Thursday, July 12, 1934

Washed a few pieces; Mr. Rennecker was here awhile. A man around selling bonnets 35¢ & few other articles. Papa & Rosalia went out & hauled cheat wheat for him, chicken feed. It is awful hot today. Mr. & Mrs. George Parker have a little baby boy born yesterday on Oscar Birkner’s birthday also. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary called here awhile this evening. The new fire engine was to be tryed [sic] out tonite, George Wagner’s went to watch the performance. Chas. Hill has his house build on a truck now, & have the car here to, staying by Hill’s here at present, then will leave later, house isn’t all finished in side yet, they have stored the rest of furniture etc., with Horn & Hill’s.

Wednesday, July 11, 1934

Went out threshing again, had them for lunch, carried it out, & had dinner & lunch again, then left for Levi Ganley’s. Papa & Rosalia were hauling wheat all day, taking it home in chicken house. Henry threshed 1085 bus. wheat, we got 361 bus.; one of his fields average 24 bus. to an acre. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary had to leave & go threshing by Henry & Oscar Birkner. It got awful cloudy & rained a little, in Jacksonville, Ill: there was an awful Tornado $75,000 damage. & in Smithon [sic] it was pretty bad, trees all torned [sic] to pieces, houses over roofs off. It looked awful black in the north. Eggs were 9¢ but now up to 11.

Saturday, July 7, 1934

Mr. Rennecker was over, he told us to feed his chickens for him, they went threshing down at Klotz’s. We went to Belleville this afternoon. Went to Donahue’s tonight to Erna Braun’s 18 birthday dance, free Phil Carlis & musci [sic], & a nice crowd. It is also Margaret McDermotts birthday. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary finished threshing at Henry B.

Wednesday, July 4, 1934

Holiday. Hy Armstutz bought load hay for $5.00 here. Uncle Fred came up with Oscar Birkner’s car, took it to Probst to get repaired, he worked down here so long; Frank Birkner is threshing now, Aunt Mary is there & the rest of the crew. We went over to Wagner’s celebrated 4 July, the kids had a few sparkler.

Monday, June 4, 1934

Christ Buehler’s stopped in yesterday & brought Rose’veil back again, Irene used it. We washed, ironed, & awful hot again today. Hugo Probst got our car took it to his garage, to fix up. Henry Birkner’s birthday. Mrs. Karl Boll’s Henry came to cut hay this afternoon, didn’t cut much, it rained, he had lunch here. It rained way more in Athens & around then it did here. Eggs 11¢. Cowboy Jack gave a dance in Kammler’s Hall last nite. 3 couples there, gave it up & went back to St. Louis again, we heard, never will come out to Hecker to give a dance again.

Sunday, May 6, 1934

Mary Fahey of Red Bud & John Dougherty of Renault were published for the 3rd time, wedding mass to be Tues. morning May 8. & Linus Merz of Red Bud & girl from [blank] were published also 3 rd time. Uncle Fred was by Louis Birkner this morning, who is sick with bad cold, fever & chills. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came up, then we went to Tiptown to euchre party, Aunt & Bertie didn’t play, the rest did, played 6 games. Rose won 5 got jar honey. 13 tables with euchre & pinochle & bunco & 13 prizes. Oh! some euchre; we stopped at Uncle Adam’s on way home, his birthday 85 yrs. old, they had so much company today, Levi & Joe Gregson’s, Lesters & family J. Myersough of Ruma. Papa asked Emil to help build & Cleveland also. Henry is sick, has fever & stomach trouble, got a tooth pulled Sat.

Monday, April 30, 1934

We washed, ironed. Beautiful day. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came, he helped papa with the shed, had lunch, & supper. They had lots company yesterday, Buehler’s family, Frank Birkner’s family, Uncle Adam & Emil. Mr. Hill was here, also Joe Johns, peddler, Frederick Fritsche, Maryanna, wanted setting eggs; we have none. Papa went to Hy. Armstutz got mixing box. The fire men pumped Uncle Fritz’s [aka Uncle Fred – ed.] cistern dry, put it in the tank. Papa went over awhile to help them, some mess.

Friday, April 13, 1934

Mr. Ziebold, retired miller was buried at Waterloo yesterday, awful large funeral, business places were all closed. Papa hauled posts, helped Henry this afternoon to cut some logs & haul. Cleveland helped too. Berti washed Chev. Seeley worked in garden. Our baby chicks didn’t come yet. Mr. Walter Lehr brought them this evening 209 chicks @ 7½. $15.50, all. The new Hospital in Chester which has been remodeled will now be called Riverview Hospital. Mr. Martin May has sold property to Charles & Anna Hasnedle – twp. 4-9-$1500.00. The primary election turned out with the winners Chas. Wehmeier. Dem. Co. Judge & Reb. Judge Scheinder; For Sup. of Schools; Zimmer had 26 votes & Wm. Weigand received 1 vote but wasn’t running; several others ran for Supt. Mr. & Mrs. Henry Gruber of Waterloo moved to the farm of Mrs. All. Gregson. Cyrus Hill & family moved to Waynesville Mo. where he has gained a position. Mrs. Steiger, Lena Birkners great grandma died this eve. about 6 o clock, will be buried Sun. afternoon 1 o clock at “Lords Corner;” she would of been 100 yrs. old in May, she was blind & couldn’t hear for a good while.

Wednesday, April 11, 1934

Papa & Willie Ganley are hauling logs. It rained a little went we came home last night, thundering & lightening, this morning we have northwind & cold. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came up, brought some beef along, & we had soup for dinner, they were here & also for lunch. Frieda Buehler & girl stop in on there way home, had dinner here to – stayed till 2 ‘ o clock. Aunt Mary & Bertille went to church this morning, mass for Louise Birkner, all the children went but Willie didn’t go. Louis Birkner went. Always one of the men folks stayed with him every evening. They finished hauling logs. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary went down to Dr. Pautler’s, at Red Bud. Mr. Ziebold miller of Waterloo died. George Wagner, came to borrowed automobile jack; he wants to change tires on his machine. Some real April Showers, & a pretty rainbow.

Monday, April 9, 1934

Beautiful day. We washed, ironed, disinfected the brooder house. Papa & Rose went up in the woods. Mr. Hill was here. The pallbearers for Mrs. Birkner were, George Parker, Ed Cortner, Nic Helfrich, Ignatz Neff, William Kaiser, J. Kreher. Martha Schilling said a prayer before they left the house; no bells were tolled, being it was Sun; mass will be Wed. morning. Eggs. 13¢