Thursday, Dec. 21, 1939

Shortest day. Winter begins. Went to Waterloo. Bert [Bertille] got permanent at Colonial Beauty Shop $3.00. Pap bought new radio from Bersche, gave $3.00 for our old radio, trade in on push button zenith stub $15.00. We got Christmas cards from Mr & Mrs Geo. Shecan [?] Emil Schilling & Josie Keller. Awful cold to be 20 tonite. Bill [Klein] came got Bert went to Belleville to Lincoln Theatre to see Jones Family in “Busy to Work,” giving a Ford V8 away.

Sunday, Nov. 5, 1939

Went to mass. Berts [Bertille] 25 yr. birthday. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary, Leo & family were here for dinner; chicken & beef, for supper Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary, Bill Josie Keller brother Fred; played cards this afternoon. Herman of Columbia was here, H. Wittenauer, Klein Bros. on business; looked at horses & pigs. Beautiful day.

Sunday, October 1, 1939

Went to mass. Leo & family came. Leo went to church here, then we went out to Uncle Freds for dinner & supper. Mrs. Armstutz & Fred & his wife came out to. Josie Keller’s brother Fred were here, stopped in had supper here; has a new Oldsmobile, sedan; was a demenostrater [sic?]. Bill [Klein] came Bert [Bertille] went out with plymouth this eve. Our radio isn’t working.

Thursday, Aug. 3, 1939

Nice cool day. Canned peaches, pickles. Evansville have there pinic [sic] today; nicer day then yesterday, also sales today. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came pap went along to sale by Millsdadt [sic] & Ritzel at Waterloo didn’t buy nothing. Henry Wittenauer was here, getting land ready to start plowing. J. [Josie] Keller & Mr. Neimey Jr stopped here got eggs & chicken; were also at Lizzie Bolls while. The couple that had triplets born at Belleville hospitiel [sic], only the girl is living, other 2 died, girl 5 lb. still living. August Mueth 59 formerly of Smithton was buried there this morn.

Thursday, May 18, 1939

Ascension Day Holiday! Went to 6 o’clock mass. We didn’t go to confirmation at 10: 30 this morn. Bill [Klein] came, & we all went to St. Louis to J. [Josie] Kellers this afternoon left here at 1:30, got there at 3 oclock; she was ironing, we had supper there, left over there at 6 o’clock, got home 7:15. rained little this eve. thundered. Buettner is being buried this afternoon, private.

Monday, Feb. 20, 1939

Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came we butchered 130 lb. hog. J. [Josie] Keller & Mrs. Neimeier came had supper here, took sausage & 16 doz. eggs along. Melvin Wagner brought the receipt here for Firemen’s dues.

Monday, Feb. 13, 1939

Beautiful day warm 57 [degrees]. Bert [Bertille] washed, ironed, patched. Chas. Helfrich came looked at potatoes. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary send in a request to German Band at noon program today for Josie Kellers birthday today. Leo & family came this eve. Marita sure is getting big & fat.

Saturday, Jan. 21, 1939

Pap went up to mass of Mary Grossheim funeral, pretty large, pallbearers were Gus Kabureck & son, Fred Neff, Con. Mueth, Jake Schaefer & Henry & one pap didn’t know. Frs. Orlet & Fr. Ratermann assisted Fr. Aydt; Mary wanted that way; Fr. Aydt made a very nice sermon, praised her. she was awful generous towards the parish, she bought & donated The Mother of Perpetual Help Statue. Josie Keller came out bout 11 o’clock had dinner here, called Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary to come up, played cards all afternoon & part of eve. All had supper here, she brought a cake out for A. [Aunt] Marys birthday celebrating it today. Hecker general telephone meeting brought a quite a few people to town this afternoon to elect officers & operator. Lizzie Boll received it again against Geo. Wagner 14 – Rapp 5. Lizzie got 23 votes.

Thursday, Jan. 19, 1939

Cold this morn. 15 [degrees] above. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary stopped here awhile, went out to see Grossheims. Henry brought a cow hide up. butchered one today. Osie Neff was the butcher; he also brought a bone along for soup. Susie sang song for a whole bunch from Floraville & requested by a friend of Hecker. A lot of people that have been vaccinated recently have sore arms. Josie wrote A. [Aunt] Mary a birthday greeting, said she was coming out Sat.

Friday, Dec. 23, 1938

Still cloudy. We got Christmas cards from Fr. Orlet, Josie Keller, Irene Helfrich, Gusta Dudenhoeffer. Shelled popcorn, cleaned etc. Christmas Program at Blackburn School this afternoon, couldn’t go to much mud & Hecker School has there to nite. Everybody welcome.