Life History

Notes

• Delia's name is spelled with an I in the first syllable in all thecensus records I have found, though family genealogies spell her nameDelia.  The first census is in 1900, which tells us she was born inFebruary 1897 in Arkansas.
  
  1900 Federal Census, Washita County, Oklahoma Territory, 1 June, ElkTownship (North Half), District 208, Page 1A, House/Family #2
  Riggins, Jno A  Head W M Aug 1857 42  Married 13 years  MO TN ALFarmer  Owns Farm
  Riggins, Martha A  Wife W F Dec 1864 35  Married 13 years  6children/6 living AR AL TN
  Riggins, Cordelia Dau  W F Nov 1897  12  Single AR MO AR
  Riggins, Claude Son W M Feb 1880 10  Single AR MO AR
  Riggins, Dilia E  Dau W F Feb 1892  8  Single AR MO AR
  Riggins,  Cecie S  Dau W F June 1895  5  Single AR MO AR
  Riggins, Viola S Dau W F Sept 1897  2 Single TX MO AR
  Riggins, Virgie Dau W F Feb 1900  3mos Single OK MO AR
  
  Note that from the birth places of the children we can tell that theywent to Texas for a short while after June 1895 and before September1897, where Viola was born.  But they continued on to OklahomaTerritory, where Virgie was born not long before the territorialcensus.
  
  For later censuses, see Notes for Joseph Oscar Christian.
  
  Audrey Christian provides the following information on Delia in hergenealogy.  Note that the birth year Audrey reports is a year earlierthan that reported in the 1900 census.  I find this commonly in the1900 census.  I will use the date in the Christian genealogy.
  
  Delia E Riggins
  Birth 16 Feb 1891 in Arkansas
  Death 9 Oct 1940
  Parents  John Americus RIGGINS 1857-1941
  Martha A Gray 1864-1940
  --  Christian Family,http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/14729861/person/296504727?pg=32801
  
  I am puzzled by the date of Delia's death reported here.  In the 1930census Joe Christian's wife is reported as Mary, who is 28 years old.Mary was only 27 when she first married -- about one year or lessbefore this census!  This Mary cannot be Delia, which makes it appearthat Delia died before this 1930 census, possibly in childbirth withthe last child reported here, in about Octoebr 1929.
  
  1930 Federal Census, Washita County, Oklahoma, 14 April, OakdaleTownship, District 17, page 5B, Hse #148, Fam #158
  Christian, Joe  Head Owns Farm, Does not owns a radio M W 44 FirstMarried at age 21 TX MS MS Farmer [b abt 1886]
  Christian, Mary  Wife F W 28 First Married at age 27 AR AR AR [b abt1902]
  Christian, Melvin C  Son M W 19 OK TX OK Farm Laborer [b abt 1911]
  Christian, Alvin  Son M W 14 OK TX OK [b abt 1916]
  Christian, Woodroe  Son M W 12 OK TX OK [b abt 1911]
  Christian, Juanita Dau F W 10 OK TX OK [b abt 1911]
  Christian, Tern (Fern?) Dau F W 5mos OK TX OK [b abt Oct 1929]
  
  The birthplace of the mother of the children here is given asOklahoma.  But both Delia and the Mary reported here were born inArkansas.
  
  If seems likely that the last child is Fern (Tern), but the enumeratorforgot to add the cross on the F.  birth place of Tern (Fern?) and herparents indicates she has the same parents as the other children.Fern, young as she is, is likely the daughter of Mary.  Alternatively,she could be the last child of Delia, who died at or after her birth.
  
  This  wife is not Delia.  So did Delia die before 1930?  If so, wheredid this Christian family genealogy get the date of 9 Oct 1940?Several family genealogies give this same death date for Delia, butnone I have seen has a source or discussion of these anomalies.  Someeven include this 1930 census, yet make no comment on the facts of thematter, or mention a divorce or death of Delia!  No one says where shedied or where she is buried.

Sources

• 1. 1920 Federal Census, Washita County, Oklahoma
  • 20 January, Oakdale Township, District 193, page 5B, Hse #98, Fam #102
• 2. 1910 Federal Census, Washita County, Oklahoma
  • 28 April, Oakdale, District 263, page 8B, Hse #147, Fam #154
• 3. Ancestry Trees
  • Christian Family,
• 4. U.S. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
• 5. 1900 Federal Census, Washita County, Oklahoma Territory
  • 1 June, Elk Township (North Half), District 208, Page 1A, House/Family
• 6. 1930 Federal Census, Los Angeles County, California
  • 6 April, Los Angeles City, District 448, page 13B, 1668 West 58th St,
• 7. 1910 Federal Census, Washita County, Oklahoma
  • 28 April, Oakdale, District 263, page 8B, Hse #147, Fam # 154
• 8. 1930 Federal Census, Grady County, Oklahoma
  • 4 April, Waldron Township, District 38, page 2B, Hse/Fam #34
• 9. California Death Index, 1940-1997
• 10. Social Security Death Index
• 11. 1930 Federal Census, Washita County, Oklahoma
  • 14 April, Oakdale Township, District 17, page 5B, Hse #142, Fam #152
• 12. Oakdale (Washita County, Oklahoma) Cemetery Register
  • Name: Name: http://rebelcherokee.labdiva.com/oakdalecem.html;;
• 13. 1930 Federal Census, Washita County, Oklahoma
  • 14 April, Oakdale Township, District 17, page 5B, Hse #148, Fam #158