Relatively Speaking

Kathy T. found a number of tin types in an old Bible without ID on them. Click on more to see the others.

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These photos are courtesy of Kathy T., an Austin relative I met soon after, The MIll on Halfway Brook was published.

I have spent most of this week typing up a wonderful group of ‘new’ old letters for Book 2, that Kathy sent me.

Kathy’s grandmother was Lillie Austin Calkin, daughter of James Eldred Austin and his wife Emma Parmenter. Lillie was born in 1884 in Solomon City, Kansas, and we will meet her in Echo Hill and Mountain Grove, the book I am currently writing.

Very fortunately for me and our family, Lillie saved about everything, I am told. Lillie’s daughter Dorothy, who is still living, gave Lillie’s information to her niece, Kathy, who has shared the sea of information with me.

It is very exciting to have contact with this branch of the Austin family. We seemed to have lost contact with them before 1960.

My great-great-grandfather, Ralph Austin.

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Eldred, January 12, 1879
A.A. Austin
Solomon City, Kansas
Dear Son,
I will write a few lines in answer to your vary welcome letter and to let you know that we are all well and I hope this will find you enjoying the same blessing.

The weather is quite cold here now. The snow is about 12 inches deep. The coldest it has bin yet is 13 below zero and that was as cold as I wanted.

Mr. Kelso has bin to N.Y. abuying goods last week to start a store. He was gone 8 or 10 days. He told me that he tride hard to sell out, but could not. He said that he was afeared to sell for $1100 dollars, but could not sell for any price.

Your Mother and Me was down their Christmas and had a nice visit. Mrs. Kelso wished that you and Maria was there. We ware to Mr. Collins New Years and had a good visit. Mrs. Kelso made the same wish there.

They had a donation for Mr. Martinas Friday nite the 10th. They took in $37 dollars. There that their was not much of a turn out. I did not go for I had nothing to go with. I never saw money more scarce. I can’t see yet how I can rais a nuff to pay my taxes.
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121 Chambers St., NY, August 22, 1866
Dear Uncle,
I don’t think of anything particularly interesting or of much importance to write about, but as i have nothing very urgent to do this morning and feel somewhat in the humor of writing I thought I would write to you.

Uncle Perry was at our house not long since, and said that you was talking some of taking another Lumber job at Smith Mills.

If you do try the lumber business again, you had ought to have it understood so that there will be no quibbling or misunderstanding when you come to make a settlement and not only that you should (must) be pretty well satisfied that you are going to make something for there is no use of your working yourself almost to death this winter.

And then when you come to settle in the spring find that you have made nothing and I should if I were you have it understood that if you were dissatisfied with the price they charge you for provisions, feed, etc, that you will be at liberty to make your purchases of supplies elsewhere and make them advance you the money as fast as you make it or may need it.
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11/8/2010
I have just received a large box of Austin letters from my cousin Kathy T., a descendant of James Eldred and Emily Parmenter Austin. As I get the letters typed up or scanned, I will be posting them as I have time!

Pier 18, Balboa CZ, October 1, 1918
Dear Father,
Your letter from Monticello received today. I was very glad to hear from you. I saw your name on the jury list, so was not surprised. Did they try many interesting cases this session?

I have been on the rifle range or gallery twice. The first record I made was 13 scores out of 75 possible points. There was only one fellow who was as low as I was. The second time at 75 yards, I shot 30 points, a trifle above the average. The rifle we use for target practice weights 8 pounds and shoots .22 shot cartridges.

I didn’t get the papers yet, but probably will before long. Mother said she was going to send me a package. I would advise her to send things to eat for any perishable things will sure “perish” before they get here. However, I could use towels, handkerchiefs, soap, three in one oil, shoe polish, etc. very well and it would leave me nearly all of my $7.00 each month. I would also like my razor.

Have you heard from Mac lately? I suppose he has had a hand in the fighting by this time. I wish I could be with him now.

I think Bulgaria’s surrender is the very first sign that the balance is beginning to swing in our favor. Turkey again cut off from German aid will soon quit. Germany and Austria, Hungaria may fight on indefinitely and we will probably meet with bloody Chechs before Metz, Strasburg, Ai La leofapp C and the other Rhine fortresses fall. I hope next year will end it.

PS Am enclosing some pictures, and Chinese, Japanese, and Austrian money. Your son, Raymond

Wednesday noon, Mountain Grove House, Eldred, October 2, 1918
To: Mr. C M Austin
c/o Mrs. Fowler, Monticello, New York
My dear Mortimer,
Just received your letter and was glad to hear you were well. We all feel fine, but this damp weather I keep the children in the house. Verna told me she heard there were a lot of cases of diphtheria in Barryville, but I doubt it. Our phone don’t work right, so I can not find out, but I am careful here.

I got a letter from Ray. I will send it to you. Tonight I am going to get Mac’s letters and the pictures together and send to him.

If Willie don’t feel well any morning, I won’t let him go to work. Mr. Scheuneman is home sick today and beside, he got a sliver in his eye putting on the roof of his building.

I will be glad when you get though “courting” for it is certainly lonesome without anyone to scold.
Well, Elizabeth is ready to go back to school so I must close with love from all, Jennie
X Arthur’s kiss, X Elizabeth’s kiss X Robbie’s kiss, X mine, X Willie’s
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Included in this set of letters are some of the addresses and names of a number of the girls that wrote Mac in response to the ad in the Lone Scout Magazine courtesy of his brother Raymond.

CAC 7 Co., Fort Amador, Canal Zone Jan 5, 1918
To Pvt. Mortimer M. Austin, F Co., 11 Inf, Chattanooga, Tenn
Dear Old Mack:
Well this is the date you get a little older and tomorrow I do the same.

Did four hours guard this morning. It is pay day and I go on pass this pm so will have time to write no more. Drew just $13 yesterday. That is all that is left after my four liberty bonds bills, $.25 wounded soldiers fund, collected from loans, $1.65 which left me just $8.40. When I went to town, I spent $5.20 for little odds and ends.

While in the city, I made up my mind to see the place. You talk of slums in New York, London, Chicago, but believe me they cannot begin to compare with the city of Panama. It is only in sections that the other cities have slums, but all Panama is just one great slum district. [a long letter] Yours, George R. Sidwell

Vandervoort, Arkansas, Jan 1918
Kind friend,
Saw your address in Lone Scout. Thought I would write you a few lines. Hope this will find you OK. How do you like the army? I have several friends who have gone to the Army. Oh it is so lonesome and makes me so sad to see them go…Miss Jewell Hamilton

From Peerless, Indiana, Jan 4, 1918
Dear Soldier Boy:
I saw an article that your brother had published in the Lone Scout magazine in which your name and address was given. Although I am only a school girl living in a small town, I would enjoy corresponding with you and if you will write I will prove to you that us country girls can write as interesting letters as our city cousins. Sincerely yours, Ottie Godsey

Peerless Indiana, January 13, 1918
Dear Mr. Austin,
Thank you very much for writing me such a nice letter. Now you said you preferred the country girls to those from the city…Ottie Godsey
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Both Uncle Raymond and Uncle McKinley (Mac) were in WWI, though in 1917, just Mac had enlisted. There are a number of letters from this time frame. Thank you to my mom for sharing with me Uncle McKinley’s and other Austin letters that are in this post.

Barryville, NY, January 15, 1917
Dear Friend,
Received your letter last week. We were glad to hear that you were still in America. We haven’t any horses this winter, so I hardly ever get to Eldred or in fact anywhere. They had a box social in the fall and another one around Thanksgiving, but it was while I was in Brooklyn, so naturally I did not get to that one.

It certainly has been a very cold winter. 30 degrees below zero some of the time, but we really haven’t much to kick about in that direction as we have plenty of wood.

I have a cousin who is a major in the Aviation Corp…I have not heard since where he went. Ruth

Feb 7, 1917
Dear friend McKinley,
Received your letter some time ago and really intended to answer it before, but was busy the last couple of days keeping warm (or trying to, haha).

Monday certainly was a terrible day. The wind blew about 50 miles per minute. You speak of mud. I don’t believe that I would know what much looks like. Aunt Noval said that there were several Sundays when there wasn’t anyone except the minister and Christine that ventured out to church…Every cold day, I make a new vow that I will not stay here another winter, but I suppose that I will not have courage when it comes to the pinch, to get a job…
Belle Mills is teaching here now. Went to visit the school the other day with Anna and it surely was a circus. I never saw so many methods of “spit ball” throwing in my life, but well, I guess she is about as good as the average teacher. Your friend, Ruth
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