Laurel Hill, Florida, 32567

10 January

 

Major E. E. Reeder;

1966 412 North Hartley

West Covina. CA

 

Dear Major Reeder,

 I read in the "Dille Family" a quotation from a letter of yours about Abner and Luke Dilley. I believe that I can shed a little light on the matter.

 Luke Dilley was my grandfather and as far as I know he was born about 1819, but not in Lawrence Co, OH. He came to Ironton from Pennsylvania; I don't know what part or what town he came from. Records in the Ironton Court House show that Luke and Abner Dilley filed on homesteads on the same day. Luke Dilley's homestead was near Johnstown which is between Andis and Deering, east northeast of Ironton about twelve miles. I believe the ruins of the old log house are still on the original building spot.

 I suppose I wasn't interested in Dilley ancestry when I was young, or I would have recorded all that I learned by word of mouth. So many years have gone by that most of the tales of the relatives told me by my father, George Washington Dilley, are about forgotten. I was not sure whether Luke and Abner were cousins or brothers. I don't know of any descendants of Abner Dilley, but a Mrs. Mittendorf who worked for the welfare department of Lawrence County for a great many years. I suppose she has kinfolk in Ironton, but I never knew them. It is about all that I can do to remember the names of my cousins, first, second, and third, that live in and around Ironton. Since receiving G. E. Dille's book, I am very much interested in the history of the Dilley clan, and I am sending letters today to Ironton to dig up more information.

 Luke Dilley had three sons, John, James, and my father, George Washington, from his first marriage his wife was Margaret Waller. After her death he married again and had two sons William and Clark. My father George Washington Dilley b 22 Feb 1856 died 1945 was the last son of the first marriage. The sons of the second marriage have also passed on , but their descendants live mostly in and around Ironton. Uncle William Dilley's wife Mary is alive and lives with her son George who operates the same country store that his father ran for many years.

 George W. Dilley had six sons. in order of their age, they were William Albert, James Edward, George Washington, Howard Dana, Sylvester Alvin (that's me), Luther Luke, and John Weymouth. Besides myself, there are two living, Luther and John. They were the younger brothers, and two daughters Edith and Helen. Edith died in infancy and Helen (Hodges) died in Tacoma, Washington, four years ago.

 George W. Dilley married Julia Ann Lasell in Spring Valley, Minnesota. Left there for South Dakota with Ed and Will in a covered wagon drawn by oxen. Homesteaded 320 acres, but did not stay long. I was born at Waubay, South Dakota, 12 July 1890. My brother Edward was born the year before. But the far west was calling and we all took the train for the State of Washington. The railroads were offering "homeseekers rates" I believe I was two years old.

 That was only one of the moves we made: to Aberdeen on the west coast; to Cleclum, Washington east of the Cascades; to South Dakota again; to Kansas; to North Dakota; and when my mother died my father moved back to Ironton. and I came to Florida in 1923.

 I will try to get information on the Diana Dilley that you mention. I intend going to Ironton sometime next spring or early summer, and I will make an intensive search. But probably you have already done so. I would like very much to hear from you and where you are in the Dilley line.

Sincerely yours,

Sylvester A. Dilley.