The Delph Brothers - Cecil Benjamin

Before having her last child, Cecil Benjamin, at the age of 45, Elizabeth Witzgall Delph gave birth to a son, Orville D., in 1888. 
Orville was listed in the June 16, 1900 census, but died sometime later that year at about the age of 12 of pneumonia.  Orville is buried with his parents in Hoy Cemetery.

Marie Ordway, Philip Ordway, Cecil Delph, Lemuel Ordway

Cecil B. was born July 12, 1894, in Monroe Township, Henry County, OH.  Cecil's life was a little different than all of his siblings, as Cecil left home and furthered his education at  Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio.
While there, he joined the Sigma Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. 

On May 25, 1917, while at Wittenberg, Cecil registered for the World War I draft.  On his draft registration, he described himself as tall and slender with brown eyes and light hair.
Cecil graduated in the Wittenberg class of 1918, and apparently right after graduation, on May 24, 1918, he enlisted in the National Army at the age of 24. He was assigned to the 159 Depot of the National Army until August 1918, and was sent eventually to Field Artillery Central Officers Training School at Camp Zachary Taylor in Kentucky.  He made Private First Class on June 19, 1918, and was honorably discharged on November 26, 1918 from the Officers' School, having not had to go overseas.  One Wittenberg publication announced, "Between 1917-1918, more than 400 students served in the armed forces.  Nine made the supreme sacrifice."

By December 1928, Cecil was in Lawrence, Cloud County, Kansas where he married Susie Lucille Loomis on Christmas Day.  Cecil went west to teach at the Haskell Indian School, a boarding school arrangement where the children were brought to the school from the reservation and lived there until the parents picked them up at the end of the school year.  At that time, the school taught many practical arts, such as homemaking and agriculture.
Eventually, Cecil and family moved on to Pierre, South Dakota where he taught at the Pierre Indian School.  
 In the Pierre, SD 1930 census, Cecil at 35 was at the Indian Industrial School as a teacher, living with his wife of two years, Lucille S., 28 and his young son, Wilbur, 2 1/12.  Also living with them were two lodgers, one a Cherokee man from NC and the other, a woman from Illinois, both teachers.

Cecil taught at Napoleon either before or after the experience in Kansas and South Dakota, as he is named in an article about new teachers at the high school.  The article was undated, but home economics and agriculture had just been added into the curriculum, so new staff had been hired for these.  He also had experience in other high schools in northwest Ohio.

Cecil returned home by 1934 and began farming and working in various positions in the agricultural field.  He registered for the World War II draft as a self-employed farmer in Portage Township, Wood County, Ohio.  His family expanded to three sons and one daughter.

Cecil died of a heart attack on June 5, 1961 in Wood County at the age of 66.
Lucille lived until October 26, 1980 when she died in the hospital in Bowling Green.

"Bowling Green, Ohio
Cecil Delph, 66, Dies Unexpectedly

Cecil Delph, 66, died unexpectedly Monday afternoon at his home on Route 1, Mermill Rd., Portage.  Sunday he had attended the graduation of his son, James E., from Bowling Green State University.
Mr. Delph, a grain inspector for Wood County under the Agricultural Stabilization Committee and the Production Marketing Association for the last 10 years, was born in Malinta July 12, 1894.  His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Philip Delph.  After graduating from Wittenberg University in 1918, he taught in Haskell Institute and Indian School in Lawrence, Kansas, and also in Pierre, S. D.  He became a farmer after moving to Portage in 1934.  He also taught in the Veterans Farm Program in Portage and Perrysburg High Schools.  He was a veteran of World War I and a member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Bowling Green, Portage American Legion Post and Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity.
Dec. 25, 1928, he married Lucille Loomis in Lawrence, Kansas.  She survives with three sons, Wilbur E., Columbus; Robert R. at home, and James E., Bowling Green; one daughter, Mrs. Wade (Joanne) Shinew, Portage; seven grandchildren; a brother, George R., Malinta; and three sisters, Mrs. Julia Spangler, Bowling Green; Mrs. Elizabeth Ordway, Malinta; and Mrs. Sue Robinson, Portage.
Three brothers and one sister died earlier.
The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in St. Mark's Lutheran Church.  Rev. Loyal Bishop will officiate.  Burial will be in Portage Cemetery.  A Legion service will be held at the grave.  Friends may call at the Deck Funeral Home Wednesday afternoon and evening."

More on Philip Delph's Life




Bruce Robinson (Philip's son-in-law,husband to Henrietta/Sue), Philip Delph,  Henrietta "Sue" Robinson (Philip's dtr.), Philip's granddaughters-Fay Ordway Gunter with her sister Marie Ordway Baker in front of her.  The three boys (Philip's grandsons) piled up are from bottom to top: Phil Ordway, Fred Ordway and Carl Delph.

 

When Philip Delph was taken in by his aunt and uncle, Philip and Catherine Lautenslager Heckler around 1853 or before, after the death of both of his parents, the Hecklers already had a son named Philip.  (They had also named a previous son Philip, but he died in infancy.) They called this second son "Peter" although really he was Philip Heckler, Jr.  The history says that Philip Delph also took on the Heckler name for awhile, probably until the real Philip Heckler needed to go by his legal name or it became too confusing for all concerned!  The Philip Heckler Sr. family already had nine children, so what was one more little boy?

It always helps me to create a timeline for my ancestor to make sure things are logical and to get a sense of the history of that person.  Luckily, quite a bit of documentation exists for the events in Philip Delph's life.

1832 - The Delphs, Hecklers and Lautenslagers emigrated from Germany to America.  (More on that later.)

June 17, 1845/1846 - Philip Delph was born to Johann Georg Delp and Christiana Lautenslager.  I have never found an actual birth record.  The censuses indicated he was born in Ohio.

May 4, 1849 - Elizabeth Witzgall was born.  (Future wife of Philip)

1850 - The census for that year indicated that Philip at age 4 was living with his parents and four siblings (Elizabeth, Margaret, Caroline, George) in Jackson Township, Crawford County, Ohio. The census taker visited the family on August 8, 1850,

August 29, 1850 -Philip's mother, Christiana, died at 42 years, 2 months. 

October 20, 1851 - Philip's father, Johann Georg died at 45 years, 10 months, 8 days.

September 1853 - Guardianship papers were filed for the children.  No doubt they were already placed in the homes of the family, but this move appointed Peter Ludwig as guardian to watch over their affairs. Philip was 8 years old.

1860 - Philip, at 15, was living with his aunt and uncle, Philip and Catherine Heckler Sr. in Crawford County.

1861 - Philip Heckler Sr. purchased land and moved to Henry County, bringing Philip Delph to Monroe Township. The Civil War was beginning.

1869 - 1870 - Philip Delph bought land to clear and farm in Monroe Township, Henry County, OH.  I was unable to locate Philip in the 1870 census, even though it only seemed logical that he would be working on his land in Monroe Township.

January 30, 1871 - Philip Delph married Elizabeth Witzgall, daughter of William and Henrietta (Smith) Witzgall. 

November 17, 1871 - Their first child, a daughter was born.  They named her Cora, but she was known as "Corrie."

September 11, 1873 - It's a second daughter who was named Julia or Juliana, but known as "Julie."

March 21, 1876 - It's a son!  Otis William, known as "Pat"

November 18, 1878 - My great-grandmother was born - Elizabeth Margaret Caroline, named after her three aunts, Philip's sisters.

June 4, 1880 - The census taker visited the Delph farm and made his notes: Philip Delp, a farmer, 34 years old and living with wife Elizibeth, 31, who was keeping house with children: Cora, 8; Julia, 6; Ottas, 4 and Elizibeth, 1 and George, 30, Philip's brother.

February 1881 - Another daughter, Henrietta was born, known as "Sue."

April 2, 1883 - Son George Roland was born. 

September 6, 1885 - Son Clarence Philip was born.

1888 - Orville D. Delph was born.  Sadly, Orville died in 1900 at the age of 11 or 12.  He is buried with his parents in Hoy Cemetery.

July 12, 1894 - Cecil Benjamin Delph was born, the final child for Elizabeth and Philip.  Elizabeth was 45 years old.

April 22, 1919 -  Philip Delph died at the age of 73 years, 10 months and 5 days. His death certificate indicated he died of organic heart disease. The math shows his birthdate to be June 17, 1845, but 1846 was put on the tombstone. Elizabeth, his wife, also did not know the names of Philip's parents to report.
Did they never discuss his history?  Maybe not.  He was very young when he lost his parents.

September 3, 1947 - Elizabeth C. Witzgall Delph died, having lived to the age of 98 years, 3 months and 29 days and having given birth to at least 9 children. Her birthplace on the death certificate was listed as Manchester, Ohio. Cause of death? Cerebral apoplexy (stroke). 

Philip Delph was a farmer all his life.  His love for his family is evident in the photos that have survived.  My mother once told me that he insisted on speaking German in the family and was pretty stubborn about it.  How precious his family must have been to him after growing up without his biological parents and away from his brother and sisters. 



Hoy Cemetery near Malinta, Ohio



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