Sunday, Oct. 2, 1932

Perry May has shooting match today. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came here awhile after church. Louis Armstutz & Elmer Rettinghouse came here to look at our cow. This afternoon we & Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary left about 1 o clock went to Red Bud, Ruma, Evansville, Ellis Grove, Springdale Park, Chester, drove to the Southern Illinois Penitrary [sic], but couldn’t go through it, only the restroom, see ferns & furs & such like, everything is so nice there. Papa was talking to Snitz Nollau. Then we went to what they call a Menard, where there are about 400 criminals there, walked up 165 steps & down again, to see them, they where out taking exercise & sun baths, seen there laundry, & there yards where the prisoners work; all the rocks got ready to crush; it sure is a beautiful scene. The Miss. River so close, especially went [sic-when] you are so high up you can see the river such a far distance, then we drove up around the river up the big hill,  then back into Chester again, then back home, it was sure a nice drive we covered about 70 miles was home again 5 o clock. We had supper at Uncle Freds. Henry & family came up we all went over by Aunt Marys, across the street. There is rosary devotion at Red Bud, but we couldn’t go, Henry was up they took a 3 gal. crock of bacon along home 38 lb. with crock. There was a bunch 19 from Hecker went over to Walter Deffabaugh in St. Louis on a visit in Clarence Wittenauers truck.

Saturday, October 1, 1932

A man around selling a patent to clean bottles & jars & things for 10¢, we took one; people here wanted to buy eggs & chickens we, had ours sold already. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary where up, he got his pump fixed by Eichenseer’s. Mr. Ed. Pabst was here brought 7 bus. potatoes. Ralph Ettling was here. The alarm ring went over the line stating that Dr. Isslehardt dentist was going to start in Hecker in Maniers place next Wednesday Oct. 5, office hours 9 to 5, opened on Wed. only. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came up again this evening went to Mike Armstutz’s birthday. Mr. Stiehl is celebrating his birthday at Weber’s barn tonite.

Friday, Sept. 30, 1932

We made a lb. of butter again this morn, but no chance selling it. Rosalia & Bertille went to Red Bud this afternoon to see Mr. Voss grocery store, wether [sic – whether] they buy cream, they buy it, so I guess will sell it there, 14¢ today, they are paying, take it anyday. While at Red Bud we went to see Mrs. Owen Fahey, she is pretty weak, but I guess will get along alright now the way the doctors’ say. She got operated last week on appendix, now a lump of matter formed, & they opened it up this afternoon while we were waiting. Marcella was there. Rosalia got a letter from Miss Bell asking us all to come & see her Sun. all day, so we stopped in there to & told her, we couldn’t come on Sun. Angela Eichenseer is getting along good at Belleville, she will come home by Mon. She got adenoid & tonsils & growth in mouth removed, she is in a room of 5 patients, it costs her $12 a week. Mrs. Griffin is so awful weak, she is on the same floor with Angela. I seen in the paper that we have a Dentist Schilling in town in Maniers place started last Wednesday.

Thursday, Sept. 29, 1932

Mr. Jung got 136¾ lbs. spring chickens at 10¢ lb. Papa fixed a corn crib. John Braun called up that our cow got over in his patch. The people are plowing the ground at the church place yesterday & today. Some guys from St. Louis are fixing the house, replastering & talk is out Frank is going to get married before Christmas & moved out there. We went out to Uncle Freds brought them some butter & cheese. Mrs. Geo. Gambach’s have a new Chev. Talk is out that Mrs. John Ambruster left & Lillian too last Friday, they moved to Belleville, furniture & everything, John & Raymond is still on the farm.

Wednesday, Sept. 28, 1932

Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came here, then went to Sparta Fair. Mrs. Griffin is awful sick, they took her to the Belleville hospital Sun. morning. Angela Eichenseer got operated on a growth in her nose. Papa & Rosalia went out in the woods & made a few posts. Chas. Jung egg man was here, he say he’ll take all our spring chick tomorrow morning. Henry & family where up this evening, he brought 4 barrels up to the whey place.

Tuesday, Sept. 27, 1932

We washed, ironed, patched, cooked a kettle of soap. Chris Buehlers was here a little while this morn, on his way down to Red Bud to get a load of hogs from butcher. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary where up all afternoon. The egg man got 19 doz. eggs 19¢. He brought some molasses 3 gals. for 30¢ gal. by Cakokia [ed. note: think this might be Cahokia], from last year. The way talk is out Jack Ganley must look terrible 2 black eyes & all stracthed [sic – scratched] up, by Jack Mueth & Phil Mueth at his home Sat. night, sheriff was out at the house at 2 ‘oclock. Jack wears glasses now. This evening we all went out to Henry’s. Leona birthday 22 yrs. old, cake & water where served, the guests were, Gus. Geodelle & family, Albert Cleveland & family, Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary & us.

Monday, Sept. 26, 1932

It is cloudy, we didn’t wash. We cleaned truck patch this afternoon. Mr. Jatho was here to see wether [sic] he could put that sugar cane pressing on our ground, then he wouldn’t have to throw it on his potatoe [sic] patch. Mr. Will Voges was here wanted to see Uncle Fred. Geo. Purtle’s was here to see about hogs this afternoon, but we weren’t here at the time. Mrs. Rennecker came over & told us about it, he is going to call up this evening. Henry & Floyd where up, he took a load of sugar cane & got whey. It made 60 lbs. they put it through right away.

Sunday, Sept. 25, 1932

Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary where here for chicken dinner, & supper. We all went out to Chris Buehler’s but there was nobody home, then we drove down to Sensel’s to see the lake, then we stopped in at George Parker’s, Aunt Mary got ½ sweet potatoes for 25¢. It rained this evening. We seen the search light at Scottfield, how it shown around tonite, I guess there must of been an airplane out. We went to Red Bud Condensary to see if they would by cream, but they want milk, so we can’t sent no cream. The Red Bud paper says that Mrs. Owen Fahey is in the hospital since last Thurs. Sensels lost 35 hogs.

Saturday, Sept. 24, 1932

Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary stayed at Hecker all nite, they brought the soup here & we all had dinner, then they left for home. Mr. Ed. Meng was here awhile. Emil Merhmans have a little baby girl since last week, Mary Louis, they are going to call it, they have 2 girls. Louis Petri Jr. is giving a free birthday dance tonite at Charfin Bridge, there are dances all over, Irene Reheis band is having one at Daab’s Club House at Smithon [sic],  Weber Barn, musci [sic] by Ill. Roamer’s. Rod & Gun Club. Clarence Rausch had a birthday celebration last nite at Weber’s Barn. Papa got crushing done this morning, George Schilling went to Olkalohoma [sic – Oklahoma], & Roy Staunfbiel is on the sick list with a cold.

Friday, Sept. 23, 1932

We went to Waterloo took our lard, 100 lbs. 6¢ $6.00. We stopped in at Henry’s brought the kettle & milk seperator [sic] along. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came up for the evening, Willie Birkner’s family came & we went over, they brought all there instruments along, accordian [sic], mandolin, violin, guitar, bandoria, music was the main feauture [sic] of the eve, doughnuts & lemonade where served. Henry brought a load of corn this evening, the boys came along to.