Bob Delaney Research Paper

Robert “Bob” (1858-1905) second child of Easter and Delaney. Robert went to school (mostly in secret) he would sneak away from the farm to join any class in session. He learned to read and write and continued his education until he could attend Shaw College in Holly Springs. Delaney’s opinion about education for a farm boy, it was unnecessary. Men who were raised on a plantation and worked as a farm laborer should be farmer’s.
Determined to become a minister, he left home and worked his way to Holly Springs so that he could attend Shaw College. Robert secured work with a white family, after reaching Shaw in about 1878. Students attending Shaw during these early years lived with families off campus. Robert worked in between his classes mostly as a farm hand or domestic servant. Surprisingly, this is not much different than what students would do today… work in between classes. Unknown are the dates of his ordination and graduation as a Methodist Minister. Eventually, the Methodist Church gave Robert his assignments to preach the gospel, as an itinerant preacher, he along with his young family traveled across the south from Alabama to Texas. He wed Pauline Jefferson “Pjay” Apr 14,
Willie Ann Smith (1873-1909) his first wife, he married on 16 Jan 1890, with whom he had his four children, died after just nine years of marriage. His ambition and hard work shown in the 1900 United States Census by 1900 he owned his home free and clear of mortgage and was raising his four children, “Nettie” Nellie, Medora, Mary, and Isaac, alone. Delaney was listed as “Boat Jaxon” in the 1910 United States Census. Mrs. Elizabeth (nee: Gant) Gaines, Boat’s second wife, they were married on 21 Dec 1912. Elizabeth, came to the marriage with one child, Claude, she was the youngest sister of Emma Gant, Emma was the wife of Theodore Jackson,