|
Written by Craig B. Adams
|
|
Jun 18, 2006 at 09:04 PM |
Austie M. (Griffith) Walter (1890 - 1973)
 Austie M. Griffith was born on February 16, 1890 in Ryot (Oak Shade), St. Clair Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Richard Sylvester and Rachel (Corle) Griffith.
Austie was the youngest of seven children. Her sister Jesse, the second youngest, died in infancy.
Austie grew up in Ryot where her father was the local blacksmith.
Her sister Savannah married in 1898, and her sister Emma married in 1904. They both removed to Portage in Cambria County. Her sister Carrie married in 1899 and also removed to Cambria County for a time before settling in Ohio.
In March 1907 her sister Nettie gave birth to a daughter out of wedlock. Nettie remained at home, and her parents helped raise her daughter Viola Griffith.
On July 27, 1908 Austie, like Nettie, gave birth to a daughter out of wedlock. She remained at home where her parents helped raise her daugher, whom she named Carrie Griffith after her sister.
About 1910 she married Harry B. Walter. He was born on April 10, 1889 in Adams Township, Cambria County, the son of Abram and Lizzie (Belzner) Walter. It is not known if Harry was the father of Carrie, but by marrying Austie, he made an honest woman out of her, as the saying goes. Austie's sister Nettie married in 1910 as well.
Austie and Harry were the parents of three children: Barbara Elizabeth Walter, Lottie Mae (Walter) Fallier, and Harold E. "Dizz" Fallier.
Their daugher Barbara died in 1917 at about the age of 6.
Austie and Harry raised their children in Sidman, Adams Township, Cambria County.
In 1930 her daughter Carrie resided with her sister Nettie in Windber, Somerset County. Carrie and her cousin Viola were employed as nurses. Carrie married David Cornelius. They resided in Johnstown, and raised their two daughters: Helen (Cornelius) Oyler and Jane Cornelius. After David's death in 1970, she remarried to Daniel Schnable and removed to Alexandria, Virginia.
Austie's father Richard died in 1917 at the age of 63. Her mother Rachel remarried to George McFarland, an aged widower in 1921, but he died the following year. She remarried again to another widower, John Wesley Callihan, but their marriage ended in an unhappy divorce. Her mother died in Ryot in 1934 at age 76.
Austie's sisters Emma and Savannah both died of breast cancer, Emma at age 49 and Savannah at age 63. Carrie, Nettie, Sewell, and Austie, however lived long lives.
Her daugher Lottie married Melvin M. Hull. they had two children, Edward and Charlotte. Melvin died in December 1943 at the age of 32. Lottie remarried to William Fallier and had three more children: William F. Fallier, Karen L. Fallier, and Mary Jean (Fallier) Vinglas.
Harold "Dizz" served in the military during World War II. He married Margaret L. Smith, and they had four children. Harold added an "s" to the end of his name, so his children were named Richard H. Walters, William H. Walters, Marsha Lynn (Walters) Hartrick, and Ronald D. Walters. Dizz was employed as the postmaster at the US Post Office in Sidman.
Harry died on May 9, 1962 at Windber Hospital, Windber, Somerset County. He was 73.
On February 16, 1970 Austie celebrated her 80th birthday, joining her octogenarian siblings, Carrie, Nettie, and Sewell. Later that year Sewell died at age 84, followed in 1971 by Nettie at age 87, and Carrie in 1972 at age 91. As luck would have it, Austie died the following year.
On May 25, 1972 Austie, the last of her immediate family, died at her home in Sidman. She was 83.
Austie was a very kind woman and fondly remembered by her family. She and Harry are buried in Dunmyer Cemetery, Salix, Adams Township, Cambria County.
Austie and Harold were the grandparents of 11 children.
|
|
Last Updated ( Jun 24, 2006 at 08:42 PM )
|
|
Griffith 
