Ila Frances Colbert ¹

  General Notes:

Annie Delaney was an unmarried schoolteacher who became pregnant by an unknown person. Her daughter, Ann Delaney Bowers was born Feb. 8, 1843 and died Mar. 2, 1917. She was married to David Spong, a German who was born May 12, 1836 and died July 28, 1906. Their daughter, Lucy Hill Spong was born Dec. 10, 1872 and died Jan. 10, 1957. Lucy married Charles Richard Colbert, who was born Dec. 1, 1872 and died June 29, 1932. Lucy and Charles had four children; Ila, Nelle, Everett and David. The Spong-Colbert family originated in the area of Hagerstown, Maryland. They were lock tenders on the canal from Washington, D.C. to Hagerstown. I believe the lock was located around Sharpsburg, Maryland. Lucy and Charles Colbert migrated to Garrett, Pennsylvania where he worked in the coal mines. They later moved to Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania. Ila was married to Robert M. Craig and later to Harry Morton. Nelle was married to Herbert Thomas, a cousin of Robert M. Craig. Herbert died in 1980. Everett [Red] was married to Isabelle, who was born Feb. 13, 1908 and died Nov. 29, 1995. David was married to Amanda, who was born around 1910 and died around 1932 of tuberculosis. He later married Maizie, who was born May8, 1911, and died Mar. 4, 1992. Ila Frances [or Fran] was a liberated woman long before it was fashionable. She smoked cigarettes in public and went to social functions without the benefit of a male escort. She went to speakeasies and consumed alcohol in public. Fran and Nelle went to dances together for their own entertainment. Later in life, Fran quit smoking, cold turkey, and as far as I know, never smoked again. Fran slipped and fell while patronizing a local fast food place, like Taco Bell. She broke her hip and was incapacitated for many months, but I still remember seeing her mop the floor while she was using a walker. She continued to live alone after Harry died in 1972,and she saved money even though her only income was Social Security and Cal. medicaid. When Mom was about 90, my brother Charles moved in to her apartment and lived with her until she died,shortly after her 92nd birthday. Genie, Jackie, and I flew to California to see her just a week before she died. I don't claim any psychic powers, but I did feel that she wanted to see me, and that was the main reason for our trip. To me, Mom was a pioneer in the Womens Liberation Movement, and she was a very independent person who would try anything to improve her life, and I think she improved my life in the process.

Ila married Robert Martin Craig in 1917 in Garrett, PA.¹ (Robert Martin Craig was born on 7 June 1893 in , Somerset County, PA,¹ died on 4 June 1944 in Pittsburgh, PA ¹ and was buried on 7 June 1944 in Pittsburgh, PA ¹.)

Ila next married Harry Morton in 1966 in Glendora, CA.¹ (Harry Morton was born on 4 March 1896 in Virginia ¹ and died on 12 February 1972 in Glendora, CA ¹.)