VanSLYKE, Delila Ornbaum - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Delilah was (as brother Ben from last week’s article) born in Rockbridge County, Virginia on March 22nd, 1832.  Andrew and Mary (Polly) Shipley Ornbaun were their parents and there were nine children born to them: Elizabeth, Benjamin Lewis, Mary Ellen, Alice (died age one), Delilah, Andrew Marion, William Frances (died age 42 in California), Henry Newton and John Shipley (also went to California dying there at age 88 on his ranch in Ornbaun Valley).  Andrew and Henry Newton were both in the Civil War, Henry, a minister (ME Church records) was a member of the Indiana 79th and killed at Missionary Ridge at age 30.  Andrew went to California where he died at age 102, spending some of his last days on his huge, immaculate grounds, working away.  He was in several campaigns with Co G, the 10th Indiana.  A couple of the girls passed young (Mary Ellen, short of being 16 by five days), one in childhood but the rest were Crawfordsville or California citizens.  When Delilah was three and Ben was six, Andrew and Polly brought their family to Montgomery County where they lived in Crawfordsville, Andrew a teamster.  Sadly, Andrew passed in 1857, but Polly lived to enjoy her grandchildren right here until October of 1879. (Portrait and Biographical Record of Montgomery and photo from FindAGrave – Adrian – thanks so very much)!

At age 13, Delilah was taken into the First M.E. Church and remained a member until her death.  Delilah grew up in our fair, young city and at age 21 she married William H. VanSlyke.  They spent most of their married life at 805 S. Washington which I think is where the small set of apartments are, their home gone now.  She passed February 18th in 1899 at age 66.  She was active in the church and loved her home, having been a great hooraher for the AW Chase’s Recipe Book in 1866 which was “to assist housekeepers, farmers and mechanics.”  It was $1.25 and Cheap John was the only Crawfordsville Agent for the book.  

The VanSlykes had Alice the very first day of 1855 who died Feb 2, 1896.  She married S.C. Warriner in Lincoln, Nebraska. She helped raise his three sons from a first marriage.  No children of her own.  She was quite active in the Rebekah Lodge and the Women’s Relief Corps.  She loved the hymn, Nearer My God to Thee, which was sang at her funeral.  Next of Delilah’s children was son, William O., who married Tillie Thomas and passed in 1931.  He  managed the painting in the high school building when it was erected. No children and they, too, are buried at Oak Hill, Grant Avenue (Masonic Cemetery in their times) with many of the other family members.  Next there was Ida who died at age one in 1859; John A. who passed at age two, ten years later, having had the measles.  I assume Ida Mae born in August of 1860 was named for the passing sister.  She married John Williams and they were blessed with two daughters, Hortense and Laila.  Maude born on Christmas Day in 1873 and passed 11 November 1925.  She married William W. Brush and passed away from pneumonia.  They had at least one daughter, Autumn. The last daughter of the VanSlykes was Jennie who married Herman Paloneski and lived in Denver at least at the time of her mother’s death. Could find nothing else on her! I’d guess it’s the spelling of the last name although I tried it many different ways!

William VanSlyke was a boot and shoemaker for years with many ads in the local newspapers.  He was in the Graham Building on Main Street and did custom-made work.  Although I’m not 100% sure when he began or closed his shop, I know it existed from at least the late 1860s until about 1890.  Later, he was a beat policeman for the town but Delilah did not like this and begged him to quit.  She was afraid of the area he had his beat in (near the Monon depot) as it was pretty wild.  He worked as a policeman for a few months, then decided perhaps his wife was right and “retired” from that and in general.

William was born August 18, 1828 in Canada according to all indications but about everything I found leans toward New York.  He was the son of Garret (who died here also buried in OH Grant) and Eliza McCarty.  He was active in IOOF serving several offices.  As far as I know, William had one brother, George who seemed to be fine and one day went insane.  He ended-up in the Montgomery County Poor House for more than three decades, many hours sleeping but as many hours, violent. Then at other times as his obituary stated, “30 years of nothingness, of neither joy, sorrow, pleasure or pain, but as a life not being lived!” (obit).   William departed this life October 4, 1903, having passed his 75th birthday!  His photo on FAGrave by Adrian shows a thin-faced, bearded, gray-haired man with sad eyes.  I could see why, but he did have a great wife in Miss Delilah!