Saturday, July 31, 1937

Went out to Henry’s threshing oats this afternoon. Had them for lunch, got 676 bus. pap hauled some of our share home; Uncle Fred helped him unload. Mrs. Geodelle & Bert [Bertille] & Leona, that was all she had. Isd. Helfrich is pretty sick, had doctor, priest yesterday afternoon; high fever. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came this eve. we went along to Smithton HomeComing. what a crowd; they said 20,000 people; attendance prize every hr; Henry Rittmeyer was one of the winners, to receive $1. prize.

Friday, July 30, 1937

Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary stopped, home from Buehler’s threshing oats. Mrs. Rennecker & Mrs. Staufenbiel was here.

Thursday, July 29, 1937

Bert [Bertille] baked cake, cooked catsup. Pap went to woods to look for sand. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came, Bert went along to Chester to the wake of Mrs. John McDermott, who passed away yesterday afternoon at 2 ‘ o clock, at Jacksonville Ill, she had been there for 2 weeks, with a nervous break down, in a private place & nurse, while the nurse was just out, she hung herself with a strap; & died; 29 yrs old; they were married will be 2 mons. on 10 of next mo; tomorrow will be taken to her home at Raddle Ill, about 12 miles from Chester, & will be buried there Sat. morn; we met her 2 sisters & brother, being there at the funeral parlor, 2 girls were all school teachers. We were there from 3 to 5:30, people came in & out; John & Ed were there. Leo & Rose came this eve. & we ate watermelons, that A. [Aunt] Mary brought from Sparta, boy what a good melon, we ate it all 22 lb. Mrs. Mehrmann got the eggs. 10 doz. @ 17¢. A fellow here wanted to sell paint. We got 19¢ for our chicks, 77 lbs. – 3 doz. shipping charges 75¢ on coop. We got a new Chicago Mail Order catalog.

Wednesday, July 28, 1937

Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary & Bert [Bertille] went to Sparta Fair at 9:30, sure seen some wonderful actors, the Strasophere man, airplane flying & fellow standing on the wing, turned a tailspin, horse races, one fellow got through of & was hurt, kicked in temple. Bob O Neil’s Och. & several more radio fans, Buddy & Gene on roller skate; they have all side shows & different booths, ferris wheel, whip, loop & loop, merry go round etc. Adm. 25¢. at the gate; but it certainly was nice.

Tuesday, July 27, 1937

Sure cool morn’s & eve’s & so hot during the day. It is 4 yrs. today A. [Aunt] Lizzie Reheis died. Leo & Rose [Rosalia] came, brought wash along, we washed ironed, patched, made chicken dinner, Pap & Leo went to Waterloo with load wheat for Leo, $1.07 bu. then they went to area near Maeystown to look at a plow; but the fellow wouldn’t sell it any more, talked to Metzger’s about a new one. Went down & looked at C. Buehler’s, they don’t know if they want to sell it yet are [sic – or] not, talking maybe start farming again somewhere, Hy. Armstutz came & got coop 36 chicks shipped them to St. Louis.

Monday, July 26, 1937

Went out to Henry’s threshing wheat, got 725 bus. our share is 241 bus. Pap paid Geo. Schilling lumber sawing 2067 ft. @ 90¢ $22.40. Pap & Leo hauled the wheat home from out there. Dr. Miller came vaccinated our hogs $3.00 – for 8 pigs & sow – 25¢ pig. There is so much cohlera [sic] going around. Sam Krehrer [sic – Kreher] is sick & several more. Olive brought coop down going to ship 3 doz. springs tomorrow ; with Mertz. Mrs. Geodelle & Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary, Leo & Rose [Rosalia] all helped at Henrys threshing, 2 lunches & dinner. Birkners had to go to Franks threshing for supper.

Sunday, July 25, 1937

Rained this morn. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary & Leo & Rose [Rosalia] had dinner & supper here. Wm. Braun came wanted to rent wheat ground. Bert [Bertille] went along with Leo home went with them to Floraville to free dance Schmidts Orch. nice crowd & good time, came home with Wagner’s. Nice cool evening.

Saturday, July 24, 1937

Awful warm. We went to Belleville this afternoon to church, Bert [Bertille] got new dress & hat. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary were up, he cut lawn, had supper here & got ice cream in evening. We had chicken soup dinner & supper, that is the 5 one we ate so far. New Athens have home coming, raffling a car; but it rained all eve, stated about 8 o’clock, 6:30 was parade, Wagners went to see it. Berniece was here selling chances, on 2 quilts for firemen’s pinic [sic].

Friday, July 23, 1937

Buehler’s finished threshing, we got 107 bus. share. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary stopped in, were helping Adam Eckerts threshing; dinner & lunch; threshed yesterday already. There are so many truck loads of Watermelons & muskmellons [sic] going by.

Thursday, July 22, 1937

Nice day. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary stopped, then went to get Lena & Wilma Birkner, threshing done at Buehler’s. Pap couldn’t go long to help Leo thresh, on account threshing here. Mrs. Mehrmann got the eggs last nite, 10 doz. @ 16¢, they have to go threshing at Skaer’s today. Hogs sure have a good price, $12.95 today. they were $13. this yr. already; everything going up. Rob. Merz & son of Waterloo painted Uncle Fred’s house & granary roof yesterday. Leona, Robert, Billy [Willis] came Bert [Bertille] went along up to Rose [Rosalia] this morn; had dinner, baked pies this morn. had threshers for lunch, got 258 bus. oats. Buehler’s threshing here, brought the lunch up this afternoon, pap had lunch with them.