Monday, May 8, 1933

Henry came here, & we went along with him to Hershel [sic – Herschel] Blackburns funeral, to church & cemetery, we didn’t go out to the house, we thought the roads would be bad, but they said the roads are good; it was a very large funeral, & very sad one. The pall bearers where Grover Cleveland, Buddy Napier, Elmer Papenberg, Dilbert Mueth, Henry Sensel, Alfred Eckert; all boys of 14. Henry was here for lunch. We drove out to Ronnerberg’s looked at the corn there; it is Reheis. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came up to work in there garden, planted cabbage plants out, came over here for supper, brought chicken along. Josie Gregson birthday.

 

[editor’s note: Herschel Blackburn was born in 1919. He died just shy of his 14th birthday; hence the reason why Bertille mentions that all his pallbearers were 14.]

Wednesday, May 3, 1933

Papa is 55 yrs. old. He went out on business trips this morn, & afternoon, went to George Boll’s, Buehler’s, Parker’s. Mr. Quathammer was here. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary are working up here again. This evening them & Henry & family & Chris Buehler’s family where up, for the birthday, cake, popcorn, beer where had. Mrs. Louis Birkner is sick in bed again.

Monday, May 1, 1933

George Wagner brought the fork back. We washed, ironed; nice day so far. Henry & boys came up after the hog. We gave him some lettuce along from Aunt Mary’s it is so nice. Clarence Wittenauer was here & said, they wanted that price for ball grounds, want to start working on it by Sat, & give a dance Sat. nite to pay in advance.

Thursday, April 27, 1933

Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came & got there potatoe [sic] plow then went home this morning. Papa & Rosalia are strawing potatoes this morn. A man here from Belleville that has a store bought 36 doz. eggs here at 10¢. We went to Belleville this afternoon, met Joe Hilpert there. Two ladies of Red Bud where here yesterday soliciting for euchre prizes for next Thurs. nite the Swing Circle has a euchre; we got a pair of pillow cases & stamped & worked them out as a prize. We went out to George Boll’s & then out to Henry’s, awhile, Mrs. Cleveland, Grover, & Miss Miles the teacher came up to, awhile. Henry shipped a calf over to St. Louis with Eichenseer, & it only brought $1.40 @ 2½¢; it is awful.

Wednesday, April 26, 1933

We cleaned the kitchen stove & pipes. Rosalia went out to Uncle Freds & got the potatoe [sic] plow. Broad Hollow Grange is giving a play “Civil Service” tonite & dance after it. We planted 2 bus potatoes. Papa planted a patch of corn. Rosa & Bert went out to Henry’s, had lunch there, washed & worked the garden. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came up this evening, stayed in Hecker over nite, she brought 90 cabbage plants & few tomatoe [sic] plants along. The road worker are working by Kammler’s & Scheinders today.

Monday, April 24, 1933

It looked cloudy, so we didn’t wash, papa plowed the orchard. Steve came over & told us that Abe Heyl was here yesterday & looked at our pigs, Ab came this morning again, but they was to small for him, so he got some from Bill Geodell. Knappe stopp [sic] a little while this morning. Mrs. Hosto of Smithon [sic] is getting buried this afternoon at 1 o clock, to the church & from there to Summerfield; quite a few from here attended the funeral. Papa altered our 5 little pigs. Bert took 6 doz. egg off got 9¢. Clem Parker & Papenberg where here invited us to come to George Parker’s barn dance, Elmer’s birthday 19 yr. old; cake & water where served. Henry brought a calf up this evening, he said Floyd has the measles.

Saturday, April 22, 1933

We went to Waterloo this afternoon, eggs are 10¢ today. We got 2 new tires & tubes from John Horn; for $12.60 & was allowed $3.30 for our old tire & tubes. We went through Red Bud. Henry was in too. We were at Bill Reischfueder’s & looked at a horse, but didn’t make any business.

Friday, April 21, 1933

Jonny Krehre’s [sic- Kreher] had a dance last night, celebrating Authur [sic] Schaefer’s birthday which was yesterday & Mrs. John Krehers last Mon; we have no invititation [sic]. Mr. George Boll & Karl where here got a fat hog, to butcher today; it weighed 242 lbs. & $3.50, $8.45 all cash. Papa went to Red Bud & bought lumber for corn crib, & coal 4 bus. 2@17½¢. & dried skim milk. Rosalia & Bert went out to Henry’s got some oats & helped in the garden. Mr. & Mrs. Louis Goessling of Waterloo have a little baby girl, they just have a pair. Omer Schilling has a birthday dance advertised, for Apr. 29 Sat. at Oak Grove. There was a diregible [sic] flew over this morning right low. The other day there was an airplane landed near Valeymeyer [sic] on Schaefer’s farm, & burned up. completely, 4 persons all from Arksasas [sic – Arkansas], the remains where taken to Wagner & Herman funerl [sic] home. Miss Alberta Heyl, Albert’s daughter is switch board operator in Waterloo now, taking the place of Miss Marie Gentsh who is taking the place of Ruth Olendorph, who recently on Easter Sun. got married to Morris Binder also working at the switch board. A Sign was put up in West end Hecker today saying “Road Closed.” It rained all night.

Wednesday, April 19, 1933

It is cloudy this morn. Karl Boll gave his job up at Belleville & Milton Wagner has it now. Karl has no work. We cleaned little chick house, put on screens & washed windows. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary, Papa went out to Bill Sensel’s sale Nobbe of Waterloo is selling him out. Aunt Mary stayed at Buehler’s. Papa bought a cow for $10.00; everything sold cheap, quite a few people attended. Louis Whiel was sale auctioneer, he bought a crippled horse for 5¢, & rung up the rendering works at Belleville to get it. Papa bought corn too for 24¢ bus. Ed Neff bought the truck for $5.00. Mulligan boy’s & Clarence Wittenauer came this afternoon to see papa but he wasn’t home, so Clarence came back this evening; he wanted a piece for ballgrounds; so papa told him for $15. & the right of us all to watch them play, & nothing hauled in or out, they could have it; so he is going to see the rest & let us know. Henry & family came up, he brought the mule up. Philip Braun was here & wanted the recipe for curing Rheumatism; Mrs. Braun has it so bad. Bert went up to look for the mail.

Sunday, April 16, 1933

The creeks are out nearly all over this morn. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary, Henry & family where all up for dinner & supper. Henry came up with the buggy, the road is awful bad, it is just about all that they can get through with horses at the hills. Wittenauer hauls the milk with the wagon. The rabbit laid eggs by George Wagners & here this afternoon. Mr. & Mrs. Levi Gregson & Agnes was here this evening. Mary Wagner had a big surprize [sic], her brothers & sister & family, celebrated her birthday 43rd at George Wagners today, all Kammler’s, Fritsches, Mehrmann’s.