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!

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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.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Life On The Farm

Sunday, March 29, 1925: A very nice day. We all went to town to church. Then staid up to Aunt Annie’s to dinner. Saturday was a Perfect day. Not a cloud in the sky. Did up the work in the forenoon.That afternoon Dad, Ma, & I went to town. A great many people in town. I bought a new hat*. It is sort of a pinkish color with lots of flowers. Quite gay. Friday was colder. We all went up to Aunt Annie’s that eve.

Thursday was another lovly day, Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie went out to Apple River and brought the Aunts along in. We made some garden. Got Dad to spade some out by my asparagus and onion bed. Sowed lettuce, radish, a little early cabbage and put in a few onion sets. We also raked lawn and etz. Well, on Wednesday we all went to town with two cars. Roads very good in some places. Others not so good but nearly all dried up. A beautiful very warm day.

Tuesday it rained some about noon but a lovly afternoon. Len went to Scales Mound today. Ironed and baked a cake. I raked a little yard. Monday was another lovly day. We washed.

Sunday, all but Dad went out for a walk in the forenoon. It was the most beautiful day. That afternoon Dad, Ma & I went up to Tresidder’s. From there Dad & Ma went up to Aunt Annie’s and I came home. Aunt Annie was down to Tresidder’s too.

* Which one of the hats above do you think Lillian's new hat looked like?

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Sunday, March 21, 2010

Tri-State Tornado

Saturday, March 21, 1925: A nice day. Busy with Saturday work. Lots of teams going by today. Saw in yesterday’s paper that there was a terrible tornado* in Southern Illinois also Indiana, Kentucky & Tennessee. It wiped out whole towns. About a thousand dead and thousands injured. Friday was another nice day. We finished quilting that afternoon. Aunt Annie went home about four oclock. It was the first day of Spring.

Thursday, Aunt Annie came down in the forenoon. She had quite a little news to tell as she had a letter from Aunt Tillie Monday, Uncle Joe is having such bad luck and wants to sell the farm. Uncle Edd heard Evans wants to have a rehearing but don’t know any particulars. Aunt Annie staid all night. It was a nice day. Wednesday we were busy quilting. We had expected Aunt Annie down if weather was nice but weather wasn’t fit.

Tuesday, we ironed and put Ruby’s quilt (The one Grandma made for Uncle Herman) in the frame. We also quilted a little. Monday was muddy. Len went to Scales Mound. We washed, made applesauce, cooked prunes and etz. Sunday was sunshining and cold. We all went up to Fiedler’s in the afternoon.

*"The Tri-State Tornado of Wednesday, March 18, 1925, was the deadliest tornado in U.S. history. With 695 confirmed fatalities, the tornado killed more than twice as many as the second deadliest, the 1840 Great Natchez Tornado. The continuous 219 mile  track left by the tornado was the longest ever recorded in the world: the tornado crossed from southeastern Missouri, through Southern Illinois, then into southwestern Indiana. While not officially rated by NOAA, it is recognized by many as an F5 tornado, the maximal damage rating issued on the Fujita scale." source Wikipedia

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Sunday, March 14, 2010

A Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That

Saturday, March 14, 1925: Dad and Len went to town this afternoon with the team. It was cold and cloudy. Quite a bit of snow on the ground. Friday was a stormy day and snowy all day. Quite a blizzard that night. We baked bread, coffee cake, a cake and made doughnuts.

Thursday, Mother went up to Aunt Annie’s in the afternoon. We went up in evening by car. It was a nice day. Wednesday was also a nice day. We washed. I didn’t feel like doing much. I saw the first robin of the season.

Tuesday, Mother cut out a gingham dress. Nothing happened on Monday. Except it was quite a nice day.

Sunday, Len & Ruby went to the Scales Mound Church. They staid up to Stauss’ to dinner. Uncle Edd and Aunt Annie came down in the afternoon. It started to rain and they hurried home. Saturday, a great many cars went along, but we staid at home and did our Saturday work.

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Saturday, March 6, 2010

March Almost Comes In Like A Lamb

Friday, March 6, 1925 : We baked and sewed some. Had a letter from Uncle Thomas. Thursday we had ironed and sewed some. It was a nice warm day and Aunt Rachel’s 70th birthday.

Wednesday we washed. It was a nice day. We also baked bread and made applesauce. Tuesday all but Dad went to town in our car. Had a load coming home. Roads are quite rought yet in some places. As the car was ready we all went up to Aunt Annie’s this eve.

Monday was very cold. Sewed in the afternoon. Sunday cold and clear. We were home all day with no company.

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Thursday, March 4, 2010

Something Extra V

Yesterday was like Christmas.....a very big gift arrived via a pdf file! The book that I found on WorldCat.com arrived from Western Michigan's Archives and Research Center. If it wasn't for the "52 Weeks To Better Genealogy Challenge" on Facebook I never would have known about WorldCat. and without World.Cat I never would have been able to find the book and have it delivered to my home via email? Don't you love to learn new things and move forward with your genealogy when you least expect to?

My French is not what it was in high school, but the resources used for Helen Trudgian's thesis is in English....and I am amazed at how many resources from the sixteenth and seventeenth century  she found to support her work on the Trudgians.

There is even another section in English that recounts some incidences where Francis Tregian (Trudgian) was suppose to have performed miracle healing! "History of One English Family of the 16th Century: The Trudgian" should prove to be interesting reading once it is translated!

Check out "52 Weeks To Better Genealogy Challenge" and see what you can find out about your family tree.

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