Leaves on the Trudgian Tree

Exploring the lives of one Trudgian family in Galena, Illinois through the eyes of their daughter, Lillian, during the years of 1913 through 1931. Lillian's authentic diary entries explore the family, neighbors, what is happening in Galena, as well as, national events and of course the weather and the crops!

About Me

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Location: Portage, Michigan, United States

Since all three volumes of "Lillian's Diaries: Whispers From Galena's Past" have been transcribed and published, I am currenting working on another book about the Trudgian (Tregian/Trugeon) family. This time it will be a novel based on historical events which involve my ancestors in Cornwall in the 1400-1600's. I have just started organizing my research so it will be a year or two before you will see it in the bookstore! I have just finished leading a Genealogy Class for beginners at my church. At the end of the six session class everyone had discovered some new information about their ancestors but there was, of course, many more questions to be answered. So I started the "Whispers From Our Ancestors" blog to provide a space for us to share our genealogical joys and roadblocks. Http://seekingourpast.blogspot.com is open to everyone doing genealogy - beginners to experts and all those inbetween.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

A Lady of Mystery

Photo courtesy J.Temperly
Sunday, October 18, 1925: We all went to town to church this morning as the new minister Rev. Brewster said to take a peek at the new preacher. Rev. Smith was here yet too. He helped some but Rev. Brewster preached. I couldn’t understand him very well. It rained while we were in church. We had to put chains on the tires to come home. It didn’t rain any more after we got home. This evening Ruby & Len went to town to go to the Presbyterian Church on the hill as they were having their Mission Festival in there. Ma & I rode as far as Aunt Annie’s but they weren’t at home so we walked home. Saturday was a nice, clear day. We were busy with Saturday work. We also dug carrots and beets.


Friday was cloudy and cold and drizzly in the afternoon. Ma baked. I fixed our car but didn’t get much accomplished. Thursday, Dad, Ma & I went to town in the afternoon. It was a nice clear day. Aunt Annie said an article in the Scales Mound Items stated that Mrs. Anna Bates* came from Chicago to Aunt Lizzie's Saturday and Sunday Aunt Lizzie went with her to Waterloo. If she had her car I suppose it was too muddy to come down here. Wednesday was a rainy morning, not very nice for Jerry’s wedding. Ma & I fixed and sewed in the hems of two of Ruby’s dresses. Ruby helped husk corn. In the evening we all went up to Aunt Annie’s.

Tuesday we ironed and baked bread. Ruby & Len started to husk shock corn. We were about ready to go up to Aunt Annie’s in the evening when John, Ethel, Leslie and Aunt Annie came. Ethel asked us to their school social a week from Friday. She also asked us to their Parent Teachers Association* two weeks later. Glad we were done with our supper and chores early. Ethel said that Gerry Glick is to be married tomorrow to Miss. Kern. Monday we washed and cooked some beets.

* Anna Bates, sister to Wilbur and Alvin Trudgian, cousin to Lillian was my great-aunt. She has always been a mystery in the family, as several comments throughout Lillian's diaries mention. She was married twice, in both cases there is little known of her husbands. Upon her death the family learned she had been living for years with a younger man in Arizona. The photo above is her as a toddler. If any one ever runs into information about Anna (Trudgian) Draper, Bates please share.....or a Richard King in Scottsdale Arizona.

* Parent teachers Association - anyone know when the PTA started in Illinois?

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posted by Sheryl Trudgian Jones | 11:06 AM

1 Comments:

Blogger Sheryl Trudgian Jones said...

(I received this from a reader who had difficulty posting on the blog -Sherry)

My late husband was a nephew of Anna Bates Whiting so I was acquainted with her. She led a very adventurous life including being a nurse on an Indian reservation and mining gold in Alaska.
Less someone think her relationship with the young man prior to her death was of a romantic nature I believe she was trying to help him as he was a veteran and had some sort of a mental problem. I do think he was looking for everything material he could get. She was not close to the family and I believe she was lonely.

October 20, 2010 at 9:16 PM  

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