Lucius "Lute" Edwin Darby

Lucius Edwin Darby was the only child of Thomas Dewight Darby & Frances Elizabeth Bement.

Lucius was exceptionally tall for a man in the late 1800's - 6'1" or 6'2" tall. His son Clarence Darby always said he could find his Dad in a crowd, by looking for the man who was about a head taller than everyone else. He was large framed, well built, and always carried himself very erect - had a notable posture. He had a light complexion, grey eyes; auburn hair & red beard, and was bald by the time he was 40 years old. He had a deep booming voice & hearty laugh, and loved to sing - the same could be said about his son Clarence's voice, laugh & love of singing. Lucius could take music and whistle out a new tune from it. He moved to Clarksville from New York with his parents when he was just 8 months old. He had diabetes 7-8 years before his death, as did his son Clarence.

The Clarksville Star - July 6, 1943 L.E. DARBY FUNERAL SERVICE HELD SUNDAY -

FARMED IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS!

"Funeral services for L.E. Darby, 75, who died at his farm home July 1, 1943, were held here Sunday afternoon. Mr. Darby was born at Cortland, New York, March 26, 1868. He came to Clarksville with his parents when only eight months of age. Shortly after arriving in the community the family purchased the Darby farm West of town and the place continued to be his home until his death last Thursday morning. On December 4, 1888, Mr Darby was married to Amy Scott of Clarksville. She preceded him in death eight months ago. Two Daughters, Mrs. Frances Cross and Mrs. Celia Ritzman also preceded him. Surviving his death are four sons and five daughters. (Names them). There are 24 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. When a young man, Mr. Darby affiliated with the Plymouth Brethren church and continued a member of that faith throughout his life. Services were conducted from the Hammond & Martin Funeral Home and burial was in Lynwood Cemetery."

Plymouth Brethren flowed from the work of John Nelson Darby (1800-1882). He was a cleric in the Anglican Irish National Church, an ex-lawyer, who came to reject the idea of the formal ritual of the state church and who sought a non-denominational approach to faith. Darby accepted the fundamentals of the Reformation on the central issues of belief in God, the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the Bible as the Word of God and the necessity of man's repentance and forgiveness for salvation and he agreed with the Calvinistic emphasis on human depravity and salvation by the blood of Christ. Beginning in the 1820's Darby sought a more complete revival of early Christianity than either the Puritan or Wesleyan movements, through intense focus on the Bible, and preaching of the second coming of Christ. His group meetings each Lord's Day morning, in 1825 in Dublin, Ireland, for the breaking of bread, worship, and study of the Word, became known as "The Brethren from Plymouth" assemblies.

In 1830 J.N.. Darby left the Anglican priesthood and devoted himself full-time to forming and feeding similar small gatherings in Ireland and England. The assembly was the structure used in groups. Each person was a layman and minister, with no ordained, salaried clergy, and each assembly independent, prefering to be called simply Believers, Christians, or Brethren. (Some called them Darbyites). Group presentations are Bible readings involving the tracing of a key word or idea through several scripture passages with the speaker commenting on each passage. This presentation or speaking ministry was what Lucius Darby provided to Brethren assembly meetings near Clarksville, Iowa.

Plymouth Brethren assemblies spread to the United States in the late 1800's. Dr. Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951) is one of the best known evangelists connected to the Plymouth Brethren having moved from the Salvation Army to the Brethren, and then on to an extended ministry as pastor of Moody Memorial Church in Chicago. He authored a somewhat controversial book, titled "A Historical Sketch of the Brethren Movement - An Account of Its Inception, Progress, Principles and Failures, and Its Lessons for Present-Day Believers", which caused him to be associated permanently, in the mind of many, with the Brethren. There are still many Plymouth Brethren assemblies in the United States today keeping the fundamentals of the faith as just described: 1). Inspiration and infallibility of the Bible, 2). Deity of Christ, including his virgin birth, 3). Substitutionary atonement of Christ's death, 4). Literal resurrection of Christ from the dead, and 5). Literal return of Christ in second coming in the future.

There is in the Darby Family Picture Album a picture of a huge tent set up on the front lawn of Charlie Cross, Lucius & Amy's son-in-law & his wife, their oldest daughter. It is a tent set up for a series of summer meetings in the summer of 1916. This was a typical summer happening, with happy memories for all who attended & here are some memories of a child who attended the meetings.

"Charlie & Fannie's house was the last house on the street, and right across the street was Uncle Charlie's folks, Mr. & Mrs. Fred Cross. None of the people cared if the tent was set up right in the middle of the street. They were all members of the Nashua meeting, where Lucius & Amy's family went, except one family, and they didn't object either. So, the tent was set it up taking up the whole street, in fact, I think at times it would even come over on the adjoining lawns. Down in the basement of the Nashua Hall, (it was a full basement), they would all eat during the meetings, all the food being donated by the members, lots of them farmers from the area. One of the times you could get the best cooking around, and there would be no charge. What food they had! All kinds of desserts to go along with it, it was the best you would ever find! I remember hearing Aunt Martha Scheidecker say to Katie Sutter Darby, "Well Katie I know I shouldn't eat this cake", (Katie was well known for making the best German Chocolate cake you've ever tasted), "But I'm going to have just one piece even though I know I'll suffer tomorrow!" (Of course Aunt Martha had diabetes, and probably suffered more than she realized by eating the cake, but it was absolutely irresistable!) A wonderful time of fellowship was had at all these tent meetings & the participants remember the meetings as a highlight of their lives, many, many, many years afterwards.

Census - 1880 US Census

1. Lucius E. DARBY - 1880 United States Census / Iowa

Son Gender: Male Birth: <1868> NEW YORK

Lucius E. DARBY Household

   Male   

 Other Information: 

   Birth Year <1868>  

   Birthplace NEW YORK  

   Age 12  

   Occupation Farm Laborer  

   Marital Status S <Single>  

   Race W <White>  

   Head of Household Thomas D. DARBY 

   Relation Son  

   Father's Birthplace NEW YORK  

   Mother's Birthplace NEW YORK  

 Source Information: 

   Census Place Jackson, Butler, Iowa  

   Family History Library Film 1254330 

   NA Film Number T9-0330 

   Page Number 181C 

1930 census:

Lucius E. Darby 61 1868 New York Head White Jackson, Butler, IA

Amy M Darby 62 1867 Wife Jackson, Butler, IA

Mervin L Darby 23 1906 Son Jackson, Butler, IA