My great-grandparents Henry Austin Carringer (1853-1946) and Abbey Ardelle "Della" Smith (1862-1944) married on 11 September 1887 in Wano, Cheyenne County, Kansas. I told their life stories in ABC Biography of #12 Henry Austin Carringer (1853-1946) of Pennsylvania, Iowa, Colorado and California and ABC Biography of #13 Abbey Ardelle "Della" (Smith) Carringer (1862-1944) of Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and California based on my genealogical and family history research over 38 years.
I don't have any "family stories" about their early life except what is in the records I have from family sources, books and periodicals, and online record collections. Fortunately, I have Della's scrapbook, my grandfather's photo collection from three generations, and a number of records about their life in San Diego.
This is a series of short stories. The earlier stories are:
- "Austin and Della: Life Stories - Part 2: New Beginnings" - AI-Assisted Historical Fiction
- "Austin and Della Life Stories - Part 3: Joy and Sorrow" - AI-Assisted Historical Fiction
- "Austin and Della Life Stories - Part 4: Second Chances" - AI-Assisted Historical Fiction
Part 5: Roots and Branches
The Carringer Family 1900-1920
Loss and Legacy
The new century brought both sorrow and growth to the Carringer household on Watkins Avenue. In December 1901, Austin’s mother Rebecca died of cancer, followed shortly in January 1902 by the death of his father David Jackson Carringer due to kidney and bladder problems. The couple who had journeyed west to see their son's California dream had found their final rest in National City Cemetery, with little Devier's grave.
"They loved this place," Austin said quietly as he and Della stood beside the fresh graves, ten-year-old Lyle holding tightly to his father's hand. "They said California gave them four more years than Colorado would have."
Della squeezed Austin's arm. "They saw you succeed, saw Lyle growing strong. They died knowing their family was prospering."
The loss brought changes to their household. Austin's brother Edgar, now fifty years old and seemingly confirmed in his bachelorhood, moved to a modest house nearby but remained a weekly presence in their lives. He had found part-time work as a clerk for one of the downtown banks, and continued growing fruit trees and selling the produce.
Building and Growing
Austin channeled his grief into creation, as he always had. At Russ Mill and Lumber, his skills had evolved from rough carpentry to fine cabinet and furniture making. His pieces - dining tables with hand-carved legs, bedroom sets with intricate joinery, kitchen cabinets that fit perfectly into San Diego's growing bungalows - were sought after by the city's prosperous families.
At home, he built a greenhouse behind the Victorian house, a glass and timber structure where Della could nurture exotic plants year-round. "Look at this, Austin," she called one morning in 1904, pointing to delicate orchids blooming in the controlled environment. "We can grow anything here. Anything at all."
The garden became Della's domain and passion. She planted orange and lemon trees that perfumed the air with their blossoms, established rose beds that bloomed in succession through the seasons, and created walkways lined with native California plants. Neighbors often stopped to admire the landscaping, and Della found herself informally consulting on their garden projects.
"Mrs. Carringer," her neighbor Mrs. Patterson called over the fence one afternoon, "how do you get your roses to bloom so magnificently?"
"Love and attention," Della replied, deadheading spent blossoms. "Same as raising children or marriages. Tend them daily, and they'll reward you."
(Austin Carringer house in about 1905, from family sources)
A House Full of Family
By 1905, the Carringer household had become a gathering place for extended family. Della's mother Abbie, now in her seventies, had made San Diego her permanent home, occupying the sunny front bedroom upstairs. Her presence brought stability and wisdom to the daily rhythms of family life.
"Grandma Abbie," Lyle would say, sitting beside her on the front porch in the evenings, "tell me about Kansas again."
"Oh, child," she'd reply, her eyes twinkling, "Kansas was wide and wild, but this California paradise is where our family has truly bloomed."
Della's siblings had also found their way west. Her brother David Smith came with his wife and two daughters by 1900, establishing a household nearby and bringing the chaos and joy of young children to family gatherings. Her sister Matie Cramer, recently divorced and determined to make her own way, took a position as a seamstress downtown and became a frequent dinner guest.
"It's like we've recreated the Smith family here in California," Della observed to Austin one Sunday after a particularly crowded family dinner. "Only better, because we all chose to be here."
Lyle's Path
Their son Lyle's transition from childhood to young manhood reflected the opportunities of their adopted city. He attended Sherman primary school, and at age thirteen, he began working part-time as a cash boy at Marston's Department Store, one of San Diego's most prestigious retail establishments. The job required him to race between customers and the cash office, carrying money and making change - work that demanded speed, accuracy, and trustworthiness.
"Mr. Marston says I'm his most reliable cash boy," Lyle proudly reported one evening at dinner. "He's teaching me about inventory and customer service."
Austin nodded approvingly. "Good work builds character, son. And learning business - that's valuable whether you stay in retail or not."
Lyle's education continued at San Diego High School starting in 1913, though he was older than most of his classmates due to his work schedule. He attended classes in the morning and worked at Marston's in the afternoon, a demanding schedule that taught him discipline and time management.
Political Awakening
The 1908-1912 voter registration list included a name that would have been unthinkable just decades earlier: Mrs. Della A. Carringer, Republican. California had granted women the vote in 1911, and Della embraced her civic responsibilities with characteristic determination.
"Austin, you must understand," she said, studying her ballot before the 1912 election, "I lived through the territorial days in Kansas and Nebraska, saw this country grow from coast to coast. Now I finally have a voice in how it's governed."
She attended Republican women's meetings, organized voter registration drives, and corresponded with other politically minded women across the state. Her letters to family back east were filled with observations about California politics and national affairs.
Extended Connections
The family's prosperity and established household made them natural hosts for visiting relatives. Samuel and Elizabeth Crouch, Abbie’s daughter and Della's aunt and uncle from Los Angeles, made regular visits, bringing news of that city's rapid growth. Abbie's family from Nebraska, Kansas, and Oregon made pilgrimages to the California relatives, marveling at the climate and opportunities.
"Every time someone visits," Austin observed, loading another guest bedroom with relatives, "they end up talking about moving here permanently."
Della maintained extensive correspondence with family scattered across the country, her letters serving as a family newsletter that kept everyone connected. She wrote about Lyle's progress, Austin's work, the garden's seasonal changes, and the constant growth of San Diego.
The city grows more beautiful each year, she wrote to her cousin in Kansas. New neighborhoods, electric streetcars, and such modern conveniences. But it's still small enough that we know our neighbors and can walk downtown in twenty minutes.
War and Marriage
The Great War brought changes even to peaceful San Diego. In May 1917, Lyle enlisted in the US Marine Reserves, training at the facilities in Balboa Park while continuing his work at Marston's. The military training gave him confidence and bearing that served him well in civilian life.
"I'm proud of you, son," Austin told him after watching a Marine Reserve parade through downtown. "Serving your country is the highest honor."
It was during his Marine service that Lyle met Emily Auble, a spirited young woman whose family had recently moved to San Diego from the Midwest who also attended San Diego High School. Their courtship was conducted partly through letters when Lyle was training, partly during precious weekend leaves.
"She's lovely, Lyle," Della said after meeting Emily for the first time. "Intelligent and kind. She'll make you very happy."
Their wedding on June 19, 1918, was performed at Central Christian Church with only close family present, and was celebrated later in the garden of the 30th Street house, with roses in full bloom and extended family. Austin looked on with pride and Della wept with joy as her son married his sweetheart.
Four Generations
The birth of Betty Virginia Carringer on July 30, 1919, brought the family full circle. Austin, now a grandfather at sixty-five, held his granddaughter with the same tender care he had shown his own son nearly three decades earlier.
"Hello, little one," he whispered, as four generations of women - Della, Abbie, Emily, and Emily's mother Georgianna Auble - looked on. "Welcome to the family."
The 1920 photograph captured this moment of generational continuity. Austin stood in the center holding baby Betty, surrounded by the women who had shaped his family's story: Della, radiant at fifty-seven; Abbie, still sharp at seventy-six; Emily, glowing with new motherhood at age 19; and Georgianna, representing the newest branch of their growing tree. Lyle and Edgar completed the family group, representing the continuity of Carringer men who had found their fortunes in California.
(Georgianna, Matie, Della (with cat), Edgar, Emily, Austin (with Betty), Lyle and Abbie in 1920 in San Diego, from family sources)
A Life Well-Built
By 1920, the Victorian house had become the anchor point for a complex network of family relationships. The greenhouse produced exotic flowers year-round, the orchard provided fruit for both family and neighbors, and the carefully tended landscaping had matured into one of Brooklyn Heights' showcase gardens.
Austin's reputation as a craftsman had grown with the city itself - his custom furniture graced some of San Diego's finest homes, and his expertise was sought by architects working on the city's grandest projects. Della had evolved from frontier bride to civic-minded matron, her artistic talents enriching not just her own family but the broader community.
"Look what we've built," Della said one evening as they sat on their front porch, watching Lyle push baby Betty in a pram along the tree-lined sidewalk while Emily and Georgianna walked alongside.
"More than I ever dreamed," Austin replied, taking her hand. "When we left Kansas with twenty dollars and a prayer, I never imagined all this."
"The best is yet to come," Della said confidently, her eyes following their granddaughter's first tentative steps across the path. "This little one will see wonders we can't even imagine."
As the Pacific sunset painted the sky in shades of gold and rose, four generations of family gathered on the porch of the house Austin had built with his own hands, in the garden Della had created with her own vision, surrounded by the love they had cultivated through two decades of California dreaming.
This is the period of their lives that they thrived. Lyle grew up, Austin's work was going great, the house was built and being improved, Della was busy and diligent, extended family visited, and the next generation came into their lives. Betty was their only grandchild.
I want to believe the above fictional account and dialogue is realistic, but it is historical fiction based on my family history research. The account is touching and heartfelt.
This is a series of fictional short stories (but based on actual events in their lives) about the lives of Austin and Della (Smith) Carringer. Getting married in Kansas in 1887, the honeymoon trip to San Diego, raising a family, owning and building their own house, their son marrying, having a grandchild, and living out their lives for almost 60 more years!
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