Eliza (Hobart) AUSTIN

AUSTIN, HOBART, MARRIAGE, HILDYARD, VEEDER, WEAVER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 11/16/2008 at 11:09:00

December 27, 1928
Mullinville News, Kansas

Mrs. Eliza Austin, better known to her many friends as Grandma Austin passed away Monday evening at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Harriet L Marriage. Pneumonia was the cause of death. Mrs. Austin had attained the ripe old age of 97 years, 5 months and 25 days. Funeral services were conducted at the United Brethren church yesterday afternoon by Rev. Guy Olmstead. A men's trio, A.T. Hildyard, B.M. Hildyard, and J.A. Hildyard, three grandsons of Mrs. Austin, sang at the funeral service. The pallbearers were six grandsons.
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Eliza Hobart was born June 31, 1831 at Phaeton, Vermont and passed to her reward at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Harriet Marriage in Mullinville, Kansas, December 24, 1928, age 97 years, 5 months and 25 days. "When two years of age she moved with her parents to Webster, Ill., where she was united in marriage to Lucius M Austin, January 1, 1851. To this union were born eleven children, six of who preceded her to their reward."She leaves to mourn her going two sons, W.H. Austin of Gearning, Iowa and J.N. Austin of Springfield, Colorado and three daughters, Mrs. G.B. Hildyard of Hutchinson, Mrs. Phoebe Veeder of Fowler and Mrs. Harriet L. Marriage of this city. [Mullinville KS] Also one brother Pardon Hobart of Carthage, Ill., 21 grandchildren and 43 great grandchildren besides a host of friends.

She gave her life to her Master when ten years of age and has been a faithful member of the Christian church since that time. The last few years of her life she was unable to attend services but was a member of the Home department of the Sunflower Sunday School. Since coming to Mullinville she has been a member of the Home department of the UNITED BRETHREN Sunday School.

The body was taken to Clarion, Iowa today, where it will be laid to rest at the side of her husband who departed this life December 15, 1889. Despite her advanced years, Grandma Austin was in full possession of her faculties until the last. She delighted in telling her friends of the many incidents of historical interest that transpired during her long life. B.O. Weaver, a grandson, gave a brief summary of these events at the funeral services.

It was just six years before her birth that this country celebrated the visit of Lafayette to this country. His visit and the building of a special ship, the "Brandywine" for his return to France, was still an important subject of conversation during her early life. Andrew Jackson, seventh President of the United States, was President at the time of her birth. There were but twenty-four states in the Union at that time. Sam Houston was elected president of the new republic of Texas when she as five years old.It was during her sixth year that Samuel F.B. Morse patented the telegraph though it was not until seven years later that it came into use.

She was 18 years of age her father joined one of the great ox-team caravan of the '49ers and went to California in search of gold. He was successful in his quest, and was returning with a small fortunate(sic) twelve years later when his caravan was robbed of all valuables by a band of highwaymen. She remembers the hardships as the family began at the bottom to rebuild.

She was 23 years of when Commodore Perry opened the ports of Japan to the commercial world.She was 30 years old at the time of the Civil War. She remembered Abr. Lincoln and was privileged to hear one of the Lincoln and Stephen A Douglas debates. She also was privileged to hear these celebrated orators of history, Daniel Webster, Clay and Calhoun.She remembered the first telephone which made its appearance in 1861. She remembered that the real inventor of that instrument was Phillip Reis and (not) Alexander Graham Bell as we are taught today. She remembered the sickle, and cradle reapers, the introduction of matches, kerosene lamps and U.S. postage. Probably the greatest events of the 97 years of history, to her, were the coming of Woman Suffrage and national prohibition. Though these things came late in her life, she had wanted them for many years.