"Died: Mrs. Delila Blatchley, at the residence of her son-in-law, H. C. Benway, on Monday at 1 o'clock. She was aged 63 years and had been poorly for more than a year. Funeral from the residence at 10 o'clock Wednesday, conducted by the Rev. H. P. Curry of the Baptist church. Burial at Oakland cemetery." Source: Dec. 21, 1895, The Express (Tallula newspaper)
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Born in New Salem, Illinois

Spouses:

Alexander Pemberton b.1822
Married 5 March 1849 in Menard, Il
Divorced
In the 1850 census Delilah was living in the same household as her mother Nancy Potter Green(1793-1867) along with her first husband Alexander Pemberton and two children named Bem and Mary.

In the 1960 census Delilah was again using the name Green and living with her mother and the family of her brother William Carroll Greene (1825-1903) along with her one year old daughter Nina. Alexander Pemberton married Lucy Green on November 06 1855 in Greene County Illinois, three years before Nina was born so he is clearly not her father.

George Edward Blatchley (1821 - 1889)
Married July 05, 1863 by Justice of the Peace Robert Clary.

Daughter of:
Judge Bowling Greene(1786-1742)
and Nancy Potter Green(1793-1867)
Granddaughter of:
Nancy Greene Armstrong(1768-1856)

When Delilah Green was about three years old, Abraham Lincoln stayed with her parents Bowling and Nancy Potter Green. This was just after the death of Mr. Lincoln's first love, Ann Rutledge, and the future President was quite despondent. Later after the death of his friend, Bowling Green, Mr. Lincoln again stayed with Mrs. Green, then escorted her to the funeral where he delivered a eulogy. Delilah would have been about 10 years old at the time.

Delilah's brother Corp Bowling Green, Jr(1834-1864) joined the Union Army on Aug. 27, 1862 at Peoria, Illinois. He died at a Hospital in Kingston, Georgia on Aug, 17, 1864 of wounds received at The Battle of Peach Tree Creek on July 19, 1864,

Delilah Green's uncle, John Jack Armstrong(1803-1857) is famous for his wrestling match with Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln and Jack Armstrong were lifelong friends thereafter.

Delilah Greene was probably named after her aunt, Delilah Potter (1803-1861)

Biography by Michael Ratliff Lutz December 2011

Children:
Nina Blatchley Benway b. 29 Aug 1858
d. 07 Jan 1921
Blatchley, George Edward, Jr
b. Jul. 17, 1868 d. Nov. 12, 1889

Note: The family name is spelled Blatchley in the family bible, on marriage certificates and the Menard County burial records. The headstone is misspelled.

Grand Children:
Carrie Elizabeth Benway b. 18 Nov 1880
d. 16 Apr 1949
Howard Wallace Benway b. 15 Jan 1885
d. 10 Sep 1943
William Graham Greene Benway b. 13 Jul 1886
d. 1964
Frank J. Benway b. 27 Nov 1877
d. 27 Aug 1879
Arthur R. Benway b. 15 Oct 1900
d. August 1, 1927

All Born in Tallula, Illinois

Carrie Elizabeth Benway married
George Oliver Ratliff 30 May 1900
Children of George and Carrie Ratliff

Frank Leone (Jerry) Ratliff b. 07 Mar 1901
d. 07 Sep 1959
Ralph Harold Ratliff b. 05 Nov 1903
d. 16 Mar 1963
Baby Boy Ratliff b. 18 Dec 1907
d. 18 Dec 1907
Nina Mardell Ratliff b. 14 Nov 1909
d. 12 Feb 1985