Ethel Crouse Phillips

Ethel Crouse Phillips

 

From Harold l Phillips
To Ruth Koontz
Post Marked May 12, 1983

 

Dear Aunt Ruth,
Know the following is the history as best poor mom remembered. You will notice the eyesight was getting worse, as she tried even in the final years to pass along some of the dates and facts. Some of the writing is hardly legible.
I have read the account of her and dad’s life and still get a kick out of it. You will note that she also includes some of her Dad’s family.
There is no actual family tree as far as I know, as I don’t think she had access to that much info. There wasn’t any additional papers to my knowledge. Hope this gives as much satisfaction to you as it has to us.
We settled out of court, as after 6 years we figured further litigation was fruitless. We turned down the first offer.
Aunt Ruthie, do you have Judy’s address and phone no.?
Will close for now,

Love Harold and Vivian.
P.S. Tell Bryan and Lana, Kim and Rusty sold their home on the 1 day to the 1 looker. Got a big price for sure. Rusty and Brother are building a duplex to rent to others. Will build a new home later.

 

Ethel Phillips Things I Remember

I remember when grandpa and grandma Crouse built the new house up on the road. She was so proud of the house, it had “hard board floors”, she was used to “hard dirt floors”. They moved in 1906 I was four. Aunt Ada and I moved her cat. Ada was several years older than I. The new house had three large rooms, a parlor with one red ice case for “company”, cause the second room had two beds for grandpa and grandma the other for Aunt Mattie and Ada and me. I was actually there all my spare time. The kitchen had a large bed for Uncle Lewis and Alonzo, and a cot in the corner for Uncle Porter. Had a large table, chairs and wood stove and a large closet for the boy’s clothes. A large water bucket and wash basin was on the table near the stove. The well went dry almost every summer, so water had to be brought from the foot of a hill about a half mile away to drink. The school house (Brown) was up on the hill above the spring. Here all the family had gone to school including my father, Uncle Ford and Aunt Lola who had all married had moved nearby.

Grandpa Crouse’s Sister Aunt Lola [?] Crouse lived about a mile away. She and Uncle Joe still had two bachelor sons at home while I was growing up.

The first place I remember was a log home several miles from Grandma Howell (Mom’s Mother). My sister Jessie was two years younger than I. I remember Mom making by hand little dresses for my brother Frank. He was born in 1906. I was sent to Grandma Crouse’s house when he was born, while mom went to Grandma Howell’s to have him. They brought me over to see him but was ready to go home with them after asking where he came from and had been told they found him under a head of cabbage in the garden. Grandpa Crouse traded horses and didn’t have any education but couldn’t be best out of a dime. Mom’s father was Judge Robert Howell, of Warren County was married several times before marrying Lucy [Koester Glear] who had a son Charlie Glear. Grandma Howell was a mid-wife and had birthed so many babies in Lincoln County. Have been there so many times when someone knocked on the door during the night. She always had her things ready to go.

We always slept upstairs where she hung her tobacco to dry onion hung from the ceiling and beans lay drying on the floor near the open window. Years after when we went upstairs we could still smell the tobacco. By the way she smoked this tobacco she had grown. Had a small clay pipe carried in a pocket in her apron that she always wore. She was such a thrifty and energetic person. She had a maple tree grove of several hundred years. Every year in February and March sweet syrup from the trees was collected in wooden buckets. Holes had been bored in the trees and little spikes (called them) made from slippery elm branches. When enough was water was collected she had a stirring off. Some year’s mom and dad let us stay out of school so we could go. The water was boiled in iron kettles until dropped into cold water made a soft boil then they would let us eat some of it. Her syrup was so delicious never had a any trouble selling it. For years she sent us cakes of sugar molded in muffin tins. Grandma Crouse was thrifty too. Was a neat house keeper washed clothes on a washboard, patched overalls, patch upon patch but keep her men folks clean. Hung milk and butter down the well to keep it sweet and edible. Grandma Howell lived to be 92 while Grandma Crouse was 84 I believe. Mom used to send me to Grandma’s house for milk and butter when we needed I believe it was about a mile and a half. I couldn’t have been over seven. Had to go through a small grove of trees and pass Grandma [Saners?] house. The kids all called her an old witch. I know I held my breath all the time.  She was the mother of Grandma Howell’s sister Aunt Josephine.

There were so many snakes at this place. Dad killed a rattle snake back of the house. Was common to see a copper head, one mom found in the kitchen. Don’t know how it happened we didn’t get bitten. Started to school at the old Blue school that has been gone many years.The mailbox was on route 2 Silex Mo. One time Grandma Howell came by and Jessie and I went to get the mail with her. On the way home we picked Hickory nuts from under a tree. I felt that she was getting more than her share, told her, so she picked up a stick and said to hit her with it and I started to hit her. She backed away and laughed many times because I was only the grandchild that would carry through with it. She was a midwife, many times we would hear a knock on the front door someone wanted Aunt Lucy to come, was time for the baby. She had been widowed for the second time before Mom was married. Every spring she knew where ginseng and also ginger root that she dried and sold. Had a son by her first marriage Uncle Charles Glear. Later married Judge Robert Howell who had been married several times and had other children. He had been Judge of Warren County and I believe and had the post office in their home after they married. He and Grandma had Lena, Ethel(Mom) and Rosa Nellie. Grandma’s mother was Jane Lafferty married Joseph [Kaester] She died in 1912 I think. Made the best peach preserves had them in a stone jar. She gave me an old hen that had broken part of its bill off. Grandma Crouse’s maiden name was Frances Braun. Her parents lived to be a hundred years and better. Remember their coming to Hawk Point from Truxton in a buggy.

When we first moved to hawk Point my teacher was Ms. Elgin. Moved back to the farm, dad then got a job in the section for Mr. Presley. I forgot we had lived in Hawk Point in 1904, Jessie was the baby. Mom tried to run the old hotel near the RR station. Mom said she used to come out to see where I was whenever she heard a train whistle. Then dad bought a small house across from the Presley’s. Mom’s health got so bad that the doctor advised them to go to Colorado to a different climate. The railroad transferred him as a foreman. Gave us passes to Sugar City Colorado we stayed in a hotel room the first night then dad rents a small house. Got some used furniture. Jessie and I started to school and a Methodist Church which was nearby. One night mom walked to the street corner with dad he was going to town. I woke up and began screaming that they had left us in a strange land. The neighbors that we were being abused. But before long he couldn’t get the Mexican whom he had to work to understand him so he got a job on a beef ranch. Another family with small boys by the name of Laubhan lived in the other small house near ours. Used horse to cultivate the fields at that time. Then we moved back to town. Had gas street lights a man came around and lit them about nine o’clock every night. Wasn’t too far from the fire station was exciting to see the engines drawn by horses came charging out on the way to the fire. Wasn’t too far from the two beef factories. We stayed in Colorado about a year, mom was much better. We came back to Hawk Point rented a house and started buying furniture again. Then he bought a small house across from the Baptist Church, There he was working for Mr. Presley again.

Think we lived there about two years had typhoid fever while there. Then he transferred to Moscow Mills Mo. Lived in a log house again couldn’t find anything to rent. Had a tin roof, Jessie and I slept upstairs. Was hot in the summer and when it rained sure made a noise on that tin roof. We had so much malaria we moved up the street that it would help. Then before long dad bought a house in the northern part of Moscow. We were walking out to Crabapple School was a treat to get a wagon ride. We stayed there a year or so then dad sold that house and bought in South Moscow. We always attended Christian Church and joined it in 1914. Then dad decided he would move up near Wellsville and farm for Mr. Sauker. Ruth was born up there that year (1916). Then we moved back to Moscow Mills and dad worked for Frank Kerpash at the flour mill. I was baptized in Cuivre river, by the mill, in Nov. He always got a job with the railroad son in 1918 (I was 16) he got a job as foreman at Annada, Mo. Was in first year high, I did so hate to leave my friends, shed lots of tears. Mom cleaned up many an old house didn’t realize it until many years later. While at Annada, I went to Clarksville one night stayed with Mrs. Hinten. While I went to high School, the spring of 1918 I took the 3rd grade teachers exam at bowling Green and taught at Annada that winter with William Phillips who I married Dec. 18 of 1920. Went to summer school at laGrange taught again at Annada with Ms. Crump. I was teaching my third term at Annada when I married. In march of 1922 took leave as I was pregnant. April 9 Harold came to us. “Bill” was employed by the railroad as a brakeman at Hannibal but laid off and called back as much I couldn’t afford to stay in Hannibal.

The first of August 1922 thought he would have a steady job so Harold and I came to Hannibal. Lived in light house, keeping rooms on Sycamore St. with Mr. and Mrs. Crem. Later moved into room over Bollinger’s store, stayed about a year. Then bought four rooms furniture and moved upstairs on Union St. Sept. 1923. Bill and Mabel Broungard lived downstairs had son Billy Rex about 1 year. They moved to Edward St. in Feb. 1925. Our son Mel was born February 18, 1925. We bought lots in Guernsey built a home and moved July 9, 1925. Neighbors again with Broungards. Raised our sons there with their Billy and Gene born in 1927. Harold graduated from HHS went to Chillicothe Business School College while there enlisted in the Navy as World War II had been waging. In 1942 enlisted. Saw rough service, Melvin graduated in 1942 and enlisted in Feb. 1943. We were so grieved that they both had to go. We were later grieved by the death of my sisters Jessie’s son Ernest Wm. Holcumbrink, 20 yrs. Were so thankful our two returned home safely. Harold in 1945 and Mel in 1946. Harold married Vivian Brothers in April 1946.

Other notes page 1

Grandma Howell had a maple sugar grove of about 500 trees. We were allowed to stay out of school stirring off day. The trees had been tapped at that time with wooden spikes made from slippery elms. The sweet water is caught in buckets and then put in big kettles and cooked until it makes a thick syrup. Now they use new gadgets to see when it was done then everything was done by guess.
The boys were large boys when she was still sending us muffin shaped cakes of maple sugar. She passed away in 1945 when the boys were in the service at age 92

Other notes page 2

We used to go to Grandma Howell’s during the summers. One summer she put us to worming the tobacco she was raising. The worms are so ugly about three inches long. The tobacco leaf is a wide leaf, we threw them on the ground and mashed them and the green juice would run on the ground. She cut the tobacco and dried it and later smoked it. She had a small clay pipe that she put about a thimble of tobacco. Always wore a lap apron with two pockets carry these in. Lived to be 92 a wonderful woman was mom’s mother.

 

Other notes page 3

More in My Life

Was born Jan 26, 1902 on what was called Coal Company Lands, between Troy and Hawk Point. Was too young to remember moves before moving twice from Hawk Point to the log house on the Silex route near Grandma Howell. There moved twice to a little green house behind the Christian Church at Hawk Point. Moved back to Hawk Point close to the elevator I believe that was in 1908. Then because of mom’s poor health the CB&O transferred dad to Sugar City Colorado. Got on the night train with Uncle Ford carrying me, dad carrying Jessie, Grandpa Crouse carrying Frank. Everyone in turn. Were a bedraggled group several days later when we arrived in Sugar City. At that time there were 2 beef factories there now all that remains is the name. Lived in two different locations then dad quit the railroad and we moved out to [   ] property. After a time mom was better, dad (thought) that the water was hard on his kidneys decided to move back to Mo. I think he was home sick.

   When we got to Hawk Point dad rented a surrey and horses at the livery stable to take us out to Grandpa Crouse’s. Dad rented a house in Hawk Point and went to work again at the railroad for Mr Presley then he bought a small house across from the Baptist Church. Then I think it was 1910 we transferred to Moscow Mills Mo. Moved into a log house only place we could get in. We all had chills and fever. Moved up the hill into some rooms, then dad got a house across town and moved again where we went to the Christian Church where we joined n Nov. of 1914. I was 12. He quit the railroad and worked for Frank Kerpash. The Miller. He sold that home and bought us to town. He later quit that and we moved to Wellsville where he worked on the farm for Mr. Sauker and where Ruth was born july 26, 1916. We lived there about a year went back to our house in Moscow. Went back to work for the railroad Apr. 9, 1918. Transferred to foreman in Annada Mo.

 

More Notes page 1

A large rock with great grandpa Crouse’s name used to be near the entrance to the catholic Cemetery at Millwood, Silex Mo, don’t know his first name. My Grandfather’s name was Frank Crouse. Knew 2 sisters Tracy Owens and Lane [Crauch]. He died in March 1924. Grandma Frances Crouse was born to Joshua Braun and wife. They both lived past the cemetery mark. I was 19 or 20, only knew grandma’s brother Tommie. She passed away in 1938, they had 9 children.

Zono Lee Crouse born 1879 passed away mar 24th 1961.
Susie passed away about 3 years
Lola Crouse Glear
Ford Martin Crouse
Louis
Alonzo
Mattie
Porter
Ada

Great grandmother Sarah Jane [Kaester] was born Sarah Jane Lafferty, they say her family owned the land where Baltimore now stands. She later married a Mr. Hall; they are buried at Millwood. A number of years ago a lawyer [  ] Aunt Rosa wanted to start a case but she didn’t answer. I don’t remember her children but my grandmother Lucy Glear Howell, Aunt Josephine Saeied.

Uncle Martin Kaester 2 of grandma’s brothers drowned in Cuivre River, one drowned before them at a near crossing. Another drowned at the mill in Moscow had taken grain to be ground. Uncle Martin went to Arkansas where he raised a large family. Grandma married a Mr. Glear had Uncle Charlie and a little girl who died young. Later married Robert Howell they had Lena my mother and Aunt Rosa. She passed away in 1945 before her 92 birthday. Robert Howell mom’s father passed away first before she married in 1901. He had been married four times. Had three families, he is buried in the old Howell Cemetery near Troy was judge of Warren County for a number of years.

Zono Lee Crouse married Lena Ethel Howell Jan. 30, 1901. Had four children.
Ethel Lee Born  Jan. 26, 1902
Jessie
Frank               Sept. 11, 1906
Ruth Della         July 28, 1916

Ethel Lee Crouse Phillips born Jan. 26, 1902 between Hawk Point and Troy in Lincoln County. Taught 3 terms school at Annada in Pike County Mo. Married William Phillips Dec 18, 1920. Had 3 sons Harold Lee born April 9, 1922, Melvin Eugene born February 18, 1925 a premature son April 1, 1927.

Harold can tell his own story.
Melvin Eugene married Mary Lou Roam in May, had Marta Lyn, Carol Jean, Melvin Jeffery, and Nisa Lou.
Charlie Phillips, Bill’s dad was born in Rome, New York he said after Bill passed away it came out in the paper about orphan trains coming out of New York in the 1800’s bringing all these children. Paul and I think that was how he, his brothers and Aunt Berb got here. Uncle Gil and Aunt George Graves raised him but never adopted him. They lived around New Hope. He later married Agnes Bell from around Winfield where I remember she had a couple of sisters, a brother Art in St. Louis and a sister who lived in St. Louis [Masonic?] home. For years dad and I went to see her. Charles and Agnes had Clarence, Roy, William, Paul, Raymond, ? Gertrude, Agnes died in 1917.
William was born December 4, 1900, passed away March 6th 1971. Clarence’s where abouts unknown all deceased but Raymond’s Gertrude Phillips Williams.
Mr Phillips later married widow Rhoda Tyler of Annada.

 

Transcribed by Ken and Heidi Koontz
Note: I tried to keep this document as original as possible as her her hand writing is difficult to read. I do have photocopies of the origiinals and can provide them.