Francis Eugene "Frank" Delp was born on 14 March 1875 in Adams, Gage Co., Nebraska, to George Washington and Ellen Almira (Doolittle) Delp. His family appears on the 1870 and 1880 U. S. Census records in Sterling, Johnson Co., Nebraska [named after Sterling, Whiteside Co., Illinois], so they may have owned property in both counties and travelled back and forth across the county line - Sterling on one side of the line and Adams on the other.
At the tender age of 9, on 11 October 1884, Frank lost his father to cancer. We have no record of what the family's circumstances were like during this time, but they were quite likely difficult. According to her obituary, Frank's mother relocated to Summerfield, Marshall Co., Kansas in 1892. We assume Frank moved with his mother to Summerfield. By this time, Frank's older sisters, Mable and Allie, had already gotten married in Johnson county, Nebraska and older brother, Walter, had gotten married in Gage county, Nebraska. Once in Summerfield, little sister Myrtle married in 1895.
From the recollections of his daughter, Ruth Ethelyn Delp, Frank was a veteran of the Spanish-American War. This war was fought between April and August 1898. There has been no research done to independently confirm this, so we don't know what part, if any, Frank may have played in any battles. He is buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery, which is believed to be where U. S. military veterans can be honored by burial, so this may confirm the fact he was a veteran of this war.
Frank was married to Neva Lorraine Swartout on 15 September 1899 in Filley, Gage Co., Nebraska - roughly half-way between the place of his birth in Adams and the home of his mother, Summerfield, Kansas. We have no stories handed down as to how Frank and Neva met and why they were married in Filley. Both of their surviving parents, Albert Swartout, a widower, and Ellen Delp, a widow, lived in Marshall county, Kansas.
By 4 June 1900, on the 1900 U. S. Census, we find the newlyweds living back in St. Bridget Twp., Marshall Co., Kansas, the proud parents of their firstborn child, Ruth Ethelyn Delp, born 11 April 1900. It is interesting to note on this census record that Ruth is listed as "Not named." So, nearly two months after she was born, her parents had yet to give her a name. This seems unusual by today's standards. Neva's father, Albert Swartout, was living with them and not too far away was Frank's mother, Ellen, who was found to be living alone.
The family spent the next few years in this area, from the recollection of Ruth, as her next three siblings - Blanche Esther, Earl Albert, and Charley Oscar - were born in Marshall Co., Kansas.
By time the fifth child, Harold Francis, was born on 4 June 1908, the family had relocated to Wichita county, Kansas. Harold was born there in Leoti, as were the following siblings - Ella Antoinette and Dorothy Mae. This is confirmed by the records, as on 6 May 1910 the 1910 U. S. Census in Edwards Twp., Wichita Co., Kansas shows the family listed. Frank is there working as a farmer. It has not been handed down why the family moved to this area, but by the time their eighth child, Ruby Alice, was born on 7 November 1913, the family was living in University Place, Lancaster Co., Nebraska. This is where Frank's sister, Mable "May" Portlock, lived with her family up at least through 1920.
How long Frank and Neva lived in Nebraska is not known. Perhaps they were there only a short time. At any rate, by 20 January 1920 we find the family on the 1920 U. S. Census living in Ventura Co., California where Frank is working as a farm laborer. The family is believed to have been living very modestly as we find oldest daughter, Ruth, aged 19, living in the home of another family working as a servant and next oldest sister, Blanche, is living with a nearby rancher as a boarder, although she was only 17 at the time.
We currently have no record of the following years, but it is known that Frank and Neva lived out their lives in California, where Neva passed away on 28 June 1961, at the age of 78, and Frank passed away on 18 February 1965, just a month short of his 90th birthday.
As mentioned above, Frank is buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery, just south of San Francisco, California.
Author: Roger L. Roberson, Jr. • Last updated: 11 January 2003