A Natural

Himself is pretty funny. Should have been a comedy writer. I don't dig because I'm stubborn (or keep digging, is more accurate as anyone can start to dig but not everyone finishes). I dig because I'm a natural. I come by it honestly as my Great Grandfather Austin and his sons were ditch diggers. They were scallywags and moved all around a three or four state area but for awhile, around the turn of the 20th century, they lived near Shannon City, Iowa and hired out to dig ditches.

As it turns out, I'm glad they were ditch diggers as they were hired to do a job for George Washington Wilson, established farmer, over by Arispe. One of the Austin "boys", Robert, or RB as he was called, had his head turned by a little bit of a gal, George W.'s daughter, Mattie Jane. Great Grampa Wilson wasn't too enthused about his daughter marrying a ditch digger by the name of Austin but Mr. Wilson had 14 children and evidently Mattie had her mind made up so what was a man to do?

Robert Briggs Austin and Martha Jane Wilson were married July 5, 1907 at Creston, Iowa and also moved around alot, looking for the better life. They had five boys of their own and two daughters. Their third son, Forrest, was my dad who dug a few ditches in his lifetime. So, if it hadn't been for those Austins digging ditches for Great Grampa Wilson, I would have been someone else and wouldn't be a natural at digging. Then it would have been Himself having to do the digging as I'm sure most wives won't. Ain't he a lucky dog? . . . the other side