The father of William DeLoach died aboard ship coming from France. William was born aboard ship according to Mary Ellen DeLoach Williams's obituary; however, most of the stories heard are that he was born after his mother arrived in S. C. The U. S. census all have S.C. as his birthplace. We have 2 different birthdays for him 1811 and 1815. The 1811 date would really be needed if he married Lillian DeBorkan in 1831. The 1815 goes along with U.S. census. We have found a note with the 1815 date and born in Marion District, died Dec. 1, 1889. On this note is also "sister-Emily DeLoach born April 5, 1847, died Sept 1920, age 71 year, 5 mths, 2 days. Gone but not forgotten". On the 1880 census William lists his father born in Al. & his mother Va. This would change the folklore about his father coming from France and dying immediately. We do know this is our great-grandfather's grave because his grandson William Arthur Williams lived in Covington Co., Al. when he was young and had visited the cemetery. His son Percy Giles Williams, who is alive in 2000, recalls taking his father from Texas to Alabama. They visited that grave.

There has been talk about Williams's death and where to bury him. His wife was not about to let him be buried by that other woman. Was that other woman, his second wife Sarah? His first wife Lillian died In S. C. in 1837. He left his children there and never returned.

Since I wrote the above, I have discovered William DeLoach married a third woman. The above Emily married William on Nov. 9, 1879 at her mother's residence. E. Dozier was J. P., Bondman was P J. Thrower. Emily Owens was her name at the time. I do not know if Owens was her maiden name or if she had been married previously. Crenshaw County, Al. marriages Book B-page 413

March 3, 1997 letter from Joyce English, P. O. Box 309, Rutledge, Al. 36071. "I went to the Pilgrim Rest Cemetery this morning and here is what I found. About 75 ft. from the gate at the County Road 77, about 1 mile south of Dozier, in Covington County. Two stones that read: Wm. Deloach born in Marion Dist. S. C. 3-5-1815 Died 12-1-1899. His grave had a concrete slab over the top of grave. His stone had been broken into four pieces, someone had laid it on top of the slab, and placed it back together except one piece was missing. There was enough left to get readings from. It was approx. 3 foot tall with a engravings : Open Bible with script written Holy Bible, under that was a Masonic emblem. About two foot from his right was a grave which was Emily DeLoach Born 4-5-1849 Died 9-7-1920 age 71 yr. 5 mo. 2 days "Gone but not forgotten" at the top of the stone was written (SISTER). In between their graves was another stone which said Born 9-5-1892 Died 12-31-1904. It was broken. The top was missing which had the name on it. It could have been another stone from another grave because it was laying about middle way of both their graves, turned opposite from theirs. P.S. I have been to that grave & have pictures of all stones. Mutt Did William & EMILY have CHILDREN? I saw a deed that had William DeLoach on it and it was dated after Wm. died. Emily also bought land and it was deeded to her and her heirs. This was Crenshaw Co., Al.