Sunday, March 4, 1934

Henry & family came for dinner & supper. It is a most beautiful day; but roads are muddy, wagons & buggy passing, people went to church. We went to Joe Watchel’s played couple games 5 hand pinochle; cake was served; this evening. Mr. John Birkner, at New Athens passed away this afternoon, will be at his daughters in Bellville [sic], that is Uncle Fred’s brother. Mrs. Louis Birkner is very sick also.

Sunday, Jan. 7, 1934

We went to Red Bud, took Helfrichs along. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary where here for dinner, played pinochle, left about 2:30 went to see Wilfred Eichenseer, they was to bring him home about 2 o’clock. There was a bunch going to chivari Ed Neff last night, but on account of this accident they didn’t. We all went to Eichenseer’s this evening, stayed till 8:30, after the rosary was said; there were quite a few came in & out; some stayed. Angela [the deceased’s sister] takes it awful hard; not so bad on the rest of the family.

Wednesday, Nov. 15, 1933

We washed, ironed. Papa went out to Henry’s, talk with the culpert boss. Cleaning chicken houses, putting in clean straw. Mrs. Jim Ganley, (“Liza Otto”) died this morning at 9:30. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came & we all went out to the wake, stayed all night, had supper, left 4:30, there was a few more there. Mrs. Schilling & Ben, Chas Kern & sons came after 12 o’clock. Freund boys prayed the rosary. She will be buried Sat. morn. Querheims have the funeral, they didn’t have her away. Rose is sick with swollen head.

Tuesday, Oct. 24, 1933

We are cooking catsup, fixing fence. Robert Rettinghouse funeral is this afternoon, they have him at John Lipperts service at the house, then to the Hecker cemetery, papa & Bertille walked down to the cemetery & rode home with Uncle Fred; it was a very large funeral, singers at the grave; it took 10 mins till they all got through Hecker. He has 3 children Clarence 28, George 23, Viola 14. The pall bearers where all cousins, Elmer Rettinghouse, Louis Armstutz, Oscar & Rob Lippert, 2 Weber boys.

Sunday, Sept. 10, 1933

Hubert McDermott called up & told us about the dance at Martin Neff’s, so we went this evening had good time adm. 20¢. Schilling Moonlighters played; large crowd, & big floor. Rosalia & Bert, Lena Meng went down to see Ida Braun, she would be 15 in Nov. Egg man was here.

Saturday, Sept. 9, 1933

Papa got crushing. We went to Waterloo this afternoon took 5 gals. lard to baker shop. We went up to Maniers fish fry & dance, didn’t go in, listened to the musci [sic], Herzog Nite Owls, Belleville the crowd came first about 10:30 1/8 beer was raffled for attendance prize. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came, they went down to the wake at Brauns’.

Friday, July 28, 1933

Papa & Rosalia went back to Reheis again, & Uncle Fred to, Aunt Mary stayed last nite; Bertille came along home, helped clean up to. We all went out to Reheis this evening & stayed all night, had supper & breakfast & the people that came, it was such a crowd in & out, we took our clothes along ready for funeral.

Friday, Feb. 3, 1933

Rosalia & Bertille went to church this morning. Robert Laut was here & bought that little spring chicken 2 lbs. 25¢. It is a pretty nice day. Bertille got the mail. Papa & Rosalia went out to Henry’s, he wants to take the fence out along the road. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary wasn’t at the wake last night, Jerome Cortner had invited them to a birthday party some place; so they are going to the wake tonite. Joe Sommer’s the barber have another little baby girl born Jan. 29 at St. Clement’s Hospital at Red Bud. Joe is giving a free haircut to the one that selects the right name to be given to the child. Mr. Erwin Eichelmann, son of Mr. & Mrs. Eichelmann & Mrs. Olga Hauptfleisch of Columbia were quitely [sic] married at Springfield Ill. on Wed. Jan. 25. They are making there home with the groom’s parents, east of Waterloo. Walter Monike of Lords Corner motored to Prairie Du Rocher last Wed. evening & received 3 prize on playing violin. John Hepp who has been down for the past 3 weeks with kidney trouble is reported about in the same condition. Mrs. Walter Hecke is employed as nurse. Wm. Laut is no better, he is troubled with Rheumatism. There was a man here wanted to sell the St. Louis Globe & one here wanted boarding place, he is the constructor for building the bridge west of Hecker, he says, going to start next Mon. & wanted a room. Rosalia & Bertille went to see Angela Eichenseer this evening, it was also Mrs. Vic birthday, Clarence Wittenauer was also there, we played pinochle, papa came over & got us when the store was closed.

Thursday, Feb. 2, 1933

Rosalia & Bertille went to church, candlemas day. Louis Rechfsichner & Colton of Belleville was here, they looked at our mules. Papa went out to Henry’s this afternoon. The ground hog will see his shadow, so I guess that means bad weather. Cyril Eichenseer was here he wanted to see if we had chickens to set, he wanted some. Wilfred came & wanted alfalfa hay. There was a girl here selling soap 10¢ bar, we bought one, she was a cripple & said had no dinner. We got 9½¢ for eggs, store pays 9¢. Cyril said Mr. Laut & Mr. Hepp are getting along pretty good here in town, but Joe Mueth died last night. Papa took the fence out at Henry’s along the road & brought a gal 1 milk along home. We went up to Mueth’s to the wake, he looks natural; we didn’t stay very long, there were so many people there, hardly standing room, anymore. We stopped at Henry’s awhile when we came back. Mrs. Cleveland & Grover stayed there & Albert & Henry went to Mueth’s. They sure got trouble again at Blackburn University.

Thursday, Jan. 19, 1933

Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary stayed in Hecker, all night, they came over this morning, & then went home. There was such a crowd there at euchre, 25 tables, she got a apron for prize. We baked cookies this morn. We got ten little pigs born last night. The egg man paid 14¢ for eggs today. We all went out to the wake at Meuth, stopped at Henry’s took him along. There where a few people there this eve, all the girls & Mamie & Rosie. She doesn’t look like herself at all; the teeth is all out of her mouth, & has a gray dress & coffin. Miss Bertha Lother is there ~ working.