Palestine High School Alumni Association

Alma Vossler Austin

Alma Vossler Austin

10 / 02 / 1894  –  03 / 01 / 1975

Alma Vossler Austin died March 1, 1975 in Macon, Illinois. She was buried in New Salem Cemetery near Couch, Missouri close to her husband of 36 years, Amory Earl Austin Sr.

She was born in Palestine October 2, 1894, a daughter of John William and Rena Priscilla Mears Vossler.

The Vossler family, Alma and older brother, James Mears Vossler, lived in Palestine at 814 Magnolia St. at the 1900 census. The census also reports that Alma’s father, John, is a stenographer and that they own their home.

The 1910 census repoarts that Alma’s mother Rena is 42 years old, born in Texas of parents born in Missouri and North Carolina. Alma’s father is 46 years old, born in Missouri with parents born in Germany. He is a clerk for the railroad and owns his house. Rena and her husband had only two children and have been married 19 years. Alma is 15, born in Texas. Her brother, James M. is 18, born in Texas.

The 1917 Houston Texas City Directory lists John W. Vossler, stationer for I. & G.N. residing at 1603 Crawford in Houston, Texas. Alma Vossler is boarding there.

The 1920 census shows Alma’s mother, Rena Vossler, 51 years old, as a roomer in the home of Mattie McBride on East Rusk (#203) in Marshall, Texas. With them is Rena’s husband, John W. Vossler 55 years old, who is an agent at a railroad station. Also there is Alma Vossler who is 25 years old. Rena’s sister Kate and her mother Mary and son James are no longer living with them. James is living elsewhere [He had married and had a son in 1918].

Alma married Amory Earl Austin on November 22, 1921 in Houston, Texas. A son, Amory Earl Austin Jr. was born September 9, 1922 in Dallas.

The 1930 census shows the family living at 4149 McKinney Ave. in Dallas. They are renting at $25/month and own a radio set. Amory is 34 years old, married at 26, born in Missouri of a father born in Illinois and a mother born in Missouri. He was working for an oil company. He was a veteran of WW1. Their son, Amory Jr., is 7 years old.

After several years they moved to Chicago, Il. Later (perhaps when Amory retired before 1958) they moved to Mountain View, Mo.

Her husband died on July 3, 1958 in St. Francis Hospital, Mountain View, Mo. and was buried next to his father in New Salem Cemetery near Couch, Mo. At the time of his death he had two granddaughters, a cousin, and a son.

Alma continued to live in Mountain View, Mo. for a while after the death of her husband.

In the Spring of 1964 she went to as meeting of the St. Clair chapter of Easter Star. Her first cousin Cecilia Mueller was being awarded a 50-year pin for her service in the Easter Star. A newspaper article reported this event. At the time Alma was living in Mountain View, Mo.

She applied for a Social Security number in 1965 when she was living in Macon, Macon County, Il, just south of Decatur. She was living at the Eastern Star home there.

Source: AOL Hometown Erven T. Thoma