The Dellinger Trail Intertwines

The Arrowood Trail intertwined with many other trails as it made it way into the mountains of North Carolina and eventually down in the piedmont area.

The trails we follow all intermingle with other trails or else we’d have that single branch on our family tree. (Grin)

The different families intermingled along that trail, like tiny creeks and streams, bubbling along, merging slowly into one giant, roaring river, racing toward the sea.

Up in the mountains of North Carolina, in the area of Avery County, on Three Mile Creek, Henry Dellinger built a grist mill. (Henry's father, Johann Phillip Dellinger, was born in Oberacker Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. Henry George Dellinger was among the first generation of this family born in America.)

Henry's son, Rueben, worked in the grist mill that Henry built. In 1846, Rueben married Mary Jane Coffrey and the couple settled nearby the mill on a farm. Then tragedy struck the family on a spring day in April of 1859. Mary Jane’s dress got caught up in the shaft of the mill, pulling her in and killing her. Rueben could not work there after that and relocated to Hawk, North Carolina.

Then, in 1866 and 1867, Rueben returned to Cane Creek and purchased three tracts of land. This became his homeplace again, and the location of his grist mill.

Located there on Cane Creek, four miles from Bakersville is the Dellinger Mill. It has been in the Dellinger family for one hundred and forty years, the only small, private community mill in the state of North Carolina. In a spring flood in 1867, the mill was destroyed. After this flood, Dellinger's son, Dave R. Philip Dellinger, rebuilt a new mill, downstream in 1901. From 1903 until 1936, David Dellinger ground corn into mill for family, friends and neighbors. The ‘toll’ for the grinding, was one bushel for every ten ground.

Later, Dave's son, Marvel Greenberry Dellinger ran the mill until 1955. The mill ceased operation when Marvel passed away. His grandson Jack chose a career as a computer programmer and moved away from the mountains. He returned after retiring in 1997. Jack and two other Dellingers restored the mill.

Bob Vela chose Dellinger Mill as part of his "Restore America" show which aired on March 26, 2000 on the Home and Garden Television Network.
So, you ask, how does all of this fit in with our Arrowood Trail?

Henry was the great- great- grandfather of my Maudie Rose Hull Arrowood. So the Arrowood Trail and the Dellinger Trail crossed paths way back then, even, in the high country of North Carolina.


Henry Dellinger (1779-1851) married Katherine Setzer (1785-1855).
They are buried at Pisgah United Methodist Church Cemetery in Newland, Avery County, North Carolina. I got to experience the joy of taking my Dad to visit Henry and Katherine's gravesite. That sweet little rock church is beautiful.

Henry and Katherine were my Dad's 3rd Great grandparents, and my 4th.

Henry and Katherine’s Children:

Caroline Adeline
Katherine
Elcanah “Cain”
Matthias
Margaret
David - Born March 08, 1809
Lovina
John
Logan Henry
Rueben
Joseph Franklin
George Monroe

David Dellinger married Martha Ann Elizabeth Jones on March 13, 1834 in North Carolina. They had eight children. They are buried at St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery, Catawba County, North Carolina.

Their son, David Alphonso E. Dellinger, married Rachel Rosena (Rose) Patterson on August 07, 1880, in Lincoln County, North Carolina. They had nine children. They are buried at May's Chapel Church Cemetery, Maiden, Catawba County, North Carolina.

Are you still with me? Oh, these tangled lines..

One daughter was named Virginia "Vergie" Dellinger, born on July 25, 1881. She married Elias "Eli" Burton Hull on March 22, 1905. Virginia and Eli Hull are buried at Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery, Lincoln County, N.C. This couple had five children. One set of twins were included.

One twin was Audie, who sadly, only lived one day, and the other twin was Maude.


Maude Rose Hull Arrowood. My sweet grandmother.