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.