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!

Name:
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, March 27, 2011

Basket Socials Still a Draw in Galena

Friday, March 21, 1919: Busy getting ready for the social but didn’t know how to go. Thought probably B. would say something but didn’t. We didn’t know if we should ask Weis or not. Ma went with us up to Uncle Edd’s. Then he had to get ready yet. I was quite late but not too late when we got there. A fairly good crowd. Good program. Twenty-nine baskets I believe. Charlie Virtue bought mine for two dollar and five cents. Ruby’s was sold first for a dollar five. Charlie Zarndt was the buyer. B & E* were there. They bought two baskets a piece. It was about half past twelve when we got home. Weises didn’t go.


Saturday Ruby & I drove up to Scales Mound in the buggy. Had a sale up there so there was a big crowd. Roads are quite good till the foot of Temperly's Hill. Up the Mound they are bad. Ruby & I each got a new spring bonnet. Each of shiny black straw, mine is green in under and some on top. Ruby’s was five fifty mine four fifty. Sunday was a very nice spring day. Dad & Ruby walked over the Station to Quarterly Meeting Services. John T. did also. He came back with them. Had dinner here. Agnes, Milton & Blanche came up this afternoon. Didn’t have any company. Don’t have anybody to expect now I’m sure. Monday Dad, Ruby & I burned a brush pile up in the orchard in the  afternoon. Also cleaned up lots more trees and limbs. Started to rake lawn.

Tuesday we washed. Also baked bread and raked some lawn. Wednesday was cooler. Ironed today. Baked patty cakes**. Pumped tires and etc. Neighbors are plowing with tractors. Thursday web fiddled away some time looking over car and raked some lawn today. Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie came down this evening.

B & E*  = I believe these are the Young boys , Ben and Elmer. People who knew the Trudgian family back then have said that Ruby was once in "love" with Ben. I have always wondered if Lillian was interested in his brother Elmer.
 
Patty cakes** = is one of the terms which appear in the glossary found in Vol. II of " Lillian's Diaires: Whispers of Galena's Past".

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Sunday, March 20, 2011

Galena's Social Life

Friday, March 7, 1919: We ironed, baked bread, coffee cake and a cake today. Had a calf dehorned and a ring put in the bull's nose. Had to drive them down to Tresidder’s. Saturday I baked a batch of cookies today. Snow is going fast today. Sunday, Dad & Ma went to church this afternoon. Ruby & I didn’t go because our colds were to bad. Aunt Annie came down and staid with us while Uncle Edd went to church. They spent the evening here. Didn’t have any more company tonight.

Monday, A lovly day. Doing a little sewing. Dad hauling manure.Tuesday was another nice day. Snow about all gone. Sewing some today. Heard today that there is going to be a social at Independence School Friday night. I guess Bernetta is going to try her luck. Ruby & I also got a card inviting us to a novelty shower at Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Tippet in honor of Irma Falancer Saturday afternoon.

Wednesday, was nice day. We washed and ironed and baked bread today. Quite good I think. Thursday Milton brought us up a box of honey for our colds I guess. Cloudy and windy today. Ruby & I walked went over to the Station this afternoon to get some things. But couldn’t get no fruit for our basket very troubled about it. And we haven’t anything yet for the shower yet. Don’t know how we shall make out yet. Friday was called up this morning to tell us the Independence Social is put off. Some of the children are sick. Dad went to town today with Johns. The roads are terrible. Dad bought us several dishes to take to the shower tomorrow. Uncle Edd went to town this after. Aunt Annie came down to stay all night. Raining tonight.

Saturday,rainy today. Didn’t know if we should go to the shower or not. Sometimes it looked brighter. Josie said if we could go she thought she could to. It started to rain when we got down there. It rained awfully hard. So when it stopped a little we came home. Don’t think there was many to the shower. Bernetta didn’t come. She thought she would come and go with us. Uncle Edd didn’t come home so Aunt Annie is going to stay with us again tonight.

Sunday, the weather wasn’t very good this morning so we didn’t go to church. Aunt Annie went home this afternoon. Didn’t have any company this eve. A nice evening, but muddy of coarse. Monday, a lovly spring day. Ma fried down pork. I made a petticoat for myself. Dad chopping posts and stakes. Got thirty eggs tonight most for the season. St. Patrick’s Day but didn’t celebrate in no way. Tuesday, another spring day. Saw the first robin today. Ruby & I dressed in pantaloons went up the woods to chop this afternoon. Chopped off a haw tree and piled brush. Wednesday, we washed today. A nice day.

Thursday, March 20: We ironed baked bread and filled cookies. Ruby also cleaned out the chicken house. We all went up to Aunt Annie’s this eve. Uncle Edd offered to go with us to the social if we wanted to.

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Sunday, March 13, 2011

Volume II - Now Available

  The saga continues as 1920 begins and you can once again catch up with Lillian's friends and relatives as she notes what is going on in 1920-1925. These are the lost years that I thought I would never have the opportunity to transcribe and through a Galena connection I now have in my posession! 

If you read the second volume please thinks about doing a review on Amazon.com or emailing me with comments, changes you would like to see in the final volume or something you enjoyed in this volume. If you discover something about your family in this book, please let me know! 

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Sunday, March 6, 2011

Uncle Henry Dittmar's Visit

Saturday, March 1, 1919: Colder today. Will make nice sleighing. Dad hauling straw from up at Landos Bastian’s. John bought it for $25.00. We’re to have half. Late this afternoon Uncle Henrys came in the sleigh. Uncle Henry, Aunt Lue, Olive, Clifford, Marvin, Alverna and Dorothy. Had lots of noise tonight. Sunday Uncle Henry, Aunt Lue, Dorothy, Dad, Ruby & I went to church this forenoon. The minister didn’t show up. Don’t know what the trouble was. Only William B., John and Milton there besides us. The folks went over to Alvin Hammer’s this afternoon. Pa and Ma went up to Aunt Annie’s. Didn’t see anything of S.S. today. But had company this evening, B. Ruby is asked to go to a show (movie) Tuesday eve.

Monday Ma went up to Aunt Annie’s to help keep the children while Uncle Henry and Aunt Lue went to Galena. They staid up to Aunt Annie’s again tonight. Ma came home tonight. Tuesday Uncle Henrys came down this forenoon. They expected to go home today but it snowed all day so they didn’t go. Of course because it was stormy Ruby didn’t go to the show.

Wednesday was clear and colder. Uncle Henrys expected to go home this morning. But as Aunt Lue wasn’t feeling well they didn’t go till this afternoon. Thursday Dad went to Galena in the cutter. Paid the taxes.  It was sixty-two dollars. Ruby & I got awfully bad colds. We washed today.

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