Dear Donald, (Dilley)

Thanks so much for your letter. I always enjoy corresponding with others working on the Dilley line. Yes, I have seen "The Dille Family, 300 Years in America." I wrote to the Reeders 2 or 3 years ago. They have lots of Dilley material, so you may be able to help each other on your lines.

Thelma Reeder called me last year and we had a very interesting conversation. She gave me quite a lot on my family but I’m afraid I couldn't read it all because I was trying to jot it down so fast.

The Dilleys are my husband's line. A John Dilley married Nancy Catherine Shrums and had Mary Dilley who married Jesse B. Hamilton. Jesse was My husband's great grandfather. This family lived in Daviess Co., MO. John Dilley’s father was Joseph Dilley b 6 Sep 1828 in Lawrence Co., OH (Bible records) and married Delilah Rice b 29 Jul 1835 in Ill. They moved to Daviess Co., MO where Joseph died 1 Jun 1909. Joseph's father was Barnett (Barney) Dilley b 23 Feb 1801 in VA. & died 26 Jul 1866 Daviess Co., MO. He married Manerva Cooper.

I have a pension record for Barnett Dille that says he was born in Greenbrier Co., VA, but they have his age as being 44 years (this was in 1863), so there is a big discrepancy in age in one of the records.

I have done some checking in Greenbriar & nearby areas but have as Yet not uncovered anything. I think I can pretty well eliminate both Martin and Henry Dilley of Pocahontas Co., VA as prospective fathers of Barnett. At least, Barney was not listed as one of his sons. (She refers to Dille book)

In a history of Nicholas Co., VA., first settlers, there is a mention of a Christian Dilley, but the only mention was as follows: ". . . I will have to go back to Strange Creek to notice one settler there, Christian Dilley by name. He settled there in 1814 with his Family, and raised them in the woods like heathens; his lands were rich and would have produced well with proper tillage." I also found a marriage record for Christian Dilly to Mary Hevelar 1795-96 in Bath Co., UA marriages 1700-1860 (Film # 7278 pt l). There was also a marriage of John Dilley to Elizabeth Ackland 1795 in Bath Co., VA.

The brothers and sisters that I have for Barnett Dilley are as follows: Hannah b 1797; Elizabeth b 1802; James b 1801; Penina b 1814; Annie, Catherine, Abner, Diana and Bird. (I haven't confirmed any of this material)

That is about it for now--please keep in touch and thanks for writing.

Sincerely,

Lois Hamilton

Notes: These bible records from Daviess Co., MO seem to be the major source of information on Barnett Dilley and his son Joseph. The pension record for Barnett is inexplicable as to what war he was involved in and why his age in the pension application was discrepant with his birth year. Could Lois have been referring to Joseph Dilley his son in the Civil War? I suppose that her list of Barney’s brothers and sisters was not taken from bible records, for they include Elizabeth b 1802 who is not listed for the Lawrence Co., OH family in other records, and Penina's birth date is far later than other records have it. Could Lois' telephone record of this family from Thelma Reeder explain these discrepancies. again there is the problem of Christian's location in Nicholas Co. in 1814, and in Greenbriar Co. in 1810 for the census there. There is no reason to expect a relationship between the Barnett Dilleys in Daviess Co. and Bushrod Dilley who lived just over the county ? south of Daviess Co.