Thursday, July 14, 1938

Bert [Bertille] baked cookies etc. had chicken dinner. Wm. Braun & Leifer were here, pap signed up his ground at Henrys for oil – to start working in couple months. Sparta they have started 2 wells so far; he got $1. for leasing so far.

Thursday, June 30, 1938

Pap went to Henrys. Alsace Eckert – living back in Hecker again, moved to Sparta after they were married, have a baby girl now. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary were up. Bert [Bertille] took onions out over 1 bu. for sale.

Thursday, July 29, 1937

Bert [Bertille] baked cake, cooked catsup. Pap went to woods to look for sand. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came, Bert went along to Chester to the wake of Mrs. John McDermott, who passed away yesterday afternoon at 2 ‘ o clock, at Jacksonville Ill, she had been there for 2 weeks, with a nervous break down, in a private place & nurse, while the nurse was just out, she hung herself with a strap; & died; 29 yrs old; they were married will be 2 mons. on 10 of next mo; tomorrow will be taken to her home at Raddle Ill, about 12 miles from Chester, & will be buried there Sat. morn; we met her 2 sisters & brother, being there at the funeral parlor, 2 girls were all school teachers. We were there from 3 to 5:30, people came in & out; John & Ed were there. Leo & Rose came this eve. & we ate watermelons, that A. [Aunt] Mary brought from Sparta, boy what a good melon, we ate it all 22 lb. Mrs. Mehrmann got the eggs. 10 doz. @ 17¢. A fellow here wanted to sell paint. We got 19¢ for our chicks, 77 lbs. – 3 doz. shipping charges 75¢ on coop. We got a new Chicago Mail Order catalog.

Wednesday, July 28, 1937

Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary & Bert [Bertille] went to Sparta Fair at 9:30, sure seen some wonderful actors, the Strasophere man, airplane flying & fellow standing on the wing, turned a tailspin, horse races, one fellow got through of & was hurt, kicked in temple. Bob O Neil’s Och. & several more radio fans, Buddy & Gene on roller skate; they have all side shows & different booths, ferris wheel, whip, loop & loop, merry go round etc. Adm. 25¢. at the gate; but it certainly was nice.

Friday, Sept. 4, 1936

Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came & pap went along to Sparta Fair with them. Rose 25th birthday. Henry & Leona came up, Henry went to the meeting at Kammler’s Hall; this morning. We baked bread etc. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary had supper here, ate watermelons & doughnuts.

Thursday, Sept. 26, 1935

Rain all day. No Sparta fair today. Ed Pabst brought the potatoes this morning; quite a few, about 8 bus. Rose sewed a jumper for Billy. Loyd Pabst & Alvin Voges is working in the Eagle Stove Foundry at Belleville now.

Friday, Oct. 12, 1934

Henry & Emil came again, had lunch, dinner, lunch. Mrs. Rennecker has 3 extra men for dinner every day, besides her board, Mr. Eugene Smith of below Sparta, they are men that are figureing out the books at the station, the paper says that Albert Griffin has resigned for a highter position, some says he is going to school. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary were up this afternoon, she bought a 3 lb. chicken & dressed it ready for tomorrow. Melvin Wagner was over awhile. We baked pumpkin pie. The banks are all closed today Columbus Day.

Sunday, Oct. 7, 1934

Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary stayed awhile had lunch. Barry May has shooting match this afternoon. The Hecker Baseball team has a dance at Manier’s tonite, Jolly Six Osc. of Red Bud, pretty fair crowd attended. We stayed home all day; had beef soup dinner. Mr. Joe Hilpert & family stopped a little while, he bought 2 doz. eggs; they were down at Sparta, he helped to build the CCC camps there. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came, too take in Maniers dance; outside. Papa & Uncle Fred went out to Henry’s. Pete Birkner looked at the house, he said he would furnish everything & plastered it for $30.00, papa thought that was rather much, so he won’t let him fix it. We went to Oak Grove to a dance, musci [sic] by Chris Dorn’s Orc. Adm. 25¢; nice crowd & good time. James McCaffery 68 of Red Bud died, funeral tomorrow, 9 o’clock by Rev. Stern. Mr. Emil Frick brother of Mrs. Willie Gregson died, will be buried tomorrow afternoon at St. Louis.

Thursday, Sept. 27, 1934

Leona’s 24 yr. birthday. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary & Rosalia left at 8:30 Sparta Fair; horse races today. Mr. George Braun, of Red Bud, died, that is Adam’s brother. The Rock Creek School is now closed, diptheria in the district, Roeider kids have it are quarantined also. Leona came up, met Miss Klube & Klaezner from the bus, stopped in awhile here. The Sparta Fair was wonderful, came home 6:30; brought fruit jar lid – a sample, & Aunt bought hair curlers; they had supper here; then we all went out to the birthday; cake was served, those present were, Mr. Gus Geodell & family, Mr. Albert Cleveland & family & Walter Reheis, Emil Bestmann, Miss Klube, Miss Klazener, the young folks, enjoyed themselves with dancing & music, singing.

Sunday, Oct. 22, 1933

Mission Sun. Rally at Cakohia [sic – Cahokia] at Parks Air Port. Bob Rettinghouse got killed on the hard road last nite, he & his daughter where visiting at John Lipperts, neighbor & brother-in-law, on there way, home got he struck by a passing car, from Sparta; the car was damaged a little, they say the road, has blood, on & some of his brains, so it must of been terrible. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary where here for dinner. We went to Renneckers, Wagners where there too; played cards. Wagner held 1500 trump spades, Bertille had 500 in spades, & Pap had 1500 in clubs, & didn’t see it, some card player’s ha! ha!