Hazel Marie Perrine
Hazel Marie Perrine (1904–1939) was my mother’s mother, our grandmother. She died at the age of 35 when Mom was only three years old. Her father was Wellington Perrine (1859–1940). He is descended from a long line of Perrine’s which is discussed in other stories. Her mother was Martha L. Thompson (1871–1930). She grew up in the eastern part of Buckhart Township in Christian County, Illinois. Wellington Perrine was a farmer. He had at least 240 acres according to a plat book in 1916. Martha Thompson was the daughter of a Civil War hero named Samuel T. Thompson (1835–1888). Samuel Thomas Thompson was shot in the arm during the Civil War and probably lost the use of that arm. He and then his wife received a 100% disability payment from the US government because of the loss of the use of that arm. He is buried in the Beecher City Cemetery in Beecher City, Illinois. There is a covered bridge named in his honor east of Cowden, Illinois, crossing the Kaskaskia River.
Hazel Marie was married to Oma G. Spillman in 1919. Together they had three children. Betty Lou, Russell L. and Shirley Lee. When Hazel Marie died, the kids were taken care of by Aunt Ruth, an older sister, from a previous marriage. The family lived around Grove City at the time and they spent a lot of time at Aunt Goldie’s, one of Wellington’s sisters. Mom remembers being quite poor at the time. Often for supper they would have toast with Caro syrup poured over it or a glass of milk with saltine crackers. She also remembers her brother, Bo, driving a flatbed truck filled with kids in the back including her. This was before he had his license to drive and probably to Aunt Goldie’s house.
According to Mom, but she admits she doesn’t know for sure, Hazel Marie died either from cancer or having a cream separator fall on her. Or maybe, the cancer was discovered while treating her for the injuries incurred from the cream separator accident. Records show that she died in room 108 of St. Vincent’s Memorial Hospital on August 15, 1939. She is buried in the Grove City Methodist Church Cemetery, Mt. Auburn, Illinois.
