Ancestry
1843
Lewis Bailey (DeFord's paternal grandfather) was born as a slave near the line between Wilson and Smith counties in Tennessee. According to DeFord, one of Lewis' parents was "a full-blooded Indian," probably a Cherokee. "He had real straight hair and a high cheekbone." Bailey was first owned by a white man named Butler, then by Jonathan Bailey.
1863
DeFord's paternal grandfather Lewis was freed as a slave. Like many freedmen he adopted the last name of his former owner's family.
1864
Lewis Bailey joined the Union army and signed up for garrison duty. Most of his time was spent as a teamster at a contraband camp in Gallatin, Tennessee.
1866
January 21 - Lewis was mustered out of the service. Sometime prior to this he had married Margaret Newby, a Virginia native and former slave.
1875
May 20 - John Henry Bailey (DeFord's father) was born to Lewis and Margaret Bailey.
1877
June (?) - Mary Reedy (DeFord's mother) was born to Samuel and Sally Reedy, neighbors of the Baileys.