The following are my notes on David Delk:

His accepted year of birth has been 1832(grave marker), but based of census records, he was more likely born about 1837. In the 1850 census, he is shown as 14 years old.

As a young boy,after 1850, David moved to MS from Early County, GA, with his mother Lucretia and step-father Alvarene Martin and his half siblings. They are in Perry County, MS, in June, 1860.

Apparently , David married Mahalia Brown in July or August of 1860. In Covington County, they are found in Watts Beat or New Hope Community, which seem to be one and the same.

In 1870, David Delk is married to Mahalia Brown and living in Watts, Covington County.with their 4 children and his stepfather. He could not read and write. Mahalia probably died in about 1873. He married Saluda Delk 12/31/1873. (One of the old letters that cousin Wayne has, makes a comical reference to the marriage)

In 1880, Married to Saluda Ann, living in Ocoha Beat #5 in Covington Co with 6 children. Move to SW Jones County, about 1884. Homesteaded 160 acres in section 35 6/15/1892.

In 1900, David and Saluda are living next door to John D. Delk in section 35, SW Jones County.

In 1910, he is living with a son John David Delk and family in SW Jones County. His age is shown as 79.
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[The following article from Smith County Mississippi and its Families Volume II pp157-158]

David Delk

David Delk’s descendents have lived in Jones, Covington, and Smith Counties in Mississippi for over 150 years. David, who was born may 27, 1832, in Georgia, moved to Mississippi as a young boy with his mother, Lucretia, and stepfather, Alvarene Martin, and their children.

In 1860, David Delk married Mahalia Brown, who was born in 1843. Their grandson, Buford E. Delk, recorded the following information on May 25, 1971, from memory of facts handed down verbally and from grave markers where available.

After their marriage, David and Mahalia, along with his mother Lucretia Martin, lived in the New Hope Community in Southern Covington County near the Bouie River. Their first child, Elisha Henry, was born April 18, 1861. David left his mother, wife, and baby boy on the farm at New Hope when he enlisted in the Confederate Army. He joined Miller’s Regiment, Ninth Calvary, Company D. He was captured September 4, 1864, and sent to Camp Douglas, Chicago, Illinois. His release was dated June 18, 1865. It appears from the stamp on his orders that he was returned from Illinois to Mississippi by riverboat to Vicksburg. David’s military history was obtained from the official documents and orders. He signed the Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America on August 5, 1865.

When the war was over, the family continued to live in the New Hope Community for several years. Lucretia died during this time and was buried in New Hope Cemetery. A flood sometime later washed her grave away.

After his mother’s death the family moved to Louisiana locating near Cofax, where they lived for a number of years.

The children born after the war were James Thomas, who was born April 20, 1866; John Drew, who was born January 11, 1868; William Franklin “Bill,” who was born October 11, 1869; and Jesse Calvin, who was born about 1871. Shortly after Jesse Calvin was born, Mahalia died and was buried in Louisiana.. Left alone with the task of rearing five boys ranging in age from ten years to less than one, David found it necessary to turn the baby over to a couple for care until he could care for the baby himself. He brought the other children back to New Hope. From there, David, being uneducated, would occasionally get someone to write back to Louisiana to inquire about the baby. After a few years he received a letter from this couple saying that the boy had died. Since he was not financially able to go back to Cofax, he never knew for certain whether the boy actually died or not. In 1925, his son James Thomas, made a trip to Cofax and made diligent inquiries about the boy and the site of his mother’s grave. He went for the sole purpose of erecting a marker for each grave. He never found the graves or anyone who could tell him anything about his mother or his brother. All of the elderly people had either died or moved away. After all, fifty-four years is a long time!

In 1873, David married a widow, Saluda Ann Cole Storey, who had one son, John Storey, and had a home on Oakey Woods Creek near Collins, Mississippi. One child, Lucretia, was born to this union on October 1, 1874. The minutes of Salem Baptist Church show that they were members while they lived at this location. About 1884, the family moved to a farm some eleven miles northwest of Hattiesburg, in southern Jones County. David lived in the area until his death on November 11, 1913. He was buried in the cemetery at Providence Baptist Church on Eatonville Road in north Forrest County.

The eldest son, Elisha Delk, moved to Louisiana, married, and died with a heat stroke, possibly in middle age, according to reports. James Thomas Delk married Elizabeth Bryant and died June 25, 1926. John Drew Delk married Minnie Powell and died October 13, 1927. William Franklin “Bill” Delk married Sadie Clinton. He died February 10, 1927. Lacretia Delk married H. Steve Mixon and died December 11, 1965. These last four adult children are all buried in Providence Baptist Church Cemetery with their father.

--Submitted by June Easterling Ellis, Mt. Olive, Mississippi.

Notes by ROK:

[New Hope Baptist Church is just over the line in Forrest County at Sumrall, but it is near the Bouie River. The 1870 census records them at Zion Seminary or Watts, some distance away but that was the PO address.]

[There may be some errors. E.g., Alvarene Martin apparently outlived Lucretia, as he is living with them in 1870. David and the Martins were in Early County, GA, in 1850. I think the US Census records John D. as John David Delk.]
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Another Date Summary:

The reason I wanted a more exact marriage date for David and Mahalia is to help resolve his location in 1860. I find the following ages/dob's for David Delk. Apparently they were wed after June, 1860. The dob of the first child, Elisha, suggests they were married by 8/1860.

1850--age--14; dob--1836--Living with Martins, Early County, Georgia
1860--age--22;dob--1838--Living with Hintons, Southern Perry County, Ms. Martin family not far away.
1870--age--33;dob--1837--Watts Beat, Covington County, MS.
1880--age--42;dob--1838--Ocoha Beat, Covington County, MS
1900--age--67;dob--May 1933--Beat 5,Jones County, MS
1910--age--79;dob--1831--Beat 5, Jones County, MS

Accepted dob--May 27, 1832.

My guess is, he was born nearer to 1837 than to 1832. Between 1880 and 1910, he aged an extra 6 years.

In 1850, he is with his mother Lucretia and stepfather Alvarene Martin and step-siblings in Early County, GA.
In 1860, the Martin family is in the Southern District of Perry County, MS, at Augusta. There is a David Delk of similar age, living with the Hinton family in nearby Carlisle's Mill.
In 1870, he is married to Mahalia Brown with four sons and his stepfather in Watts beat, Covington County, MS.
In 1880, he is married to Saluda Ann, claiming to be 42 years old.
In 1900, he claims to be 67 years old
In 1910, he claims to be 79 years old. He's aging fast! [I have more often seen an opposite trend with maiden aunts!]

I have not found Mahalia Brown in 1860 and am still not positive of the David Delk in that year.
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