Home > United States of America > Delaware > Sussex County > Lewes > Bethel Methodist Cemetery > Mary Emma “Emma” Wilson Bennum

Mary Emma “Emma” Wilson Bennum

View larger map

1 / 3

2 / 3

3 / 3

❮ ❯

Mary Emma “Emma” Wilson Bennum

Birth	:	6 Jul 1857 Delaware, USA
Death	:	8 Jan 1944 Milford, Sussex County, Delaware, USA
Burial	:	Bethel Methodist Cemetery, Lewes, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate	:	38.7694016, -75.1446991
Description	:	Daughter of Thomas J., Sr. and Mary A. (nee Millman) Wilson. Wife, first, of Kendall H. Palmer, then of John Donovan, then of a Wingate, then of Walter J. White (neither he nor Mr. Wingate are mentioned in Emma's obituaries, though their marriages are otherwise known of and documented), finally of Henry O. Bennum. Of the above marriages, Emma (as Emma Wingate) is known to have wed Walter J. White on 4 November 1905 (both were of Midway, Sussex Co. at the time), and (as Emma White) Henry O. Bennum on 20 December 1923 (both were of Lewes at the time). This... Read More	Daughter of Thomas J., Sr. and Mary A. (nee Millman) Wilson. Wife, first, of Kendall H. Palmer, then of John Donovan, then of a Wingate, then of Walter J. White (neither he nor Mr. Wingate are mentioned in Emma's obituaries, though their marriages are otherwise known of and documented), finally of Henry O. Bennum. Of the above marriages, Emma (as Emma Wingate) is known to have wed Walter J. White on 4 November 1905 (both were of Midway, Sussex Co. at the time), and (as Emma White) Henry O. Bennum on 20 December 1923 (both were of Lewes at the time). This illustrates and proves the continuity of her marriages (the two her obituaries, below, fail to mention), as does the fact that she is expressly identified as the wife of Walter J. White in her father, Thomas J. Wilson's, 1907 Orphans Court proceedings. Additionally, seven years earlier, in the 1900 census, she and son Edison were listed under last name of Wingate, living in her known older sister Hettie A. Wilson Roach's family household in Philadelphia, PA. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Obituary published in The Salisbury Times (Salisbury, Wicomico Co., MD) on Tuesday, 11 January 1944: Mrs. Emma Bennum Dies At Milford Georgetown, Jan. 11 - Mrs. Emma Bennum, 86 year old, widow of Henry O. Bennum, for many years a prominent farmer of Indian River District, died Saturday night in the Milford Memorial Hospital where she was taken six weeks ago, suffering from a broken [left] hip. Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock in Groome Memorial Methodist church at Lewes, the Rev. William Leishman officiating. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Obituary published in a newspaper that name of and publication date has not been determined: Mrs. Emma Bennum Mrs. Emma Bennum, 86 years old, widow of Henry C. [sic - actually O] Bennum, for many years a prominent farmer of Indian River Hundred, died on Saturday night in the Milford Memorial Hospital where she was taken six weeks ago, suffering from a broken hip, sustained at her home in Collinsville, a Georgetown suburb. Mrs. Bennum for the past few years had made her home with her son, Edison W. Donovan, a well-known shoemaker here. Funeral services were held on Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock in Groome Memorial Methodist Church at Lewes, the Rev. William Leishman officiating. Interment was made in the Lewes Cemetery. Mrs. Bennum was married three [sic - actually five] times, her first husband being the late Kendall Palmer. By the union, they had there [sic] sons, Irving [G.] Palmer [born in February 1885 in Georgetown, Sussex Co., Emma's second-born child] of Philadelphia; Lewis [sic - correctly spelled Louis, middle initial A.] Palmer [born February 1888 in Lewes, Sussex Co.], of Frankford; and Elmer [H.] Palmer [born March of probably 1878, supposedly in Philadelphia] of Selbyville. Her second marriage was to the late John Donovan and by this union there were three children; Mrs. Charles [her personal name Clara] Baum of Harbeson; John W. [elsewhere always T, for Thomas] Donovan, of near Selbyville, and Edison C. [sic - correctly was W, standing for Wesley] Donovan, of Georgetown, with whom she lived. All of the children are living. There were no children by the third [sic - actually fifth] marriage to the late Henry G. [sic] Bennum. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Emma last resided at 10 Douglas Street in Georgetown prior to her death. FYI: It appears that son Edison was possibly actually Emma's child with her Wingate husband, as, in the 1900 census, both she and Edison are listed under last name Wingate. In the 1910 census, Edison was (as always thereafter) presented with the surname Donovan, he, older brother John, mother Emma, and stepfather Walter J. White living in the same household. See Emma's father Thomas J. Wilson, Sr.'s Find A Grave memorial, at the link below, for many additional family details, about him and his lineage, and Emma's numerous siblings. She had fourteen brothers and sisters via her father's two marriages. Most of her siblings were younger half-siblings. Emma is buried next to brother-in-law David S. Roach, husband of her sister Hettie A.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Mary Emma “Emma” Wilson Bennum's memorial?
Mary Emma “Emma” Wilson Bennum's memorial is located at: Bethel Methodist Cemetery, Lewes, Sussex County, USA.
When did Mary Emma “Emma” Wilson Bennum death?
Mary Emma “Emma” Wilson Bennum death on 8 Jan 1944 in Milford, Sussex County, Delaware, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Mary Emma “Emma” Wilson Bennum's memorial?
Latitude: 38.7694016
Longitude: -75.1446991

Family Members:

Parent

Thomas J. Wilson Sr.

(1825 - 1891)

Spouse

Walter J. White

(1865 - 1917)

Siblings

James D. Wilson

(1848 - 1924)

George Willard “Will” Wilson

(1868 - 1956)

Sarah Catherine “Sally” Wilson Wright

(1869 - 1944)

Thomas J. “Tom” Wilson Jr.

(1871 - 1932)

Loda Wilson

(1873 - 1958)

Theodore “Dorie” Wilson

(1877 - 1937)

Benjamin Owen “Ben” Wilson

(1882 - 1958)

Children

Elmer Harvey Palmer

(1877 - 1950)

Louis A Palmer

(1888 - 1961)

Clara E. Donovan Baum

(1892 - 1978)

Edison Wesley Donovan

(1896 - 1950)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Bethel Methodist Cemetery
Lewes, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7694016, -75.1446991

2. Lewes Presbyterian Church Cemetery
Lewes, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7725372, -75.1389923

3. Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery
Lewes, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7762000, -75.1474000

4. Saint Peter's Episcopal Churchyard
Lewes, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7760000, -75.1407000

5. Saint George Cemetery
Lewes, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7789500, -75.1492800

6. Saint George's AME Church Cemetery
Lewes, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7791040, -75.1490290

7. Old Ebenezer Church M E Cemetery
Quakertown, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7594930, -75.1552960

8. Saint Peter's Cemetery
Pilottown, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7859030, -75.1586720

9. William B Records Family Cemetery
Laurel, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7493190, -75.1243640

10. Coursey-Daisey Nanticoke Indian Burial Grounds
Lewes, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7465111, -75.1662875

11. Israel United Methodist Church Cemetery
Lewes, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7433357, -75.1695175

12. Peoples Memorial Park
Midway, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7322006, -75.1339035

13. Ebenezer Cemetery
Lewes, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7294006, -75.1547012

14. Harry Westley Cemetery
Nassau, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7283100, -75.1496600

15. Rehoboth Presbyterian Church of Midway Cemetery
Rehoboth Beach, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7284584, -75.1289673

16. Lidia Warrington Family Cemetery
Nassau, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7725500, -75.2016800

17. Cannon Family Cemetery
Rehoboth Beach, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7251900, -75.1303100

18. Holland Family Cemetery
Lewes, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7255500, -75.1666500

19. Lank Family Cemetery
Lewes, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7278000, -75.1933000

20. Whites Chapel United Methodist Cemetery
Milton, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7732000, -75.2226000

21. Epworth Methodist Cemetery
Rehoboth Beach, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7178500, -75.0899500

22. Burton's Chapel AME Church Cemetery
Overbrook, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7696300, -75.2320800

23. Lutheran Church of Our Savior Memorial Garden
Rehoboth Beach, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7093210, -75.0979850

24. Vessels Family Cemetery
Millsboro, Sussex County, USA
Coordinate: 38.7056400, -75.1849400