The following is a copy of an e-mail sent from David P. Hively in response to an earlier one I posted on the
[email protected].
From:
[email protected]
Listers: Re the Daniel Dellinger of Lower Windsor Township, York County, PA who wrote a will dated 13 December 1856, probated 4 Feb. 1857. This would appear to be the Daniel Dellinger buried in Canadochly Cemetery, L. Windsor Township: Daniel Dellinger, July 13, 1806-Jan. 7, 1857, 50-5-25. (This matches his age in the 1850 census: Daniel Dellinger, 43; Catharine, 31; Amanda, 4; Leah, 3; Eliza, 6/12; Elizabeth 71.) His wife Catharine is almost certainly the Catharine Dellinger buried in Freysville Ref. & Luth. Cemetery, Windsor Twp.: Catharine Dellinger, 3 Oct. 1819; Jan. 7, 1896; 76-3-4. Again matching the age of the 1850 census.
Some years back Mrs. Ellen Dellinger, whose deceased husband was Dr. Woodrow Dellinger of Red Lion, told me her husband's great - grandfather Dellinger and wife (Daniel and Catharine) were buried in different cemeteries. She said the great-grandmother was in Freysville Cemetery. I would suggest they are buried in different cemeteries because of the suggested scenario: the widow was probably living with a child in the Freysville area, and since Catharine Dellinger died in January when the weather was possibly bad for travel of any distance, she was buried under the circumstances in the nearest cemetery (even though Canadochly was perhaps only 15 or 20 minutes distant by today's car travel).
As pointed out by Roger, Daniel Dellinger willed $40 to each of five siblings. That is a very unusual bequest considering Daniel Dellinger had many young children and was not wealthy. I suggest the following scenario which perhaps can be proved by deed records: Daniel appears to have not married until he was in his late 30's, and possibly lived with his parents (or parent) until that time. When he married he remained on that farm. There was an agreement, perhaps unwritten or unrecorded, that for their share of the farm the siblings were to get $40. To guarantee they would get that money, Daniel made it a specific item in the will. Since executors would have sold the
farm, the deed for that sale may well be recorded and could give the
ownership history for at least a couple generations. If the farm was sold at public sale, there may be an advertisement in the newspaper describing the property.
The estate file of Daniel Dellinger at the York County Archives contains a very large number of papers: original will, couple inventories, two or more administration accounts (one very detailed); original guardian appointment requests; numerous guardian accounts for the several children; other misc. papers, including a request to sell some of the estate because the conditions of the will did not allow enough money for the children to be supported (clothing, schooling, etc.). Thus Daniel had little wealth, and would normally not have made bequests to siblings and take away money from his children in that way. An indication that the money for siblings was an "former" obligation. To make copies of the total file might cost $30 or more.
The will signature of Daniel Dellinger is obviously "labored." He attempted to write "Dellinger" twice. Either he was very sick when he signed the will; or was a very poor writer; or had an injured hand; etc.
The 1860 Shearer's Wall Map of York County, PA shows a "Mrs. Dellinger" living in Lower Windsor Twp. near the Hellam Twp. line. I would suggest that was the property of the deceased Daniel Dellinger, as it was to be kept in the family for 6 years. The 1876 York County Atlas does not seem to show a property in the same location, but a new home may have been built at a different location on the farm by 1876. The property was on the present Mount Pisgah Road between the village of Yorkanna and the Ducktown Road; about halfway between them on the right hand side coming from Yorkanna. I believe I could point out the present buildings on the property.
The deed book releases (books 4M and 4E) noted by Roger in his message to
[email protected] are by all evidence definitely associated with the above Daniel Dellinger. This may not help to answer Roger's question, but some additional information may be of interest.
Somebody who is interested in the total York County, PA Dellinger family would possibly benefit by requesting copies of the complete estate files of all the earlier members who died in York County (before 1875 ?). The expense however could be quite high.
David P. Hively.
Daniel was born at
Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania, on 13 July 1806. He was the son of
Michael Dellinger and
Elisabeth Frantz. He married
Catherine (?). Daniel was listed as the head of a family on the 1850 Census at
Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania. Daniel died on 7 January 1857 at
York Co., Pennsylvania, at age 50. His body was interred in January 1857 at
Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania, at Canadochly Cemetery.