06/19/2026
Telling history relies on census records, diaries, personal stories, newspaper articles, and property records for accurate documentation. Romance and speculation do not fit in to documenting history.
Future State Representative of Orange County and Colonel of the Florida Indian wars moved from Liberty County, GA to Marion County Florida after 1841 but prior to 1846 where the census showed in a 1850 slave schedule. He received a bounty of 40 acres for serving in the militia on 28 September 1850.
Property documents and a newspaper interview with his son, slave Joseph Delk 'Robards' in May 1926 both verify that they moved from Marion County when they bought Rock Springs in Orange County in 1854. A 1860 slave schedule recorded the number of children and adults residing there and several were his children.
He bought 280 acres for only 75c from the state the 8th of January 1862. There were other purchases but finding 3,000 acres is hard put.
Rock Springs was sold Rock Springs for August 3, 1881, it was not recorded until after he died. No, a dead man did not buy Rock Springs in 1885, that property was bought in 1880 and not recorded at the time of purchase, typical of the day.
Years ago, we worked with the Liberty County Historical Society to attempt to locate the farm.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Delk-225
