Friday, Dec. 8, 1939

Holiday. Went to 6 o’clock mass at Red Bud. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary stopped awhile after church, they have 13 hr. Devotion today. Bill [Klein] & Bertille went to Belleville, ordered wall of paper & went to E. St. Louis & St. Louis on business, stopped a few min’s at Uncle Ed’s shop. got a tarpaulin at Child’s for Leo 14 x 20 – $9.13 with tax. Dr. Werth have a baby girl. Orlin Skaer’s have a boy at Red Bud hospital; Ethel Prediger is home again from Belleville hospital, going to call there girl Madeline.

Saturday, Sept. 10, 1938

Pap got crushing done. This afternoon it rained, we didn’t go to sale of Mrs. Martin Fritsche’. Mr. Hy Kleber is being buried at Floraville this afternoon; ill for sometime, at hospital had tonsil removed, had poison system. Barber Pinic [sic] at Marissa Farm Bureau Picnic at Country Club today, starting at 10 A. M. Orlando Skaer’s have baby girl, now have 3 boys & 1 girl formerly Lorena Mehrmann.

Thursday, Feb. 24, 1938

Snowing this morn. Bert [Bertille] washed, ironed a few pieces. Pap went to Smithton to see Ed. Heap, but he wasn’t at home, had gone to sale at New Athens. The St. Michael’s Dramatic Club of Paderborn are giving a play tonite there, the name is “Always in Trouble.” players are Bill Klein, Louis & John Schoenborn, Sly. Neff, Ed. Kabureck; Bud. Karban, Irene & Esther Helfrich, Opp. Rheinhardt, & Clara; Viola Kabureck, Cecila Watchel. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary took Bert [Bertille] along to play, boy what a crowd, over 300 tickets sold; dance after play music by Schoenborn, Schilling, Boeker, between acts, & also 4 selections on guitar by Oliver Skaer.

Sunday, Sept. 12, 1937

Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary stayed awhile, had pumpkin pie. We went to Orlets this afternoon, went to New Hanover looked at pig self feeder at Geo. Lehr’s, pap bought one $17.00 delivered; we had supper by them. Uncle Fred & A. Mary came Bert [Bertille] went along to Totsch’s paderborn free dance & fish fry. music by Jake Schoenborn, Clemence Rheinhardt & Ray Geodelle & Gerhardt, Skaer’s are out, had fallen out last nite at Floraville, on account of the trial that Schoenbrook Bill Rehling had, Skaers held up for Rehling had a big crowd there. Hecker also had baseball dance, not so hot Schmidt played; not many people there, some left & came up there.

Tuesday, Sept. 7, 1937

Catholic Schools open today. Canning peaches cooking catsup, etc. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary stayed for supper last nite, then we all went to Smithton to Catholic Church pinic [sic]. Leo & Rose [Rosalia] came Bert [Bertille] went along to Floraville dance, Viola Kaburcek birthday all free. Skaers Orch; nice crowd present. Hy Miller of Lords Corner is being buried at Stehfests cemetery this afternoon, Elsie Spalts husband 41 yrs. old had cancer nothing left to him, didn’t weigh 100 lbs. they said. Pap was at the cemetery; he belonged to Broad Hollow Grange & was a soldier, so they all had there ceremonies at cemetery; awful large funeral. Henry brought load of corn on frame wagon Billy [Willis] also. Levi Feurer stopped in looked at pigs. We went to. Ignatz Neffs got bottles & cans & bought 2 doz. jars 20¢. went to Leo’s got some grapes for wine, took peaches along & peeled & canned 4 qts.

Tuesday, Aug. 31, 1937

Pap & Bert [Bertille] went to Leo’s, he helped load hogs went along to Belleville had 3 – 4% lbs. $10.60, had dinner. Bert helped for pinic [sic]. They have Catholic Church pinic [sic] today chicken supper. We went up this eve. had nice crowd. Bert won $2.45 bluey stand. Skaers, Rheinhardt & Schoenborn furnished music. The prizes were raffled to $10.00 New Baden; 100 lbs. sugar, Louis Schoenborn, Paderborn, quilt – Belleville, Aladin [sic – Aladdin] Lamp to Mrs. Geo. Klein Paderborn, 100 lbs. flour – Schmidt Pete of Waterloo, 17 piece water set, Leister mail carrier Waterloo, 50 lbs. flour Belleville 24 lb. flour Atella [?] Rheinhardt. Bed Spread & pillow slip Belleville.

Saturday, Aug. 21, 1937

Awful hot today. So many sales, Martin May, at St. Joe. Krug & near Red Bud & Schelsmidt in Red Bud. Cathill 6 min west of Red Bud. Pap went to Krug’s sale, but it got cloudy, so he went home. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came Bert [Bertille] went along to Red Bud to sale; & did it rain, so heavy, you couldn’t see the slab for all water; they sold while it was raining articles in house, had good sale lot people, Hy & family, Mrs. Geodelle were all down, we didn’t get nothing. had heavy rain & wind here to; picked 2 bus. peaches of ground made preserve & caned [sic] good ones. Bert went with Wagners to Paderborn to Totsch’s free dance, fish fry & turtle soup, good crowd. Skaers played music. Freeburg homecoming today.

Sunday, August 1, 1937

Mrs. Staufenbiel went along to Red Bud mass. Yesterday was 25 Silver Wedding Ann. of Mr & Mrs Alb. Cleveland was announced over the radio, today is Alb. birthday. Fri nite Nic Mueths celebrated there 25 Silver Wedd. Ann. at Log Cabin by Red Bud invitation dance. We went to Uncle Freds for dinner & supper. They came up this eve. & Bert [Bertille] went along to church had benediction, tried the organ, it is not finished, were so many keys that never worked but is is wonderful now. Then we went to Paderborn to Totsch’s free dance, & what a crowd, Skaer Orch. The Wedd. anni. of Al. Clevelands went over the radio again this afternoon, german musci [sic], or polish hr; requested by Grover.

Thursday, July 22, 1937

Nice day. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary stopped, then went to get Lena & Wilma Birkner, threshing done at Buehler’s. Pap couldn’t go long to help Leo thresh, on account threshing here. Mrs. Mehrmann got the eggs last nite, 10 doz. @ 16¢, they have to go threshing at Skaer’s today. Hogs sure have a good price, $12.95 today. they were $13. this yr. already; everything going up. Rob. Merz & son of Waterloo painted Uncle Fred’s house & granary roof yesterday. Leona, Robert, Billy [Willis] came Bert [Bertille] went along up to Rose [Rosalia] this morn; had dinner, baked pies this morn. had threshers for lunch, got 258 bus. oats. Buehler’s threshing here, brought the lunch up this afternoon, pap had lunch with them.

Sunday, April 11, 1937

Went to first mass. Fr. Stern is still not able to say mass. In Hecker & Waterloo children making there solemn Commioun [sic – Communion] today. Emme Eckardt came got the veil again, getting confirmed next Sun. here. Con. Myerscough stopped in. Lester Gregsons came, pap was elected to serve as judge on town election Apr. 20. he is going to take the job. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary stayed awhile after church. Mary Havey & man of E. St. Louis were published for last time this morn. We went out to Henkels paid for the seed $12. then went to Henrys. Uncle Fred & A. Mary came there to, we all had supper there. Uncle & pap went in woods, & Rob. also, Floyd is sick, dizzy spell he gets, cold. Set 2 more duck eggs. The mail carrier brought the rest of there chixs the same day, 250 & all were dead in box; they [Henry] wrote a letter to the co. right away but so far didn’t receive no answer; Henry said, thought the chics might of been chloroform. Cyril Haudrich is having a birthday dance at Pautlers, Am. [admission] 25 & 15¢. Skaers musci [sic].