Delilah (Wright) Summers (abt. 1805)

Born about 1805 in Virginia, United States [uncertain]

Descendants

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Biography

According to a document written by her granddaughter, Lizzie Griggs:

Father was the son of Delilah Wright Sommers. When just a young woman, she was a maid in the home of a well-to-do family of West Virginia named Griggs. A son in the family took advantage of her and a baby boy was born. He was raised in her home and like Topsy just grew up and by 17 was looking after himself. About that time, Grandmother married a man much older than herself by the name of Sommers. He did not live but a short time and must have liked Father, for he had a small farm and willed it to him.

Up to that time, he had carried her maiden name of Wright. I do not understand the legal phase of this but under W. Va. law then he had to take his own Father's name in the will in order to be legal. The step-father died and at the age of 17, while yet a minor, G. M. Wright needed money so she persuaded Father to turn over the farm to her. He signed the legal papers -- but only 17. He always felt an injustice had been done him and it had and for years after he came to Brownsville and had a family of his own, he felt bitter toward his Mother.

She came later and worked as a practical nurse for years but stayed with another family till she died.

On September 29, 1846, John C. Robinson named his wife Delilah Robinson and Henry H. Greegs in his will. ^[1]

A deed in Monongalia County, Virginia reads ^[2]:

This Ind nture made this 11th day of February in the year 1853 between John Summers and Delilah formerly the wife of John C. Robinson both of Allegheny county Maryland and Henry H. Griggs of Monongalia county Virginia of the first part and Belah Davis of the second part a resident of Monongalia county Virginia witnesseth that the said John Summers and Delilah his wife for and in consideration of the sum of seventy five dollars to them in hand paid the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged have granted, bargained and sold and by these presents doth grant, bargain, sell, alien, enfeoff, release and confirm unto the said Belah Davis his heirs and assigns forever the following described tract of parcel of land vix; the moiety of a tract of one hundred and twenty acres of land granted to John C. Robinson by patent from the Commonwealth of Virginia bearing date the thirtieth day of June 1847, said land lying and being on the south side of Deckers creek in Monongalia county Virginia and adjoins other lands of said Belah Davis. The boundaries and other descriptions of said land being mentioned in said Patent of reference to which is hereby made said moiety now being in the possession and occupancy of said Belah Davis and purchased by said Davis from said John C. Robinson. To have and to hold the above described premises with the appurtenances to the same belonging or in any wise appertaining to the only proper use, benefit and behoof of him the said Belah Davis his heirs and assigns forever. And the said John Summers and Delilah his wife and Henry H. Griggs for themselves and their heirs heirs do covenant to and with the said Belah Davis his heirs and assigns that at the time of sealing and delivering theses presents they are seized of a good sure perfect and indefeasible estate of inheritance in fee simple in the above described moiety of land free from all claims, liens or incumbrances and that they have good right and authority to convey the same in manner and form aforesaid and that they will warrant, secure and forever defend the said premises to the said Belah Davis his heirs and assigns free from the claim of claims of all persons whatsoever. In testimony whereof the said John Summers and Delilah his wife and Henry E. Griggs hereunto signed their names and affixed their seals the day and year above written.

John Summers
Delilah Summers
Henry H. Griggs

Delilah must have married John Summers sometime before February 11, 1853. Both she and her husband were living in Allegheny County, Maryland.

The Delilah Summers in the 1850 US census in Allegany County, Maryland might be Delilah Wright. ^[3] She was enumerated as 44 years old, born in Virginia. ^[3] She was living with John Summers, Michl Lower, Lavina Summers, Henry Summers, and Franklin Summers. ^[3] John is probably her husband, but it is uncertain who the rest of the people are. The three children may be children from John's previous marriage.

Delilah appeared in the 1860 US census in Bridgeport, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. ^[4] She was enumerated as Delilah Griggs, 55 years old, born in Maryland. ^[4] She was a nurse. ^[4] She was living with her son Henry. ^[4]

Research Notes

• The only Griggs family that seems to fit is the family of Thomas Grisell Watson Griggs.
• There should be some court records for when her husband died and left the farm to Henry, and when Henry signed over the property to his mother. It would have been around 1849 or so.
• When and where did she die?
• Who was the other family she lived with when she was a nurse?

DNA

• A DNA match on Ancestry has an Abraham Wright, b. 1818 in Virginia, died 1904 in Monongalia, West Virginia. Father of Abraham Wright was Jeremiah Wright, b. 1798 in Monongalia. Father of Jeremiah is Nathan Wright, b. 1765 in Maryland.

Sources

1. ↑ FamilySearch, West Virginia Will Books, 1756-1971, FHL Film #4715667, image 160.
2. ↑ FHL Film #840715
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD4S-28P : 12 April 2016), Delilah Summers in household of John Summers, Allegany county, part of, Allegany, Maryland, United States; citing family 740, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXPL-9WX : accessed 8 April 2016), Delilah Griggs in entry for Henry Griggs, 1860.