Monday, Dec. 11, 1939

Orlets & Birkners came butchered a hog. Bill [Klein] came this afternoon; had bedrooms papered & hall painted.

Sunday, Dec. 10, 1939

Went to mass. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary & Henry & family were here for dinner & supper. Leo & family were out at Henry’s they weren’t home, so they came here this afternoon, had supper here also. Uncle Fred & pap went to see lumber at Baums Church Wartburg. Bill [Klein] & Bert [Bertille] went to Smithton service then to Emerich Keherer’s playing cards Booby & girlfriend were there to. Emil was called over to telephone, by Cleveland wanted him to come out for solo game. Grover was at home today.

Friday, Dec. 8, 1939

Holiday. Went to 6 o’clock mass at Red Bud. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary stopped awhile after church, they have 13 hr. Devotion today. Bill [Klein] & Bertille went to Belleville, ordered wall of paper & went to E. St. Louis & St. Louis on business, stopped a few min’s at Uncle Ed’s shop. got a tarpaulin at Child’s for Leo 14 x 20 – $9.13 with tax. Dr. Werth have a baby girl. Orlin Skaer’s have a boy at Red Bud hospital; Ethel Prediger is home again from Belleville hospital, going to call there girl Madeline.

Wednesday, Dec. 6, 1939

Leo & Rosalia came down, brought her wash along, we washed together, & ironed patched etc. Bill [Klein] came helped put concrete posts down; Marita stayed here all nite. Jos. Braun died will be buried tomorrow morn. at Fateyville Church & Mt. Carmell cemetery at Belleville. Berrings had free coon lunch & horse peffer [hasenpfeffer?] last nite called over lines. Louis Schoenborn got tickets for wrestling match at E. St. Louis; Bill [Klein] got Bert [Bertille] & went.

Sunday, Dec. 3, 1939

Went to Red Bud mass with Bill [Klein], he had Walter Helfrich, Les Becker along. Leo & family came this afternoon & pap went to see Perry May & guy back at Burksville. Bill came took Bert [Bertille] along & Mr & Mrs Walter Sternan & son Roland, all went to Ridgetop Tenn. at Nashville left at 3:30, got there at 10:30, plesent [sic] trip, Mr Sternan went to see his brother Henry who is sick in a sanatorium, had flat tire on way back, left down there at 10:30 Mon. morning & got home about 6 at Smithton, then Bill & Bert & Frank Klein & wife & Louis Schoenborn went to Edwardsville, took Frank to poultry meeting there, altogether made 838 miles trip from Sun. afternoon till Mon. nite. Bert won pencil at poultry meeting, brought a few rocks, like sponge from Tenn.

Saturday, Dec. 2, 1939

Went to Red Bud then to Waterloo this afternoon shopping & church. Its to be awful cold tonite; radio says 30; quite a change again. Bill [Klein] & Louis stopped this morn. were out at Schillings, Ben has ordered a new Chev.

Friday, December 1, 1939

Pap went to Red Bud to lumber yard. this afternoon we went to Freeburg got tiling, cement, nails. Bill [Klein] & Louis stopped this morn, were out selling cars. Belleville has big parade today, Santa Claus is coming.

Thursday, Nov. 30, 1939

Leo & Rose [Rosalia] came, brought her wash along & we washed cloudy & rainy a little hung it in basement, ironed some this afternoon; had dinner & supper here, took Marita along tonite, going to Smithton to Orlets, Mr. birthday, Phyliss invited them send them a card. Rose [Rosalia] hurt her back this morn. lifting heavy. Bill [Klein] came this afternoon, sold another car to Sterns. Send order to Sears for [unclear] for Leo & things. Wagners having supper 6 o’clock for guests. Thanksgiving Day. Bill came, took us along to Lester Gregsons this eve. Gregsons & Wittenauers were there, had Thanksgiving supper by them; played cards, solo & pinochle, had apples & wine.

Monday, Nov. 27, 1939

Leo & family, Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary were here butchered today 212 lb. hog – sure going down $5.70 now. Marita stayed all nite here; Frank Klein has ordered a new truck V-8. like Leos, yesterday from Bill [Klein].

Thursday, Nov. 23, 1939

Thanksgiving Day. Leo & family came had dinner & supper here, he plowed potatoe ground. Rose [Rosalia] & Bert [Bertille] went to Red Bud to Wedding mass of Marcella Gregson & Leslie Heyl; very pretty wedding, bride had long train white Satin dress with short veil & her attendants 2 sisters, one in rust & green with veils & wreath to match dresses; Walter gave her away & best man were Robert Heyl & Cletus Gregson; during the ceremony a terrible earthquake, roared just shook the church, people all went out, for a few mins, some places it was awful bad. Jerome Cortner house Chimney was cracked & did damage several other places; some plaster fell in Red Bud church, Gregson & Heyl had wedding dance at Log Cabin & Jerome Schilling & Elizabeth Shields had there wedding dance at Pautlers. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came here, then they went to Waterloo to dance, there is also one at Brezzy Hill tonite. Bill [Klein] came this eve. The Thanksgiving & Turkey dinner was a big run out of Turkey had to served pork sausage, had fed 600 at 2′ o clock – turkey was all; had awful crowd.