Albert Clarence Auston was born on May 4, 1886 in Grafton, Illinois. He was the eldest of four children of Benjamin Callaway Austin (and Laura Stockton. His parents died in about 1891, when he was about 6 years old. He and his siblings were "farmed out" to the sisters of their father and relatives of their mother. Albert was raised by his aunt Mahala Austin DeWees and her husband, Louis DeWees in Alton, Illinois.In the 1900 census, Albert was living with the DeWees family at 312 Belle Street in Alton. At that time, the family included Louis and Mahala, five of their children and Albert. Although he was actually only 14 years old at the time, he is listed as age 21 and was working as a "glass laborer."
Albert was featured in the Alton newspapers for various reasons during his life:
In 1905, as Albert DeWees, he sued the Queen City Quarry Company for $1500 for injuries he received on the job.
In February 1906, Albert was a participant in a 1 mile ice skating race, finishing 3 seconds behind Ed Miller of Upper Alton.
In 1907, there was a notice in the paper that he had left to make Denver his new home. It wasn't specified if it was Denver, Colorado or Denver, Illinois.
He was back in Alton in 1908 when he was featured in an article about a reunion with his long-lost sister. The article stated that his parents had both died 17 years before, leaving 4 children. Two of the children had died in that time. His sister, Belle, had been only 3 months old when their parents died. Their uncle, Otis Stockton, helped them reunite. He found out the family to whom Belle had been given. She was apparently "handed about" to several families as the result of deaths of the heads of the families, and had married a Mr. Jackson when she was 16 years old. Albert is reported to be age 20 at this time (he was actually 22).
At some point before 1910, he served in the Illinois Naval Militia for 7 years (according to his WWI draft registration).
In 1910, Albert was arrested after getting into a fight at the Jerseyville train station. He reportedly had his hand slashed by a knife, then fled and caught the train back to Alton, where he was arrested.
In October 1916, Albert was working in the Illinois Powder Company factory near Grafton when about 50 tons of dynamite exploded, destroying the plant. He was listed in the newspaper as having had a nail blown into his side near his heart.
When he registered for the draft in June 1917, Albert listed his occupation as a laborer at the Illinois Powder Manufacturing Company. He also reported that he had lost one eye.
On September 25, 1917 Albert married Eva Johnson in Alton at the Justice of the Peace. The article stated that the couple would make Grafton their home.
In January 1918, Albert had another work accident at the Powder Company. He was burned in the face by ammonia.
In 1923, he was reported to have "moved to Roxana" after working at the Powder Plant in Grafton for nine years.
In April 1924, Albert purchased a shoe repair shop in Grafton.
In 1925, he was elected constable in Grafton.
In 1929, the Austins were involved in an interesting real estate exchange. They moved into the Legate property in Upper Grafton, which they purchased. The Legates moved into the house they purchased from the Cresswells, who moved into the house vacated by the Austins.
By 1935, Albert was a dealer of both ice and coal in Grafton at Klinke Ice & Fuel Company. He was also working as a "truckman." He had a radio stolen out of his truck while it was in his garage. It is about this time that the spelling of his last name changed from Austin to Auston. His daughter, Bernadine, told me that he changed the name because he had a fight with a cousin, A.J. Austin. As far as I can tell, the only cousins he would have had would have been from his father's sisters, whose last names were Fox, DeWees and LaMarsh. His father did not have any brothers that survived to adulthood. A.J. may have been a 2nd cousin or otherwise related, but I have not found any Austin relatives other than his father and grandfather.
In May 1937, Albert was driving his truck near Grafton at 1 am, when a man stepped out into the road to hitch a ride. Albert struck the pedestrian and killed him. A coroner's inquest found the death an accident.
Albert and Eva had three daughters and two sons:
Bernadine Auston (1914-2011), married Frank Fosha, had children Jon, Jane, and Ann.
Benjamin Clarence (1918-1982), married Mildred Vinson, had children Clarence and James.
June Marie (1920-2006), married Walter W Ketchum, had children Walter, Charles and Kenneth.
Louis A (1925-1997), married Alma Forbes, had children Jeffrey and Jan.
Sue Ann (1931-1995), married Valgene Harmon, had children Janet, Paula, James and Jeannie.
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| Albert and Eva Auston (front) Gene and Susie Harmon, Mildred and Benjamin Clarence Auston (back) |
Albert Auston died on May 3, 1953, at 11:55 pm, 5 minutes before his 67th birthday. His obituary stated that he was a member of the Masonic Lodge at Grafton. His funeral was at the Grafton Methodist Church. He was buried at Scenic Hill Cemetery in Grafton.
