Tuesday, June 20, 1939

Lot cars passing with priests & Bischoff [sic – Bishop] to celebrate 50th Golden Jubilee of Fr. Van Dieft at Praire [sic] Du Rocher today; being 50 yrs. in priesthood. Raining mostly all day. Bill [Klein] stopped in on way going to Belleville. Man here cleaning out wells & cisterns, wanted $3. clean well so we didn’t have it done yet. Cleaned basement & garden. Rita Braun while coming home from work at Vera’s Tavern & riding with another girl, stepped from car while going & was injured face & shoulder was taken to East St. Louis Hospital. German Band played no. for Wagner Twins, he said. Charles & Melvin birthday.

Saturday, Oct. 8, 1938

Pap hauled load wheat to Waterloo it starting to get hot, got 60 [cents] a bu. We took another load in the afternoon, then went to Burksville to Zimmer’s sale, bought nothing. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary were also there she bought few articles. Bert [Bertille] varnished kitchen floor this eve. after supper. Chas. McDermott, Luke’s son & Austin’s [? – unclear] brother passed away false report – he is in hospital from a fatal accident, falling of a truck several day ago. Pap went to Emil’s awhile. Bert [Bertille] listened to radio & fix curtains.

Friday, July 1, 1938

Pap went out to Henry’s. We cut cabbage in. Leo Kern stopped here, went out to Uncle Freds got his wagon. Leo & family came this eve. & Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came from Eckerts threshing. Mrs. Martin Zauzek died, buried Mon. morning at Paderborn. Walter Stahl died, was out threshing. Clem Schlotmann coming home from threshing was hit by truck, is in Red Bud hospital in serious condition.

Saturday, March 19, 1938

Pap went to see Chas. Helfrich. We went to Smithton this afternoon, sale, & to church. Bert took eggs up 15 [cents] . A kid Schmitling on the Gambach farm, & Oliver Birkner, had a scrap this evening, he knocked Oliver out, unconsious [sic]; for awhile. Dr. Eckert came happened between, Wagners & Watchels; quite an excitement for awhile. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came up awhile this eve. Pap went to Orlets inquire.

Wednesday, March 16, 1938

Radio keeps reporting the news of tornadoes terrible at West end Belleville, Union School, factory, many resenditals [sic – residential]. 9 being dead & 26 injured so far; 3 blocks area; not very far from Township high school; happened about 5 o’clock. Henry & Leona & Billy [Willis] came. Bert [Bertille] went along to Walter Gregsons & looks just terrible nothing left but the house, & not a whole lot of it, porches of [sic – off] etc; but no stock or any one injured, wood sticking 3 ft. in ground across the road from his house, done more damage by downs by Red Bud Vanburen’s, Gueberts; Henry & stayed for dinner. Pap went to Smithton bought 2 pigs from Ed. Heap. $10.00. Eggs 15 [cents] found 98 today. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came Bert [Bertille] went along to Waterloo this afternoon, to see Rosie Kaestenier (nee) Mueth she died Mon. eve. from cancer; leaves a boy 11, who stays with Mueth girls in St. Louis; she has divorce from her husband he has remarried again; she is 47, laid out nice, pink dress at Quernheims funeral parlor; till Fri. morn. then to Hecker church & cemetery. Phi & Ed. are just recovering from auto accident, getting along fairly well at present. Quernheims have a funeral tomorrow afternoon to. Jac Rahn, Hy Rahn’s father 85 yrs. old; he is from Valmeyer; has an awful lot of flowers. Leo & Rose [Rosalia] came this eve; we had popcorn. Mrs. Orlet is very low.

Sunday, Feb. 6, 1938

Raining this morn; for about 1 hr. then after wards, nice sunshine day. Emil was over awhile this morn. We went to mass. Leo & Rose [Rosalia] came down for dinner & supper. Cleveland’s family were here this evening, playing solo. Bert [Bertille] went to Wagner’s along with them to Floraville Masquerade Ball, Schmidts Merry Makers musci [sic]. Prizes were won 1st group, 4 girls, Norma Etling; Edna Probst, Elvira Kroft, M. Keim. 2nd prize, dressed a best gent. Mrs. Walter Vogel & Erma Fisher lady. 3rd. Ruth Specinger. 4th. Walter Vogel comic n****r, big crowd; case beer attendance prize. Mueth had an accident this afternoon, at Columbia & Milsdadt [sic] road, car all smashed Phil. & Eddy, Phil wife; they say were hurt bad; Josie had scratches to; but they took her home, but the rest are at St. Mary’s hospital, they were on there way to St. Louis to see Rosie, who was operated on is in hospital; Phil had fractured skull & Ed rib broken. Louis Hofmeister of New Athens fell asleep tonite & ran of left side of hard road up the bank by Al. Parker’s on New Athens hard road; he wasn’t hurt, but car was damaged quite a bit; they say $95. to repair it again.

Wednesday, Oct. 6, 1937

Ironed curtains & patched; had chicken soup dinner. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came scrubbed upstairs this afternoon; went to Red Bud. We went to Leo’s & Rose this eve; busy working in the field. Isd. & dad & mother [Orlet] had accident Sat. eve. at Belleville, car coming from Monroe St. came on Ill. St. without stopping & hit Isd. car, the bumper is damaged & also window shield; all shattered, no one hurt but Mr. Orlet flew from back seat to the front, was unconsious [sic] for awhile, but nothing serious I suppose they didn’t see them since it happened. Isd. was out Sat.

Wednesday, Sept. 8, 1937

Washed, ironed, canned peaches. A man here collecting for poor people. Mr. James Tobin & Leona Vogt getting married this morn. at Red Bud 8:30 high mass; dance at Oak Grove tonite, only daughter of Bill Vogt. South of Red Bud. Catholics here have card & lawn party tonite at School grounds. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came, we all went to social, didn’t win nothing; Uncle had 7 got dresser scarf; played 12 games & couple games of each bingo, had cake walk, 15 cakes @ $1.25. Uncle Fred had to play accordion for cake walk; not much of crowd about 8 tables euchre, 1 pinochle, 1 solo. Mrs. Emmet Cowell while on her way to attend the wedding Mass this morn. was struck by auto. Leifer of south Red Bud, she also had with her a girl, who was also hit, had few teeth knocked out, & Mrs. has leg broken, side all bruised, were car had drug her about 30 ft. they say; is in Red Bud hospital, hurt pretty bad.

Saturday, Aug. 14, 1937

Made catsup, canned 3 qts. tomatoes. Went to Red Bud to Beckers Mill got check cashed, got new fan belt put in Chev. $1. went to Paul Crook looking for pigs, but were just delivered this morn. went through Tipton to Pluegers, but he moved last Sat; doesn’t live there any more, moved 10 miles away; went to Waterloo to church. Henry & boys were up this afternoon got wagon; last nite they were at Waterloo big W.L.S. Show at Pautlers Hall; I had forgotten all about it. Send bu. peaches small ones with Henry; pap picked 2 bu. little more. got in mushmellons & 1 watermellon [sic]. Hugo Probst is building new house on his lot, tore the old one away; also J. Kreher’s, Siedle is building that, contract job; but Probst just day labor. J. Reheis, Klein etc. We went over to Geo. Wagners awhile. Mary & Anita were out to. Clif Stahleber had a accident with his motorcycle at Pautlers, back wheel locked through [sic – threw] him quite a distance; hurt pretty bad.

Tuesday, Aug. 10, 1937

Painter is here. Pautler from Red Bud brought oil here for H. Wittenauer, going to start plowing today, going to put all our ground in wheat. Yesterday afternoon it was 94° little cooler this morn. canned 1 qt. tomatoes. Mr. Joe Kunkel of Tipton was buried last Sat. morn. there; been ailing for quite some time, weak heart. Last week Thurs. nite J. Hellmer & May had a collision between Oak Grove & Donahue’s as May turned of. Mr. Hellmer had his arm broke & splintered, & she is in hospital. Mr. & Mrs. Hahn were with them but unespacd [sic – unescaped?] injuries, Mr. Hahn even flew through windshield, never hurt; glass safety. There is a sale by Valmeyer & Mondanaville [sic] pinic [sic] Catholic Fr. Duehren in charge, raffling a oven ware set & silver tray. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came, went to the meeting in school hall, for the pinic [sic] next Tues. Evansville band to play. 25 pc. $30.