Magnolia was the home of Henry Dellinger prior to the Revolutionary War and afterwards until the town of Lincolnton was founded. This place is situated on the Tuckaseege road six miles from Lincolnton. Before the Revolutionary War, when the old Tryon courthouse was near Cherryville, a road from Beatty's Ford to the courthouse crossed the Tuckaseege road at Henry's house. Henry's residence stood at the intersection of these two roads, just east of and between J.B. Smith's present brick residence and the spring. The Tuskaseege road has since been changed and now runs west of the house. That part of the Beatty's Ford road has been discontinued for many years, but the tracks of both old roads are clearly visible today.
Being a man of large means and living at a public place, Henry kept house for the entertainment of the public. At that time such houses were known as ordinaries, and were licensed by the court. In the court records of the April sessions of 1775, the following was entered: "It is ordered by the court that Henry Dellinger have license to keep ordinary at his now dwelling house in Tryon County, he complying with the Act of Assembly in the case made and provided who proposes for security John Ritzhaupt and Nicholas Friday." In 1779, Tryon County was divided into Lincoln and Rutherford Counties, the old courthouse falling in Lincoln County, but too far west for the convenience of the public.
The courts were then held for a few years at Nicholas Friday's on the South Fork. They were next held at Henry Dellinger's. At the January sessions of 1781, it was ordered that the jail of said county should be Henry Dellinger's spring house until the endof the April sessions of 1784. The place dug out of the spring house is visible today. It was a small building, the lower story rock, the upper, logs. In the lower story, the landlord kept his liquors; the upper was used for a jail. As some of the prisoners escaped from the spring house, during the April sessions of 1784, it was "ordered that the sheriff of said county make use of a room in Henry Dellinger's house to be strengthened for the purpose of a common jail till the public buildings in said county are completed."
The next term of the court was held at Henry Dellinger's. The Court minutes read as follows: "State of North Carolina. At a county court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions begun and held in and for said County of Lincoln at Henry Dellinger's on the first Monday in July, 1784, before Robert Alexander, William Graham and John Moore, Esqrs." The Courts continued to be held at the Dellinger place until the town of Lincolnton was established. The courts were first held at the Courthouse in Lincolnton in October 1786.
Henry's second wife, Mrs. Smothers, was reared in the city and wearied of country life. So yielding to her inclinations, he was the first to purchase a lot in the new town of Lincolnton. He owned and occupied the lot on the northwest square now known as the Robinson block. Henry is said to have erected the first house built in the new town.
Henry made frequent trips back to Pennsylvania, taking with him a drove of cattle, and bringing in return liquors for his cellar and goods for his store. After the death of his first wife, Hannah Rudisill, he wooed Mrs. Smothers, a widow, then living in the state of Pennsylvania. According to tradition she was a great lover of coffee. Her objection to marriage and accompanying Henry back home was the fear that she could not get her favorite drink in the wilds of North Carolina. This the ardent lover quickly overcame by promising her all she wanted, a promise he faithfully kept. Henry's neighbhors frequently discussed his expensive bargain, and she filled an untimely grave from the extensive use of coffee.
Henry Dellinger was Whig and took no part in the Revolutionary War; but his brother, John Dellinger, was a patriot and active soldier throughout the Revolution. John fought at the Battle of Ramsour's Mill.
Henry was a large land owner. In the last days he conveyed much of it to his children. His signature was always made in German. He spent his last days and died at the home of his son-in-law, Peter Mosteller. Mr Mosteller married Henry's daughter Mary and lived near the Long Shoals.
Heinrich "Henry" Dellinger was land contract; Jacob purchased his land on Buffalo Creek from his father, Henry Dellinger. Henry received this land in a lawsuit. Heinrich was born at
Oberacker, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, on 27 October 1740. He was the son of
Johannes Philipp Dellinger and
Anna Maria Brandstätter. He married
Anna Joanna Rudisill at
Tryon Co., North Carolina, circa 1760. He married
Mrs. Smallers. Heinrich died on 15 February 1820 at
Lincoln Co., North Carolina, at age 79. His body was interred in February 1820 at
Iron Station, Lincoln Co., North Carolina, at Dellinger & Smith Cemetery. Henry Dellinger's tombstone is about 100 to 150 feet behind the main section of the cemetery, as are a number of other fieldstones.
Henry's grave is marked with two markers, one of plain granite and the other is a marble slab. The granite marker reads:
"H.D. Dep. This life 15 Feb. 1820 in the 80 of his age."
The diary of Lutheran pastor David Henkel has the following entry for Thursday, February 17, 1820:
"A funeral sermon for Henry Dellinger, Sr."
This funeral sermon was probably given at the home of Peter Mosteller, Jr., who was Henry's son-in-law. Henry had resided with Peter Mosteller from 22 September 1818 until Henry's death..