Charles Wesley Delk
3 Aug 1894 to 25 May 1967
Charles Wesley Delk (Charlie) was born August 3, 1894 in Dunkirk, Jay County, Indiana. He was the second child born to Martha Lutecia Maitlen and Elmer Elsworth Delk.
Charlie lived in Dunkirk until the spring of 1905 when the family moved to a farm south and east of Weldon, Decatur County, Iowa. He attended school in Dunkirk. He also attended a country school in Decatur County, Iowa.
In 1911 (some say 1909) the family moved to Weldon, Decatur County, Iowa. He did not go to school any longer and did not finish eighth grade.
When the family moved to Weldon, Charlie worked in the fields and at his father's meat market. He later became the driver for Doctor O. P. Jamison. Doctor Jamison had a hospital in Weldon. Why he needed a driver is not known.
When the United States entered WWI in 1917 but before the draft commenced, it was decided that Charlie and his brother, Russell would enlist leaving Frank and Ira at home. The draft would not take all the boys in a family. Charlie and Russell enlisted on September 19, 1917 with a large group of men from Decatur County. There is a picture of them assembled in Leon before being sent to Camp Dodge out side of Des Moines. Charlie remained at Camp Dodge until December, 1917. While at Camp Dodge he met his future wife, Bernice Luella Butler. She was a student at Drake University.
Charlie and Russell were shipped to Camp Pike, Arkansas. Charlie remained at Camp Pike for the remainder of his time in the army. Russell was shipped to Europe. Charlie became a Sergeant. After the armistice in 1918, Charlie was anxious to be released and asked his mother to write saying he was needed at home. In fact he wanted to get back to Bernice. They were planning to get married in April, 1919.
Charlie was released from the army in January 1919 at Camp Dodge. He remained in Des Moines until Bernice graduated in May. They did not get married at that time. Bernice had to work a year as a teacher to pay off some school debts. When Bernice left for Fontanelle, Iowa, Charlie went back to Weldon. He and his brother Frank opened a restaurant in Weldon but it did not do well.
On May 25, 1920 Charlie and Bernice were married in Fontanelle. They were married in the parsonage of the Congregational Church. The write-up in the Fontanelle paper said they would greet friends in Weldon after June 1st.
Shortly thereafter, they moved to Leon. Charlie got employment with Armour and Company at their cream processing plant. How long he worked for Armour is not known.
On June 19, 1921 their first child was born. Charles Warren was born in Weldon because Charlie and Bernice were visiting Charles' parents. It was a Sunday and Father's Day.
While they lived in Leon three more children were born; Robert Elmer on November 5, 1921, Virginia Lee on January 25, 1926 and Marjorie Jean on April 3, 1928.
Charlie would also work for Bill Pleuss in his meat market and for Orel Estes at the Ford garage. Charlies’ father was a fur buyer in Weldon, Orel Estes was a fur buyer, too. Estes accused Charlie of sending trappers to his father in Weldon. Charlie decided to quit and move his family to Weldon. This happened in 1929.
In Weldon Charlie took over his father's cream station. It was one of two cream stations in Weldon. A man by the name of Parr ran the other one. A cream station bought cream from farmers and then sold it to companies like Armour and Meadow Gold. Charlie closed the cream station about 1935. He then worked for Marley's grocery for a short time before going on WPA.
While in Weldon four more children were born to the marriage: Ira Edwin on January 21, 1930, Mary Evelyn on December 30, 1931, Richard Allen on January 27, 1934 and James William on January 23, 1936.
In October 1937 Charlie moved his family back to Leon and returned to work for Orel Estes as night man in Estes' Ford garage. His salary was $13 a week and he worked seven nights a week.
On July 14, 1938 a daughter, Bernice Elizabeth, was born. She died of pneumonia on January 11, 1939. She is buried at the cemetery in Leon. Orel Estes decided that he would give Charlie the night off before the funeral but wouldn't pay him for it.
In the fall of 1940, the army was looking for places to build a new army base. Decatur County, Iowa was one place that was being considered. An army Colonel came to Leon to look for sites and stayed at the hotel across the street from the Ford garage. Charlie became friends with the Colonel and suggested that he (Charlie) should become his driver. The Colonel agreed and when he left Leon to go to a Missouri site, Charlie went with him. The site was Fort Leonard Wood near Rolla, Missouri. Charlie worked there until the summer of 1941 when he accompanied the Colonel to Des Moines to a site for the Des Moines Ordinance Plant. He became the first civilian employee at the plant.
Charlie moved his family to Des Moines in October, 1943.
When he left the Ordinance Plant in 1945 he went to work for Amend's Meat Market on 7th street in downtown Des Moines. Amends had several sites. Before he retired, Charlie also worked as a mail clerk for the Iowa Inspection Bureau.
Charlie died at home of a heart attack on May 25, 1967. It was Bernice and his 47th wedding anniversary. Charlie is buried in Highland Memorial Gardens just north of Des Moines.
