Charles Edward Austin and Lucinda Brock Austin
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In Remembrance of

Lucinda and Charles Austin
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Biography

Charles (Charley) Edward Austin was born on April 2, 1877 in Eastland, Texas, to Stephen F. Austin and Sarah Ann Ray. He was married to Lucinda Brock on June 1st, 1898 by Dickens County Judge, C.A. McKnight. Seven surviving children were born to the couple: Edna May Austin on May 18, 1899; Veto Benjamin on September 19, 1901; George Edward on August 22, 1903; Pearl G. on September 1, 1905; Emma Rebecca on June 28, 1907; Rube Lee (Jay) on May 26, 1909; and L.D. on December 12, 1911.

But in February 1914, Charley´s countenance must surely have shown the gravity of the situation as he moved swiftly toward Spur, Texas, to get help for his wife, Lucinda as she labored to give birth to their eighth child. At the age of 36, Lucinda was placed in her grave in Dickens, Texas, with her unborn child still within.

Charley had already lost his first born child, Edna May, in death while he was working a job in New Mexico. Now, he had lost his wife and was left with six children for whom he must care. But Charley was a strong man, and his older children later reported that at the time of their mother´s death, Charley knelt down and wept openly at the burial, but that they then all got up, went home and went on with their lives.

Like many families during the early part of the century, the Charley Austins were really poor, but a good family and very proud. The children did have to grow up without the things mothers do for them----things that really nobody else can do as well. Kissing, hugging, rocking them to sleep, tucking them in bed, and always being there to depend on. Doing little things for each individual just to make him or her feel special just because he or she is. The lack of such motherly touches seems sad, which it was, but the one thing the young Austins did have was a dad who loved them very much.

Charley was a farmer and a builder of tanks. Following his wife´s death, he went to work to make a living for himself and his children, continuing to move his family around from job to job. It did not seem to have ever entered his mind that he could not provide what was needed....so he did. And he would have never allowed anyone to have one of his children to raise. His family never had a lot and apparently they did not attend church, but they were provided for and taught values and rules to live by.

Because Charley had to work, the older children took on different roles in the family. Veto was the oldest and the boss. George seemed to fill some maternal roles, and Emma and Pearl helped in the kitchen. Each child had their own place to sleep and a particular person with whom they slept. L. D. was the youngest, and he slept with his Dad. Jay with Veto and George; and Pearl and Emma together. Charley seemed to always be in control of his children, but one time when he was away, the kids got in a fight. Jay kicked Emma on the leg and made a big skinned place. When she saw her dad coming, she ran to tell him about her leg. The leg got really sore, and later Jay said he was surely glad when it got well, because as his Dad dressed it each day, he would look at him really hard.

Charley raised all his children until they were grown. During this time, the family lived in tents and moved the tents from one tank to another. They used mules and friznoes to dig the tanks. And, they kept dogs to keep off the rattlers and coyotes. During these times, almost no one had a car. People traveled in covered wagons, so they could get in out of the weather. Charley would take his children and go out on the plains of west Texas, to Idalou, Littlefield, Post and other places to find work. All towns had a wagon yard, where the people coming through town parked their wagons and horses. The Austin children would play together near the wagons while Charley worked.

Charley played the violin and guitar, and during the depression he earned money playing at dances. He taught each of his sons to play. They all could play by ear, which is a real talent, and could pick a tune on the piano. When Charley made music at dances, he carried the kids along with him. He did however, supervise them. Pearl later said that it was understood that if the girls started out a door, their dad would be right after them. He would buy the teenage boys a beer, but not give them any money to buy more. And if they did manage to have a little too much, he would carry them home and put them to bed himself. All the family liked to dance together. The girls had rather dance with their Dad than anyone else. They were all good at it too.

While the children were still at home, Charley married a younger woman named Opal, who had one daughter. Well, the boys had always lived with their dad....he was their home, and when Opal moved in and made it her home, they were very upset. They didn´t think she was nice to them or to her own child either. Charley and Opal later separated and were not together at the time of his death.

Charley was a rugged individualist, and his family thought highly of him. After his death, his daughter Pearl said, "Dad may have kept us poor, but he made us a family and kept us together." On February 13, 1932, Charley Austin died and was buried in Dickens, Dickens County, Texas.

My dad, Charlie Edward Austin, was born in Eastland, Texas in 1877. My mother, Lucinda Brock was born in 1879. They married in 1898. Dad´s father was Steven Austin. We kids decided we might be kin to Steven F. Austin of Texas history, later decided we were not. Papa and Mama had seven children, Edna May, who died before we were born. Veto was born September 19, 1901. George was born August 22, 1903. I was born September 1, 1905. Next Emma was born June 28, 1907. Rube Lee was born May 26, 1909. L.D. arrived December 12, 1911.

Veto was 12 years old and L.D. was 2 years old when Mama died. We were lost without her. After Mam´s death, Papa stopped going to church and started going to dances. We loved going. Papa and the boys played fiddle and guitar for dances. Looking back on our lives, there are many good memories because of our family´s love. That love has lasted through the years.

Veto became a wonderful husband and dad. He married Aleene Slack, Spur, having a girl who died a youngster and two sons. He always wanted to be a cowboy, and that is what he was. He and his family worked on the Swenson Ranch for years. He and Aleene cooked for ranchers and he rode with the men sometimes. He finally quit ranch work and moved to Spur. He died from cancer in 1975. George farmed around Spur. He married Lillian Randal, Spur. They had one baby that died at birth. They have always lived in Spur. Veto was our second dad and George our second mother and at age 82 he still is a mother hen to us.

I am next remembering keeping house and cooking. The boys would bend over the rub board. I married Walter Ellard when I was seventeen. We had two children. Charles passed away in 1968. I am 80 years old, living alone in a cottage on my daughter´s property in New York. I babysat a little boy and earn a nice salary. Now comes Em. Always a tomboy, climbing and keeping up with the boys. She was a tease and tattle tale, telling Papa on the boys. She always had something for us to laugh at. She could make us so mad too. Papa would bring home candy to divide. We ate ours and Em saved hers, eating it in front of us. Now Rube Lee (Jay). He was our mystery brother. When Mama died he was four and Papa had taken Mama to the hospital to have a baby and she died. We were with grandparents in Dickens when someone came to tell us. We were crying. But our little Jay was under a table where he crawled to be alone, sitting very quiet and still. We were grown when our Papa died and Jay was just as quiet then. Jay married Audeen Simmons and they have two girls.

Last comes L.D. A baby when Mama died, we spoiled him. He was 21 when Papa died. L.D. moved to Arizona and met Georgia. They had eight children.

------Pearl Austin Stovall
Source: "Dickens County, Its Land and People", Dickens County Historical Commission, ©1986

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Additional Information & Documentation

CHARLEY AUSTIN SUFFERS LOSS OF EYE BY GUN SHOT WOUND
©The Texas Spur 5-31-1929

Sunday afternoon Charley Austin suffered the loss of one of his eyes by the back-firing of a 22 target rifle. He had gone out from his camp between Paducah and Matador to shoot rabbits. In firing the gun the explosion pushed the shell from the breech of the gun, striking Charley in the eye. He was carried first to Paducah, then to Matador, and then on to Spur before he was given medical attention and relief, being now under the care of Dr. Blackwell who is an eye, ear and nose specialist.

While very little hopes are entertained in saving the eye, yet it is sincerely hoped by his many old time friends that Charley may not lose the eye completely.

OLD TIMER KILLS BIG DIAMOND RATTLER
The Texas Spur 6-7-1929

Last week C.E. Austin, of Spur, killed a big diamond rattlesnake, near his tanking camp between Matador and Paducah.

The above picture shows Charley holding up the snake. The rattler was six feet long, measured thirteen inches around, weighed seventeen pounds, and had twelve rattlers with a number broken off.

Charley Austin has been living here thirty nine years, coming to Dickens County in the early days of its settlement. This very probably is not the first time he ever heard the rattle of a snake, and no doubt he in the years past has also heard the "howl of the wolf" on occasions. He is now and for several years past, has been engaged in building stock tanks for the Swenson and other ranch interest of this section of the country.

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