The Real Alonzo Eugene Austin or The challenges of accuracy

by Louise Smith Posted on January 12, 2014
Is this man an Austin brother or someone else.

One of the challenges of writing a history of an area or ones family is figuring out what of conflicting information is correct.

In both Book I and Book 2, I identified a photo as Alonzo Eugene Austin. Shortly before completing Book 3, I received a photo of Alonzo Eugene Austin. The two do not seem to be the same man.

Initially the photo had been identified as Rev. Felix Kyte by an elderly great-aunt. On asking around, I received a photo of Felix Kyte.

The real Felix Kyte courtesy of Chuck M.

The photo of Rev. Kyte was of a much older man, but did not seem to resemble the initial photo I had. Since Alonzo Eugene Austin (nephew of my great-grandfather Henry Austin) was also a minister, I thought perhaps there had been some confusion and the photo was actually of Alonzo Eugene Austin. So that is how I identified the photo in two of my books.

So now I do have a photo of the real Rev. Felix Kyte and the real Alonzo Eugene Austin. Who then is the original photo I labeled as Alonzo Eugene Austin?

A photo of Mortimer Bruce Austin.

I have photos of Alonzo E. Austin’s brother Mortimer Bruce Austin.

M.B. Austin has a similar hairline and a superb mustache. But whether the man in the top photo was M.B. Austin or an Austin brother, I don’t know.

Today I added a new Book Corrections page in the line that says HOME in the header line just below the photos at the top of the page. As I have time, I will put up corrections found in the Halfway Brook books after they had been printed.

Another photo of Mortimer Bruce Austin.
The real Alonzo Eugene Austin.
Posted in Do you know who I am, Echo Hill and Mountain Grove, The Mill on Halfway Brook | Comments Off on The Real Alonzo Eugene Austin or The challenges of accuracy

December 1978

by Louise Smith Posted on December 20, 2013
Gary and Louise Austin Smith, December 1978.

This weekend Gary and I celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary.

Hard to believe. So much can happen in thirty-five years.

I wonder if Gary would have said “I do” if he knew his future included many hours of designing and editing four major books (all with superb covers) about my ancestors and the places they lived.

Posted in Then or now | Comments Off on December 1978

August 1925: The Briggs Family Drives East

by Louise Smith Posted on December 15, 2013
Irwin and Myrtie Briggs and family on the Drew Seminary Campus, 1925.
Model T with steer horns.

In Harrison, Nebraska, the Briggs Family welcomed daughter Mary in July of 1925.

Three weeks later, Irwin and Myrtle Briggs, Laura, Mildred, and little Mary headed east in their Model-T to Drew Seminary in New Jersey.

    The Briggs’ came east in a “rattlety bang” Ford, camping across the continent with two older children and a two-month-old baby. They were caught in a terrific rainstorm and the only thing they were able to keep dry was the baby, Mary Rosamond.
    —News article, The Breezy Westerner.
    Besides the occupants of the car…the Ford contained three extra tires, a wash tub, 57 varieties of kitchen utensils, bedding, three suitcases, a score of bundles, a doll and doll carriage, a pair of cow horns…and a donated tent from friends in Chicago. The pair of cow horns was presented to them as a souvenir of their send off by their Nebraska Church.

    The Ford covered 2,073 miles an average of 172 miles a day. They passed through nine states, two Indian reservations and two mountain ranges. The baby of the party, Mary aged six weeks, gained one pound on the trip.—News article titled, Eastward Ho! Continue reading →

Posted in Farewell to Eldred | 1 Comment

Review of “Farewell to Eldred”

by Louise Smith Posted on December 10, 2013

The recent review of Farewell to Eldred by John Conway, Historian for Sullivan County, also mentions the first two books in the Memoirs from Eldred Series.

My appreciation to John for not only writing such an informative review, but also for his contributions to the book. Mr. Conway ended his appraisal of the books:

Similar to its predecessors, “Farewell to Eldred” is a massive book, but it is fully indexed and is easily navigated. And like the previous books in the series, it leaves you wanting more.

To read the entire review click on the 12/6/13 link on the left of Mr. Conway’s Retrospect Site.

Posted in Echo Hill and Mountain Grove, Farewell to Eldred, The Mill on Halfway Brook | Comments Off on Review of “Farewell to Eldred”

Chester Beers, Eldred Schoolmaster 1868

by Louise Smith Posted on November 30, 2013
Chester Beers photo courtesy of Kathy T.

In my collection of items not in any of my books is a photo of Chester Beers and a number of letters he wrote to Emma Austin and sometimes her sister Aida, in the years 1869 to 1878. (Emma died of TB in 1879.)

In his letters Chester Beers, from Walton, NY, often refers to Lumberland where he taught in the winter of 1868. Chester taught four months during the winter and farmed the rest of the year.

Posted in Letters and information, People | Comments Off on Chester Beers, Eldred Schoolmaster 1868