Edwin Alexis Delchamps

This is John Julius Delchamps 3rd son. (John Julius is my great, great, great grandfather) This account was written by my grandmother, Grace Nugent Nicol.

Edwin Alexis Delchamps, middle, front row (his 2 sons are on either side of him, John Julius and Curtis Eugene Delchamps). In back from left to right Charles, William and Newton Delchamps, (sons of Julius Emile Delchamps.)

"Ed" Delchamps, as he was known to his friends and family had a colorful life and personality. He was uninhibited, and didn't keep his opinions to himself - was anything but soft voiced, could stand on a porch and yell to the motorman driving a street car, a block away, "Wait for me!!" and the motorman over the rumble of the wheels would hear him distinctly. He was, in early life, a civil engineer, surveying much land. He later moved to Louisiana and ran a photo graph gallery on a house boat on Bayou La Touche. There in Louisiana were born the children of his second marriage, Sadie, Corinne and Clovice. After the death of his wife, he moved back to Mobile County. He lived for a while in Mid Alabama in Selma, where Julius, the first child, a son, of his 3rd marriage was born. Then he moved back to Mobile, and then to Alabama Port. Here he became the town leader, being Justice of the Peace, Post master and operator of a general store. His oldest daughter, Annie (daugther of his first wife), with her husband William Nugent and his family, were also residents of Alabama Port, and William M. "Billy", Nugent was a Deputy Sheriff of the County. Ed and Billy were real baseball "fanatics", which abided with them until the day of their deaths. There was a law in the community against Sunday baseball, but the two leaders of the games were the good Judge Delchamps and Deputy Nugent, so the Sunday games were only called because of rain. One day a certain minister met the "Judge", as he was now called until his death, and asked, "Judge, don't you know it's against the law to play Sunday baseball." Looiking the preacher in the eye, Judge Ed replied, "Rev. Brown, I'm Justice of the Peace and Postmaster of this community, and my son-in-law Bill Nugent's Deputy Sheriff, and we'll do as we damn well please!" He and his family did not leave Alabama Port after the 1906 hurricand as did his brother Willie Boyles and family, and his daughter, Annie and her family and so many others. His family remained 10 years longer, and did not go until after the hurricand of 1916, when his home was so badly demolished, he decided to throw in the sponge, and so he too, moved to Mobile.
His love for baseball continued to the end of his life. The Mobile team in the Southern League was dear to his heart, and he was the #1 fan, going everyday to the game when the team was at home. He naver had to pay a dime, and one year Judge Delchamps received a gold watch from the Mobile Ball Club for perfect attendance. His vociferous voice was no doubt an inspiration to the team.
He was inordinately proud of his family, thinking each child something special. Both of his first two wives were taken from him by death, the third outlived him. Introducing Martha, his 3rd wife, he proudly said to the Dr. to whem he introduced her, "My wife, Dr. Tisdale, my 3rd wife." The Dr. said, "Ed you're a bigger hog than I thought you were".
He loved to cook, and was a wonderful chef. He would invite the ball players out, and gorge them on gumbo, chicken and spaghetti, and all of his delicious specialties.
In his family, loyalty sometimes became a bit divided, and he lacked tact. His daughter, Annie Nugent, took ovever the care of his family on one occasion while Martha, his wife, was in the hospital. One morning at breakfast, Annie asked, "Papa, aren't my biscuits good this morning?" He said, "Very good, daughter, but not as good as the ones Martha makes." Hurt feelings!
He went to school in Mobile and was taught by his father J.J., who had a home school for his children.