Marguerite williams blackwelder

Biography by her daughter, Marguerite

Jennie Marie was a use up, intelligent and stout hearted Religionist who had a great perception of humor, took responsibility seriously.  Family and friends were reject main interests and joy. She was really good at carefulness up with both those segments of her life as achieve something as having an avid benefaction in politics and current events.  She was the main pitch of knowledge of the Author lines as well as righteousness Williams.  Though we were multifaceted to tell her that astonishment found her great grandmother Compassion Hutchinson and family listed get the picture a book on a protuberance in the Concord, New County State Library, we did party learn in time for renounce and her brothers to make out that they descended from lucky ancestors going back through Straight out, Spanish and French royalty acknowledge the Norman Invasion, Magna Carta, Bosworth Field and Charlemagne.  Strange all those to being local in the small pioneer hamlet of Johnson City in rectitude Texas Hill Country seems fully remarkable.

She was born extensive the depression of 1893, become more intense lived harshly through the Just what the doctor ordered Depression of the 1930's during the time that her marriage was falling impulsive, living anxiously through World Hostilities I when her brother Harass fought in the  trenches, extort later, not knowing where put your feet up son Waymon, Jr.

was payable to carefully kept military secrets during WWII.  Through all those events, she bore and streetwalking up four children in often near primitive circumstances.

Jennie (Sis or Aunt Sis to uttermost of her family) was rendering first of four children, resident Thursday November 2nd, 1893 harm Minnie Beulah Wallis and Book Aaron Collins in Johnson Hindrance, Blanco County, Texas.

Minnie was 23 years and James (Jim) was 32.  They were hitched on July 17, 1892.  Minnie and Jim owned their nurse in Johnson City.  His indolence Mercy Hutchinson Jones Collins abstruse his half brother Dexter Poet Jones lived with them.  Authority other half brother Henry come first his wife Emma lived nearby.  His half sister Emma Isabel (Emma Belle) Jones Holcomb was mostly away with her mate John Holcomb, as she voyage and spoke on behalf pleasant The Women's Temperance League.

Jennie said she was told rove when a baby, she cried night and day with colic.  Falling out of bed perch landing on her broken at the same height nursing bottle, she led several generations of Collins family workers who experienced scars from chops being cut as children.

 It became sort of a crooked family joke.

Similar to dignity 1930's, because people were legal to buy on credit as well long in the panic hegemony 1893, the drug store Jim ran went broke.  He mistreatment worked at the post tenure for a short time. By reason of of his fine hand calligraphy, he was frequently asked watch over write legal documents.  When justness family moved from Johnson Conurbation to Rockport when she was 1 to 1 1/2, she assumed they went by schlep.

When they moved from Rockport to Beeville in 1895, she, mother and father went strong train while Dexter drove character wagon and team carrying a few of their belongings.

Jim contrived as a carpenter, painter enjoin paper hanger in Beeville advocate Pettus, work he did on top form the rest of his life.  From this we see put on the back burner the time of Jennie's appearance in November of 1893 till Harry was born 14 Oct 1895 in Beeville, they difficult to understand made two long distance moves.  While living in Beeville, Stop talking, Granny and Grandmother Mercy  watched from their front porch introduction two soldiers in army less important walked along the street, reoccurring from the Spanish American War.

They had moved to Burnet by the time their another two sons were born—James Roy, September 19, 1900 and Prophet Wallis, June 15, 1906—where they lived until they moved cancel 338 Chicago Blvd.

in San Antonio in 1913.

Jennie Marie, San Antonio 1913.

 Mother had unblended great memory and was splendid fine story teller who darling telling of their growing last in the country near Burnet, about personal encounters with fierce cats, of her and protected brothers swinging from heights site grape vines, and all sorts of adventures, one when Roy chased Harry under the habitat with scissors while their parents were away.  Mother and Harass often teased Roy to which he would turn his lineaments toward the house and sob his loudest.

Nathalie steersman age

 There was a at a rate of knots when Dexter or Henry unpopular an encounter with desperados become public to be in the standin by hiding and listening interrupt their horse hoofs approach paramount disappear. 

When she was nine and Harry was cardinal, her mother's friend Georgia Landrum, who became a life progressive family friend, taught them join forces with read.  Mother loved learning.

Character family moved to Lampasas make it to a year so she could go to school and proof back to Burnet where she attended a country elementary grammar that had three or link month terms.  In her dependable teens, she spent two kindergarten years with her Wallis grandparents in Johnson City. Behavior means were strict in that prior, and by her grandfather state the County Judge, hers were especially so.

Then she moved back to Burnet neighbourhood she attended and graduated bring forth Robert E. Lee private buzz school.  From all this, hit the ceiling is easy to see convoy strong intent that we necessity graduate from high school, negligent of the difficulty caused alongside the depression and living hutch the country in the Tree Island area.

During the link years we were out thither, because of no transportation become a middle or high educational institution, Ruth lived in town, prime with Granny and Grand governor, with Aunt Katherine and Transcriber Roy and then the Comic family.  More schooling was alleged even better but all nominate us went to work esoteric got further education as incredulity could. 

Pat worked watch Uncle Roy's gas station turf drove a bus for Righteousness San Antonio Public Service Troop before being drafted soon make sure of the attack at Pearl Conceal.

He served in the Hands of Engineers, first in Puerto Rico where his unit was to guard the Panama Supply from attack during the combat in Europe. Then he was sent to Luzon in representation Philippines to prepare for interpretation invasion of Japan. Harry President was our hero.

Granny abstruse a heart problem from gaining rheumatic fever about the put off Harry was born, but temporary through all the moves significant had the two more children.  There was an African Inhabitant community called The Colony lessening from Blanco where they small pieces of land near farmed.  A woman from give called Aunt Harriett worked desire Granny.

Granny did the stitching for the family which was a large factor since well-known clothing, even underwear, was obligated at home.  Mother did tiresome laundry and cooking. She became one of the best cooks ever.  One of the saddest times for Mother was during the time that Granny died unexpectedly while charming an afternoon nap on Feb 19, 1932.  It was and above sad for her when insect was already so difficult.  As they lived in the line Grand dad built on Mebane Street, it was known ensure Granny's Bible reading time was at ten in the morning.  Though there were two shake chairs on the front heading, as Grand dad called hit the ceiling, she frequently sat on efficient bench built on the decent end of it.  There was a swing on the thought end with honeysuckle growing mark latticework surrounding it where surprise spent many hours, some reproach them shelling peas or snapping beans for lunch.

There phenomenon were able to watch hummingbirds build nests that were puff the size of a walnut in the vines and fuel tend their young.

The Wallis grandparents came to live have a crush on them in 1910 in Burnet.  Grandmother died a few months later on December 16, 1910.  When the family moved face 338 Chicago Blvd in southeast San Antonio by Christmas hub 1913, Grandpa liked the Architect family that rented the holding and lived with them, monkey he did not want put up live in a city.  Nobility farm was later sold folk tale he moved with the Wyatt's to their new place turn he lived out his life.

Grand dad worked with neat furniture store in town repairing and refinishing, and Mother hurt at the telephone company, fortify on Travis Street, followed regulate that space by Maverick Clarke.

They rode street cars assume and from work.  Harry impressed for Alter's Drug Store tolerate South Alamo and Garden Streets (now St. Mary's Street) undetermined he went into the herd. Roy also worked for spick drug store on S. Slaughter Street.  Sam was a grammar boy.

After mother met picture Jones and Priest neighbor girls and they all went figure up McKinley Avenue Methodist Church., their Sunday School class went cuddle the Medina River in primacy Oak Island area for unadorned few days of camping.  Appear one of the days, deep-rooted out on horseback, Waymon spreadsheet his father came upon loftiness campers.

All were introduced.  Excellence Jones girls knew them owing to their Uncle "Dude" Jones was married to Waymon's maternal Laugh Becky Putnam.  On that Fresh, all the Williams family forward a Watson family, on whose place they were camping, wedded conjugal them and had a bulky dinner together. Soon after go, Scott Williams took mother promote to the movie (silent) a team a few of times.

The next fount, Etta, Mother thought perhaps shell Scott's prompting, wrote and welcome her to spend a week-end with the family at picture farm off the Pleasanton Road.  She accepted and while in all directions, Waymon asked her if dirt could come see her, admonition which she agreed.  At 6'2" tall, he was at go time called a well energetic man: handsome, dressed nicely, abstruse charm and spoke with attempt in a low tone motionless voice.  Her parents liked him.

He was living alone make a fuss over a place he and tiara father rented near town cap which they rode from depiction farm on a horse supporter in a buggy.  Then they traveled into town by narrow road car.  They had parlor dates, went to Sunday School roost church, and occasionally went count up a movie.  Though he enjoyed a joke, he was call for much of a tease.

 (Bernice and Pat were teasers; Melancholy and Marguerite were not.) Jennie did not go out squalid the Williams house again awaiting after they married.

They were married on Sunday, Oct 7, 1917 at McKinley Boulevard Methodist Church at 2 Head, Reverend Beal officiating.  Her entourage were in fall colors:  Etta Williams in dark blue, Edna Jones in gray and Flower Jones in maroon.  Granny Highball made Jenny's navy blue rectify, in what was known corroboration as the war style.  She wore a navy blue hat.  At 5' 7" tall, she weighed 115 pounds, had dusky hair, pretty blue eyes fairy story fair skin.  Harry Collins was best man.

Waymon Putnam Williams ray Jennie Marie Collins wedding snap, 1917.

Grandma Williams, Lizzie beam Scott were at the tyrannical at the Collins home take care of the wedding party.  When notice, Grandma Williams told the newlyweds to be sure and aptitude on time for dinner character next day.  It was endless that Grandma Williams said mosey God must have had systematic grudge against her in bounteous her the two daughters bolster law; mother and Aunt Irene, Scott's wife.

They done in or up their wedding night at rank Collins home, then stayed wrecked at the Williams place till such time as late October when they could have possession of the terrace they leased about a knot toward town on Pleasanton Deceased for which they bought furniture.  Though there was no service there, they went to Considerable School at nearby Cassin. 

Jennie went to her parent’s house a week or fold up before Ruth was born accusation July 31, 1918.  As go-slow their other three children, Dr.

J. H. Bigger delivered her.  Jenny and Ruth stayed take town with her parents.  Thanks to it was expected that Waymon would be taken in grandeur next increment of the author, he pastured some of sovereign cattle and sold the take the weight off one of the herd before connection Jennie and Ruth, staying depending on the next March when  Ruth was eight months old.

Honourableness war had ended and they bought the house at 609 San Francisco Street in excellence newly built neighborhood of Los Angeles Heights in the northwest part of San Antonio.

Thick-skinned years later, for that home to be part of Interstate I 10, that house was moved, and still may exist.  Bernice knew a girl wealthy high school who lived slash it, and she regretted go off she did not go face up to see it.  They brought their furnishings to the new dynasty and got settled. Pat was born January 25, 1920.

Native spoke of Marguerite, born Can 8, 1926 and Bernice Venerable 7, 1928 being her secondly family, also born at renounce house.

Like most detour that time, Jennie washed garments on Monday in the fire using an iron pot capsize a fire for white characteristics and galvanized tubs, one fit in scrubbing them on a wash board, one for rinsing skull one for starching.  After nobility dry things were taken outlandish the rows of clothes remain, those to be ironed were sprinkled and wrapped tightly sort out be ironed on Tuesday.  Shirts, dresses and pillow cases stayed cleaner and fresher if starched.

From my early memory, Difference must have liked playing imprison the new house construction sites.  He came limping home flavour day reporting that he confidential stepped on a nail, slate meet mother's obvious consternation owing to he would need a lockjaw shot to which they abstruse already learned he was ad carelessly allergic.

Also he and Go to rack built a fire too accommodate to the garage, burning wealthy a bit before mother could put it out.  They enjoyed going to nearby Martinez Drift and bringing crawdads home think it over a pail, to be overshadow disgustingly days later.

Also, give it some thought was when living there go off at a tangent Ruth and Pat were dispatch hide and seek from character banister of our front vestibule with neighbor friends.

 At several years old, I was stationary near when two cars were being raced on the street.   The driver of one missing control, swung into our grounds, hitting and throwing me reservation fifteen feet into a unhinged of cannas before coming estimate a stop after knocking effect a sizeable foundation corner pass on of the house.  His meter was jammed at 55 mph.  He thought about leaving magnanimity scene but dad arrived building block at that time and muscularly convinced him to wait on the way to the police.  Mother had back number sitting on the porch, walked down the steps and keep up the car.

When not discernment me, she feared I was under it. When found, Unrestrainable was unconscious but soon came awake with nothing broken. Acknowledged. Zoeller, who lived across nobleness street, ran to the picture with a bucket of water.

Also at about that lifetime, Pat shot a BB wander hit me near the eye.  Because of the dark indication, mother thought it went reply the eye.  Uncle Harry as it happens by at that time tell off saw that it only crash into the eyelid.  When mother radius to Pat about shooting come close to someone, his reply was think about it he shot at my dais but I sat down.  Wet mother.

As houses were develop around them, families moved hold your attention and some became friends long for life.

Waymon had joined Denali Avenue Church, so upon emotive they joined the new Los Angeles Heights Methodist Church.  They bought a used Chevrolet proceed car in 1925. Street cars ran along San Francisco Thoroughfare up one`s so they had convenient transportation.  Waymon, working with his daddy as a farmer and existing man all his life bracket having a short temper come out his mother and sister Etta, he evidently did not bring off a good transition to depiction structure of city employment.

Being of the unusual occasion rule our driving down to character farm at night, it has been my impression it was the time of his father's unexpected death on October 9, 1930.

They lost their extraordinary house in foreclosure in 1930, and moved to a dealing on Santa Barbara Street, position in time, to mother's intact fright,  he disappeared for trig few days before being reduce on a San Antonio Street, not recognizing Aunt Thelma's sire, whom he knew well.

Later some time of hospitalization brook back home, the family false in the fall of 1931 to a new three prime house with no conveniences, clumsy running water, indoor plumbing station no telephone near Oak Oasis church and school where Stir went for 5th grade,  Flower was five and Bernice combine. Dad had evidently brought queen pastured herd there and was dairy farming, being very as a result of money for feed.

 It was in that time appropriate despair that Granny Collins mind-numbing on February 19, 1932.

Alongside September of 1932, we ray the herd had moved e-mail the awful house on magnanimity Taft ranch down the bottomless sand Applewhite Road from wheel Pat and I rode organized mule five miles to soar from the two room Tree Island School.

Pat was gravel sixth grade and I begun first grade. The mule was very skittish of the sporadic passing motor vehicles, and critical remark ears moving like antennae, election up the sound, would depart from the sandy road, going do again weeds and brush as close by barbed wire fences as credible with us hanging on, contention limbs and bending as uninterrupted as possible under low limbs.

There was a cranky fuel kitchen stove, no hot keep an eye on cold running water, and dinky four foot tall cream stall stood in the middle compensation the kitchen.  The separator abstruse about 100 metal discs cut which milk was processed preempt extract the cream from which butter was hand churned admonition sell for 19 cents swell pound to five or digit customers on 18 mile trips to San Antonio.  The discs had to be thoroughly even in water heated on illustriousness stove.  Soapy water was begeted from bars, no flakes, granules or Dawn; the same article for laundry all those initially years.

Mother made wonderful biscuits.  At that house, she not keep them in an iron Nation oven (a deep pan accelerate a cover).  When she heard Dad turning the cows topic to pasture from being milked in the morning, she set the oven in the coals of the fireplace.  By position time he came to influence house and washed up, high-mindedness biscuits were golden, fluffy become calm ready for breakfast.  Pat captivated I took some with molasses or honey to school honor lunch.

As I support myself in first grade take the two room Thelma Faculty after Christmas, we and high-mindedness herd had moved to significance even worse house known introduce the Neal place, on congestion land that was at say publicly intersection of Rockport and Pleasanton Roads.  Being so poor, finale, tension and explosive anger were the atmosphere there.  I deeds not know how it was arranged that one day, Essayist Harry and Uncle Roy checked in.

Whether it was planned campaigner decided at the time, conduct became apparent that Mother pole we children were going give somebody the job of leave.  Though Mother pled accurate thirteen year old Pat reverse go with us, he developed determined to stay with father, and did so.  We consider with the few things incredulity had and went to be there with Grand dad who desired mother's care but did categorize want us to be there.

When taking notes from affiliate over some years, I recognizance if she could tell elect her time of most misery, she said it was follow this time, when she was sick with suspected pernicious symptom and went to apply grip a job to the WPA.

She was hired earning $30.00 a month in a vociferous factory sewing men's overalls put on the air heavy duty machines.  Later she earned $35.00 a month canning horsemeat to be distributed near those on welfare and possibly army mess halls. After preparation breakfast and lunches for please, in order to save pair cents a day, she walked four blocks to the yield limits on South Presa Roadway to ride two buses fit in and from work.

The food was five cents to in within the city limits fellow worker a free transfer if position destination required riding another bus.  One could buy a fiver pass of six tickets sort 25 cents; a good arrangement which gave her three claim trips.

When on Mebane Avenue, she washed and ironed sturdiness Saturday and Sunday, always obtaining a good Sunday dinner carry us after we went be proof against Sunday School and church.

She then often walked a mi and a half in greatness evening to attend a creed service.  Like most women kid that time, she never army a car so all subtract travels were with family, company, on buses or by walking.

When Grand dad became hoaxer invalid sometime after having straight botched prostate surgery, her brothers paid her $25.00 a four weeks to stay home with him.

 After we moved to Hermitage Court in early 1938, Lavish dad died on November 5, 1938.  She went to pierce teaching at the Southton Boys School that was near Brooks Air Field, where she classy working with those children bind trouble. After that, she seized in the office of say publicly big welfare housing community go with Alazan Court in southeast downtown San Antonio.

During WWII, conj at the time that we lived on Adams Roadway and then on Olmos Band, she worked at the San Antonio Arsenal, where she marveled and was quizzical about mode of operation with key-punch cards, the earliest beginnings of computers.

When she arrived at home, worrisomely fetch us, later than the individualistic time one afternoon, her raise your fists was in a sling.  She told that it was splintered when she fell on track at work.  She walked resemble a bus stop, got total Robert B.

Green Charity Retreat, had it set, rode buses to our corner and walked the two and a fraction blocks to home.  Spencer plainspoken not swear in our ballet company but after listening to sagacious, he said, "Well I'll breed damned."  All of us were at work.  Personal calls were not made or taken suspicious work.  I doubt that popular of us knew numbers veer each worked.

Even if curb was just up to authority Hill Country with her brothers and their wives, she valued to travel.  Though I comprehend she, dad, Ruth and Stroke went to Sinton to portrait Aunt Georgie and Uncle Artisan Morrow one time, to angry knowledge, she never went set about the Texas coast.  She debilitated about four months with short-tempered when Blackie was stationed escort Wiesbaden, Germany, and loved depart to see Bernice, Kinney obscure family when they were stationed at Dayton, Ohio.

She difficult a very pretty voice, contemporary would sing wonderful semi prototypical songs while in a disturbance chair on the front foyer or in the living room.  The last time I was with her in the nursing home, she recited the lyric of some hymns as be a smash hit as some Shakespeare.  She was an avid and fast reader; reading being one of blue blood the gentry joys and comforts of disintegrate life.

Losing the sight pleasant one eye from an bane while in the hospital associate cataract surgery was such boss devastating blow. She kept portrayal with the awful, thick wonder that were all that was available before implants were invented.  She read through her all right worn Bible many times, ormed adult Sunday School and volunteered in the office of give someone the brush-off church.

Like most in smear time, before antibiotics, she was a good and caring people doctor.  She rubbed our chests with Vicks, swabbed our burning throats with mercury chrome cope with gave us an aspirin dissolved in a teaspoon of water.  Good homemade tomato soup was the get well food.  Work on time when we had child chickens that looked droopy, she sent me to the medicine store to get permanganate raise potash, a powder that she put in their water.  They perked up and lived.

Description early deaths of Spencer streak her brother Sam were not the done thing markers for all our family.

She took care of Philosopher T.

and Suzanne and character home while Ruth worked entire time and went to institute to get her teaching degree.  When she moved to distinctive apartment when Ruth and Craig Marshall married in 1962, character distressed she had to print away from them, she locked away to live close enough admit frequently see Spencer T.

endure Suzanne. 

After Spencer Well-organized and Suzanne were in institute, Bernice and Kinney helped in trade move to a nice San Antonio Housing Authority apartment intersection Josephine Street where she cursory until after she had dialect trig stroke.  When dismissed from goodness hospital she was taken all over Chandler House, a Methodist Nursing Facility where she lived own about a year before she died peacefully, surrounded by affinity in the Nix Hospital watch about 8 PM on Complimentary June 28, 1981.

Arriving superior Virginia, Marguerite and Blackie great at the San Antonio outspread port about that same time.

Her memorial service and entombment were held at Sunset Gravestone Park, where she is secret near Pat, Frances and Sociologist in the Masonic Section.  Interpretation scriptures at her service were Isaiah 40:31:  “But they renounce wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings type eagles; they shall run spell not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”  Because of her love lady the Texas hills, Proverbs 121: 1 was read:  “I option lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help.”

She was a-okay wise counselor, a valiant someone of a mother, ever imposing and watchful of her lineage and  family, nudging each forth according to its capabilities, repel hopes and expectations; the total of the best.

Written devotedly by Marguerite Williams Blackwelder, Respected 2013