[Undated Entry]

Bert’s [Bertille] at Leo’s all this while; for 3 weeks so far. Edwin Neff & Amelia Dintelman got married Decoration Day. May 30. Catholic School children have pinic [sic]; Mrs. Jake Friedrich had sale June 4.

June 1, Elmer Haudrich & Edna Watchel were married here, attendants Cyril & Leroy Haudrich, Mildred Watchel & Lorretta Biffar; wedding dance at Kammlers Hall, Neffs dance also was there. Mr. Fritsche of here died. Mr. Jake Mehrmann had a stroke on going home from Haudrichs wedding dance & died; buried June 5. Rob. Knabe big barn burned to ground Sun. eve. June 5; 2 fire department Hecker, & Smithton were out; saved the out buildings house etc.

Friday, Nov. 19, 1937

Awful cold, snowing a little today. The fire department was called to Bert Thompson’s chimney on fire but no damage done. Authur Geodelle & Alberta Friedrich were married Wed. morning by Kochheim at 10 o’clock. Laf. Geodelle best man. Pretty cold is to be 20 degrees tonite.

Sunday, May 12, 1935

Went to Red Bud, the preist [sic] gave the young boys & girls a real lecture sermon, because the boy’s aren’t behaving, AC Buchon L. Ratz & Hartmann were all put in jail this week. It rained, thunder lightened [sic], awful this afternoon, about 3 o’clock. Lena Meng went screaming up the street, said lightening had struck there barn, & on fire she couldn’t get central to answer, had to walk up town, but the fire department couldn’t save it anymore only the house & other building. they protected; looked terrible, burned completely to the ground, good wagon, corn, hay, 3 horses & colt, Werner Kammler’s mare & colt, Bert Tomphsons jack, & horse, one they saved; people that came, in & out; came from all over. Clifford came this evening, he is working by Waterloo now $25 mo. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came up, & we all went to the fish fry & dance, given by Fire Co. at Manier’s; very large crowd, & the park was muddy, they hauled 2 loads saw dust, around the bar, lot a people got stuck; one guy was front wheels, all way down; park is all a mess with deep tracks; We came home, about 12:30 & started in raining, windy again, papa wanted to go over to Meng’s again, so we went as far as Rennecker, they said was no use going over, so we stayed there a little. the fire engine came again & put water on again, put it all out; we came back, went to bed was about 2:30.

Wednesday, May 8, 1935

Rain this morning; then sunshine & windy. We went to Belleville, Rose & papa went to Dr. Wagner dentist, Rose got wisdom tooth pulled, terrible one, took at exray [sic] first, it grew backwards she was in the chair 2 hrs; having it pulled out, cost $5.00 wit exray [sic] $2.00 & medicine; she came home, went to bed. The stove foundry men aren’t working today, on a strike up there again, its awful. It sure is dangerous in Belleville now, there looking any time for the electric plant to blow up, people watch day & nite, found dynamite sticks all over the yard already, search every strange car that passes by, orders is if they see any one, should shout right away, its awful up there. This evening at 9:30 alarm ring, fire at Mrs. Staufenbiel’s house, papa went over; fire department came & soon had it out, burned hole in the roof on Volkman’s side, the nurse had put a grease rag in the stove & damper opened it went straight up, sparks set fire on the roof. Mr. Volkmans is getting along pretty good now, fever is gone but he is awful weak; he asked what the noise was when they started water on the roof, they told him, washing machine was going out in the shed. Good many people came right away, helped Roy was up L. Armstutz car was backed out of shed.

Tuesday, April 16, 1935

Pap is setting posts. We finished patching & are binding the quilt. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary were here, working in there garden; & sewed seeds. Walter Wittenauer came, for corn & hog contract signing, he is on the committee; did very little here, looked at the colt. Joe John stopped, we didn’t buy anything. This morning about 7:30 fire alarm was sounded, Gambach’s chimney was burning, no damaged done, fire department was right there, but didn’t have to use it much; put salt on the flame, in upstairs kitchen stove; alarm ring over the town lines was called. It is town election, today but no one came here, so they didn’t go to vote. Eggs are 20¢. Berti took some up to Mertz Store.

Saturday, July 9, 1932

This morning about 12:30 or 1 o’clock every body was roused out for church bell ringing, rings over the lines of the fire at Phil Braun’s shed. It burned completely down to the ground, but saved the house & other buildings. Papa went up with a bucket, they had Smithon [sic] & New Athens fire department, got the water out of Stehefest’s pond & from the neighboring wells. It must of started by the truck, & horn kept blowing & roused Phil out, he went to the shed, broke the door in & the truck was all on flames, they couldn’t save much out of the shed, got the old Ford out & Lester Gregson’s truck. The oil barrels just shot up in the air, it looked terrible, the tin roof on & around the house saved it, & Lizzie Parkinson’s. Mrs. Rennecker came over here that while it took about 1½ to 2 hrs. It is still fire there today yet. We went to Belleville this afternoon. Steve Rennecker came over this evening. Rosalia went over to see Mrs. Hill’s flowers, she called up & said she should come over and look at them. It rained a few shower this evening. Henry was up & got some milk, he was here awhile. Josie Keller went past down to Ben Heyl’s.

Thursday, July 9, 1931

It is raining this morning.  We got our beets in from the garden here & the truck patch, we got 5 quts & 1/2.  Mrs. Katie Klotz was here this morning to see if she could get a can of cistern water at Uncle Fred’s place, because they are getting the thrashers this evening, & they wanted the water to wash the dishes.  Papa went up to Eichenseers, & went along out with Vic & Odillo, to fix Henry pump, they put 5 ft. pipings on it, there is 30 ft. of water in it yet.  Papa called up for Rosalia to come out & bring some wrenches along from the store.  Mrs. Klotz was telling me about a fire at Albert Gregson’s on Tues. night, the road men had a fire burning the grass on piles, & they left without putting the fire out, & during the night the fire creeped & burned all the way through the woods, nearly too the house, they just got it out in time.  George Lorberg was called with a tank of water on his truck & also Joe Shilling’s, Louis Armstutz’s & a fire apartment, I don’t know if it was Smithon’s [sic] or Red Buds, fire out later, it happened around 12 o’clock in the night that is when George Lorberg left.  This evening we went out & lawend [sic] at the cemetery, & looked at Frank’s pigs, sheep.  Eggs are 12¢ now.