Wednesday, Dec. 21, 1932

We fried 3 gal. bacon in today, shelled corn, baked bread & coffee cake. Philip Braun came this morning while we were eating breakfast, he came to tell us to come up there to church tomorrow evening they will have a new priest Rev. Adyt he come from Goddmill, there is going to be benidiction [sic] & then they go over to the school hall & have a reception, lunch, & a program & present the priest with a little Christmas gift. There we wants to meet all his parishoners [sic]. Rev. Hoff of Belleville is doing all this. Fr. Grootens is in Wisconsin now, he says. A man from E. St. Louis Stolze was here wanted to get eggs, but we had none to sell to him. Papa was at Barthel’s got the Chev. batteries.

Tuesday, Dec. 13, 1932

Cleaned chicken houses, put clean straw in. Papa & Rosalia went out to Henry’s got wheat & oats. We baked Christmas cookies this afternoon. Klotz’s, Fritsche’s, Boll’s, Buehler’s are all butchering today, Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary had to help Christ. nice day. Fr. Grooten’s is very ill, some said he was out of mind.

Wednesday, Dec. 7, 1932

It is freezing, cold. We started the furnace fire again this morning, didn’t have none all week because it was so nice & warm. Fr. Grootens was taken to the hospital last Friday, suffering from a nervous break down. Frank was also sick, he stays up at Belleville with the Becthloffts, the house isn’t finished yet.

Sunday, Dec. 4, 1932

Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary was here a little while this morning, they had a different priest here in Hecker, this morn. Fr. Grooten’s is sick, they say. Mr. Ralph Ettling was here this afternoon & paid of $175.00 part interest $25.50 still due. He told us they had the Sheriff out to Wuertz’s to get there dog, they had pined up in the house, sheriff got there dog for them, he went in the house & got it, at night time. The Wuertz’s boy’s jumped on Buddy & the old lady ordered them of the place, Henkel & Buddy, so they left & got the sheriff, to get them dog. Louis Armstutz was here awhile. We went out to Cleveland’s this evening played 6 hand pinochle, Mr. Cleveland & Rosalia & Bertille partners & the other 3 partners, played 4 games, wine & cake, popcorn where served. That solo set out there where at Papenberg’s last night they said.

Sunday, Nov. 20, 1932

We went to Red Bud to church. Hy. Armstutz & a fellow from Belleville where here, he got 4 doz. eggs @ 30. $1.20. Papa went up to the store this afternoon, got our spray that Wittenauer’s brought along from Henry’s. Henry took his saussage [sic] & meat into Waterloo this morning for Art Geodelle from St. Louis, he is to buy it all from him. Tonite is a play at Belleville, & Red Bud & Waterloo, Red Bud it is all married people, Adm. 25¢ the name is “Just Country Folks.” Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary didn’t stay up long this morning on account of the roads, the wasy she says, Fr. had a big sermon in church again this morn. Frank was published for the second & third time, the wedding is Thursday, Thanksgiving Day at 9 ‘o clock. Joe Hilpert & Rheinhardt were hunting out at Henry’s today. It is awful warm, the snow is nearly all gone.

Thursday, Nov. 17, 1932

It sure is nice today. Papa took 41# mud hens @18¢ to Eichenseer’s this evening. Fr. Grootens is having wutschmark & turkey raffling, tonite, turkey attendance prize, everybody has to bring sauerkraut & potatoes & bread; they say there was only about 37 that ate there; their wasn’t very many strangers there.

Wednesday, Nov. 9, 1932

We went out to Henry’s butchering today. Uncle Fred & Emil helped; they butchered a 500 lbs. one. Rossevelt [sic – Roosevelt, Franklin] got elected, & all the rest democratic except Ervin Boo he got in, so far. Mrs. Fritz won the turkey given away at Schmidts dry goods store. We had lunch, dinner & supper, out at Henry’s, & brought some fresh saussage [sic] along home. Mr. Jac Neff & Ed Neff came there too, he wants to use the team tomorrow haul wood together. Joe Hilpert is working for Fr. Grooten’s again, he came down here awhile this evening. Henry won basket groceries given by Schmidt’s.

Tuesday, Oct. 25, 1932

It is cloudy, & raining all day. Bertille went over to Rennecker’s got the papers. See in there Daily Advocate that Robert Groom Jr. & Mary Louis Sterling where married at Carlinville on July 31, it was kept a secret till now. Mr. Groom is going to a miner School in St. Louis, when he has finished that they will make there home with Mr. & Mrs. Bob Groom West A St. Belleville. It is also in the paper that Fr. Grootens has paroled 2 boy out of jail, Chas. Burke the first one he had here & Tackett both of Belleville, they held up a filling station.

Thursday, June 16, 1932

Henry was here for lunch, dinner & lunch, supper, he finished cutting wheat up here & took the binder along. Leona & the kids brought him up & they went home again this morn, she canned 31 qt. berries. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came up awhile this evening. Fr. Grootens has a dance in the hall tonight. Papa built a little hog house, & they moved it with the horses, back to the straw shed. eggs are 9¢ today.

Friday, May 27, 1932

Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came up this afternoon. We planted out flowers & this eve, planted cabbage & tomatoes. April Eichenseer was here awhile. The Biebel Roofing Co. men where out here this morning, papa went along with them out to Henry’s & showed them the barn, they’ll do the job for $100.00. Fr. Grootens has a big piece in the paper again about the cemetery being furnished, & the big pinic [sic] Mon, spring chicks fed on milk supper, & his picture, & also a lot of things, which isn’t so at all, grass 6 ft. high before they cleaned & all kinds of stuff.