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, September 19, 2010

♪ Happy Birthday Dear Aunt Annie & Uncle Edd ♪♪

Saturday , September 19, 1925: This morning Uncle Edd came down and said that Annie Zimmerman called up to say they were going to Waterloo tomorrow morning with one of their borders in his car and that two others could go along. I thought maybe Mother and Aunt Annie could go but Aunt Annie can’t go as she had a letter from Aunt Tillie saying Uncle Georges and Maryanne & children are coming to her place for dinner Sunday. We didn’t know what to do, most said that they guessed we couldn’t go. But Dad wanted to go right away. We gave Uncle Edd his cake. This evening Dad, Ma & I went to town. Then Dad & Ma went up to Zimmerman’s. They coaxed them to go along so we think they may go. It was a very, very warm day.

Friday, was a very busy day. We spend all day baking and etz. I made an angel cake. Thought we might go up to Aunt Annie’s this eve to take up my cake for hers and Uncle Edd’s birthday. Uncle Edd’s birthday is today and Aunt Annie’s was last week. But it got too late and looked like rain.

Thursday we washed. Aunt Annie came down in the afternoon and Uncle Edd this evening.

Wednesday I didn’t feel very spry. I made tomatoe preserves and I washed my head.

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Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Labor Day & The Eagles' Celebration

Tuesday, September 15, 1925: Len wanted to go to Dubuque today as Raymonds and his folks were going. So Ruby, Ma & I went along. We went to Scales Mounds and nearly to Shullburg and through New Diggings and etz. It was about ten when we got over there. I bought a winter coat and hat. The coat is wine color bolivia. The hat is also about the same color. The coat cost nineteen dollars and fifty cents and hat six dollars. It was about dark when we got home. Monday, Dad, Ma & I went to town in the afternoon.


Sunday, we all went to town to church in the forenoon. Rev. Smith had a sermon on the sins of Galena. It was very interesting. He is quite worked up over the Eagles’ doings last Sunday. There was lots of drinking going on. In the afternoon we all went to Scales Mound to Aunt Lizzie’s. Len to his folks. Saturday, Dad, Ma & I went to town in the evening. We stopped in at Aunt Annie’s on the way home. Friday we were busy with baking and etz. and etz.

Thursday, we ironed and made catsup. Wednesday, Len & Ruby went to town in the forenoon. We washed. Tuesday it rained hard all forenoon. I sewed some on Mother black silk that we started to make over last year. Monday was Labor Day. But we all labored. We didn’t go to the Eagles’ big celebration. It was a nice day and I suppose there was a big crowd as cars went by in great numbers. Dad, Len, Ruby & Mother dug potatoes. We didn’t finish digging the early ones. Uncle Edd and Aunt Annie came down Sunday afternoon. A great many cars went by. Guess lots went to the Eagles’ Celebration.

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Sunday, September 5, 2010

Off on a Road Trip

Saturday, September 5, 1925: It is a warm day, threatening weather about all day. Today was the first day of the Eagles’ three day celebration at the fair grounds. Friday, Len & Ruby had an early dinner and then went to Warren Fair. They called a little on way home at the Aunts’. After they got home, Mr. Brandt & the agent for the separator they had on trial came. There was such a stew to get milked. Supper had to go to grass and so be it and etz. Then he didn’t get any cream. We put up eight quarts of blue plums or prunes and wasted 1 quart by breaking a jar. We also baked and ironed.

Thursday was the Warren Fair. There must have been an awfully large crowd as so many cars went along. We didn’t go, would have like to have so well but so terribly hot today and dusty. We washed and put up four quarts of tomato preserves and made some little yellow tomato preserves. Aunt Annie gave us the tomatoes. Wednesday was a very warm day. We churned and put up two half gallons of crab pickles. Felt rather lazy. Uncle Edd & the Aunts went out to Apple River in the eve. Aunts to stay at home.

Tuesday, the first day of September, we all started out for Savanna about ten oclock in the forenoon in Leonard’s car. We should have started sooner but it took us so long to decide to go. We went from Galena to Hanover then to Savanna. My but it surely is some scenery down that way. We traveled along near the river and some awful highly rocky bluffs. We had a blow out about two miles this side of Savanna. We ate our dinner near there. Then walked around town awhile and then drove to Mt. Carroll, ten miles from there. It was all on cement road. There was a clan meeting* there at the fair grounds. Drove around some and saw Frances Shimer School for Girls. Then came back to Savanna and on home. We stopped on the way home and bought a watermelon for thirty-cents. It was a nice day, warm but not bad riding, only very dusty. When we got back to Aunt Annie’s a car drove out. It was Uncle Henrys. They had been to town and had stayed for supper. As supper was still on the table they asked us to have supper. We accepted. As we were eating, Heers, Zarndts and Mr. & Mrs. Dower from California came there. We had beautiful moon light to do chores. Ma & I helped milk.

Monday we had put up six quarts of tomatoes, four pints of tomato preserve & one quart of ground cherries. The weather was very dry. Sunday we all went to town to church in the forenoon and stopped at Aunt Annie’s to dinner. The roads were very dusty.

* Any idea what a clan meeting was?

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