W-1896IL-PPM.DOC

PROUD OF MY POPA

(written by Ila age 85, 03-08-1981)

Being house bound because of illness one has few alternatives; read, write and reminisce, and sit in my easy chair and watch the cars, trucks, pickups, vans and what have you roll up and down Penn Ave.

Recently my thoughts have dwelt on our first real home on West Hall next to City Park, which later became Chautauqua Park, and our new home which Papa built.

We arrived in Oberlin on June 6, 1904, after living in Dresden for two months. The left-over merchandise from our father's store in Ringwood, OK, had been shipped by freight via Rock Island RR after selling the merchandise to Lance Alexander we came on to Oberlin. Our first rented home owned by Mr Vale was up Griffith Ave, a block south of Hi-way 36. This house was torn down years ago. Our second rented house was at 309 W Commercial, west of the Methodist Church. Our sister Margaret was born in this house, June 15, 1905.

In the Register of Deeds office it is recorded in Book 33-330, "F. M. (Francis Marian) and Julia Bobbitt received the deed dated Oct 2, 1905 at 3:05 pm to lots 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10, Block 19 Summit Add to Oberlin. Purchase price was $1200 - Paid $600 down; mortgage for $600." The previous owner was a Mr Witham.

It would seem that our Papa had dreams from the very beginning. Apparently he started the new house at 705 W Hall, soon after our moving to the property in the fall of 1905. In the 75 years ago item in the Oberlin Herald recently it stated "Mr Bobbitt is erecting a house east of the City Park." I remember that our Father helped to build the new Chis Mines home on his farm northwest of Oberlin, because our first telephone conversation was with him when he called from the Mines home to our neighbors the Jim Mahannas. We did not have a phone yet. What a thrill to talk to him.

The new house was practically finished by the spring of 1906. It had been a cold, wet spring and our father had taken a cold, resulting in a condition which could not be conquered by Oberlin Doctors. He was taken to Christs Hospital in Topeka; (now Stormant Vale) where he died June 3 1906. A post mortem was performed and was diagnosed mastoid. Medical technology at that time had not reached the point of a cure. So it was that in less than eight months after our move to our home by the Park our Papa was gone. He had built for us a new home which we were all able to enjoy until we were all married and gone from home. Our mother rented out the new house for 8 or 9 years. A bedroom was added, built by Geo McMullen, as we were becoming grown up young folks, and looked forward to moving into the newer home, which we did around 1915. Dad and I were married in this house Feb 15, 1920. Our mother lived here until her death of a heart attach Sept 9, 1936.

In more recent years the house has been paneled, remodeled, to include modern facilities and is very attractive. Brother Ray built a house in between our "new house" and the one next to the Park. This old home has also been remodeld and is extremely attractive.

Our Papa was a natural musician, playing any instrument he picked up. His favorite was the violin. He bro't it, and his cornet, harpsicord and his big base drum from Oklahoma. He would play our old pedal organ while one of us held his harp in his mouth from over his shoulders. That was an "orchestra" in itself.

PROUD OF MY MOMMA

written by Ila age 86, 08-15-1982)

Sometime ago while I was recuperating from an illness my thoughts seemed to center on the home at 705 W Hall which our father had just completed before his death in June 1906. I was married in this home and our mother passed away in the home. I had the inspiration to write "Proud of my Papa", at this time.

I am equally proud of my Moma. It was always Papa and Moma in those days. Her parents both died in Marble Rock, Iowa, when she was very, very young. She lived with her grandparents, her Aunt Em Rosencrans and Uncle Will Comstock until she was grown. She had the courage, faith and stamina to withstand the trials and hardships which were her lot for a good part of her life.

She taught school in Iowa and later came to Sutherland, Nebraska, to visit her Aunt Lucy Gummere. She taught one term in that vicinity. Her hand writing was beautiful. I have never seen any which was as nearly perfect. Her marriage certificate is filled out in her own handwriting. She met our father, Francis Bobbitt, who was farming in this vicinity. They were married March 23-1890. Two children, a little girl Marvel and a little boy Willie died in infancy. Brother Ray was born in Nebraska, a healthy one. Oklahoma, or Indian Territory then, was open for claims and homesteads. Wanting to try it out, our father went to Indian Territory in the spring of 1894. Mother followed later with year old Ray, driving a covered wagon. I was born near Tulsa in 1896. The family later moved to Walthal, a post office grocery store town, where Earl and Hazel were born. Then later to Ringwood, when our father gave up farming after an injury. Father and mother ran a grocery-drygoods store until the urge to come to Kansas was too great. Mother used to say "We could become nicely settled on one place, when it was up and move again". She always seemed to take it in stride.

We landed in Dresden via Rock Island in April 1904, and on to Oberlin June 6. Then it was that Papa bought the home at 709 W Hall in 1905 and built the new house at 705 W Hall, on vacant lots. His death in Christ's Hospital in Topeka took him at such a young age, not quite 38 in June 1906. Then again our mother must muster up her courage and faith to carry on alone to care for her five young children. Sister Margret was born in Oberlin June 15-1905. Ray was 12, I was 10, Earl 8, Hazel 6 and Margaret nearly 1 year old. I can never remember "going hungry". We had three cows and chickens at our home next to the old Chautauqua Park. These helped a lot to feed us. To help with expenses mother did sewing and ironing at home for other people. At mealtime we all sat down together at the table and bowed our heads while mother asked the blessing. These are fond memories as it seemed in later years that school activities, jobs or whatever prevented us from always gathering at the table at the same time.

Mama continued to live in the home which our Papa built until all the children had left the nest and until her death Sept 9-1936. On Sunday Sept 6, after Phyllis's 9th birthday on the 4th, we were having a family dinner at our home at 306 W Oak. The boys were enjoying a card game and we girls just visiting in the afternoon when Moma said if we didn't mind she believed she would go home. The boys wanted to take her home but being the wonderful mother she was, she insisted on walking. She walked everyplace she went in those days. She suffered the heart attach that evening. She lived until brother Earl arrived from St Louis on Wednesday eve Sept 9.

Ila "celebrated" the 4th of July Statue of Liberty centennial with her two daughters in her room at the Decatur County hospital. She was recovering from a Gaul Stone operation some two weeks after being taken to the hospital from her room in the Good Samaritan Home where she celebrated her 90th birthday in Feb. Aug 12 she was moved from the Hospitals Extended Care Unit back to the Home. Her oldest daughter Phyllis and son visited her the weekend of Aug 17th. Lee, Jack and Cecilia Kump helped gather information on their family for this document while across the street from the Home at "Ila's" house. The next evening Darrell visited with Phyllis, Paula & George Brown at their home in Castle Rock Colo. Paula left to start her Sr year at college.