William Delany

 

Facts for the Delany Family History

From the first family history book (Hull-Delany) published in 1984, page 241. As of the writing of this document and memories in 2018,  34 years after the book was published we need to remember that that are hundreds of changes in the families. The elderly members of the family that are named have all since passed and their are literally hundreds of marriages, divorces, children born.

The following are some facts we found in our search in the family history on the Delany ancestors. Because our records are not complete, these facts are figured with what information we have collected. The oldest living descendant of William and Catherine (Sell) Delany is Ural Walker who was born December 3, 1896 and  is 88 years old in 1984 Ural is also their oldest living grandchild. His parents are Sarah Delany and Frank Walker. The second oldest living grandchild is Dilas (Hull) Clayton who was born January 10, 1898 and is 86 years old in 1984. Her parents are Matilda Delany and Emmet Hull, Dilas died April 17, 1984. The third oldest living grandchild is Clifford McCollum who was born January 2, 1900 and is 84 years old in 1984. His parents are Catherine Delany and James McCollum.

The fourth oldest living living grandchild is Richard Walker who was born August 11, 1900 and at the time of this writing is a little over 82 years old. His parents are Sarah Delany and Frank Walker. (He died November 10, 1982)

The direct descendants and total number of the grandchildren of William and Catharine (Sell) Delany are 76 with 36 alive and 40 are dead. There are 156 great-grand-children, counting those living and dead. There are 320 great-grand-children, counting those living and dead. There are 104 great-great-great grandchildren counting those living and dead.

There are three great-great-great-great-grandchildren counting those living and dead. And their 15 children for a total of 674 blood descendants. There are 370 descendants by adoption, stepchildren and by marriage.

The grandchildren of William and Catharine (Sell) Delany with the largest family is Elona Delany and John Langan. They have nine children. Elona is the daughter of Thomas and Florence Delany. Second largest is Susan (Delany) Kary and Woodrow and Nina Delany, each family having seven children. Their parents are Chauncy and Delia Delany.

The grandchildren with the most grandchildren are Elona Delany and John Langan, they have 26 and William and Marion Delany has 25 grandchildren. Elona’s parents are Thomas and Florence Delany and William’s parents are, Orlando and Anna Delany. Third, Mae (Delany) and Henry Bollinger have 23 grandchildren. Mae’s parents are Orlando and Anna Delany.

Fourth, Ivan and Amanda McCollum have 20 grandchildren. Ivan’s parents are Catherine Delany and James McCollum. Grandchild with the most great grandchildren is Julia Hull and Charles Jack Baney, they have 13 great grandchildren, direct descendants. Her parents are Matilda Delany and Emmet Hull.  Second, Ivan and Amanda McCollum have 12 great-grandchildren. His parents are Catherine Delany and James McCollum. Third, Dilas (Hull) Clayton has 10 great-grandchildren, direct descendants. Her parents are Matilda Delany and Emmet Hull.

Number of children of William and Catherine (Sell) Delany that lived long enough to have their 50th wedding anniversary: Catherine Delany and James McCollum; Thomas and Florence (Cannam) Delany; Matilda Delany and Emmet Hull. Number of grandchildren that lived long enough to their 50th wedding anniversary are: Jane Delany and Merle Gallentine; Mary and Esther (Bollinger) Delany; William and Marian (Truman) Delany; Their parents are Orlando and Anna Delany; Catherine McCollum and Charles Eugene Burney; Clifford and Eileen (McCormack) McCollum. Their parents are Catherine Delany and James McCollum.

Ural and Gladys Walker. His parents are Sarah Delany and Frank Walker. Pearle Delany and Leslie Edeal. Her parents are Frank and Gertrude (Hull) Delany; Julia Hull and Charles Jack Baney. Her parents are Matilda Delany and Emmet Hull.

William Smith Delany lived to be 62 years old and his wife Catharine Sell Delany lived to be over 95 years old. Out of all their grandchildren that died six lived to be 80 years or older. The oldest one was Mary Delany. Her parents were John and Winnie Conway Delany. Mary’s age was 84 years

William Smith Delany

The stories and family histories of the Delaney Families is reprinted from a book published in 1984 compiled by Mary Christensen and Dell Smith and written by Dell Hull Smith of Gregory, South Dakota.Beginning on Page 130

In this part of our family history we are searching for our Delaney ancestors and relatives.We found our great grandparents were Jacob Delaney and Belinda (Weimer) Delany. Jacob served the local community as a tailor. They had four daughters and two sons.

They are Septemia Delany, Rebecca (Delany) Johns, who lived in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, Elizabeth (Delany) Reed, Mary (Delany) McBride, John Delany, who is buried at Hillsville, Pennsylvania and William Smith Delany,
our grandfather.

William Smith Delany was born in 1836 in Butler County, Pennsylvania. His grandfather (and our great-great-grandfather) Weimer was born in 1794 and fought in the war of 1812. Billie is the nickname given William as a young boy. Much of his younger life was spent helping his father in his tailor shop. Billie grew tired of this type of work and would rather spend time carving and building with wood.

During William’s teenage years, he traveled frequently in Pennsylvania to do carpentry work. He helped the early settlers build both sod and log homes, the kind of work he enjoyed. While working in Mogomntown, PA he met Catherine Sell and on March 22, 1855 they were married by E. Byres, William was a building contractor so they had to move many times to keep working.

During the first years of their married life, four children were born. An infant son, who died at birth, Lydia Allice, John, and Eliza jane.

When work became scare, William gathered together their belongings and family and in the summer of 1861, they moved to Kansas. Like all early settlers William and his family went through many hardships, for travel was slow and dangerous. Sadness came into the family when both Lydia and Eliza became ill on the trip from Pennsylvania to Kansas. They both sided soon after they got into Kansas and are buried there. This left them only one child, John.

William told of their trip to Kansas. He came home after being away working for several days. He told his wife Catherine to get the children ready and pick a few clothes as they were getting out of there as fast as they could. there was an epidemic in the towns near by which was killing many of the children. Although they ere not certain what the disease was. The family did all get sick with diphtheria later and that was when the little girls became very ill and died.

On the Delany’s trip down the Ohio River to Cairo, Illinois where the Ohio joins the Mississippi River, the boat caught on fire and Catharine was alone with her little ones at night while William and John were helping to put out the fire which they succeeded in doing. William continued with his carpenter work until August 28, 1861.

When he volunteered into the Union Army to fight in the Civil War, he was a member of Company H, of the famous roundhead Regiment. William was a religious man, he always carried a small Bible given to him by his mother. He told of some of his experiences on the battlefield. Sometimes when hs comrades were wounded or dying, hey would ask him to say a prayer for the and read from the bible. the 23rd Psalms was his favorite passage. William felt very sorry for some of these young lads, it was the first time for many of them to be away from family and home.

He also told of one young fellow who was badly wounded and dying, He asked William to say a prayer for home and t take a deck of cards from his pocket and destroy them. His parents didn’t want hime to play cards, so he didn’t want them on his body or in his belongings, after he was gone. William did as he wished. Later as he was reading from his Bible the young man died, Events like this made him very sad and he wished the war would end. While fighting a battle at Petersburg, Virginia on July 30, 1864, William was wounded in the neck. The wound caused stiffness in his neck and right arm. William was allowed to return home for a short time after this.

When William’s wound healed, he re-enlisted in the Army. On July 24, 1865 at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he received a medical discharge. During the time William served in the Union Army, he held rank of private, corporal and sergeant. After his discharge he returned home for good.

Due to this war injury, he was unable to continue his work as a carpenter for a period of time. However, he was fortunate to find work helping an undertaker. He made caskets and also beautiful cabinets. While living in Kansas another son and daughter were born. William Audly and Catherine.

Between the year 1867-68 William decided to return to his original home win PA. He and all his family were dreading the long journey back. But, like all determined pioneers, they packed their covered wagons with their belongings, food, water and started on their way. The roads, being only trails, made traveling quite dangerous and slow. they encountered many hardships. Sometimes when the weather got real bad they would stay the night with settlers along the way. When they arrived in PA and settled in a home, William’s wound had healed so that he could do the work he liked best, carpenter work. While they were in PA again William and Catharine had three more children, Orlando, Sarah and Newton Phillip. When his building contracts were completed in PA, he denied to move again.

This time they moved into Ohio. At least here they had a more pleasant and comfortable home to live in , for it was in the city. During the years William lived in their home, two children were born, Matilda and James Franklin.

After the carpenter contracts were finished in Ohio, William took his work and family to Michigan. Here their home life wasn’t as pleasant for again they lived near a dense woods. When William and family moved from Ohio, he and Catharine had eleven children eight of them living. During the years they lived and worked in Michigan, three more sons were born, thumbs, Chauncy, and Allen.

In 1879 William’s family had a frightening experience. When James Franklin was not quite five years old, he decided to follow his sister Catherine to school. James followed Catherine. The path to school was through the thick woods, with many other paths branching out from it. James got on the wrong path and became lost. Later when William and Catharine discovered he was missing, they started out to search for him.

The following are some letters written by William to his sister-in-law, Margaret Sell Beals, almost 120 years ago with type-written copies to make them easier to read.

Hello Cousin! I got out my Delaney history book and looked you up. You are in a picture with Gladys and Ural with all their grandchildren. The book was a gift from my mother in 1985. So Sarah Delany and Frank Walker were your great grandparents. Sarah was my grandfathers (Orlando) sister. From what I know they were very close. Orlando passed away in 1946 before I was born. (1864-1946) His wife Anna ( my grandma) (1880-1977) I remember very well. She would visit us in Manteca quite often. As for Jacob Delany, who is Sarah Delaney Walker’s grandfather, I find very little history on him. I would love to know when he came to the US and what country he came from. The family stories say Ireland and I know Delaney is an Irish name. I did find info on Belinda who was his wife and when he died she remarried a man named Singleton. What part of California do you live in?
I live in Manteca (about 60 miles south of Sacramento) I have a sister (Janet) who lives in Escalon, Ca about 15 miles east of me and another sister (Jeanette) who lives in Hemet in Southern Ca. My brother Norman lives in Arizona City, Arizona. My oldest brother, Calvin passed away in 1997 and lived in Aptos, Ca….So nice hearing from you keep in touch! Janis Delaney TabernaJanis Delaney Taberna.

John Delany page 153, Delany family history, 1984

John Delany, son of William and Catherine (Sell) Delany, was born July 17, 1859 at Keystone, Pennsylvania. He received his education in grade school. The Delany family moved around a lot as his father was a carpenter so he went where he could find work.
John learned at an early age to do carpenter work with his father, and being the oldest living child of this large family for his older brother and sister had died when they were young, he also helped his mother care for the younger children whenever he could.
In 1884 John arrived in South Dakota with his parents, brothers and sisters. They traveled by covered wagon. Later when the family moved to Nebraska he went along.
He was married on February 12, 1887 at Springfield, South Dakota to Winnie Conway, who was born June 1, 1862 in New York State. Winnie’s father’s name was William, he came from Ireland. Her mother’s name was Mary (Healy) Conway. Winnie had three sisters, Mary, Sarah and Maggie. When they moved from New York all the rest came to Running Water, South Dakota in 1872 to the homesite ten miles west of Springfield, except Winnie’s sister, Mary, who stayed in New York.
John and Winnie homesteaded in Boyd County, Nebraska. Their first home was a sod house, which John built. Much of the land on the homestead was broken up with an oxen team.
John ranked high among the pioneers who developed that territory from the open prairie land to the prosperous farming community it is today.
John and his family planted many of both fruit and shade trees, also berry bushes, shrubs and beautiful flowers. For several years he did carpenter work and farming too. He was a member of the Baptist Church. He died sixty-one years later on the date of his wedding February 12, 1948. He is buried in the cemetery at Fairfax, South Dakota. His wife, Winnie had preceded him in death on June 1, 1916 at Baker, Nebraska. She was buried at Springfield, South Dakota, on June 3, 1916. They had five children, Katherine, Grover, Mary, Lillian and Alice.

Thomas Earl Delany

page 207, Delany family history, 1984

Thomas Earl Delany son of William and Catharine (Sell) Delany, was the twelfth child and was born March 7, 1877 at White Hall, Michigan and died October 16, 1957 in Eugene, Oregon. He is buried in the Lane Memorial Gardens in Eugene, Oregon.

He was married August 28, 1906 in South Dakota to Florence Jacinta Cannam who was born July 17, 1880 in Mason City, Iowa, and died May 17, 1965 in Eugene Oregon. She is buried in the Lane Memorial Gardens beside her husband.

Before Thomas’s birth his parents, William and Catharine Delany, moved from Ohio to Michigan. After William made up his mind to go on to Michigan, one of Catharine’s brothers and family fixed up a covered wagon and William fixed up one, too. On the last of October, 1876 they started on the trip. They took their family cow with them. They had a nice trip until it snowed.

They stopped to visit some folks in Muskegan, Michigan and while there, they told them they couldn’t get ten miles further for the snow was too deep. Catharine’s brother sold his team and wagon, and took his family on the train and went onto where they were going, in Mason County, Michigan. William told Mr. Britton he was going to go on until the wheels couldn’t turn. Oh! But it did snow hard and they had to stop about three o’clock in the afternoon. That was the day before Thanksgiving, when they had to stop because the snow got so deep they couldn’t go any further. They had come to a house no one was living in and there was a big barn so they looked the barn over and found a hay loft of hay. They had lots of feed for the cow and team. They threw hay down and all slept in the barn.

The next day three men called on them and invited them all to Thanksgiving dinner. There were so many of them, William, John and Audly, Thomas’s father and brothers, told the men they had to chop wood, so only Catharine and the younger children went with the men. One of the men had the key to that house, so William rented it. They found a lot of furniture in the house and it came in real handy. The house was a Parsonage and was such a nice house. There were eight rooms all completely furnished.

James Franklin Delany (Frank)

page 203, Delany family history, 1984

James Franklin Delany (Frank) was born November 25, 1874 in Lowell, Ohio. Frank was the son of William and Catharine (Sell) Delany, and was their eleventh child. He married Gertrude Hull, youngest child of George and Julia (Souder) Hull, who was born January 4, 1885 at Holt County Nebraska. Frank came to South Dakota with his parents, William and Catharine (Sell) Delany. They lived near Chamberlain, South Dakota, for awhile, then moved on into Nebraska. His parents homesteaded near Baker, Nebraska.
In 1912, Franklin and Gertrude (Hull) Delany moved to Modesto, CA. Here they purchased a nice home. Frank was always a farmer, but he also did carpenter work and enjoyed making nice things for their home. He was a patient man and a good neighbor. He liked animals and to take care of them.
Both Gertrude and Frank were good hosts and many a great dinner was served in their home. Any holiday, birthday or arrival of visitors was an occasion for dinner.
Frank’s favorite hobby was gardening. He planted many beautiful flowers, and he enjoyed experimenting with grafting, on different trees and plants.
Frank was a good conversationalist; his friends, relatives and neighbors liked his way of saying things. He really had the Delany sense of humor and his comments added interest to any conversation.
Frank lived a good life, he passed away in California and is buried there.
Gertrude was kind and loving, living her life following the teachings of Jesus. She liked to keep her hands busy for she enjoyed doing many things and lots of fancy work. Also many different kinds of needlework, so she made lots of beautiful things.
After the death of her husband, Frank, Gertrude lived alone. She was a good housekeeper, and had many pretty flowers in her yard, and house plants too. She always enjoyed working with them.
On December 14, 1972 Gertrude passed away in her home after a long illness. She is buried in California. Frank and Gertrude’s children are: Pearle, Albert, Franklin and Paul Delany.

Matilda (Delany) Hull

page 203, Delany family history, 1984

Matilda Delany was born November 19, 1873 at Lowell, Ohio. She is the daughter and 10th child of William and Catharine (Sell) Delany. She died August 24, 1962 at Gregory, South Dakota and is buried at Baker, Nebraska. She married Emmet Uriah Hull on March 11, 1897 at Butte, Nebraska. Emmet was born January 26, 1873 at Boone County, Iowa. He died January 25, 1950 at Gregory, South Dakota. He is buried at Baker, Nebraska.
Names of their thirteen children are: Dilas Madge Clayton (deceased), George William (deceased), Clarence Emmet (deceased), Matilda Opal (deceased), Julia Cecelia Baney (deceased), Catherine Josephine Stroup (deceased), Mary Blanche Christensen, Bryan Carl (deceased), Laura Mae Mitchell (deceased), Frank Uriah (deceased), Caroline Stickney, Dell Orpha Smith and John Thomas (deceased).
Note from Blue Book in this article:
{Please read the Hull part of this history for the complete write up on Matilda and Emmet Hull and their family.}

Newton Phillip Delany

page 203, Delany family history, 1984

Newton Phillip Delany is the son and 9th child of William and Catharine (Sell) Delany. He was born March 18, 1872 in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. He was never married. He went to Alaska during the gold rush in search of his brother, Audly. While there, he got pneumonia and died in the hospital in Seattle, Washington. His body was shipped back to the Yukon where he is buried. It was his wish to be buried there.

 

 

 

 

Catherine Belinda (Delany) McCollum

page 160, Delany family history, 1984

Catherine Belinda Delany (Kate) was born April 21, 1866 in Lawrence, Kansas. She is the sixth child of William and Catharine (Sell) Delany. She moved with her parents to Michigan. While living there Catherine made a confession of her faith in Christ and joined the Methodist Church. Throughout her life she was faithful to the vows she made there of love and service to the Lord.
Catherine came to South Dakota with her parents in 1884, and in 1885 her father homesteaded land on the river bottom west of Running Water. This land was washed away, and the family moved westward and homesteaded near Fairfax.
During the time they lived there, Kate attended school at Niobrara, and then taught first in a log building north of Running Water, then at Addison, Nebraska and later in a school at the foot of Norwegian Hill. She continued teaching for several years.
Catherine married James Monroe McCollum on October 19, 1892. He was born February 14, 1866. His parents were from a southern family who migrated to Carroll, Iowa from Tennessee before he was born. James Monroe McCollum was born in Iowa.

William Audly Delany <pg 160> Blue book, Delany family history

William Audly Delany was born November 13, 1864 in Kansas. He is the son of William and Catharine (Sell) Delany. His death is unknown for he went to Alaska during the gold rush, and was never heard from since.
Not knowing what happened to her son was very heart-breaking for his mother, Catharine. For many years before going to bed, she would light and set a kerosene lamp by the window, so her son Audly could see this light and find his way back home. His precious mother never gave up hope that someday he would come home.

 

 

Chauncy Mason Delany <pg 215> Blue book, Delany family history

Chauncy Mason Delany was born June 9, 1880 at Mason County, Michigan. He moved with his parents William and Catharine (Sell) Delany, from Michigan to South Dakota in 1884 and from there the family moved to Baker, Nebraska where his parents homesteaded. He grew to manhood on the farm and helped his parents with the work. He received his education in rural school.
Some years later Chauncy married Delia Anderson who was born on October 29, 1884 at Kearney County, Nebraska, and they were married at Anaka, Nebraska. Delia’s parents were Herman Anderson and Hedda Swanon.
After Chauncy and Delia were married they lived in Gregory County, South Dakota for several years. When they moved by covered wagons to Mellette County, South Dakota to a farm by White River in 1919, Delia drove one of the wagons. It was quite an experience for her and a long tiresome trip.
They settled south of White River and Delia ran the Neville Post Office; she was the postmaster and their son, Herman, was assistant postmaster. At that time, Chauncy ran a little Country Store.
Chauncy and Delia liked the farm, he was a pleasant man with a wonderful sense of humor. He was a good farmer and liked his farm animals.
Delia was a small lady. She was cheerful and patient, just a wonderful person always helping others. She enjoyed working outside in her garden and flowers, also doing small chores. She did lots of canning and raised many chickens too.
Delia liked to travel and visit among the relatives, and they looked forward to when she came to visit in their homes.
Chauncy died January 24, 1949 at White River, South Dakota, and his wife, Delia, died at the hospital in Murdo, South Dakota on June 12, 1967. They are laid to rest in the White River Cemetery. Chauncy was the thirteenth child of a family of fifteen children. Chauncy and Delia had eight children: Herman, Maurice, Catherine, Laura, Esther, Woodrow, Edsel and Susan.