Granville Wiley Outten

The third child of John P. and Lida R. Outten was Granville Wiley. He was born at Rock Hall, Maryland, November 17, 1898, and attended the public schools wherever his father was serving as pastor. He began his school work in Wilmington in 1911, and while in the Senior Class at the High School he was recommended to the University of Maryland, where he began the study of Dentistry in 1917. When the World War came on, he was drafted, but he was permitted to continue his studies at the University, and received his instructions at a training camp near Baltimore.

When the war closed he received an honorable discharge, but a few weeks later he was stricken with influenza while rooming at the Y.M.C.A. in Baltimore. He was examined by a specialist and it was found that he was suffering with Tuberculosis. As soon as he was able to be moved he was taken to his home on Deals Island, Maryland. Then after he recovered from his attack of influenza, he taught school at Vaughn School House, near Laurel, until he was appointed a mail carrier in Laurel, and he continued on that job as long as he was able to work.

He was married to Orpah Tankersley of Deals Island, Maryland, November 28, 1919, and they were the parents of three children. Their eldest child was Granville Wiley Jr. He was born December 23, 1929, and was less than four years old when his father died. After graduating at the Salisbury High School in 1938, he entered the Coast Guard Service and received his instructions at Curtis Bay near Baltimore. Then he was graduated from the Coast Guard College at New London, Connecticut, in Radio, and was sent to various stations on the Atlantic Coast. He was married to Miss Evelyn Still of Staten Island, New York, October 27, 1942, and he continued in the Coast Guard Radio work at Norfolk, Virginia, for several months. Then by request he received his discharge from the Coast Guard in 1945, and they now live in Salisbury, Maryland.

The second child of Granville and Orpah was named Jacqueline Ruth. She was born on Deals Island June 12, 1922. She graduated at the Salisbury High School in 1939, and worked for the Telephone Company for a while. She was married to Eugene P. Burke of Camden, Delaware, October 2, by her grandfather, at Barrett's Chapel. They have one child born February 26, 1944, at Pensecola, Florida. Her name is Jacqueline Deidra.

The third child of Granville and Orpah was named Betty. She was born at Waynesboro, Penn., November 16, 1923. She graduated at the Salisbury High School in 1940. She also worked for the Telephone Company in Salisabury and Havre de Grace, Maryland. Betty was married to Alfred Vandemeghe December 14, 1944, and they have two children. Nancy Sue, was born in Shoemaker, California, January 28, 1946, and Michael was born

The father of these children was examined by Dr. C. E. Collins of Crisfield, Maryland in April 1921, and he was taken at once to the Maryland State Sanatorium for Tuberculosis at Sabillesville, Maryland. He was kept in the hospital for ten months. Then for ten months he was kept in a shack. After that he was permitted to rent a house and live with his family near the hospital on the Blue Ridge Mountains.

In March, 1924 it was found out that he ws suffering with appendecitis, and his father took him on a stretcher in a baggage car to Baltimore. Here he was operated upon at the Maryland General Hospital by Dr. Lumpkin, and after eighteen days we took him back to his home, but his health did not return. It was the beginning of the end, and he was never able to be out again. Three weeks before he died, he was returned to the hospital, where he passed away July 30, 1924.

We took his body to the home of his brother, Dr. L. R. Outten in Laurel, Delaware, and on Sunday, August 3, he was buried in our family lot in the Odd Fellows Cemetery at Seaford, Delaware.

"Warm Summer sun, shine kindly here,
Warm Southern wind, blow softly here.
Green sod above, lie light, lie light.
Good night, dear heart, good night, good night.

After he was taken to the State Sanatorium, the Veterans' Administration paid him more than 14,000 back pay, and gave him $100.00 a month as long as he lived. He had a wartime insurance, for $10,000, which had been kept up. His father and brother paid his funeral expences, and his widow received all his insurance, besides the soldiers widow's compensation. So his family was well provided for, and his children were well raised by their mother.

See family page for Granville & Oprah (Tankersly) Outten

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Written by Rev. John Perry Outten converted to Hypertext by Karen Stephens
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