Person:Edith Collins (1)

The History of My Life, as I remember up to June 1942. (no date)

  Edith Hester Collins was born in Topsy, Mercer Co., Missouri on November 18, 1882, the daughter of Francis Thomas and Sarah Ann Lynam Collins, the fourth or middle daughter of a family of seven girls.
  Mary Fenton Collins born October 22, 1874, and passed away in 1894 in her twentieth year.   Sue Mattie Collins born February 28, 1877.  Married Henry Henderson June 12, 1898.
  Malinda Jane Collins born August 18, 1881 and passed away in her eighth year.
  Edith Hester Collins born November 18, 1883.  Married Albert Orestus Andrews March 14, 1901.
  Eliza Ann Collins born August 19, 1886 and passed away 1896.
  Emma Belle Collins was born October 11, 1889.  Date of death June 20, 1891.
  Leona Dale Collins was born January 18, 1893.  Married Hershel Stephens.  Passed away January 11, 1962.
  At the age of four years my folks moved to Mill Grove, Mo.  We lived there until the death of my father, March 15, 1894.
  After his death we went to live with my grandparents, Mr. Richard Lee and Mary Jane Lynam.  In 1898, with my grandparents, uncle, aunt and two sisters we came to Kansas.  We traveled in covered wagons.  It took two weeks to make the trip.  We moved to a farm 8 miles north of Howard, Kansas known as the Mills place.  We lived there for one year.  In September of that year I started to school at Fair View staying with Levi Kling for the school term.  In 1899 we lived one and one-half mile west of Howard in the Bonor Dist.  I started to school and went until Christmas vacation.  At that time I quit school and went to work for Mrs. Sant Anderson for $1.50 per week.  I worked there until in July when I went home for awhile to help my mother.  In September 1900, I went to Severy to help my sister for awhile.  On March 14, 1901 I was married to Albert Andrews.  We went to house keeping on a farm known as the Clark place south west of Howard.  Lived there until in October of that year.  At that time we subrented a farm from Frank Blizzard, three miles north of town and lived there for one year.
  In 1903 we moved one mile north of Moline, Kansas, in December of that year we bought a farm consisting of eighty acres and moved there immediately.  We traded livestock for this place.  So when we moved to our new home we had a team of horses, one cow, five brood sows and fifty hens.  This farm proved to be a good stock farm, so we did well the three years we were there.
  In 1907 we sold this place to Mrs. Lilly Hostetler and on the 15th of February with my sister, Lewis, Lee, Alma and Ernest we moved to Goodwell, Okla.  where we bought a relinquishment on a 160 acre farm, “still own this farm”.  This farm was bare, no water, no fences and only a little ten by twelve shack.   We lived there for a few days with chicken coops, side boards and other things leaned against the north side of the house to make a shelter for the hens, a tarpolin on the south side to shelter the things we could not get in the house and also to shelter the horses in stormy weather.  In a few days we built twelve feet more on the house, we had no screens so the hens would come in and lay their eggs on the bed.  While we were still living in the little house we hired a well drilled so we would not have to haul water.
  In June we finished our new house.  Three rooms and a basement.  We moved into the house and turned the old one into a barn.  The first year we were there we raised a good crop, but we only had twenty acres broke out.  The next two years the crops were poor.  Albert worked for other people, broke sod, harvested, did carpenter work and any king of work he could find to do to help us to get along.  We lived there for three years, then moved to Pratt, Kans.  Stayed there one year and worked for a contractor, Harry Duckworth.
  In 1911 we moved to the Dr. Hartner place, known as the Phillips place, paying $300.00 for the same, lived in the house three years.  We sold this place to James Fouts and bought the place we now own.  We lived in this house for twelve years, then we rented a farm three miles south of Howard and lived there for seven years.  In 1949 we moved back to our own home in Howard.

  "Granny" crocheted each grandchild a small cup and saucer as a keepsake.

1. ↑ Obituary - THE HOWARD CURRANT-CITIZEN, July 12, 1962
   Andrews
   Edith Hester Andrews was born at Topsy, Mercer County, Missouri on Nov. 18, 1882 and died at her home in Howard, Kansas on July 6, 1962.
   The daughter of Francis Thomas and Sarah Ann Lynam Collins, she was the fourth of their seven girls. One sister Sue Mattie Henderson of Severy, KS. survives.
   When she was 12 years old, after the death of her father she went with her family to live with her grandparents, Richard Lee and Mary Jane Lynam.
   In 1898 she came to Ks. with her grandfather, when he brought his family here to live on a farm north of Howard. The group of ten traveled in covered wagons from Mill Grove, Mo. and arrived in Howard in two
   weeks.
   She attended Fairview and Banner schools.
   On March 14, 1901 she was married to Albert Andrews and they made their home in and around Howard all of their lives except for a few years when they lived near Goodwell, Oklahoma and at Pratt, KS.
   They were parent of 9 children, 7 daughters and 2 sons. Mr. Andrews died Feb. 1, 1949.
   Mrs. Andrews was a member of the Methodist Church and a charter member of the Berean Sunday School class.
   In the nearly 80 years she lived, she was constantly giving love and attention to those around her. One of her greatest pleasures was visits from her 24 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren whose activities she followed with avid interest. As she grew older, she spent much time in quilting, crocheting and embroidering cherished gifts for her children and friends.
   She leaves to mourn her passing her children: Emaline Leonard, Beulah Shepherd, Bernadine Weyrauch, and Mary Ellen Snodderly of Howard, Ks. Iva Jane Jordan, Los Animas, Colorado, Richard Andrews, Sonoma, Calif. Eunice Rhodes, Topeka, Ks., Clarice Anderson, Takoma Park, Maryland, Albert Andrews, Wichita, Ks., and their families.
   Funeral services were held at the Spurrier-Watt Funeral Home, Howard on Monday, July 9, conducted by the Rev. Clarence L. Harder of the Howard Methodist Church. Interment was in Grace Lawn Cemetery Howard, Ks.