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.

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 1939

Went to Orlet’s. Pap made troughs etc.; picked potatoes through, had dinner & supper there. Sure hot. Leo & family came this eve. & pap went along to Waterloo church pinic [sic]. Bill [Klein] came down, we stayed at home. Lee Gregson & Vera Schmidt were published 1st time last Sun. here. Alvin Voges & Marcella Pabst having wedding dance at Log Cabin on Sept. 24; the day of Hecker’s Firemens pinic [sic] & fish fry.

Saturday, Sept. 9, 1939

Went to Waterloo this afternoon, sale of Mrs Wild Perry May Auct; not much of a crowd, things went cheap. A. [Aunt] Mary bought wash stand $1.40 & leniloum [sic] for kitchen $2.70. Frankie Englerth & Viola Einwich were married today, wedding dance at Brezzy Hill tonite. Bill [Klein] is invited to go. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came to get stand, we brought along home for them. Leo & Rose [Rosalia] came to get Marita, had watermelon.

Wednesday, Sept. 6, 1939

Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary were up, she & Bert [Bertille] went to mass wedding of Eichenseer & Parker; bridesmaids Lucinda dressed in plum & Adelle Pour in greenish blue. Mamie all white satin, long trail & veil. Clem & his attendents [sic], Joe Parker & Clarence Parker in dark suits. Joe leading the bride in church, pretty wedding; dance at Daabs tonite. Leo & Rose, Bill [Klein] came, all went. Pap cutting corn these days, prices on things going up. hogs – 9.50 – veal or heifers 12 [cents]. eggs 15 1/2 & 19 [cents]; all on account opear. [? – unclear] in European nation, so many were killed & bombed terrible.

Friday, September 1, 1939

Awful hot. Bill [Klein] is starting in today, with Sq. Deal Motor Co. at Smithton, going in business for himself. Favre is going to open a shop at Freeburg. A customer of Bellville [sic] stopped in, bought 25 [cents] melon. Pap cutting corn. Bert [Bertille] canned 4 qt. tomatoes. Seen in paper Leroy Siefert & Eliz. Buss were married Wed; going to barn dance next Wed. nite at Brezzy Hill. He works in Kroger store in Waterloo. Al. Cleveland won medal $5. for Champion horse shoe pitching at New Hanover last Wed. at Farm Bureau pinic. John Koeinsbmork 70; died at Red Bud hospital will be buried Sat. morn. at Waterloo church & cemetery, manager of Waterloo Mill. We got card from Isd. Orlet, invitation to church wedding Thurs. morn. to Phylis Bugger of Belleville at St. Marys Parish. Went to Leo’s took watermelon along. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary & Henry’s family were all there celebrating Rosalia’s birthday.

Tuesday, Aug. 29, 1939

Went to Belleville with things all sold out, 8 doz. eggs. 18 [cents] – 10 watermelons – 25 – 10 [cents] ; potatoes, grapes, tomatoes. Bert [Bertille] got new dress & shoes. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary were up. Mamie & Lucinda were down to give us an invitation for her wedding dance at Daabs Club House, on Sept. 6.

Wednesday, Aug. 23, 1939

Nice day. Uncle Fred’s Wedd. Ann.; also the weddingt today of Orville Schmidt & Loretta Braun church at 9 o clock here; wedding dance at Log Cabin; Uncle & Aunt Mary stopped in, then went down. Written cards invitation. Bill [Klein] brought 3 heifers down this morn, pap bought from Mrs. Klein $40.00. Walsh Student for priesthood was here taking order for Ex. Magzaine [sic], will be his last yr. ordered it for 2 yrs. now. for $5.00; he had dinner here with us chicken soup. They were 2 ladies here from Belleville Antique buyers. sold fruit bowl for $1. & milk pitcher corn. for 25 [cents]. Cooked catsup made carrot relish, pumpkin pie, applesauce cookies. etc. Henry was up got bu. fallen peaches for preserves & catsup tomatos [sic]. Schmidts received so many presents; cakes were served by Katzler bakery of St. Louis. Schmidt Och. played for dance. attendants were Mary Braun a sister & Dorthy Peiffer friend & Schmidt brother & Clarence Dashner of Red Bud a friend, a new home is being erected in Red Bud near Gregson’s Filling Station.

Saturday, Aug. 12, 1939

Raining showers on & off today, some pretty heavy ones; 3 houses were on fire in Waterloo this morn. electric wire, ran from one house to the other. Canning peaches so many fell of [sic] from wind. Pap went along with Emil out to Joe Schillings sale; things that Hess had bought on the other sale; Kettler has moved in there alreadys Hess lives on Uncle Adam’s place now; things went cheap at the sale. Ray Schmierbach & Luella Koerber are getting married in St. Louis today; dance tonite at Turners Hall in Smithton. Everybody welcome. Wagners left this afternoon, for supper. Hillsheim painted Wagners car blue & black; looks pretty good. Plenty rain for Wedding; Koerber boy & Verita Muhrmann & 2 from his side attendants; they had Favres V.8 Demonstrator, & Elmer Schmierbach turned it over, on slab near Smithton, car was damaged, but no one hurt.

Friday, Aug. 4, 1939

Canned tomatoes. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary were up, she helped wash dishes & clean for pinic [sic] to be next Wed. 9. Threshing machines all started again this afternoon, after all rain. Chas Shad daughter of Columbia bottoms Vernet & Walter Pieper of Merimac were married at Columbia on July 29. had a dance at New Hanover. Mr & Mrs Joe Mauer are celebrating there 24 Silver Wedd. Ann. today, mass this morn. at 9. & dance at Mid Way Inn tonite; they are now living in Red Bud; paper says Misses Alfreda & Mary Wittenauer are spending vacation in Michigan.

Friday, July 14, 1939

Awful hot. Pap dug 2 rows potatoes. H. Wittenauer was here, going to thresh here tomorrow. Transfer in paper of Barney Kaiser to Joe Kaiser. We received the books for pinic [sic] at Red Bud from Fr. Spors. Henry Grossman 62 & Clara Keim 18 of Floraville were married last Sun. in St. Louis, dance in eve. at Keimes. Lightening last Sat. nite; stroke several places at Waterloo Hermans. Country Club; Johanning had 3 cows killed. Bill Weitkamp & Vivian Ripley beauty operator of Waterloo were married last Sat. in St. Louis. Some W.P.A. workers are back on job & others of [sic – off] for good; they had dynamite laid for quarry here by Hecker if they started in working, they would blow things up, so they didn’t work. We went to Leo’s awhile this eve; threshing at M. Mueth.