A Family Treasure

I have in my possession a little book called:  Select Remains of the Rev. John Mason, M.A. It is very old.  Its cover is embossed linen? and the pages are yellowed and stained and has been nibbled on more critters that I care to think about.  I never paid much attention to it until recently.

I have learned some very important facts and have made some educated guesses.  Such as, I always wondered if the Moores were Catholic.  Mom and Dad came from Ireland.  However this is not a Catholic text and obviously it was very important to the family, so I'm thinking that the Moores were just a big farming family and not Catholic.

On the inside of the book, Libbie Moore has written her name everywhere:  Miss Libbie Moore's Book, Michigan.  And Miss Libbie Moore's book, Brooklyn, Michigan.  And at the top of that first page, Miss Libbie Moore, Born Sept 12/47.  So what have we learned?  I now have Miss Libbie Moore's birth date as well as where she lived.  At the bottom of the page in pencil, it is written:  From Mother to Claude my Dear Boy 1922.

On the fly leaf it is written:  Miss Libbie Moore's Book, Brooklyn, Norvelle, Mich and below that is the date 1857 which doesn't seem to be connected to anything.  At the bottom of the page is written:  To Illda from Gramma.

We then come to another page that says:  Miss Libbie Moore's Book, Brooklyn, Michigan  from her father James Moore born Dec 11/1800.  Hello!

Then comes my favorite page.  I looks like my great grandfather was learning to print his name.  He has written D - E - N - N - I - S, all in capitals, with both Ns and the S backwards.  I wonder if his ma gave him hell for writing in her book, although apparently it's okay.

So far, I have found no hiding writing in the book itself, but I'll admit that I haven't turned every page.  On one of the pages in the back this is written:  Aunt Susan English died Oct. 13th, 1861 on Sunday at 3 1/2 oclock.  I wrote this one week from her death and I was there when she died.  Oct 20th, 1861.  Libbie L. Moore, Libbie Moore.

Neva C Austin

Things I really hate:

Finding the right person, with the right dates, with the right locations with the wrong parents.

Take Neva C Austin.  I have postcards from Neva to her granny Elizabeth Moore Austin.  I have her living in Cambridge, Lenawee, Michigan and Jackson, Michigan.  She died in Brooklyn, Michigan.  Neva would have been my granny Illda Martha Austin Hughes' cousin.  And she married Leland Brighton.

Her dad is Claude Austin, aka Claud Austin, aka Claudie Austin.  And her ma is Katherine Austin.  I'm still doing research, but I believe Katherine's maiden name was Wallace.  I also have Katherine spelled with a C in a few federal census.  I've got Neva all over the place, but none with the correct info for both parents.  Neva had a sister named June who has vanished without a trace.  The last time a relative did that I eventually found him living in Utah with 3 wives.

Here's a pix of Neva with her dog, Jack.  It was sent to her granny Libbie Moore.

Here's a  picture of Illda Martha Austin.  I believe it is post 1912 and pre 1915.  I think the two girls look alike considering Neva is about 6 and Illda is probably around 16 or 17.

A Name is a Name is a Name

One of the things I have struggled with was why in the hell did my family only use about 10 different names for generation after generation after generation.  Were we really that unoriginal?  It's really difficult to keep my people straight in my head.  So I did a little research on surnames and naming patterns. I am not talking about surnames -- the last name that identifies us to a family group, but our first names or given names, the names given to us at birth.  I can understand a little now of how the names came into my immediate family.

My brother is Donald Duane Drake Jr.  My dad's name, of course, was Donald Duane Drake -- and everybody in the family, but my mother called him Duane.  My dad's dad's name was Donald Dee Drake.  My brother being named after my Dad and hence his dad -- the Donald was already taken when the second male grandchild came around.  He was named Dee or our grandfather's middle name.

My name is Martha Ellen.  My mom's mom was Illda Martha, her mom Minnie Martha and HER Mom was Martha.  But also, my dad's sister was Martha Jane and he loved her more than anyone on the planet.  I'm pretty sure I was named Martha to honor her and it was just luck that Martha was also my mom's mom's middle name.  I still don't know about the Ellen part of my name.  My dad's step mother's name was Ellen and I don't think he cared much for her at all.  Maybe Ellen just sounded good with Martha.

Anyways -- I've done a little research on naming practices and I came across "The Old Jones Naming Pattern."  According to Charlotte West Dade on her blog here:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/31-X-60-James-Thompson-Duck-Canvas-Cloth-Fabric-BROWN-NUTMEG-100-Cotton-/171020477861?pt=US_Fabric&hash=item27d19d65a5 The Old Jones Naming Pattern is also referred to as an American Naming Pattern.  It goes as follows:

THE BOYS:

The first son is named after the father's father

The second son is named after the mother's father.

The third son is named after the father himself.

The fourth through to the last son is named after a favorite brother or a friend (usually of the father). 

THE GIRLS:

The first daughter is named after the mother's mother.

The second daughter is named after the father's mother.

The third daughter is named after the mother herself.

The fourth through the last daughter is named after a favorite sister or friend (usually of the mother's).

And my own children?  My husband came home from the service and said that he loved the name Jessica and that he would name his first Jessica.  After making sure there were no ex-girlfriends named Jessica I agreed, even though I wanted a Maggie or a Courtney.  Jessica Margaret just never sounded right, but the more I said Jessica Courtney the more I liked it.  Nicole was named after my best friend.  Nicki is a cute name but I thought about "Nicki" for a 70 year old dowager and went with Nicole instead.  Lea (pronounced Lee-ah) fit well with it and while she's never been Nicki in this house, she has been NicoLea and Cole.  And sometimes Colby.  One time a boy soccer player asked me why I named my daughter after cheese.  John Jacob?  John for his dad and granddad (the bastard).  Jacob was a friend of the family.  My younger brother married his daughter.  Jacob was a good man to my family after my mom died.  We did it to honor him.  Before we settled on Jacob I double checked with Mike Drake if he wanted to use Jacob as a name if he ever had a son.  Apparently Jake Drake was never an option.

Illda Martha Austin Hughes and the Rhubarb Bars

My granny Illda Austin Hughes was a good cook, a plain cook, but a good cook.  But there were two things she made better than anyone.

First:  that girl could fry some fish.  When we would go fishing at Moose Lake or Bond Fall Flowage, we'd come home with a tub of fish.  Mostly Blue Gill, perch and sunfish.  The men/boys would take them out to the picnic table in the backyard and clean them.  Some of them were still moving.  And we skin fish in this family.  We do not take the lazy way out and scale them.  Perfect white pieces of fish from very cold lakes.

Illda would stand at the stove with two big cast iron pans and a little oil and cook fish as fast as we could eat them.  I never paid much attention to what she was doing or how she did it, but I think she battered them.  Light, perfectly golden triangles of blistering hot fish.  Usually there was a plate of bread in case some one choked, but I don't remember anything else for a meal.

After all the fish was devoured, and the plates stacked in the sink, and the bowls of fish bones out to the trash, Illda would bring out the pan of Rhubarb Bars.  My dad would groan and loosen his belt.

The Rhubarb bars were the other item Illda owned.  I thought maybe it was just my dad, but the first time my boyfriend tried them he went crazy as well and nobody else hardly got a bite.

I recently found my copy of the recipe that Illda gave me when I got married.  I married that boy who had gone crazy over her Rhubarb Bars.  Illda and Cleo never threw anything away as evident that the recipe is written on a page of a calender from 1975.

Translation:

Rhubarb Bars

• 3 cups cut rhurbarb
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix cornstarch and sugar and add to rest of ingredients and cook until thick.

Bars:

• 1 1/2 cup fine oatmeal
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup shortening, 1/2 butter
• 1/2 cup walnuts finely cut
• 1 teaspoon soda (I am presuming baking soda)

Mix together until crumbly.  Pat 3/4 mix into a 1 x 13 pan.  Pour on cooked rhubarb and cover with remaining mixture.

Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes.

For Love

I finally have all the documents in order to draw my conclusion to the Cleo Mallison Hughes and Illda Martha Austin debacle.

A baby girl was born to Dennis E Austin and Minnie (maiden name Daniels) Austin on 15 Mar 1895.  They had not named the baby yet.  Dennis and Minnie only had one baby which they eventually named Illda Martha Austin.  The Illda came from a Russian novel that Minnie was reading at the time and I'm pretty sure the Martha was Minnie's mom.  The baby was born in Toledo, Ohio.  Illda was born in Toledo, Ohio.  Granny Illda's birthday was 15th of March.  I feel it is safe to say that Illda, my grandmother was that unnamed child of Dennis and Minnie Austin.

I have in my possession 2 birth certificates or record of birth for my grandfather Cleo Mallison Hughes.  The record number is 181 on page 158in the County of Branch Michigan.  Earl Linn, the Clerk of Branch County, Michigan says that Cleo Mallison Hughes was born or 28 March, 1903.  His parents were Alfred J. Hughes of Coldwater City, Michigan, and Ella E Hughes of 1st Ward.  Alfred J Hughes was born in New York and was a carpenter by trade.  Ella was born in Michigan.  The date of record is May 14, 1904.

Now here comes the fun.

I have here in front of me the marriage license:

Up in the right hand corner, you can see the date is 1920.

Now here's a close up of the pertinent information:

Cleo claims that at the time of this license he is 21 years old.

Now Cleo was born in 1903.  Hmmmm.  According to my math, in 1920 Cleo would have been 17 years old.  I do believe 17 was too young to get married without your parents permission.

Illda claims to be 22 -- only one year older than her intended.  Illda was born in 1895.  In 1920 she would have been 25 years old.

I'm pretty sure that Cleo might not have known how old Illda was, but you can sure as hell bet that Illda knew that Cleo wasn't 21.

I wonder what old Ella Mallison Hughes thought when her baby boy brought home a 25 year old bride?  Of course, Ella made some questionable decisons herself.

Here is a picture of Cleo Mallison Hughes.  There is no date on it but I reckon he's around 15 or 16.

I think I look like him.  I grew up thinking that I was his favorite grandchild.  Maybe it's because we shared a face.

And here's a trio of shots of Illda Martha Austin.  I can't get it any lighter.  I'm guess she is around 11 as there is now date.

Every Once in a While It All Comes Together

So let me tell you what I've been struggling with:

It all started with a letter, this letter.  Again, I transcribed it exactly as it is written, which is with no punctuation and bad spelling

Brooklyn Mich

Jan 3 1932

Dear Illdah

I am going to write you a few lines and tell you about Grandma as I carried your letter and box to her tonight.  I knew from the sound of your letter you do not no the conditions Grandma has been failing all summer she was taken with a bad cold about a month ago which finely ended in bronchitis and she was taken down in bed about two weeks before Xmas and was very sick she is better of that but is in a very weakened condition and her mind is is weakening planely saying I don't think she will ever get over this unless there is a change for the better soon I don't think she will last over 2 or 3 weeks.  I maybe mistaken she has a strong constitution but she is an old lady and I could see she had failed since I was over there a few days ago.  Uncle Claude goes to work at 12 and works until 11 at night before he getts home.  Aunt Kate works in Jackson all the time but Grandma has a wonderful nurse and has the best of care night and day this lived with me 11 mo and helped me care for my sick folks and I no she is wonderful.  Grandma tried to taste of your fruit but it was hard work I don't mean to frighten you I am only telling you my opinion of her and that is I don't think she will ever get well and she is determined that she isn't going to and that don't help matters any I was glad you wrote her for she was anxious to hear from you well I guess this is all for this time

Yours Truly

Jennie A M???s

So while I'm trying to extract data, this is my reasoning:  first Illda is spelled wrong.  I'm thinking that by 1932 most of the kids in America have gotten a little education, but even with a limited amount of learning, one usually gets the spelling of family names correct.  Right?  Then she says, "...tell you about Grandma..."  not YOUR grandma.  But grandma, like that is how she thinks of Elizabeth Moore.  Then she refers to Elizabeth Moore's son as Uncle Kate.  Since Elizabeth Moore and Leman Austin had three children, that would make Jennie a daughter of Dennis and Minnie (which she's not as they only had Illda) or Wilbur and ????

Jennie who wrote this letter had handwriting that looks mature to me, perhaps late 20's or early '30s.

Claud and Kate had 2 daughters: Neva and June.  But they wouldn't refer to Claud as uncle.

So this is a new mystery for me to obsess about.  

Illda Martha Austin

I haven't started working on this old gal yet.  I'm still trying to track down Dennis Austin's brothers, Wilbur and Claudie. Besides, there is only so much writing that you can do when you don't know anything.  Besides Wilbur and Claudie, I will be doing a little research on Fred Smith, who was an evangelist.  Dennis Austin became pretty serious about religion due to this guy. 

But today I'm laying down information on Illda Martha Austin.

This is what I know:

Illda Martha Austin was born on 15 March 1895 in Toledo, Ohio.  She died 14 November 1985 in N Fort Myers Florida. 

She was the only child of Dennis Austin and Minnie Daniels Austin.  They had been married quite a few years when Illda came along.  She was the only child. 

She once told me that she only went to school for one day and that it tramatized her so badly, her mom didn't make her go back.  When she decided to go to nursing school, they nursing board informed her that she had to have at least an 8th grade education.  So she went back to school and got her certificate in about 6 months. 

Before the nursing, she trained under her mother as a milliner. 

I remember my grandmother.  She actually lived with me for about a year after Cleo died.  She loved to hunt but most of all, she loved to fish.  She was a decent cook, could fry fish like nobody's business and had a knack for sweets.  She always had a horned toad as a pet -- even as a granny.  I guess it reminded her of her years spent in Texas.  She was a gardener of flowers and vegetables and ran Hughes Market with Cleo for 40 years.  She liked to play cards and play games.

From now on, when I remember a story that she told me I'm going to put it down here.  She told me that she was a nurse at Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan.  I need to do some research and find out if that was a Catholic hospital.  Anyways, while she was there, a woman gave birth to a 14 pound baby boy and then the women died.  Illda told me that they nurses hid that baby in and around the hospital until the child was 6 years old.  I thought that sounded pretty terrible and she said that that child had 14 mothers who loved and adored him.  She never said what happened to him.

Here is my transcription of a letter that Illda wrote to her Grandmother Elizabeth Austin and Grandfather Leman Austin.  The spelling and punctuation is exactly as written, but I did take the liberty of breaking it into paragraphs.

Denver Colo.,

          Saturday night

          My dear grandparents:

Both your letter and card rec'd today.  And I thank you so much for the rembrances.  But Grandma why did you do it?  You had already given me my birthday gift.  But never mind I will put it with my fund. 

I have something to tell you. Guess.  I told you the undertakers were after me.  So I gave them Mr. Wood's address + told them to try him just once more.  + if they couldn't get any satisfaction to let me know + I would take care of it.  So yesterday didn't Opal my step sister, call me up and say she had just rec'd a letter from her father, saying to tell me not to pay one cent as he was coming + would settle as soon as it gets warm.  Well between you + I dears it can't get hot any too quick to suit me.  I surely hop he (paper torn) But it's almost the same old story over every time. 

So here are my plans as I have made them.  Save every cent I can.  Stay here till he does something.  If he fails I can just hand them over the money and come.  If he pays it I can use the money to come on.  A girl has no show against a man of that kind.  And I haven't seen him for most a year + a half.  We never know where he is. (Page torn) Denver is headquarters for him.  He has plenty of money to travel all over the globe. But not enough for this. 

Did I tell you Edna Kelly was very ill + is still.  Organic Heart Trouble.  They don't expect her to live.  And she wanted me to come so badly.  Now she is better + so I've promised to stop over a couple of days on my way home to you.  My only real home now. 

And Grandma I am so sorry about that awful indigestion.  Have you (paper torn) tried "Pape's Dapepsins"?  They are splendid.  We were never without them.  And one night last winter Mamma had an acute attack + all we could get from the drug store was "Bellans".  Well they stopped the pain + relieved her of all that awful gas.  They are a compound of charcoal + pepsin.  They help me, too.  And now do be careful + not over do it.  When I come I will do it all the (paper torn)  You and Grandpa are just to rest and give me your orders.  I just love to work + it will be such a change.  Only I must hurry and get a job, pretty soon after I get there, because when I get there I won't have a cent left.  Grandma thank you so much for those stamps.  No, I won't send anything back.  But sometimes I put stamps + on envelope + forget + send it away + that you had done so, too.

I think that's lovely of you to offer me my ticket to come + I appreciate it even if I don't act like it.  But you can see that isn't whats keeping me.  Never mind.  I've got a hunch that it won't be  much longer.

This is the end of the letter.  On the top of the last page, there was a sentence or two that was ripped through.  The only thing legible is the signature, which Illda signed as Dennie's Girl -- which is what I believe her gran called her.