Robert Benjamin Dilworth (1862 - 1933)

Born 1 Sep 1862 in Anderson, South Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Husband of John Franklin Merritt — married 25 Dec 1888 (to Jan 1889) in Anderson, South Carolina, United States

Husband of Mattie (James) Dilworth — married 1896 (to 1919) in South Carolina, United States

Husband of Lula (Bridges) Gaines — married about 1925 (to 1933) in South Carolina, United States

Died 20 Jan 1933 at age 70 in Greenville, South Carolina, United States

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Biography

Robert Dilworth was a South Carolinian.

Robert was born in Anderson County, South Carolina in 1862. He grew up in Pickens County and Anderson County with his parents and five siblings.^[1][2]

On December 25, 1888, he married his friend Franklin Merritt in Anderson County. Two weeks later, their marriage was exposed by the Anderson Journal, which framed it as "frivolous levity."^[3] Joke or not, this was one of the first same-sex marriages in South Carolina.

In 1896, he married Mattie James. Together, they had a son named Denver (b. 1896). In 1900 and 1910, the family lived in Greenville, where he worked as a grocer and a general merchant.^[4] In 1919, Mattie passed away.

In 1920, Robert and Denver still lived in Greenville, Robert working as a tobacco merchant.^[5]

In the 1920s, Robert married Lula Bridges. In 1930, they lived in Greenville with Denver, Lula's brother, and Lula's brother's wife.^[6]

Robert passed away in 1933.^[7] He was buried at Siloam Baptist Church Cemetery in Anderson County.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8RR-QPV : 29 May 2021), Robert B Dilworth in entry for Amos Dilworth, 1870.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M69T-CCW : 14 January 2022), Robert B. Dilworth in household of Amos A. Dilworth, Anderson, South Carolina, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .
3. ↑ "Two Men Married to Each Other." Manning Times (South Carolina), January 16, 1889. Chronicling America, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86063760/1889-01-16/ed-1/seq-2
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3TM-9Z2 : accessed 26 May 2023), Robert B Dilworth, Greenville City Ward 5, Greenville, South Carolina, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 36, sheet 2A, family 24, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,529.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6ZJ-3J1 : 3 February 2021), Robert B Dilworth, 1920.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SPCF-KKX : accessed 26 May 2023), Robert B Dilworth, Greenville, Greenville, South Carolina, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 58, sheet 10B, line 56, family 184, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2199; FHL microfilm 2,341,933.
7. ↑ "South Carolina Deaths, 1915-1965", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N96N-HZC : 12 March 2022), Robert Benjamin Dilworth, 1933.
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/221770696/robert-benjamin-dillworth: accessed 26 May 2023), memorial page for Robert Benjamin Dillworth (1 Sep 1862–20 Jan 1933), Find a Grave Memorial ID 221770696, citing Siloam Baptist Church Cemetery, Anderson County, South Carolina, USA; Maintained by Joey Baker (contributor 46967239).