Thursday, March 17, 1938

St. Patrick’s Day. We went to Leo’s today had dinner & supper. Bert [Bertille] helped wash & quilt. Pap helped hitch the young mare & hauled wood up. Eggs. 15 [cents]. Bert [Bertille] took 8 doz. up. found 104 today. Beautiful afternoon, nice warm. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary had stopped here, then went around to Red Bud to see the tornado stricken area, by Vanburen’s, through in there.

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, April 28, 1935

Went to Red Bud; they made $80. clear at the card party Tues. nite. We went out to Uncle Fred’s for dinner & supper. Mr. John & Sam Krehrer, were also there, looked at implements etc. We went to Pautler at Waterloo tonite, free double birthday dance, musci [sic] by Cowboy’s, nice crowd, there was a wedding dance at Dreamland, Mueller & Shewer Jr. It rained nearly all evening. Ed Fahey said Martin May turned his car over last night at Vanburen’s, 5 in the car, went to Waterloo to get Rose, & going home, car came out Vanburens lane, & collision, May’s car is a total wreck, took Martin to the doctor, man from Renault was driving, Rose has scratches & bruised a little; that is the third car he wrecked in a short time. Mr. Robert Probst is having a dance at Manier’s tonite, musci [sic] by Vogel Bros. Adm. 25¢.