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The Home of Charles and May Evelene Richmond Whitnah, by Charles Scott Whitnah (cont.)
In 1911, a most supprising event took place in our family. I had read, "What a Man- and What a Woman- of 45 aught to know" of course, not being supposed to, and Lo and Behold here at 49, my mother presented the family with a baby girl! Her name was Evalyn May. She became a musician, a teacher, a mother and a social worker. She was taken by cancer at the age of 51.
Soon after our sojurn to Grand Island my father thought it would make for better religious life in the family, so he made application to the Minister of the Baptist Church to be baptized by immersion and admitted as a member. I learned of this after I had done the same myself, tho at a very early age. The minister was ready to recommend me for membership, which was to the Deacons who recommended to the membership. But he told my father to renounce his life as a Methodist as not being Christian, because he was not immersed. My father could not see that and the subject was hushed as fast as could be so it would not discourage me. My father later became Superintendent of the Sunday School in the Methodist Church- as well as, "Collector" in the Baptist Church. The Collector kept the individual accounts of donations. He later moved to York, where he attended the Baptist Church and people learned that he was not a member, only when he died.
In 1917, I enrolled in the College of Engineering at the University of Nebraska, and was graduated in 1920. Since this is the story of my parents, I will express my appreciation of them in providing me with an education.
With that job finished, my parents decided to start all over again. They traded the acreage at Grand Island for a farm near Sumner Nebraska, where they lived for a year before retiring again to York, which was my father's College town. They had a very pleasant time there, where Evalyn finished high school before enrolling in the United Bretheren Colllege at York. My parents spent their time visiting old friends in York, Seward and Wall couties. Mother would write of how many "Plates" she had served each month, for friends who visited them. They had a car by this time and made many short and a few long excursions.
My father passed away, after suffering with cancer, in 1929. Mother moved to Lincoln with Evalyn, who finished her undergraduate work and took a year in Music, before she began teaching.
Mother then moved to Beaver Crossing where she lived in the village, near my brother on the farm. She was greatly supported by her brother, Scott Richmond, who came to live with her. She had, according to Yankee custom, taken him when he was one year old, as her special care. He returned the favor by caring for her in old age.