Johnson-Leavenworth County KS Archives Biographies.....Delahunt, Charles (Sr.) 1831 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 22, 2008, 12:20 am Author: Ed Blair (1915) Charles Delahunt, Sr., of Olathe, is one of the real pioneers of Johnson county. Mr. Delahunt was born in Ireland, February 9, 1831, and is a son of Matthew and Margaret (Byrne) Delahunt. The Delahunt family immigrated to America in 1849, located in Jo Daviess county, Illinois. and the parents spent their lives in that section of Illinois and both died in Galena. When they came to this country they made the voyage across the Atlantic in an old-time sailing vessel, which required six weeks to make the trip. They landed in New York and came to Chicago by the Hudson river, Erie canal and Great Lakes. Chicago at that time was a mere village, and Mr. Delahunt says he distinctly remembers that there was not a yard of pavement in the town, that the main street was covered with planks and as they drove over them the mud frequently squirted up through the cracks between the planks. Mr. Delahunt was eighteen years old when he came to this country with his parents. He remained in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, until 1856, when he came to Leavenworth, Kan., and that year settled on a claim in Lexington township, Johnson county, and later engaged in farming there, and his efforts proved very successful. He added to his original place until he accumulated 470 acres in Lexington and Olathe townships, which he still owns and which is operated by his son. Charles, Jr. Mr. Delahunt removed to Olathe in 1896 where he has since resided, with the exception of four years which he spent on his farm. He was one of the first settlers of Lexington township. The settlement at Olathe was only a few weeks old when he came. He was here during all the stirring days of the border war and succeeded in remaining as nearly neutral as possible. However, he served in the Kansas militia during the Civil war. Mr. Delahunt was married September 27, 1859, to Miss Martha Rector, in Lexington township. She was a daughter of John and Eliza (Oliver) Rector, natives of Virginia. Mrs. Delahunt was born near Warrington, Fauquier county, Virginia, in 1841, and when she was eleven years old her family removed to Platte City, Platte county, Missouri, and in 1858 came to Lexington township, Johnson county, where they remained a year or two, when they went to Texas, locating near Dennison, where they both spent their lives. To Mr. and Mrs. Delahunt have been born eight children, three of whom are living, as follows: Anna, married C. D. Campbell, Garden City, Kan.; Charles, Jr., a personal sketch of whom appears in this volume, and A. L. resides in Lexington township. Mr. Delahunt is a member of the Masonic lodge and is a Democrat. His wife is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF Johnson County Kansas BY ED BLAIR AUTHOR OF Kansas Zephyrs, Sunflower Sittings and Other Poems and Sketches IN ONE VOLUME ILLUSTRATED STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY LAWRENCE, KANSAS 1915 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/johnson/bios/delahunt147bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ksfiles/ File size: 3.6 Kb