Sunday, Oct. 29, 1939

Went to mass. Leo & family came for dinner & supper. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary stopped they went to wurstmark in hall given by Ladies Aid of Evangical [sic] parish of Hecker. Bill [Klein] came went to Barthel’s & also went to his brother Frank’s.

Wednesday, July 27, 1938

Henry & Rob. came got tractor, going to cut for Emil Ganley. Emil Brand helped went out with the Whip. got out about 10 bus. this afternoon. Bert [Bertille] went to church funeral of Nic Cortner 61 yrs. Fr. had very nice sermon; church was crowded, people had to stand in back; Pallbearers were Geo. Grossheim, Bill Karban, Ben Neff, Athur [sic – Arthur] Barthel, Wm. Probst, John Lippert. Garedener in charge of funeral. Its raining a little this eve. Bert [Bertille] took eggs up 17 [cents]. U [Uncle] Fred, Bert [Bertille] & Rob. all got cards to attend Smithton Home Coming next Sat. parade 6:15.

Sunday, Aug. 30, 1936

Went to Red Bud. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary stayed awhile, Pete Reheis has fire yesterday, burned potatoe [sic] straw in morning. & thought they had it all out, & in afternoon starting burning again, 2 straw stacks & hay, had Hecker fire engine out, they had no water, got tanks & hauled from the creek & John Reheis. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary were there last nite awhile. Omer & Bert went to Columbia Homecoming was pretty nice, had Ill. Central train in parade. Roy Quin & Ozark Sweehart [sic] were there. Went to Oak Grove, Sinclairs Oil Employes [sic] gave a free dance, music by Blossom City. Prize Waltz was given $1. to Hazel Flynn & 5 qts. oil to Hartmann of near Red Bud. J. Horn, Barthel, & Brand were judges. Nelson Church & Berneice Reitz had a wedding dance at Breezy Hill. Rose went to New Baden, Kettler’s 25. Wedding Anniv. Hy. Armstutz was here.

Sunday, Oct. 29, 1933

Uncle Fred, & Aunt Mary where up for dinner, then we went riding to see if we could get corn, went to Adam Eckerts he wants 50¢ bu; Herzog on Fritsche’s place, she won’t sale none they say, has over 1000 bus, & won’t sell; to Papenberg’s, nobody home, went to Henry talked awhile there, hard road opened that far, went to Barthels place, then past Joe Gregson’s home, also pass Voges, Brauns, then home, still didn’t buy no corn. We went out to Uncle Fred’s this evening, Mr. & Mrs. Oscar Birkner & family, Christ Buehler’s family, Frank Birkners family, Hy. Spalt; were there, the ladies had 6 hand pinochle game Mrs. Oscar Birkner has 1500 trump; the men had social conversation.

Thursday, Aug. 24, 1933

Papa & Bertille finished the potatoe [sic] patch. John Griffins & Noel Roscow went to attend World’s Fair this week, Stella Roscow attended last week; she surely enjoyed it. There are quite a few people very sick, Chris Buehler, Million Wagner, Arthur Barthel all have summer flu, or thphoid [sic – typhoid] fever. There were 2 men here again, talking about the brewery at Red Bud, where is to be built soon. It is awful warm again.

Saturday, Dec. 17, 1932

Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came up & Rosalia & Bertille went along to Belleville. We got a pretty wall pocket calandar [sic] from Barthel’s Garagge [sic]. There where so many people in the streets at Belleville today.

Thursday, Nov. 19, 1931

Henry is butchering a pig today. Papa & Rosalia went out, they had, lunch, dinner. Eggs are 30¢. Mr. Barthel was here & fixed our spouting this morn. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came up, he took Josie down to Heyl’s. They had dinner here. They schocked [sic] there corn & took turnips out. There is a euchre in the school hall, & also Henry Volkmann’s birthday.

Wednesday, Nov. 11, 1931

Papa was up town, it rained last night. We washed, ironed, patched. Papa went up to Barthel’s this afternoon with the Whippet, got clycerine [sic – glycerine] put in the radiator. Today is Holiday in big cities. Fred Kern was buried at 3:30 this afternoon. Tonight is a dance in Weber’s barn given by Bill Herzog, also a dance in Smithon [sic] & a birthday dance at Brezzy [sic] Hill. This morning at 10 ‘oclock, Miss Jenny Kemp had a heart stroke & died. She had fell some time ago & broke her rib, & was taken to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital at Belleville about 1 mo. ago where there she died now.

Saturday, May 2, 1931

Papa got crushing done this morning.  Papa & Rosalia went too the truck patch & planted pickle seed.  Steve Rennecker was here this evening & got 2 settings of eggs for 12¢ a doz.  Papa & Rosalia went to Barthel & got oil changed in the Chev. 12908 miles.  Then we all went out to Henry’s stopped there a little they where going to Henry Birkners, then we went to see Uncle Adam & Emil Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary went too.

Wednesday, Feb. 4, 1931

Papa went out to the cemetery this morning, because they are going to start to plow it over today.  But we don’t want it done to our lots.  Rosalia fried down sausage this morn.  There wasn’t anybody at the cemetery today.  Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came up & then we went over to clean their place.  They were here for dinner.  We were just washing dinner dishes when all at once, we heard there was fire at Mrs. Deukers house.  So we all ran down there & fire was a blazing, the house burned to the ground & the shed & barn would of went too if they hadn’t called the Smithton Fire Apartment [Department].  The water was to scared or’s they could have saved the house.  They saved all the furniture down stairs, their clothing was all up stairs, that they couldn’t save.  Mrs. Ruhl just about went wild about it.  They stored all their stuff in Kammler’s Hall for the evening.  They were here this afternoon & looked at Aunt Mary & Uncle Fred’s place, it suited them allright but the rent was to high.  They went down to Barthel’s house, but the chimneys were condemned, so they couldn’t get in there.  Deukers was going to call Harold out & then talk it over with them.  Tonight they went to Walter Parrot in Red Bud.  Olivia Gregson & baby was here this afternoon while Lester helped to move the furniture.  This evening Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary, Henry & Leona & kids were all here.  The kids stayed at home with Papa, & the rest of us went to the dance down at Wiegand’s House.  Herzog gave it.  Bill Freund & Creses took Rosalia & Bertille along there.  It was a crowd there from all over.  They said there was about 500 people at the fire today.  Bill & Philip Freund was there too.  They were working at Ganleys.