Delila, wife of John Holloway

Delila, whose maiden name I don't know (yet), was the wife of John Holloway and my husband's 4th great-grandmother.

She was a widowed head of household in 1850, aged about 55, in Washington County, Virginia.



Delila in 1850   (click to enlarge)

By 1860, she was living with her son, Martin Holoway, and his family in Wilkes County, North Carolina (and she was still 55!) 



Delila in 1860   (click to enlarge)

Living five houses away from Martin and his family was Wesley Holoway, age 30, Elizabeth Holoway, age 32, and children Delila, age 6, Isom, age 5, Caroline, age 2, and a 23-year old female named.Nancy Blevins, all born in NC.

By 1870, Delila was no longer living with Martin and his family. She was living with John W. Holaway in Maiden Spring, Tazewell County, Virginia, along with his (presumed) wife, Betsy, and children Delilah, Isom, Caroline, Jane, Nancy and John. (Relationships were not stated until the 1880 census.) All were born in North Carolina.




Delila in 1870, page 1   (click to enlarge)



Delila in 1870, page 2   (click to enlarge)

Ancestry has a database of Virginia Deaths and Burials Index , 1853-1917 which includes an entry (actually two entries with different spellings!) that appears to be Delila.

One entry is for Delila Holway, born about 1797 in North Carolina, and died June 15, 1874 in Maiden Springs, Tazewell County, Virginia. She is listed as "married" and her spouse's name was John Holway. Her parents' name was given as Joseph and Nancy "Blering".

The other entry differs only in spellings. Delila Holiway was the daughter of Joseph and Nancy "Blewing".

The age is about right, and Delila was living in Maiden Spring in 1870, so it seems to be the correct individual.

Now I'll need to track down the originals, or the microfilm of the originals, to see if I can recognize Delila's maiden name.  Right now, it seems to be Ble_ing. 

I know I shouldn't be guessing, but... could it, possibly, be something besides a "g" at the end? "Ble_in_"  Could it be "Blevins"??  A name that has appeared in several different lines in my husband's family? Wouldn't that be funny?!!

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Census information came from Ancestry.com. Holloway can be spelled a variety of ways, and a wildcard search of "H*l*way" was helpful in locating different spellings.