In Memory Of Delia Lewis

 I was overwhelm when I discovered this rare obituary of my Great Grandmother Delilah. There’s a lot of data presented. I’ve been sorting through the information and searching for leads. What did I get out of this obituary?

The source of obituary came be found at St. Joseph Daily Herald – Apr 24, 1887
It’s on page 4, third column near middle.




My translation of Mrs. Delilah Lewis’s obituary.

Mrs. Delila “Lillie” ( ? ) LEWIS passed at her son in law, William Washington at 1801 Mulberry Street in St. Joseph, Missouri; on Tuesday, April 19th, 1887 at 4:45 pm.

Delilah was born in Franklin, Williamson County Tennessee and was raised in Kentucky.
She was moved to Franklin, (Howard County) Missouri.
(Don’t know the time frame from which State to State.)

It was when she was moved to Liberty, Clay County, she was sold to Priestley EDWARDS
And she was with him for about 25 and 30 years. (Is this 55 years with the enslaver EDWARDS? )

Then she was hired out to William LANE for ten years.
(I assume that within the years with EDWARDS, Delilah was hired out.)

Delilah was moved with Peyton TOWNSEND to Saline County, Missouri until after the rebellion in 1861. (I’m assuming that this city in Saline was Blackwater, Missouri area.)

She moved to St. Joseph, (Buchanan County) Missouri in 1878 with William Washington.

Delilah was a member of the Baptist church and had been for fifty years
(She passed in 1887 and minus 50 would be the year 1837 with the Baptist Church.)

Delila was still in the service of the Lord ( before the time of her death)
If she was born in 1773 and passed in 1887, she would have been about 113.

I’m in the process of making time line from Delila’s paper trail.
The enslavers names do exit in the counties in Missouri.

Other Questions and Assumptions
Who was Delila’s daughter? Mrs. William Washington; Susan (Leach) Washington.
The 1880 and 1870 Missouri censuses has Susan’s birth years as 1835 and 1845 in Missouri.
She could have been born in either in Franklin , Missouri or Liberty, Missouri.
Susan was most likely born around 1835; her 1890 obituary stated that she was 54 at time of death.

There were three sources of Delila’s birth year.
On the 1870 Missouri census at about 1810 at age 60
On the 1880 Missouri census at about 1787 at age 93
On her 1887 obituary at 1773, she would have about 113

Delilah most likely born between 1790 – 1810.
If born in 1810 she would have been 25 when Susan was born.
Or if Delila was born in 1790 Delila would have been 45.

Could Delilah at age 62 give birth to Susan in 1835?
Delila was likely to have had other children.
She was a widow at the time of her death.

I’m working on another blog on “Data From Delila Lewis’ 1887 Obituary”.
It’s the paper trail from Tennessee to Missouri and the oral history that was passed down.
The enslavers’ whereabouts will lead to where Delila was.

Thanks for reading.
A Translation of Mrs. Delila Lewis’ 1887 Obituary #52Ancestors Week 10 In 2023

This blog was a repost from another blog.  And here's another blog ~ Been So Lucky In My Discoveries About Delilah Lewis .Delila, my 3rd great grandmother.

April In Remembrance The DADE Family Connections:  

April In Remembrance: Bartlett Family Connections

April In Remembrance: Blakey Blakley WHITE Family Connections

God bless

S.A. Blakley

Week 10 ~ Amy Johnson Crow #52Ancestors in 52 Weeks

The theme for Week 10 is “Translation.” Would any of your ancestors have needed someone to translate for them? Have you had to work with records in a language other than your own? No matter the language, it’s a good time to write!