Memories of my early life by Annie Gompf

Feb 28 2009
My parents were James & Lenore Lincoln , they imgrated to Canada, from Illinois, USA. Both of them were born near Rushville Illinios. They both were from farming communities. My father was born closer to the town of Littleton Ill. & he was the third youngest of ten children. His mother Annie( Palmer) Lincoln died when he was 14 years old of compliations from red measles. His father married again. My dad & his youngest brother, Tom, lived part time with their eldest sister Mollie Gay after their mothers death. His education was only as high as grade 3. He had to go out to work with his older brothers, I am not sure what his employment was.

My mother became a school teacher and was able to teach after she finished her grade 8 education . She went to summer school every summer for which she recieved a certificate for each subject she took. The copies of some of these I gave to her grandson Murray Lincoln when she passed away. Her trunk which she brought to Canada had many memories which I kept, & sent on to a niece Darla who put them in a book . Letters from her family, also old post cards her pupils had given her. They were well worn as my brother Clifford & I played with & really enjoyed them on cold winter days for mother would retreive them from the attic. They were safefly put back each time for safe keeping. Darla has them in a nice album.

Mother taught in country schools, for 7 years. She met my father when she boarded at his sisters, Molly Gay home. Aunt Molly, who was formerly, Mary Lincoln, she was the eldest of(grandpa Lincolns family) she was married to David (Dave) Gay & they had 9 children. My mother, Lenore Phillips, taught many of Mollies children. Her youngest son Robert(Bob) started school his first year with my mother. Bob had a store in Duchess AB near where, I now live. Before Bob passed away he told me when he started school he was sure he could get away with anything as his uncle Jim was going with his teacher, but he said he was wrong, he wasn't treated any different than the others students.