Thursday, Dec. 7, 1939

Baked cookies. Leo & Rose [Rosalia] came, they finished concrete block foundation. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came, she went to church, he brought a load wood, for butchering. Emil was over awhile. Marita went along home this eve. Jos. Braun was buried this morn. formerly ex. banker of Hecker, had been sick awhile.

Wednesday, Dec. 6, 1939

Leo & Rosalia came down, brought her wash along, we washed together, & ironed patched etc. Bill [Klein] came helped put concrete posts down; Marita stayed here all nite. Jos. Braun died will be buried tomorrow morn. at Fateyville Church & Mt. Carmell cemetery at Belleville. Berrings had free coon lunch & horse peffer [hasenpfeffer?] last nite called over lines. Louis Schoenborn got tickets for wrestling match at E. St. Louis; Bill [Klein] got Bert [Bertille] & went.

Monday, Dec. 4, 1939

Butchered 180 lb. hog. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary Leo & family were here. Marita stayed all nite.

Sunday, Dec. 3, 1939

Went to Red Bud mass with Bill [Klein], he had Walter Helfrich, Les Becker along. Leo & family came this afternoon & pap went to see Perry May & guy back at Burksville. Bill came took Bert [Bertille] along & Mr & Mrs Walter Sternan & son Roland, all went to Ridgetop Tenn. at Nashville left at 3:30, got there at 10:30, plesent [sic] trip, Mr Sternan went to see his brother Henry who is sick in a sanatorium, had flat tire on way back, left down there at 10:30 Mon. morning & got home about 6 at Smithton, then Bill & Bert & Frank Klein & wife & Louis Schoenborn went to Edwardsville, took Frank to poultry meeting there, altogether made 838 miles trip from Sun. afternoon till Mon. nite. Bert won pencil at poultry meeting, brought a few rocks, like sponge from Tenn.

Thursday, Nov. 30, 1939

Leo & Rose [Rosalia] came, brought her wash along & we washed cloudy & rainy a little hung it in basement, ironed some this afternoon; had dinner & supper here, took Marita along tonite, going to Smithton to Orlets, Mr. birthday, Phyliss invited them send them a card. Rose [Rosalia] hurt her back this morn. lifting heavy. Bill [Klein] came this afternoon, sold another car to Sterns. Send order to Sears for [unclear] for Leo & things. Wagners having supper 6 o’clock for guests. Thanksgiving Day. Bill came, took us along to Lester Gregsons this eve. Gregsons & Wittenauers were there, had Thanksgiving supper by them; played cards, solo & pinochle, had apples & wine.

Wednesday, Nov. 29, 1939

Bert [Bertille] washed, etc. Leo & Rose [Rosalia] came, he & pap hauled sand from woods, with wagon & truck; had dinner & supper here, this afternoon Leo hauled 2 loads wheat – 76 [cents]. Feruer brought load corn. We lost one of our horses, bleed so bad out of mouth up in woods; died this eve; got it home; Johnsons came this eve to get it. Marita stayed here all nite, again. Chicago Mail Order came, everything O.K. but curtain not like ordered.

Tuesday, Nov. 28, 1939

Leo & Rose [Rosalia] came, went to Belleville, didn’t sell out on everything; had supper here, also Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary. The Ladies Aid have euchre tonite in hall.

Monday, Nov. 27, 1939

Leo & family, Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary were here butchered today 212 lb. hog – sure going down $5.70 now. Marita stayed all nite here; Frank Klein has ordered a new truck V-8. like Leos, yesterday from Bill [Klein].

Friday, Nov. 24, 1939

Leo & family came making plans for building shed had dinner & supper here. Leo & pap went to Smithton. Leo bought new V8 Truck $500 & his old car, brought it along home. Henry brought load corn. Bert [Bertille] baked cookied. Mrs. Roland Nobbe – Mildred Wild died & was buried this week at Waterloo she had been sick for some time married just a year & Walter Nobbe fell on leaves on sidewalk at his home & fractured some bones, is confined to his home.

Thursday, Nov. 23, 1939

Thanksgiving Day. Leo & family came had dinner & supper here, he plowed potatoe ground. Rose [Rosalia] & Bert [Bertille] went to Red Bud to Wedding mass of Marcella Gregson & Leslie Heyl; very pretty wedding, bride had long train white Satin dress with short veil & her attendants 2 sisters, one in rust & green with veils & wreath to match dresses; Walter gave her away & best man were Robert Heyl & Cletus Gregson; during the ceremony a terrible earthquake, roared just shook the church, people all went out, for a few mins, some places it was awful bad. Jerome Cortner house Chimney was cracked & did damage several other places; some plaster fell in Red Bud church, Gregson & Heyl had wedding dance at Log Cabin & Jerome Schilling & Elizabeth Shields had there wedding dance at Pautlers. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came here, then they went to Waterloo to dance, there is also one at Brezzy Hill tonite. Bill [Klein] came this eve. The Thanksgiving & Turkey dinner was a big run out of Turkey had to served pork sausage, had fed 600 at 2′ o clock – turkey was all; had awful crowd.