Norman Hobart Austin (1856-1939)

AUSTIN, LONG, MARSHMAN SPARROW, MARRIAGE, HILDYARD

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 12/23/2021 at 16:37:49

From Nevada Evening Journal January 19, 1939 (page 2)

Funeral Services Held at Zearing for Norman H. Austin

Special to the Journal:
Zearing, Jan. 19--Funeral services for Norman H. Austin were held at the Church of Christ in Zearing Sunday afternoon at two o'clock with Rev. George W. Manning officiating. Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Golly, Miss Myrtle Golly and selections accompanied at the piano by Miss Allice Holub. The beautiful flowers were in charge of Mrs. Earl Allen and Mrs. Lyle Bailey. The pall bearers were Isaac Bucy of Hubbard, Asa Barnard, Earl Gaunt, Harvey Lewis, Earl Allen and Clarence Fisher.

Interment was in the Zearing cemetery.

Relatives and friend from a distance attending the services were Mrs. Harriet Marriage of Mullinville, Kansas; J. N. Austin, Bucklin, Kansas; Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Harvey and Eloise of Boone; Mr. and Mrs. George Paine of Eagle Grove; Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Marshman and Nathalia of Ellsworth; Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Scribner and Ronnie of Clarksville; Dr. and Mrs. G. F. Marshman of Des Moines; Isaac Bucy of Hubbard; J. A. Marshman and Blain Marshman of Hubbard; Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Fisher of St. Anthony; Mrs. Lloyd Lounsberry of Colo.

Norman Hobart Austin, second son of Lucius and Eliza Austin, was born January 18, 1956, near Bushnell, Ill. There was a family of eleven children. The family lived near Carthage and Webster, Ill., where the father labored as a cabinet maker, wood turner and farmer.

His father was enlisted in the Northern Army and Mr. Austin remembered the Civil War ad the assasination of Abraham Lincoln.

As a boy he was a faithful attendant at Sunday school and learned to take an active part in religious work. When a young man he united with the church and during the remainder of his active life was a leader of the activities of the church.

Mr. Austin attended the country or town school where the family lived. But opportunity for organized school was limited so he gained most of his education by his own efforts. He worked out to earn money for books which he would read by the light of a candle or the fireplace. At one time he furthered his education by the study of law with a judge in Kansas City.

About 1878 he made a trip to Nebraska in a covered wagon. At that time he traveled through Iowa and camped near every county seat town in the southern tier of counties. He soon returned to Illinois and some time later made a second trip to Nebraska, this time he camped near every county seat town in the second tier of southern counties. He returned to Illinois again and later om company with his brother, started for the Black Hills. While journeying through Iowa they camped near Clarion, the county seat of Wright County. The following day was Sunday so they did not travel but cleaned up an sent to church where their singing attracted attention. The church people were friendly to them and offered them work if they would stay. They soon decided to locate at Clarion and the first winter was the famous winter of 1881 which was one of the worst on record. In the spring they sent for their parents and brothers and sisters and Clarion became the family home.

In 1884 he was married to Lona Long. They first lived on a farm then moved to Clarion where they resided for twelve years. During this time Mr. Austin was engaged in the lumber, coal and grain business. To this union three children were born. One child died in infancy and later Mr. Austin passed away.

When he first lived near Clarion Mr. Austin organized and superintended a Sunday school in a country school house. Later he helped organize and build the first Christian church in Clarion. He always served this church in the capacity of a leader being at different time choir member, Sunday school teacher and superintendent, deacon and elder.

Following the death of his wife Mr. Austin and his two sons moved to Worthington, Minn. In 1900 he married Mary Marshman of Hubbard, Iowa, daughter of George and Lydia Marshman. To this union was born one daughter, Agnes Marie, with whom he has made his home these last twelve years. This family lived at LaPort City, Round Lake and Mountain Lake in Minnesota and in Jefferson, Hubbard and Eagle Grove in Iowa. In these locations Mr. Austin operated farms, hotels, a newspaper and a number of stores. At Eagle Grove where they resided for seventeen years he engaged in the real estate business.

Twelve years ago Mr. and Mrs. Austin came to live with their daughter, Mrs. Agnes Sparrow. A few years later Mrs. Austin died. A son, Leslie M. Austin, of Worthington, Minn., also preceded Mr. Austin in death.

Mr. Austin was a man of good habits, always temperate in all things and was interested in those things which were for the betterment of his fellow man. During his lifetime he enjoyed great prosperity and suffered great loss in both conditions he displayed humility and patience.

Those surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Agnes Sparrow of Zearing, a son Perry S. Austin of Minneapolis, Minn., seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, two sisters, Mrs. Harriet Marriage of Mullinville, Kans., who helped care for him in his last illness and Mrs. G. B. Hildyard of Hutchinson, Kans., and one brother, Mr. J. N. Austin of Bucklin, Kansas.