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.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Rain, Rain Go AWAY!

Saturday, June 20, 1925: It is a beautiful clear day. Len & Ruby went to town tonight. Uncle Henrys were to town today and stopped down the road awhile. Friday we were busy baking and etz. It was a lovly day.

Thursday we all went to Dubuque. It was a lovely day. Mother and Ruby each got a black silk dress. Ruby got several teeth filled. It was about seven thirty when we got home. On Wednesday, Dad, Len, & Ruby went to town in the afternoon. We had intended to go to Dubuque but had a storm & heavy rain during the night. Aunt Annie came down with them to stay all night as Uncle Edd didn’t come home this evening.

Tuesday, we washed and ironed and baked bread and put up strawberries. Len & Ruby went to the Mound that evening. Monday it stormed nearly all night. There was a great deal of thunder & lightening and heavy rain. We didn’t get much sleep. In the afternoon we picked eleven quarts of strawberries. Also picked them off and washed and put sugar on them. Sunday we all went to town to church in the forenoon. It rained a little shower that afternoon. Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie came down in the evening, but went home early as it threatened to storm.

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Sunday, June 13, 2010

Was Life Really So Much Different?

Saturday, June 13, 1925: We picked and put up two quarts of strawberries. Also put up a quart we picked yesterday. Thought something to going to town tonight but a little afraid of the weather so didn’t go. Friday, we ironed, baked and picked some strawberries. Had a storm and wonderful rain this afternoon and evening. We certainly needed it badly.*

Thursday, we washed. I put up the trellis for the sugar peas and hoed corn and etz. The Ford salesman came again this forenoon. Wanted to take our car to get an estimate on it, but didn’t we let him. Mr. & Mrs. Stauss came down on Wednesday morning. We canned four pints asparagus. Tuesday we picked strawberries and planted some potatoes. Dad, Ma & I went up to Aunt Annie’s in the evening.

Monday afternoon Dad, Ma, Aunt Lizzie and Annie Poundstone went to town and called to see Eliza Bastian, Hathaways, Winnie Bartell and Hattie Scott. Aunt Lizzie called to see Miss Doxey. Aunt Lizzie also bought a new hat. That evening Ruby & Len took them back to Scales Mound. Annie was down East to see Ida Barnum and stopped off on her way home. She had been gone since March. Last Sunday John Tresidder came up in the morning at six oclock and scared us (wasn’t up yet) to tell us Aunt Lizzie called them up that she and Annie Poundstone wanted us to come up to get them that afternoon. So Dad, Ma & I went up. It came to look like a storm and we had to hurry home but it cleared away again. Tresidders came up that evening to see them.

* In so many ways, but on a much smaller level, I feel a parallel between Lillian's and my life. As her family is busy picking strawberries this week, so are we, as she is putting up asparagas, every little home farmstand has asparagus in this part of Michigan. When we go back to Illinois we plan a visit with multiple friends and family - a lunch here, a dinner there, a quick "call" inbetween, ending with an overnight stay with one of our daughters. The next day we may even add a stop or two on the way home. Was life really so much different back then or was it just in the way we did the same things?

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Sunday, June 6, 2010

Rain, Rain & More Rain

Saturday, 6, 1925: Worked very hard with Saturday work and finished cleaning the dining room. Got new curtains this morning by mail. We had to hem and put them up. We all went to town this evening with two cars. Friday was a hot day. We churned, ironed and baked. It was a lovely moon light evening.

Thursday we washed. Len & Ruby went to town late that afternoon. I painted a screen door. It was a warm day. Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie came down in the evening. Wednesday it stormed again in the night and we had lots more rain. That night was the graduation at Warren. Stanley Monnier graduated. Also Naomi did although she graduated last year from Apple River.

Tuesday we certainly had a splendid rain. We certainly needed it badly as nearly everything was drying up. We cleaned the porch. I painted some more screens and cleaned out the lower pantry cupboard. Len and Ruby went to Scales Mound towards evening. Monday we had a nice shower of rain early in the morning. It was a warm day. We worked some in garden and took away the dining room heating stove and etz. It stormed and we had a splendid rain in the evening.

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