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- CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF GROWING UP IN AUSTIN, (CHICAGO) ILLINO
By Sarah Bassett Andrew Brink
I remember Grandmother Worthley, my great grandmother, that is. She
seemed a very old lady to me, yet vigorous and sharp. She told me that she had
17 brothers and sisters, the oldest of whom she had never seen, since he was
grown and went west before she was born. He had joined the Mormons, I think
she said.
Aunt Lide (Olive Eliza) I also remember. She lived on Pine Avenue in
Austin with her son Roy. I often used to visit her of an afternoon when school
was out. They had a huge dog who seemed to know the days of the week, for on
Friday when his master, Roy, came home after being away all week, the d
always waited for him on the porch. This he never did on any other day of the
week.
Uncle Charlie (Charles Eli Bassett) was a Civil War veteran. He
marched in the Decoration Day parade (and of later years bought new and shiny
rubbers for the occasion). He also spoke at the Decoration Day exercises in
school and had many first hand experiences to tell of his service in the
struggle. Once I spent some time with them. My brother had scarlet fever and I
stayed with Uncle Charlie and Aunt Kate so I could go to school as I was then
in junior high. Yes they had one in Austin in those days. We went to the high
school building for seventh and eighth grades. We also had departmental work.
A gifted group of teachers if I ever saw one. As the population of Aust
grew, they went back to a self-contained room for each grade in each school.
But I was lucky, I think. Anyway as I said, I stayed at uncle Charlie's. As he
was a Civil War buff and a great admirer of Grant, he got out the two volumes
of Grant's memoirs. I had never then and haven't since ever seen tom
large as those seemed to me. Each morning Uncle Charlie set me a section to
read; each evening he questioned me concerning the assignment. It should have
made me dislike history forever; but curiously enough it did nothing of the
sort. I got interested in spite of myself, developed a taste for it and have
enjoyed it ever since.
To go back to Grandmother Worthley. She said she had come here in a
covered wagon; had been very homesick; even longed for the sight of common
yellow dandelions. She expressed this wish to some one who carried the message
back to her mother who sent some seeds in a package to her. She had never used
a sewing machine but made all the clothing by hand. She had received second
sight and could sew all day without glasses when I knew her. She was a tiny
little woman and wore a white cap most of the time. She lived with Grandmother
Bassett in a big house standing where the Austin Y.M.C.A. now stands. T
Benson (Homer) lived just a few houses north of their house. The gingo tree
which someone gave Grandpa Bassett stood in their front yard. When they built
the Y they set one part back in order to preserve the tree. That variety used
to be very rare around here. The yard was surrounded by a beautiful iron
fence, and a wrought iron horse block and carriage steps stood out at t
curb. The side walk was of huge blocks of stone - cement had not yet come in
when that house was built. There was some religious controversy about the use
of cement. Some people thought it presuming on the prerogatives of the Almighty.
Do you think you can make stone like God can? was a frequent question. So my
grandmother told me.
These are just some random recollections that came to my mind as I was
copying this record, and the people came back into my mind and brought
memories that have lain dormant for years. They came alive again and I
remembered with gratitude how much time they gave me; how many ideas they took
the time to explain; and most of all the affection the whole family surrounded
us with.
And this was only half of it. All of my father's family were as close
and as kind. Austin was a small self-contained village, every place was within
walking distance and fear for what might happen to children didn't exist. Why,
who could hurt a child, was what everyone believed.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1842 - 1926 (84 years)