Thursday, Dec. 28, 1939

Cloudy again all day. Leo & family came this afternoon, brought load corn down, coming back tonite again to catch chickens & ship them of; Lengylon on Milsdadt was at Mertz’s at time, so sold them to him; heavy 11 1/2 & light 9 1/2 – 1/2 [cents] lower then market price, had 290 lbs. heavy & 122 light. We had ice cream this eve.

Friday, May 5, 1939

Shipped cooped chickens. Went to Red Bud to funeral of Mr. Clemens Schlotmann, wasn’t so large. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary were up, making garden. We planted out some more tomatoe [sic] plants this eve. Bert [Bertille] painted kitchen chairs & table this afternoon.

Saturday, Feb. 26, 1938

Pap got crushing done. Uncle Fred & pap went to Waterloo A. Wiehl wanted to see Uncle on business. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary & papa went to Mrs. Stahleber’s sale this afternoon, household goods & farm implements. Percy Stav [unclear] Ave. Auto license came today & what No. so long. Eggs are down 13 [cents] today. Wm. Birkner is fixing Harry Kammlers chimney today, an awful cold northwest wind. Mrs. Whiel sale by Waterloo last Sat. things also brought good price, for conditions of the weather, cows average $100. sow & pigs $77.00 chickens $12.50 doz. paper says. Henry stopped in.

Tuesday, Aug. 17, 1937

Hy. Armstutz came got 18 chickens, sold them to Mertz here, didn’t ship them this time was enough no coop full. Went to Belleville this morn; dentist wasn’t there gone on vacation. Raining this afternoon, real nice, heavy showers. Went to church pinic [sic] this eve; didn’t win nothing. J. [Josie] Keller was out to; lots city people & many priests, large crowd. Evansville band played. Leo & Rose were down to Fr. Orlet & Raternaun. J. Klinkhardt got $20.00. Zeno Birkner $2. crochet bedspread Grover Dashner, Mrs. Chas. Heff $2. quilt Levi Ganley, quilt Levi Gregson, that I know.

Monday, Aug. 16, 1937

Canned 5 qts. peaches, 1 tomatoes, cooked catsup. Pap went to Waterloo to get fruit jars; didn’t have them in yet, he stayed all morn. still didn’t come, he is going to deliver them tomorrow. Berniece came said, there was some fish left, if anybody wanted some, at Mertz’s on ice; we don’t want any today. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came this afternoon, he helped put up stands, got 5 chickens – 12 lbs. @ 19¢ for pinic [sic] tomorrow; had watermelon lunch. Nic Schaefer Jr. was here, stopped on way home from Hess sale at Ruma. Gypsy Joe sang song for Mrs. Hess by Agnes today.

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.

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.

Tuesday, April 6, 1937

Washed, ironed. Pap went to Belleville with hogs. Wm. Karban was here looking for oats. Leo & Rose came had dinner here, we all went to Henry’s, seen the chix, only got 250 & 130 were dead, surely a mess; Rose’s never came at all, so far; then we went to Columbia to Hermann looked at cows & pigs, made trade, went to Leo & Rose tonite; Mr Orlet, Jake & Is. were there & J. Mueth. Ladies Aid have euchre tonite, but we didn’t go; Fred Wiegand got quilt played by bluey. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary were up he got prize.

Thursday, Nov. 19, 1936

Pap hauled corn fodder, Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came got there chickens bought 21 hens. 56 lbs. springs @ 12¢ & 6 lb. old hens @ 10¢. We are painting table & chairs in kitchen. Went to Belleville dentist this afternoon. Leo came we played cards.

Wednesday, June 24, 1936

Pap & Rose took 10 bus. wheat to Waterloo, got 84¢, last old wheat; got flour & chick mash & fattening mash. We got chicken dinner today. Mr. Wolf of Freeburg was here. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came to get there radio battery tonite, Henry & family came up, brought milk & ice we made ice cream, about 1 gal; boy! was it good. Beautiful day.