mrs. Delph was a member of St. Augustine’s Catholic Church. 

Surviving are a brother, John M. Wirth, Bryan, nieces and nephews.

Services were at 10 a.m. Monday in St. Augustine’s Church, the Rev. Joseph Mrowca officiating.  Burial was in the parish cemetery.  Rosary services were at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Walker Mortuary, which was in charge of funeral arrangments.”

No mention of Morris is either obituary. 
**Just received this today in the mail:
"Toledo Blade, Friday, July 10, 1970, p. 11
MORRIS DELPH
Morris E. Delph, 69, of 1415 Vinal St., died today in St. Charles Hospital. 
Born in Defiance, Mr. Delph was a Toledo resident 48 years. He worked for the Dana Corp. 20 years, retiring 5 years ago as foreman. 
He is survived by his wife, Amelia.
Services will be Monday at 1 p.m. in the Hoeflinger Mortuary.  Burial arrangements are pending.  The body will be in the mortuary after 7 p.m. Saturday."

So that means he moved to Toledo in 1922, perhaps after Clarence married Maggie Wirth.  His burial place and information about his second wife, Amelia, is also a goal for more research.