The Immigrant - J. Georg Delp

Georg Delp and Christiana Lautenschlager Delp were the immigrant parents of Philip Delph, my great-great grandfather.  Georg emigrated from Germany in 1834, along with others whose lives would intertwine in Crawford County, Ohio.  During those days, it was advertised to the German people that there was very cheap land in the American West.  In 1834, Andrew Jackson was president, our country was just 58 years old, and Ohio was considered the "West."

Georg Delp came from the village of Klein Bieberau, a small village in Germany, known as a village of weavers.  He and others from his village and other small towns close by made their way to Bremen in northern Germany to board the ship, Lucilla in August 1834.  The ship landed in Baltimore and on September 18th, James Myers, Master of the ship, was required to present a list of "all who have been taken on board the Said Ship at Bremen or at any other foreign port or at Sea and brought into any district of the United States Since her (leaving) the Said Port of Bremen." 

From the ship's passenger list provided by the captain, we know that 102 adults, 17 children from ages 5 - 12,  and 2 children under 5 were transported on that voyage of the Lucilla.

In 1834, Fell's Point in Baltimore was the second most important port for immigration in the United States.  From 1800 up until the Civil War, eighteen shipyards in Baltimore were busy building ships.  The Baltimore brigs were a two masted ship with square rigs on both masts.  The ships were used to carry goods from Maryland, like tobacco and flour, to Europe and on its return, the ships were filled with immigrants.  Accomodations were crowded, but by law each immigrant was required to have a berth 18 inches wide and 6 feet long.  Travelers had to bring their own bedding and food.  It was probably at least a 2 - 3 week trip across the Atlantic, depending on wind and weather. 

It is thought that Georg was born in December 1805, making him about 29 when he made this journey.  I do not know at this point if his future wife Christiana was with the five adults in the Phil. Lautenschlager group on this ship or if she was already in America.

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The red star indicates the location of Klein Biberau, south of Frankfurt and north of Heidelberg in Hessen.



The Old Scrapbook

When my cousin told me that she would let me have a look at an old photo album of Great Grandma Ordway's she had rescued from a pile that was going to be burned, I was so excited.  I really didn't have that many old photos from the Ordways or Delphs, so what good fortune it was to have these pictures.  Some faces were easily recognizeable, but some will never be identified.   Even when we couldn't name the faces, the photographs, themselves, give all of us a peek into what life what like in the early 1900's.   


Great-Great Grandmother's (Elizabeth Delph Ordway) Scrapbook

 

Unfortunately, many unidentified photos



My grandfather, Fritz Ordway, feeding the chickens with his mother, Elizabeth Delph Ordway

My great-grandmother, Lizzie Ordway, doing the laundry.
Do we have it easy or what?

Pete Bensing and my great-grandfather,
Lemuel Ordway.  No wedding ring on Lem's finger and he married in 1897.

Great-Great Grandparents, Philip and Elizabeth Witzgall Delph

"The Brick Block"  - the main drag of Malinta.  I think the Delph
store was under the awnings somewhere.

Great Grandpa and Grandma Ordway's house - after the porch and kitchen addition.  Eventually,
I remember that the porch was screened in and it had a wonderful porch swing where we spent hours. 

From Left to Right - Elizabeth Delph Ordway, unknown, Marie Ordway, Lemuel Ordway
Do you suppose this was their new car?  Anyone know the make and model?



Great-Grandpa, Lem Ordway, pumping his water.  Maybe he's pumping bath
water into that tub. They never did have running water in their home. 

Many, many thanks to Mary Seibert for letting me scan some of the photos
in this scrapbook!  I'll post more later.



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."

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.

The Delph Brothers - George Roland

George Roland was born April 2, 1883, the sixth child and second son of Elizabeth and Philip Delph. 

There is still much research to be done in uncovering documentation of his early years, but we know, as with his siblings, George was born in Monroe Township, Malinta Village, Henry County, Ohio and educated in the local schools.

The first enumeration of young George available is the 1900 census.  He is listed as a single 17 year old, living with his parents, six brothers and sisters.  Where his brother Ottis, seven years his senior, is noted as a “day laborer”, George has apparently not yet taken on the full responsibilities of adulthood, as there is no occupation noted.

On August 11, 1906, George was married to Emma Elizabeth Schulze.  Emma, German by birth,  moved to America with her parents and older sister, in 1893 at the age of seven.

1910 was a busy year for this young family.  A “timeline” maintained by Emma (on the back of a large 1915 marketing calendar) states that George and Emma bought into the store (owned by Otis) on January 7^th for $1,264.34.  February 24^th brought the birth of their first child, Carl William.  Accordingly, the 1910 Census, taken in April, shows George as the Head of House with Emma, his wife of 3 years, and a two month old son, Carl.

Death comes to all families, to some sooner than others, but before 1920 they had lost Emma’s mother and grandmother, George’s father, and their second son, James Philip.   James was born May 2, 1915.  A notation made in the family “timeline” for 1916 is  “James got sick in Feb”.  It goes on to say, “Had hired girl, Hazel all summer, and Fay started in fall.”  This is probably Fay Ordway, niece and close neighbor to George and Emma.  It is also likely that Hazel and Fay were hired more for the care of older brother Carl, than for James.  In 1917 George and Emma travel to Chicago with James, where he is subsequently operated on in Dec.  The family Bible reads “James Philip Delph Born May 2 -1915 Left us for his Heavenly Home April 14 - 1918 Cerebral Apoplexy”.  A quick search online of “Apoplexy” gives several references to “epilepsy” which is known to sometimes have a genetic component.  It’s fortunate for those in the next two generations, with diagnosed seizure disorders, the outcomes have been far more favorable than for little James.

Marie Elizabeth, named for both grandmothers, was born October 15, 1921.  Marie would have been the first to admit holding the title of “Daddy’s Little Girl”.  A second daughter, Helen Emma, was born September 4, 1926.  Helen was not yet 4 months old, when she too “Left us for Her Heavenly Home,” dying of whooping cough on December 26, 1926.

At the age of 46, George became a father for the fifth time when on July 21, 1929, George Roland Delph, Jr. was born.  Nicknamed “Junior”, he is the only living child of George and Emma.  The 1930 Census lists George and Emma with three children, Carl W. - 20, Marie E. - 8 and George R., Jr.- 8/12 (8 mos.).

While raising a family, George continued to work jointly with his brother until Otis retired in 1949.  George maintained the store and retired himself after 50 years.

We learn from George’s obituary that he was very active in community affairs and organizations.  The Malinta Board of Education,  the Village Council, Volunteer Fire Department, Knights of Pythias Lodge and the Trinity Lutheran Church all benefited from the numerous years of service, generously given by George, in the town of Malinta.  Perhaps the greatest gift George gave to his family was his spirit of community and volunteerism.  Countless towns and organizations continue to benefit from those same principles and values passed down through the generations.

On October 10, 1962, George died of a heart attack in his much loved Malinta home.  He and Emma are both buried in Glenwood Cemetery, Napoleon, Ohio.

George and Emma Delph on their 50th anniversary - 1956

Thanks so much to my guest blogger, Deb Larson, a direct descendant of George Roland.  She is one of my fellow researchers on the Delphs, providing lots of good information and many photos to add to our understanding of the family.

The Delph Brothers - Otis William, aka "Pat"

The oldest son of Philip and Elizabeth Witzgall Delph was named Otis (Ottis) William, but was often referred to as "Pat."  Pat was born March 21, 1876 in Monroe Township, Henry County, Ohio and he stayed in Malinta for his whole life.  He married Elsie Hemsoth, who immigrated with her family to America in 1881 from Germany.

In the 1900 census, Otis was still at home with his parents, and Elsie was living with her parents, Christian and Katherine Hemsoth, in Toledo, along with six siblings.  Her father worked on the railroad, but she, at 17, and her two sisters Minnie, 21, and Alvina, 19 worked as brushmakers for four months each year...probably when not in school. 

By the 1910 census, Otis already owned the general store that he would run for most of his life, and he and Elsie were married.  He lived in Malinta with his wife and daughter, Elizabeth, 2.  Little Elizabeth's middle initial K. indicates that she may have been named after Otis's mother, Elizabeth, and Elsie's mother, Katherine.
Four more children were added to the family by the 1920 census, and in 1930, we found Otis W. at 54 with Elsie M., 47; Elizabeth K., 22, a public school teacher; Maxwell H., 19; Norma M., 17; Mary Ellen, 15; and Janette Fay, 12.  Otis owned his home, valued at $2500, and was still working at his store. 

Otis died first on December 15, 1960 at the age of 85.
"Otis W. Delph
From the Blade Correspondent
Malinta, O., Dec. 16 -
Otis W. Delph, 85, died at his home here yesterday.  Until his retirement in 1949, Mr. Delph had operated a general store here for 40 years.  He was a native of Henry County.  He had been a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge for 53 years and was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church.
Mr. Delph is survived by his wife, Elsie; son, Max, of Monmouth, Ill.; daughters, Mrs. Elizabeth Hamburger, East Canton, O.; Mrs. Norma Russell, Leipsic, O.; Mrs. Mary Sage, Findlay, O.; and Mrs. Jeanette Mahoney, Montpelier, O.; brothers, George, of Malinta, and Cecil of Portage, O.; sisters, Mrs. Julia Spangler, Bowling Green; Mrs. Bess Ordway, Malinta, and Mrs. Sue Robison, Portage; 15 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.
Services will be in St. Paul's Church at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.  Burial will be in Hoy Cemetery.  The body will be in the Walker Mortuary from 2 p.m. tomorrow until 12:30 Sunday."


The obituary was mistaken as to the place of the funeral,which actually was held at Pat's own church, Trinity.

Elsie died almost fourteen years later on April 23, 1974. "Northwest Signal, April 26, 1974.

"Mrs Elsie Delph
Malinta - Mrs. Elsie Delph, 87, died Friday, April 23, at the Winebrenner Nursing Home, Findlay.  Born in Germany April 28, 1883, she was the daughter of Christian and Katherine Hemsoth.  Her husband, Otis Delph, preceded her in death in 1960.
Surviving are four daughters, Mrs. Elizabeth Hamburger, Mrs. Paul Russell, both of Leipsic; Mrs. Mary Sage, Findlay; Mrs. James Mahoney, Twinsburg; 1 son, Max, Shennandoah, Iowa; two brothers, Frank Hemsoth, Toledo, Paul Hemsoth, Deland, Florida; 15 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
She was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church of Malinta where services were held Monday afternoon at 2 p.m.  The Reverend E. A. Lehman officiated.  Interment followed in Hoy Cemetery.  Arrangements were made by the Peoples Funeral Home, Leipsic."


Hoy Cemetery, Henry County, OH





The oldest daughter of Otis and Elsie Delph, Elizabeth K. is also buried in Hoy Cemetery with her
husband, Rev. Herbert, who was a WW II veteran.

 

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The Youngest Delph Sister - Henrietta B. aka Sue/Susie

From L to R: Bruce Robinson, Sue Delph Robinson, unknown, Emma Schulze Delph, unknown
at Aunt Sue's birthday party
Are they each striking a pose for the camera? 

"Aunt Sue," as my mother called her, is the Delph sister I have found the least about so far.  Henrietta Delph was the last daughter born to Philip and Elizabeth Witzgall Delph on February 22, 1881.  She was born after my great-grandmother, Elizabeth, and they were a little over two years apart in age.  

Sue married Bruce E. Robinson on April 28, 1910.  Bruce grew up on Richfield Township, Henry County and was born at or near West Hope. The census reports that Bruce was born in December of 1886, making Bruce about four or five years younger than Sue.  The 1920 census has Sue at 37 years old and Bruce at 33, and by 1930 the gap has closed to only one year apart, with Sue at 44 and Bruce at 45.  I'm not sure why that is so.

Bruce and Sue lived their married life in Portage Township, Wood County, Ohio - in 1930 on Langmade Road.  Bruce registered for the World War I draft in June 1917 and they were living near Rudolph in Wood County at the time.  He described himself of medium height and build, with brown hair and blue eyes.  He also registered for the World War II draft when he was 56 years old.
 I have not found an obituary or burial information as yet for either Bruce or Sue, but I do know that Sue died on July 2, 1979, at a nursing home in Bowling Green.  She was 98 years old.

Like her sisters, Cora and Julia, Sue had no children.  Elizabeth was the only Delph sister with biological children.