CAVE-IN-ROCK, Ill. (Jan. 3, 1935) — Mrs Phoebe Irene Oldham of
Cave-in-Rock now 87 years of age on Tuesday January 1935. the anniversary of
the birth of Mrs. Phoebe Irene Oldham was celebrated at the home of her son,
Fleet Oldham near Cave-in-Rock. Mrs. Oldham was born 1 January 1848 near
Herod in Hardin County, but near the Pope County line. Her father was David
S. Watkins who was born near Louisville, Kentucky. Her grandather's home was
in a fort which was built as a protection for the white settlers against the
raids of the Indians. Two older brothers of her father were killed by
Indians when eleven and thirteen years of age. After this the grandfather
brought the remainder of his family down the Ohio river and established a
new home in Hardin County, Illinois. Mrs. Oldham's mother, who before her
marriage was Susan Walston, was born and raised in Saline County, Illinois..
Mrs. Oldham was the thrid child in the family, having had four brothers and
four sisters. Besides herself there is only one other member of the family
living. This is her brother D.W. Watkins, whose home is in Chicago, and who
has been superintendent of the Carbolic Acid Gas Plant there for the pst
five years.
When she was only three years of age, her parents moved to Elizabethtown and
there her girlhood was spent. In 1867, at the age of nineteen she then
married Henry Hoewischer who was a Civil War Veteran. After their marriage
they lived in Cairo, Illinois for two years. From there they came to
Golconda,where they resided for a time, before returning to Elizabethtown,
where they again made their home.
To this union were botn three children. They were Harry, who is a foreman of
a cotton mill in Tiptonville, Tennessee; Phillip who is in the government
employ at Owensboro, Kentucky and a daughter, Maude, who died at the age of
five years.
Mr. Hoewischer died in December 1874 leaving the subject of this narrative
with three small children. Three years later after his death, the little
daughter Maude, above mentioned, died from the effects of burns she received
when the family home burned.
On October 10, 1878, Mrs. Hoewischer married a second time. Her second
husband was Thomas Oldham, who was also a Veteran of the Civil War. Mr.
Oldham was a farmer and continued at that occupation until shortly before
his death. They at first made their home at Elizabethtown, but afterwards
lived on a farm near there for a time. In 1904, however, they moved to Wayne
City, Illinois, where they resided until Mr. Oldham's death in 1911. To this
union was born one son, C. Fleetwood Oldham. His home was also in Wayne
City. The mother, for the second time, became a widow, made her home with
him and his family. They all remained in Wayne City until 1914 when the
family returned to their native county and made their home on the farm a
short distance east of Cave-in-Rock where they now live.
There are ten grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren connected with the
Hoewischer family, whose homes are in various places in Illinois, Kentucky,
Tennessee and Ohio.
The only grandlchild of the Oldham family is Mrs Ted Frayser who with her
husband and their little son, Jimmie, also makes their home on the farm with
the grandmother and parents. In her youth Mrs. Oldham united with the
General Baptist Church at Mt. Zion in this county. When she moved to Wayn
County, she transferred her membership to the Methodist church there. It
remained there until the 25th of November 1934, when she was received into
the Christian Church here, where her daughter-in-law Mrs Fleet Oldham
belongs.
During her earlier years, when the Rebecca Lodge was organied here, Mrs.
Oldham was a very active member and took a leading part in the activities of
the order, having passed through all the chairs before moving to Wayne City.
At the time of her first atttendance at the lodge at that place, she was
honored by being requested to fill the chair of Post Grand during an
initiation ceremony of several new members.
Mrs. Oldham has an excellent memory. The family records which she left in
her care by her mother were lost in the fire which destroyed the home some
years ago. All of the data for this sketch were furnished by her from
memory. Her health has been good and she tells us she has not found it
necessary to call a physician for twenty years except once when a cow
stepped on one of her feet, crushing the bones of the foot and ankle. On
account of this accident she has not been so active of late years. Her sight
and hearing are somewhat impaired, but she is still able to do many things
in spite of these handicaps. We are sure that the many friends of this fine
old lady who cames of some of the best pioneer stock of this county, joins
us in wishing her many more happy birthdays.
Thanks to Wanda H. Reed for contributing this article to the Hardin County
ILGenWeb site. The Hardin County Independent first published this article on
January 3, 1935.
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