Rabbit season opened today, hunters are out, & will be tomorrow holiday Armistice Day. Pap went out on business trip. Stehl was here. Emil came this afternoon finished his visit from last nite. Bert [Bertille] ironed, patched, etc. Cloudy this eve. radio says rain tonite. Mrs. Wil Gregson died this morn. 5 o’clock at Red Bud hospital, ailing for quite some time; will be buried at Round Praire [sic] Cemetery nee Frick.
Tuesday, Nov. 9, 1937
Washed. Pap hauled load wood in basement. Bert [Bertille went to Lauts quilting this afternoon, wedding ring. had lunch there. Pirre was over this morn & told me about it. Boul from Belleville was here, looking for fat hog, ours sold. Emil came over this eve; till Grover Cleveland called him away, him & Albert & Kenneth Kemp came up to have a solo game with him.
Monday, Nov. 8, 1937
Rained last nite, cloudy this morn. Ed Pabst had shooting match yesterday, also gave attendance prize. We cleaned hen house, etc. Burdgorgf looked at the sow, bought it for $8.50 lb; got it his eve. weighed 470 lbs; went to Hy. Hepps to get heifers also, he is going to move to Red Bud tomorrow. Pap went to Red Bud got the money & seen hog weighed. Rained today, showers. Eggs 28¢.
Sunday, Nov. 7, 1937
Went to mass. Jake Neff came to see Uncle Fred. We went to Smithton to see Stehl & Nic Schaefer, came out on oil road stopped in at Leo’s awhile; came home. Leo & Rose [Rosalia] came looked at our horse, then we all went to Uncle Fred’s for supper chicken, & played 5 card pinochle, had popcorn, nuts & refreshments; looked at picture.
Saturday, Nov. 6, 1937
Nice day. Pap went to look at Tolins mare colt – not yet 2 yrs. old bought it $75.00. Paid Merz $74.75 for tin roof put on cow barn at Henry’s on Nov. 2. Pap got crushing done. Lee Gregson & guy over at Emils trying to sell him a Chev. coupe second hand, gave him a ride down the road a piece.
Remembering Our Ancestors’ Birthdays
Today, November 5th, is a special day around here. It is Bertille “Tillie” Anne Brand Klein’s birthday! She was born on this date in 1914.
Do you acknowledge your ancestor’s birthdays? If so, how? I tend to only remember/acknowledge those relatives that I knew personally. My grandparents and my father are the birthdays that I remember. I take a moment to think of them and how they affected my life. I enjoy sharing photos with others on this special day in my loved one’s life. Many times I am not the only one that remembers them and I thoroughly enjoy hearing others memories. Many times I hear stories that I had never heard before. That is a true blessing!
As for Bertille aka Tillie, you, my dear reader, know her by her words. By her chronicling of her small town of Hecker during the 1930s. She is most likely pretty one-dimensional in your mind. But if you knew her..
If you knew her you would have loved her. I was blessed to have known my grandmother for over twenty years. She lived with us for the last five or so years of her life. So I was able to develop a relationship that went beyond familial. It was a true friendship.
She was a quiet soul that enjoyed listening. Being a teenager/twenty-something, I enjoyed having her listen to me. Listen to me complain about my step-father, my Texan boyfriend, my college woes, etc. etc. So many troubles I thought I had then and she was always there.
Take a moment when that date comes up and remember whose life you used to gather to celebrate then. Take that moment to still celebrate by raising a toast or looking at old home movie or sharing a photo.
Remembering those who came before us is good for the soul.
Did you know Bertille in real life? I would love to hear your memories of her! Please share below.
Friday, Nov. 5, 1937
Beautiful getting colder. Bert’s [Bertille] 23 birthday. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary went to Red Bud to Buehler’s this afternoon & junk pile. Mrs. L. Fogassey & relatives, were visitors in town here, last Sun. Oliver & Cecelia & Mrs. Pour & Carrie Lorberg & Agnes Gregson were visiting at Iowa several weeks ago; from Fri. until Mon. Ben Schilling bought 126 acres of land from Emil Schilling & wife transfer in Waterloo paper. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary had supper here. Leo & Rose [Rosalia] came this eve. played 5 & 6 hand pinochle, refreshments & cake. Tolin was here on business; trying to sell a mare to pap.
Thursday, Nov. 4, 1937
Pretty cold, also yesterday morn. Henry brought load corn; white frost this morn. Ella Miller’s son in law is being buried this afternoon, his wife died yr. ago; leaves 2 children. had pneumonia, sick for 4 days. 41 yrs. old lives in Belleville. Uncle Fred came & him & pap went to school grounds, haul toilets home with the wagon & team; had dinner out there. Bert [Bertille] patched. Gauen came got ham 14½ lbs. @ 40¢. – cloudy this afternoon. Raining tonite; we went over to see Emil awhile, read papers etc.
Wednesday, Nov. 3, 1937
Washed, ironed, scrubbed basement. Pap went out all day on business trip. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came, he went to Public School had auction sale – toilets etc.; he bought the 2 for $3.55 cheap. they have new ones in down there now; sold the old one; 8 oclock sale. Leo & Rose [Rosalia] came was going to go to A. [Aunt] Mary’s, but they were here, so we played 5 hand pinochle. Kettler won county commissioner. Weigand went down salt lake, he won in the precincts around here, but no where else. Olive Laut came, got ½ bu. turnips.
Tuesday, Nov. 2, 1937
Went to 6 clock mass, All Souls Day. Went to Waterloo to 9 clock requiem high mass. Elder place was to be sold at court house, but was posponed [sic] on account of some heirs not being mentioned. Phil Mueth has it for sale 80 acres of ground. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary were up for church. Armstutzs were to see them last nite. Chris Buehler stopped got the hide from Henrys heifer to take to Drosts in St. Louis. Papa went to see Etling by Smithton this afternoon. It is getting colder this evening. Emil got some more furnitures from Querheim.
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