Leaves on the Trudgian Tree

The End of Volume I

2012-01-15T17:46:00.000-05:00

Friday, December 26, 1919: We were busy choring all day. We ironed this eve. It was quite warm today. Spoiling the sleighing. Saturday was very busy all day. Ruby & I made doughnuts in the afternoon. My first ones. They got very nice. Mother came home today. She rode out with the Tresidders. Ruby got a letter from L today.

Sunday Ruby & I went to Galena to church. We went to the Methodist Church and heard a Christmas sermon. Quite a few there. But no neighbors. Came back to Aunt Annie’s to dinner. Dad & Ma were up there too. Sleighing will be gone soon. We drove Pet in the cutter. Monday Dad and Ruby took chickens to Scales Mound. Twenty-two roosters at twenty-two cents and eight hens for twenty-three. They bought four roosters. Three Plymouth rocks and one black one. They got ten pounds sugar at by going three places at thirteen and fifteen cents per pound. Heard yesterday that the Equity folks were going to get sugar for eleven and one half cents per pound. Now we heard they have to pay nineteen and won’t get it very soon. I guess there stung. They had a meeting about it last night.

Tuesday we had churned yesterday afternoon and night till midnight and all day today till about three or four this afternoon. It came at last. A beautiful day. Dad chopping in the woods this afternoon. Wednesday, well this is the last day of nineteen-nineteen. We washed today. It was colder this evening. This evening Ruby is crocheting a rug and Mother knitting mittens. I crocheting a daisy filet crochet night gown yoke for Sis. Well nineteen-twenty is leap year. Have to get ready and get up courage.

Goodbye 1919 and Volume I of Lillian's Diaires: Whispers From Galena's Past

Thanks for joining Lillian throughout the year. Volume II and III are currently available at Amazon.com, Book World in Galena, IL and Cornish Connections in Mineral Point, WI.

I have found some of the volumes also available online at Barnes and Noble and a few other online stores. Please feel free to leave comments and ask questions about the Trudgian family both in Galena, IL and Cornwall England.

A 1919 Christmas

2011-12-26T19:42:00.001-05:00

Friday, December 19,1919: We baked bread and coffee cake and also filled cookies and churned. Not quite so cold today. The Zarndt and Young telephone lines were connected on the Bell today. Saturday, quite a lot of folks went to town. We were busy getting ready for company tomorrow. Sunday Uncle Edd and Aunt Annie came down to dinner. In the afternoon, about three oclock Leonard, came. It was his first call. He staid until about eight thirty or nine oclock.

Monday was cloudy and frosty. We washed. Dad drove over to Guilford to get the horses shod. But he couldn’t get it done. He got four pounds sugar. Had to take some other groceries with it. We are going to have a dozen men telephone men for dinner tomorrow. Tuesday we had eleven telephone men for dinner today. Got fifty-cents for each. But the way we figured it out we didn’t make anything and all the work for nothing. Ruby & I went to Galena in the cutter this afternoon. We had Pet shod. Came back as far as Aunt Annie and Dad & Ma came up there. We sent a Christmas booklet.*

Wednesday Mother and Aunt Annie went to Apple River. Uncle Edd took them to town. We baked bread and saffron bread. Got a box from Uncle Thomas. Dad got a pair of gloves, Mother a little white apron, Ruby a box of correspondence cards. I got a box of writing paper. I got a handkerchief and fifty cents last night. Five dollars today. Ruby & I gave Dad a razor and Ma a pair gloves. Sent lots of Christmas cards today.

Thursday Dad, Ruby & I had dinner together. Had mashed potatoes, creamed asparagus, baked sweet potatoes, pickles, celery, saffron cake, bread, butter, chocolate pie, cake etc. We went down to Tresidder’s for supper. They had a Christmas tree lit.

* Does anyone know what a Christmas booklet was/is or do you think she meant a Christmas box like to Uncle Thomas?

Who is L.S. ?

2011-12-18T20:17:00.003-05:00

Friday Decmber 5, 1919: Heard there wasn’t a very big crowd to the social. There was twenty-six baskets but no young men to buy them. Made twenty-seven dollars. Ethel T was over. Also Will & Bessie Weis. Wilbur Bastian came over and bought four roosters. Evelyn came along. Talked like a streak. They brought us eight boxes of honey. Saturday, it snowed quite heavily this afternoon and it snowed last night. Dad & Ruby went to town in the afternoon in the cutter. Sunday, in the afternoon Ruby & I drove Pet in the cutter up to Davis’. They were quite surprised to see us. Mr. Davis had just come back from taking Bernetta down the Station to go to Scales Mound. But the rest were at home. Had a nice visit. Staid to supper. Dark before we got started for home. But it was quite light. Full moon. Didn’t have any company today. Monday was cold. We are just mending and crocheting and so on today.

Tuesday was very cold again. Don’t get much done but chores. Dad & Ma went down to Tresidder’s in the evening. Wednesday was very cold again. Our thermometers were fourteen and eighteen degrees below zero. It was thirty below in Galena. We made two kitchen aprons. Also crochet and etc. Uncle Edd came down. He came out from town. Don’t know when they will come home as Mattie hasn’t come back from Mary yet. Thursday our cattle went. Heard first in the morning that we couldn’t have a car. Then later on that we could have one. But didn’t know if they could yet ready and get them loaded in time or not. All had to rush around. Didn’t know if Dad would go along to Chicago or not. John Weis, Tresidder and our cattle went. We sent six calves, two steers, one heifer and one bull. They got them over on time. But didn’t have much time to waste. John Weis went along with them and Dad came along back again.

Friday was warmer. Baked bread, saffron bread and a cake. Saturday was another cold day. But Dad, Ruby & I went to Galena in the sleigh. My first sleigh ride and the first time we been to Galena with the teams for an awful long time. Had Violet and Pet. Quite a few in town today. Saw Santa Clause today. Sunday was very cold and clear. Uncle Edd came down. Dad went over to John Weis’. Got the returns for the cattle. Got twelve seventy-five down there for the calves. An average sixty-eight sixty each. The heifer eight and one half cents or ninety dollars. One bull seven cents or sixty dollar ninety cents. Altogether when the expenses taken out six hundred ninety-eight and nineteen cents.

Sunday was very cold and clear. Agnes, Milton, & Blanche came up in the afternoon. In the evening Mother, sister and I went up to Fiedler’s. Saw the new house. It isn’t finished yet. Will have nine rooms.
Monday was cold again. Didn’t do anything much in particular. Our line is crossed with several other lines. Heard on cross talk that Elmer Young has gone to Chicago about his arm. We got a letter from Uncle Joe Trudgian. Also a card from Mary Potter saying Aunt Hattie died Nov. 25 at seven a.m. She was buried at Centralia, Washington.

Tuesday we washed and also baked graham bread. Ruby received a note from L.S. asking if he could call next Sunday. Wednesday Dad & Ma went to Galena. It snowed a little. It was predicted that the world would come to an end today or earthquakes and other disturbances. I received a card from Raymond Dittmar said he expected to come in soon. Thursday, December 18, 1919 we ironed today. It snowed some today.

Winter is On Its Way

2011-12-04T17:10:00.002-05:00

Apple River -Main Street c.a. early 1900s

Friday November 21, 1919: It tried to rain a little in the morning morning. Dad & Ruby took twenty roosters to Scales Mound. Got twenty-eight dollars & twenty cents. 20 cents per pound.

Saturday was a nice day. In the evening Dad, Ruby & I went to Galena. We went to the movies. Somebody and his girl also was there. Sunday, well, we hurried around and got ready and autoed out to Schapville. A lovly day. Had German services. Uncle Henrys and Uncle Joes were there. Aunt Rachel was down to her mother’s so we went out to Uncle Henry’s. Had lots of music on the player piano. Got home at about dark. Monday we got up early and Ruby & I walked over the Station and went to Freeport on the eight train. Did a lot of walking down there. The doctor gave me medicine for about five weeks. Came back to Apple River on the nine train. Staid all night at Grandpa’s. Tuesday we came home on the morning train. Aunt Annie was here. Dad drove John Tippet’s team to Scales Mound while others drove the cattle. Started to crochet Ruby a green tam.

Wednesday was cold and cloudy. We washed . I crocheted on the tam-o-shanter. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Thursday was Thanksgiving Day. Didn’t have much extra for dinner. Ruby wouldn’t eat any and Ma couldn’t eat much. Ruby & I went down to Tresidder’s awhile in the afternoon. It was snowy all day. First of the season. Blanche was trying to sleigh ride.

Friday was snowy and rainy in the evening. I was so afraid automobiling has gone up for this year or more. Baked bread, coffee cake, cookies and cake.Saturday was a very bad day snowy, cold and very windy. Sunday was a very cold day. We were at home all day.

Monday, December 1 it was snowing a little most all day. Dad went to town with Pet in the buggy. Tuesday was nice day, but cold. We washed today.

Wednesday we baked bread and also a spice cake. John Weis, John Tresidder and we were going to send a car of cattle tomorrow, but John T. backed out. Wants to take his hogs away tomorrow. Thursday, Dec. 4, 1919 : I am terribly disappointed tonight. Wanted to go so badly over to the social at Independence. But hardly knew if I felt able or not. Got everything to fill a box. Had a notion to go with the car yet and have Dad go along. Heard Weis are going but they didn’t say anything to us. Doesn’t look very nice, I don’t think. Feeling so bad. Lovly evening.

Birthday, Church Service, Funeral

2011-11-20T13:38:00.000-05:00

How many of you are genealogists or family historians. Do you have diaries or journals of ancestors that have given you additional information for your genealogical searches? I find that Lillian's writing help me to add the "flesh" to my ancestors - hair color, height, weight, eye color, general disposition ~ what about you.

Sunday, November 16, 1919: We all went to town to church. We went to the Methodist church. A very nice day and good roads. So many cars on the road. Received quite a royal welcome at church. A certain person was singing in the choir. We came back to Aunt Annie’s to dinner and spent the afternoon. Monday was a nice day. Warmer. We didn’t wash on account of our bad colds. Mr. Will Swing’s funeral today. He died Friday eve of pneumonia. Tuesday we washed and ironed and baked bread today. Not so bad. Wednesday Uncle Edd and Aunt Annie came down in the morning. Uncle Edd helped haul the fodder. They didn’t get through so they are going to stay all night. A lovly day. Thursday, November 20, 1919 we got through hauling fodder today. We did a little mending, patching, crocheting and etz. Late this afternoon Dad, Ruby & I went to town. Got a sack of potatoes for five dollars. This is Dad is sixty three years old today.

Socials Continue Despite Wartime

2011-11-14T17:15:00.001-05:00

Thursday, October 23, 1919: We ironed, churned, baked bread. Also finished husking standing corn, a load in the afternoon and some in the forenoon. Didn’t read much in the Gazette. Only a piece about the novelty shower at Mrs. Clinton White’s in honor of Emily Winsicker who is to be married to John Combellick Oct. 22. That was yesterday. Heard they went to Freeport to get married. Friday was cloudy I baked a batch of cookies. Saturday was rather rainy. It had rained last night. Too wet for husking corn.

Sunday was misty. Uncle Edds came down in the afternoon. And Tresidders came up. Monday we got up early and took Ma & I and Aunt Annie over the Station to go on the eight-five train for Freeport. Had such a nasty day. Rained all day. Got six and a half dollars of medicine again. Looked in several stores. I was astonished at the prices. We came back to Apple River in the evening. Staid all night at Grandpa’s.

Tuesday we called at Uncle George’s in the morning before train time. Saw Pearl and Baby. Mayme said she couldn’t come in anymore as time is to short. Said she is going up north to live soon. Going to get married I guess. Got home this forenoon. Ma & I walked from the Station. We all husked corn all afternoon. Wedensday forenoon we husked corn. In the afternoon Ruby and I hauled and unloaded two loads of corn while Dad tied up fodder. Mother baked and churned. Thursday was rainy all day. Ma blackened and put up the dining room stove. I didn’t feel very good. Sick to my stomach last night.

Friday was Halloween. But not much for us. A social at Guilford school. We husked corn this afternoon. Have a hundred twenty three shocks yet.

November 1st, Saturday was a lovly clear day. Busy with Saturday work. Husked five shocks corn and hauled in two loads. Would have liked to be in town. Sunday Father and Mother went up to Aunt Annie’s to dinner. Ruby & I went over to Lottie’s. Staid for supper. Had no company. Monday we washed a big wash and husked corn and hauled in a load. Ninety-seven shocks yet. Our line was connected with the Bell today. Some folks quite tickled. Tuesday was windy and cold. Husked some corn in the forenoon. In the afternoon we all autoed to Galena. Bought some goods for myself for a skirt. Had a flat tire just as we were going to start for home. Had to fix it. Got my feet cold and froze my toes.

Wednesday was clear. Husked corn. I staid in partly made my skirt and dyed my white Georgette waist a pale blue. Also ironed some. Thursday was rainy. Ma and Ruby churned and finished ironing. Friday I was sewing on my skirt. Also made a cake. Ma & Ruby husked some corn. Well, we went to the social at Ford’s School.. Had nobody to go with so Dad went up with us. And then came home again in a little while. Quite a crowd there for the roads. Had lots of little tots speak. Our boxes both brought a dollar quarter. A Bell boy from Council Hill got Ruby’s. Don’t know who got mine. A fellow from Galena or Menomonee. He bought a whole bunch of baskets and went out side with some girls and ate it. I didn’t get any supper. Very gentlemanly! Also took Clare Engel’s too. Then the poor kids didn’t get anything to eat. We had a nice visit with Jeannette. I guess I could have had someone else buy my basket had I wanted to. After twelve when we got home.

Saturday we were busy with Saturday work and husking corn. Wonder what's going on in town tonight.
Sunday was rainy all forenoon. In the afternoon Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie came down. It started to rain again late in the afternoon and rained hard all evening so Uncle Edds staid all night. Monday it cleared off in the morning, but partly cloudy all day. My but its windy Didn't have any fire and got supper on the oil stove.

Tuesday was a nice day. We washed and husked a load of corn. Josie & Helen came up. I am to go to the Studier’s and Fiedler’s about the Red Cross business. A year ago today the Armistise was signed. Wednesday was very, very cold and windy. Too cold to husk corn. Ironed. Thursday we husked six shocks. I was up to Fiedler’s this afternoon about the Red Cross. Studier was there too. But I didn’t get anything. Ma and I went up to Aunt Annie’s, but didn’t find anybody home. So we called at Johnnie’s.

Friday we finished husking corn. Husked twenty shocks. Very dry husking. Also hauled in two loads of corn. Have a load of unload tomorrow. And lots of fodder to tie up. We have bad colds.

Saturday, November 15, 1919: We all went to Galena in the car. Quite a nice day. Had the car all closed in. Lots of people in town today. Would like to have been in town again tonight to see what's going on.

Husking Corn Day After Day, After Day

2011-10-23T13:54:00.000-04:00

Friday, October 17, 1919: Lovly day. Ironed and baked bread & coffee cake. Also husked another load of shock corn. And polished the car. Mother’s birthday. Fifty-three. Got a card from Aunt Tillie. Saturday we all went to Galena in the afternoon. Then came home and then went to town againn that eve. Ruby & I went to the movies. Ma and Pa saw B & E and girls.

Sunday was cloudy. We all went to church. We expected to probably see a new minister. But no minister arrived. Wilbur and Evelyn came out also. She said Mrs. Young was poorly in bed. She said the boys wasn’t over yet and that Elmer doesn’t come over very often. She said they both have girls. Ruby and I thought we’d go down to Tresidder’s but didn’t find them home. We all went down in the evening. Heard Whites had a shower on Emily Winsicker Friday night.

Monday we didn’t get much corn husked as it was rainy. Tuesday was a beautiful day. Busy husking standing corn. We all went up to Aunt Annie’s in the evening. They heard that Jack Combellick and Elmer Young had got married. Had heard before that Jack was going to get married. Wednesday we husked a load of corn. Also washed. Dad, Ruby & I went to Galena late in the afternoon. Think it must have been a mistake about Elmer getting married. We saw his girl and also Ben’s. Think they were coming home from work. Ruby sent Ben a letter this morning.

Thursday, October 23, 1919: Ironed, churned, baked bread. Also finished husking standing corn, a load this afternoon and some this forenoon. Didn’t read much in the Gazette today. Only a piece about the novelty shower at Mrs. Clinton White’s in honor of Emily Winsicker who is to be married to John Combellick October 22. That was yesterday. Heard they went to Freeport to get married.

Terribly Disappointment!

2011-10-16T10:37:00.000-04:00

Wednesday, October 10, 1919: We ironed. Put up some tomatoes. Dad and Al cutting corn. Had quite a storm and rain last night. Thursday Mother got a ride to Apple River in the forenoon with John Glicks. She came back to Scales Mound on the nine oclock train. Dad, Uncle Edd & I went up after her. John Tippets & John Tresidders & Ida were up here this evening. Grandpa is quite sick. Have a nurse. Mother hardly knows if he knew her or not. Friday Al, Nancy, Dad and Ruby hauled a load of alfalfa hay this after. This eve all but Ma took a ride to Scales Mound. Aunt Lizzie wasn’t home. After we got home Lena Hanson and Arthur Schlichting came. He brought her in. Staid till twelve.

Saturday the folks hauled the hay today. This eve Ruby, Dad, Al, Nancy, Geraldine & Lena went to Galena. Al drove the car. Got along fairly well. Sunday, Dad & I took the folks in to Zimmerman’s to dinner. Then they were going home on the one oclock train. We all went through Grant’s old home. Uncle Edd & Tresidders went to Apple River this afternoon. Uncle Edds were here to supper. Think Grandpa just a little better. Monday we washed an awful wash put up four quarts ground cherries. Didn’t hear from Grandpa today. Big Soldiers Welcome home at Apple River today. Thursday, October 16, 1919 we all went to Apple River this afternoon. Uncle Edd went with us. Beautiful day. Mother staid out. Aunt Annie came along back. Grandfather a little better. Quite a crowd at Apple River. Mostly cars. Expected to stay for evening. But Uncle Edd & Ma wanted us to go home so home we came. But I was terribly disappointed and could just as well did the chores several hours late. Mad clear though.

An Autumn Wedding

2011-10-09T15:41:00.001-04:00

Friday October 3, 1919: We intended to go home this morning. But it rained early so didn’t prepare to go but then it cleared off. Grandpa was down stairs to dinner and supper today. First time since he was sick. Uncle Joes were up. We helped to make sourkraut this afternoon. Saturday we came home, walked. Had a hard rain about noon. And then an awful hard rain about five thirty. The creeks were higher here than I ever saw. The culbert was full and the water run over the top of the bridge and along the road. The awful best thing I ever saw. It took fences.

Sunday we all went to church in the afternoon. Uncle Edd, Aunt Annie, Tresidders, Wilbur B. & Ben Young werethere. Mr. Kravenberg’s last Sunday. He says we will have a student from Dubuque Presbyterian School to preach. We all went up to Uncle Edd’s in the eve. Monday was a lovly day. It cleared off last night. Dad husked corn. Ma dug potatoes. Ruby picked apples. I picked up ground cherries. Tuesday we washed and hulled ground cherries. Ruby went down to Agnes’s to pick some hopps this afternoon. A lovly day.

Wednesday we ironed and also dug some potatoes. It is a very poor crop. Mary Tippet was married today at noon to Mr. Snow. They went to Buffalo and Niagara Falls. Thursday, October 9, 1919: It was a beautiful day. Aunt Annie came down this forenoon. Brought us a sample of the wedding cake. Uncle Edd came down this evening. Hulled beans this eve.

Lillian's Diaries: Final Whispers from Galena's Past

2011-10-02T20:11:00.001-04:00

All three volumes of Lillian's Diaries are available now on-line at http://www.amazon.com/ or http://www.createspace.com/ and at Book World in Galena IL and Cornish Connections in Mineral Point, WI. I hope, if you are a Lillian reader, that you have had a chance to form some opinions about Volume I, II, and/or III. I would love to hear your thoughts on the books, Lillian, Galena IL, or life in the U.S. during the early-mid 1900s. I am finding more and more readers sem to be having difficulties leaving their reviews on the books' pages on amazon.com so if you like, feel free to leave your comments on this blog, instead of on amazon.com.

Thanks to those who have read Lillian's Diaries and a special thanks to those who have taken time out of their busy lives to write a review or comment about the books.

Mysteries and More Mysteries

2011-10-02T20:00:00.000-04:00

Friday, September 19, 1919: A hard rain last night. It cleared off nicely today. We baked a cake and made jelly. Put up seven quarts tomatoes, picked up and hulled ground cherries and cooked them a little. Saturday we went to Galena late in the afternoon. Quite a good many were in. Saw Miss somebody today. Somebody we didn’t know before. I looked at hats but didn’t buy any. We came home with out our flour. Thought we would go back again in the evening but weather didn’t look very good. We didn’t for it rain. Sunday went to church in the afternoon. Uncle Edds and John Tresidder were there but no minister. I guess it was too wet for him. But it didn’t rain till the eve.

Monday cleared off fine in the morning. Ruby churned.I working on auto tires. Mother called up and said she is coming home tomorrow. Tuesday we went up to Scales Mound to get Mother. Took a coop of ten old roosters along, got only twelve cents a pound or eight dollar and seventy-six cents. Nearly gave them away. Called at Aunt Lizzie’s. She wants to come down Friday. We all went up to Aunt Annie’s this eve.
Wednesday was another lovly day. Washed today. Dad & I husked a load of corn in the afternoon. Thursday we ironed. We all went to Galena in the afternoon. I bought a pair brown shoes for six dollars and a hat for five. I wanted the one I liked last Saturday, but it was sold. Very disappointed.

Friday late in the afternoon Dad & I went to Scales Mound to get Aunt Lizzie. Werners graded the road from the school house down to Tresidder’s this week. Saturday we were busy all day. We all went to Galena. Saw somebody* alone tonight. We had a puncture on the way home. Winsicker helped us. Saw a areoplane go over today at three thirty, going west. It was the second I ever saw.

Sunday was rainy in the morning and the eve. Uncle Edds came down to dinner. Tresidders came up this afternoon and staid to supper. Monday Ruby took Aunt Lizzie home this afternoon with Old Pet. Ma & I washed. Tuesday it had rained very heavy last night. Also raining mostly all day and raining hard tonight. Wanted to go to Freeport. Expect we’ll have to put it off again and again. Put up six and one half quarts pears. Also churned & baked cookies.

Wednesday October 1st: Ma and I went to Apple River. We walked over the Station for the five train. Ir was very warm day. Thursday October 2, 1919: Ma and I went to Freeport this morning on the eight thirty train. We went to see Dr. Mary Rosenstiel. Lucky to find a lady doctor. Aunt Tillie had heard of her. She seemed very nice. She said something on the same order as the other doctors. Said there was three ways, an operation, electric treatment or medicines**. She gave me lots of medicines. I’m to go again in 3 weeks. Came back to Apple River at nine oclock. Very tired. Walked around quite a little.

*Who do you think somebody is?

** What do you think is the matter with Lillian?

Oh My September is Here!

2011-09-18T19:35:00.002-04:00

Al and Nancy (hanson) Trudgian's Wedding Photo

Thursday September 11, 1919: Mother got a ride to Apple River in the forenoon with John Glicks. She came back to Scales Mound on the nine oclock train. Dad, Uncle Edd & I went up after her. John Tippets & John Tresidders & Ida were up here in the evening. Grandpa is quite sick, has a nurse. Mother hardly knows if he knew her or not. Friday, Al, Nancy, Dad and Ruby hauled a load of alfalfa hay in the afternoon. in the evening all but Ma took a ride to Scales Mound. Aunt Lizzie wasn’t home. After we got home Lena Hanson and Arthur Schlichting came. He brought her in. Staid till twelve. Saturday the folks hauled the hay.That evening Ruby, Dad, Al, Nancy, Geraldine & Lena went to Galena. Al drove the car. Got along fairly well.

Sunday Dad & I took the folks in to Zimmerman’s to dinner.Then they were going home on the one oclock train. We all went through Grant’s old home. Uncle Edd & Tresidders went to Apple River this afternoon. Uncle Edd here to supper. Thinks Grandpa just a little better. Monday we washed an awful wash. Put up four quarts ground cherries. Didn’t hear from Grandpa. Big Soldiers' Welcome Home at Apple River. Tuesday we all went to Apple River in the afternoon. Uncle Edd went with us. Beautiful day. Mother staid out. Aunt Annie came along back. Grandfather a little better. Quite a crowd at Apple River, mostly cars. Expected to stay for evening. But Uncle Edd & Ma wanted us to go home so home we came. But I am terribly disappointed and could just as well did the chores several hours late. Mad clear though.

Wednesday we ironed and churned. It was rainy. Ma called up this evening,. Grandpa better is but Aunt Tillie not very well. Thursday, September 18, 1919. It is rainy today. Ruby & I picked some grapes and picked them off for jelly. Baked bread & a cake. Aunt Annie got a card from Aunt Tillie today. She has pleurisy now.

On Vacation

2011-08-27T18:23:00.000-04:00

LILLIAN'S DIARIES: FINAL WHISPERS FROM GALENA'S PAST VOL. III IS NOW AVAILABLE IN STORES AND ONLINE!

Meanwhile I am on vacation and you can follow me for the next 3 weeks at;
http://denandsherstravelogueblog.blogspot.com/.

1919 will continue the last week of August.

County Fair Time

2011-08-14T15:30:00.000-04:00

Hope you are busy reading volumes I and II of Lillian's Diaires as volume III Lillian's Diaries: Final Whispers of Galena's Past (1926-1931) will be out in the next 2-3 weeks. It will be available at CreateSpace.com, Amazon.com, Book World in Galena,IL and Mineral Book Connections in Mineral Point, WI. It should also begin showing up on other online bookstores and at some public libraries.

Friday, August 8, 1919 was very cool. Ruby & I picked and put up blackberries. Mother went up to the church and cleaned a little and cut off some weed. Then called in at Sadie’s awhile. Saturday I picked and put up some berries, Also pickled a half gallon of yellow beans, baked bread, coffee cake and cake. Dad, Ma & I went to Galena in the evening. Ruby staid up to Aunt Annie’s. Not so many in town as usual.

Sunday all but Ruby went to church in the afternoon. Uncle Edds, Lottie, Jack, Alta, Sadie & Evelyn were there. In the evening we went over to Win Tippet’s. Took Uncle Edds along. Monday we put up ten quarts of peaches and cooked 4 pints of corn. Picked blackberries, made jelly and cut some lawn. Fiedlers thrashed. Weis did the job. Tuesday we washed. Put up four pints of sweet corn. Cut some lawn. Always busy.

Wednesday I ironed. Ruby & I picked a few blackberries, enough for supper and breakfast. Put up four pints of field corn. Cut some lawn. Had a heavy rain last night and early in the morning, then cleared. It is a beautiful day. Thursday August 14, 1919: A beautiful day. We all went to the Fair. Started at twelve thirty and drove the car in the Fairgrounds. A large crowd there. The grounds were just full of chance games or playing for dolls (especially). And most everything imagineable. One race horse broke its leg. Another ran away. We staid for evening. An awful crowd in the eve. The fireworks were just fine. Had singing, band music, acting and a girl wire walker - very good. We started for home at ten. Very much worn out. But not completely satisfied. Saw somebody early in the evening - alone.

It's a Bird, No it's an Airplane!

2011-08-07T15:03:00.002-04:00

The first wing walker to perform daring stunts was 26 year old Ormer Locklear. Legend has it that he first climbed out onto the lower wings during his pilot training in the Army Air Service during World War I. Undaunted, Ormerjust climbed out of the cockpit onto the wings in flight whenever there was a mechanical issue and fixed the problem. On November 8, 1918, Locklear wowed the crowd at Barron Field, Texas with his dare devil wing walking stunts. Wing walking was seen as an extreme form of barnstorming, and wing walkers would constantly take up the challenge of outdoing one another. They themselves admitted (or rather proclaimed proudly) that the point of their trade was to make money on the audience's prospect of possibly watching someone die. Source:Wikipedia

August 1, 1919: Well we got up in the morning quite early. Weather not looking bad. It cleared off so at eight we started for Galena. Josie, Ruby & I put the car in Edgerton’s Garage. An awful crowd at the depot and the train was crowded. Had to stand. We had to walk away to get to the boat landing. Our first boat ride. My it was swell. The boat had four decks and lots of dancing. It was ten or after when the boat started. It was one oclock when we got to Dubuque and five when we got to Cassville. The boat started again at twenty-five to six. We walked up and down the main street of Cassville. Got back to the landing and started on the train by ten oclock. Eleven when we got to Galena. Hurried to the garage to get car and was charge seventy-five cents for storing the car. I asked last Tuesday and he said fifty cents. I got mad at the old fellow. Got home quarter to twelve. Dad and Ma was quite worried. Some folks didn’t go that we thought might go. Bernetta & Thelma were on.

Saturday we were quite bummy today. Ma & I picked blackberries in the forenoon. That evening we all went to town. Sunday we got nearly ready to go to church. Then It came to rain. Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie came down to dinner. Ruby & I went down to Weis’. Took Josephine’s veil that she left in the car. Monday Ruby & I picked a gallon and half blackberries. Ma made jelly out of them.

Tuesday we washed today. I also washed and ironed our Georgette waists. Wednesday saw the first airplane go over in the evening about a quarter after eight. Ruby and I were out on the lawn when we heard a noise. Thought it an automobile. Ruby went in the house. I looked up and down the road. Didn’t see anything. The noise seemed to come from over towards Studier’s. Then I looked up in the air and behold I saw a airplane. It was quite high. My, one glance and knocked on the window for Mother and Ruby. Then watched it a while. Telephoned Aunt Annie, then rang the bell for Dad. He was up in the corn field. It went nearly straight west then turned northward. Watched until it went down over the horizon. Causes some little excitement in the neighborhood. We ironed and also picked berries and put them up. Baked bread, cake and tarts and pie. If its nice tomorrow we expect to go to the Schapville picnic or the Soldiers’ doings. We asked Helen to go along.

Thursday, August 7, 1919: A lovly day. We started at a quarter to one for the picnic. Helen went along. A very large crowd there. Mostly relatives. Had our supper along. Started for home about a quarter to eight. Came home thro Schapville. Stopped at the cemetery to see Uncle Herman’s monument. A good many folks out there from around here.

Haying In The Summer Sun

2011-07-31T11:36:00.000-04:00

Friday, July 18, 1919: Put a load of hay in the shed. It’s full now. We also put a load on the stack making fourty seven loads. Saturday we put up three loads hay. One on the stack and two for a new stack making fifty loads. We all went to Galena in the eve. An airplane was to make a flight over the Fairground this afternoon. But as there was only five tickets sold he wouldn't fly. We shook hands with Jack Combellick this eve. He has been home since July 2.

Sunday, Da, Ma, & I went to church in the morning. In the afternoon we took a ride up as far as Mt. Morley school house where Ma use to go to school and back through Guilford around by Heer’s and stopped at Aunt Annie’s for supper. Monday, we had a shower rain in the forenoon. Dad & Ruby put up two loads hay. Tuesday, John Tresidder came up in the afternoon to help hay. Finished now except the alfalfa. Have fifty-eight loads. Wednesday, we washed, baked bread. Dad took five lambs and an old sheep over to the Station in the forenoon. Got sixty-five dollars and fourty-five cents for them. Fourteen cents a pound for the lambs and seven for the sheep. Ruby & I picked a few blackberries afraid we won’t get many.

Thursday, we (all but Ma) went to Scales Mound in the forenoon. We bought a new firestone 30x3 tire from Birds. 6000 mile guarantee. Had the car looked over. Called on Aunt Lizzie. In the afternoon we ironed and I put new oil in crankcase of car and also greased it. Dad raked alfalfa. Friday we put up three loads of alfalfa hay, finished haying. Sixty-one loads. Aunt Annie came down. Uncle Edd went down near Hanover. We went up there last night to ask them if they wanted to go with us to Waterloo by car. Uncle Edd has backed out now.

Saturday, well, we didn’t go to Waterloo. But has been quite a nice day, but hot. We all went to Galena tonight. Saw somebody going around alone. Sunday we all started out for Apple River at nine in the morning. Uncle Edd was going with us but he got a ride with Haydens. Got to Apple River by ten. Waited for Mayme to get ready and then we went to Lena. Made that in a hour fifteen minutes. Ate dinner. Attended Sunday School and services. Mr. Liston preached. There were some folks down there we knew. We started for home at twenty to five. Went quite fast as it looked like a bad storm. They wanted us to stay for supper at A.R. but we came home. Was awful dusty. It looked much brighter when we got nearly home and then it cleared off without a drop of rain. Uncle Edd stayed to supper. Johns were up this eve. Tomorrow is Grandpa’s seventy-fifth birthday. Had a beautiful birthday cake. Uncle Georges and Louise Sutton and children were to be there to supper too.

Monday was a nice day. Ma churned Ruby & I picked a gallon and a half of blackberries. Josie Weis called up said she would go with us on the excursion Friday if we were going. Wish Helen could go to.
Tuesday we washed. Dad, Ruby & I went to Galena late in the afternoon. Bought three excursion tickets for sixty-cents each. Brought home our oil stove oven. We all went down to Tresidder’s after a can of soft water. Heard in Galena today that Leroy Tresidders had a child but it died.

Wednesday we ironed. Also picked some blackberries and put up two and one half quarts and made jelly. I washed my white skirt. Its threatening rain. I hoped we will get a good shower. Thursday, July 31, 1919: Weather partly cloudy today. But hope tomorrow will be nice. We baked bread, cake and cream puffs* today.

Trudgian Home in The Summer Sun

* Lillian's recipe for cream puffs will appear in Lillian's Diaries: Final Whispers From Galena's Past Vol. III will be out at Book World in Galena, Mineral Point Connections in Mineral Point, WI and at http://www.amazon.com/ in late August/early September, 2011. Vol. III has added more maps an expanded glossary, updated surname index and DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR BOOK GROUPS. Let me know what you think of adding the book group questions if you have the opportunity to use them.

The Supposedly Lazy, Hazy Summer is Not So Lazy

2011-07-17T12:22:00.002-04:00

Friday, July 11, 1919: We hauled five loads of hay. Making twenty-six loads of hay in now. Saturday, we hauled in five loads of hay again. we are nearly killing ourselves. Got it all in we had cut and all of that field. We baked bread. We all went to town again tonight. Nearly all the farmers around were in Galena. We saw somebody riding around in the Old Ford roadster and the girl with the yellow waist.

Sunday Ma & I went to church this afternoon. Looked a little rainy. The minister, Sadie Bastian and Evelyn & Elmer Young were there, small crowd. When we got home Aunt Annie was here and Uncle Edd came down for supper. We took them home this eve. Monday it rained several showers. We washed and ironed a good part of them and also cut some lawn. Put a new radiator hose on the car. And filled up the new tire cuts.

Tuesday we finished ironing. Baked a cake and bread. We hauled three loads hay in the afternoon.
Tuesday was Ruby’s twenty-sixth birthday. Spent the day haying. A very beautiful day. Such a beautiful, blue sky. We hauled four loads hay in this afternoon making thirty-eight loads now. The shed is nearly full.

Thursday, July 17, 1919: Mother sent Mrs. Young a birthday card. They had a postal shower* for her. Well, this afternoon Uncle Edd came down to help us hay. Aunt Annie came down also. We put up seven loads in a stack. Making fourty-five loads. We took Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie home this eve. About a dozen young folks had a picnic supper down in our bottom. Don’t know who they were.

* Postal shower: When someone organizes all the friends and family of a particular person and each of these send a card or short letter through the mail on that person's birthday

What Does Lillian Want To Know?

2011-07-10T11:57:00.000-04:00

Friday, July 4, 1919: Dad, Ruby & I went to Galena this morning went in to see if our waists were in the Post Office. But no, no waists*. I was awful sore. Well, when we got ready to go to Scales Mound the weather didn’t look very favorable but we went. A very big crowd there. Uncle Bens from Woodbine and Uncle Dan, Uncle Henrys, Uncle Joes, Uncle Georges, Irish Virtues and lots more were there. It rained several showers but not enough to settle the dust. Made a person rather nervous. About half after four we started for home as the weather didn’t look good. It rained a little on the way home. After we were home awhile it rain very hard and rain so hard about all night.

Saturday we didn’t go anywhere. Didn’t know if we should go tonight or not. Wanted to go awful bad. Would like to know something awful bad.** Sunday Dad, Ma, & I went to church in the morning. Lottie was there. I found out some things I wanted to know about B. Lottie came over this afternoon. Had supper. We thought we would go to Galena to the Methodist church this eve. But when we got in there church looked to be shut up so we call on Tippets awhile.

Monday we hauled two loads of hay in the afternoon. Tuesday we hauled a load of hay this morning but it came to rain so couldn’t haul anymore. We washed. Wednesday my waist came. My first Georgette waist, white with blue embroidery and collar.*** We got a letter from Uncle Thomas. It stormed nearly all afternoon. A very heavy rain and hard storm. We baked bread and cookies on the oil stove. Mrs. Seck was buried today. Thursday, July 10, 1919: We didn’t haul any hay. It was too wet. I cut a little lawn. Ruby & I cleaned out the carbon from the combustion chamber of the car in the forenoon. We all rode down to Tresidder’s.

* Waists are much like what we would call blouses. They overlapped the skirt.
** This might be about the mysterious person that Lillian was writing to earlier in World War II or it may be about Ben Young, who was courting Lillian's sister, Ruby.
*** We actually have this waist. It was found in the Trudgian home among other left behind clothing.

Priming For The 4th

2011-07-03T11:43:00.001-04:00

Friday, June 27, 1919: Finished ironing. Ma & Ruby worked in garden. Tillie picked more gooseberries.

Saturday we baked a cake on the new oil stove. We have Aunt Annie's oven. Aunt Tillie made the cake. She went up to Aunt Annie’s this afternoon. We all went to town again this eve. Well, the Germans signed today. Peace. An awful crowd in Galena. Sort of celebrating I guess. The saloons all over the U.S. are suppose to close Monday night at twelve. My won’t that be grand. Hope its so. I guess Ruby feels a little better since going to town. Passed some folks on the road this eve. I bought a white wash skirt looks like satin. Paid eight dollars for it. Too much but very pretty.

Sunday was a lovly day. All but Ruby went to church this afternoon. Only Uncle Edds & Aunt Tillie there besides us and the minister. We went for a little ride this evening, so Ruby wouldn’t feel so lonesome. Will Tresidders came down to John’s today. Monday was another nice day. Ruby & I each sent for a white silk Georgette waist today. Five ninety-five each. We washed and ironed today. I cut some lawn. Dad cut hay.

July 1 We hauled two loads of hay late this afternoon. Ruby picked some gooseberries. I cut some lawn. On Wednesday we all went to Galena this forenoon, Hauled hay today four loads. We all took a ride up to Aunt Annie’s this eve. Thursday, July 3, 1919 we all went to Galena this forenoon. Ma bought a white skirt, also shoes and a pair for me. Also paid my dentist bill - twenty one dollars. Well, tomorrow is the Fourth. Big celebration at Scales Mound but Ruby & I didn’t get our waists today.

Changes - Beaus and Stoves

2011-06-26T09:11:00.000-04:00

Friday, June 20, 1919: Hauled two loads of alfalfa this afternoon. I went up to Aunt Annie’s to pick strawberries. We picked quite a lot. But there was so many rotten ones. It’s a shame. I got quite a few. We picked them off tonight. Saturday, we hauled three loads of alfalfa in the forenoon. This evening Dad, Ruby & I autoed to Galena. Came home rather early for fear of rain. Mother had company - Agnes, Milton & Blanche.

Sunday there were no services at Union. We all went up to Aunt Annie’s to dinner. This afternoon Ben came along so Ruby came on home with him. He had horse & buggy as usual. They drove up as far as Singer Cemetery. Ben was here for supper. I guess its his last visit. Hauled in three more loads of hay on Monday. Have some out yet. And its coming to a storm. Wish it wouldn’t rain on it. Tuesday had an awful electrical storm during the night. The folks hauled in one load of hay towards evening.

Wednesday, Aunt Tillie came down in the afternoon. We picked a few strawberries yet for supper. Ma & Ruby washed an awful big washing and hauled another load alfalfa. Finished. Found the little calf dead this evening. It was weak and it got in the creek and couldn’t get out. Dad skinned it. Thursday, June 26,1919, we got up early this morn. Dad, Ma & I went to Galena early. Took in the calf hide and had a little other important business. An Odd Fellows Steam Boat excursion today. Would like to have gone very badly. And really would have if I had known something before. A beautiful day, but warm. We bought and brought home a new Perfection oil stove. Equipped with back and oven for thirty one dollars. Brought it home in the Ford. Dad, Ma, & I had to ride in the front seat. Aunt Annie rode down with us. Dad stood on running board. Ruby & Tillie picked some gooseberries this after. We took Aunt Annie home this eve.

A Shooting in Galena

2011-06-19T11:36:00.001-04:00

Friday, June 13, 1919: Mr. Palmer went away this morning. Hot day today. We wanted to go to Scales Mound to the Sunday School convention tonight. The weather wasn’t looking good when we started. When we got up there it lightened so came right back. Just got home before it rain. Didn’t rain much. But I guess they got it in some places, maybe Scales Mound. Saturday was very busy. Stormy looking all day but it cleared off a little better towards eve. So we got ready and went to Galena. Didn’t get there till after nine oclock. The town was crowded. Got home alright.

Sunday we all went to church in the afternoon. Mr. Cavanaugh is going to stay. The Elder wouldn’t accept his resignation. Ben said at church he wouldn’t be over this evening. He has a little business in Galena. So we all went down to Tresidder’s this eve. Monday, Ruby & I picked cherries in the forenoon till a storm came up. Rained the rest of the day. We put up seven quarts of cherries. Have a few more to pick yet. I picked two soup bowls of strawberries. Have some more to pick yet.

Tuesday, I picked another bowl of strawberries, also picked more cherries. We washed. Wednesday, we ironed and baked bread. Made cherry cream pies. Ma worked some in garden. Dad cut some alfalfa. Had another hard storm and rain during the night. Thursday, June 19, 1919 Ma & Ruby cleaned the cellar. A shooting occurred in Galena. Frank Willy shot Earl Fitch at noon. I suppose they had some trouble. Mr. Fitch was a cashier in a bank. Aunt Tillie came in to Aunt Annie’s today.

Strawberries Um-Um

2011-06-12T08:06:00.000-04:00

Friday, June 6, 1919: Rainy again this morning. Ruby & I went to town again today. The dentist just treated the two teeth again. Roads awful muddy. On Saturday we were busy with Saturday work. We got so much work to do. Had some strawberries for supper tonight. First mess. A lovly evening tonight. Would like to have went to town the roads were good.

Sunday we all went to church in the morning. The minister has resigned. It will be his last Sunday next Sunday, Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie came down to dinner. Mr. and Mrs. Fiedler, Mary, Ida & Loretta came down this afternoon. And Ben was here this evening. It gets quite late till he goes home lately.
Monday was a very nice day, but warm. I hoed and weeded in the garden and cut lawn today. Had a big dish of strawberries for supper. Um Um.

Tuesday we washed. Also ironed some clothes from last week. Had an awful hard rain and storm last night. Wednesday we ironed. Ruby baked bread and a batch of cookies. Also made pie plant sauce. Had a storm at noon. Also a shower this afternoon. I cut some lawn. We worked in garden.

Thursday, June 12, 1919: Dad & I went to Galena this afternoon with the car. Took in the wool. Had seventy nine and one half pounds and got fifty-five cents per pound. Sold it to Hathaway. Well finished with my teeth today. Filled those front teeth but they don’t look as nice as I wanted them too. Also filled a wisdom tooth. Don’t know the bill yet. When we got home Rev. Elvin Palmer was here. He came last Monday. This evening we all rode up to Uncle Edd’s. Mr. Palmer is going to stay here all night.

Storms on The Horizon

2011-06-05T20:49:00.000-04:00

Sunday, June 1 1919: Had quite a storm and lots of rain in the night. I got up at six oclock new time this morning. They were here to breakfast and dinner. Started from here at one. Afraid it might come to rain again. Dad went over the Station at noon today to get Ma. Before they got home Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie came along. Aunt Annie staid here. Aunt Maggie went up after supper with Aunt Annie. Looked stormy this eve. Also rain later on. Ben didn’t come.

Monday we tore off the paper in the kitchen today. And washed woodwork. Wanted to paper ceiling but didn’t get it done. Tuesday the weather brightened up a little so Ma & I drove to Galena. The roads were awful bad. Then the dentist only treated my two front teeth. Took out the stuff and put in new. Looked like a storm on the way home but it didn’t rain till tonight when it rain awful hard. And stormed so. The lightning was terrible. About ten oclock saw a reflection on the sky of a fire over towards Werner’s or Spensley’s. It looked as though it might be nearby. We thought we would go up on the hill to see but thought the grass to wet.

Wednesday we heard that the fire was up on Tom Pooley’s farm. Two barns burned. Also hay, oats and machinery. Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie took Aunt Maggie to town today to go home. Cleared off today. This evening the sky was just pink up north, I suppose it was the Northern lights. We papered the kitchen today, a tan paper.

Thursday we straightened up the kitchen in the forenoon. Uncle Edd came down to shear the sheep. Aunt Annie came along. Had ten sheep to shear. After dinner Uncle Edd went down to Weis’ and Tresidder’s to shear their sheep. Found several ripe strawberries yesterday and today.

No Memorial Day Yet

2011-05-30T11:48:00.001-04:00

Thursday May 23, 1919: Made bread today. Also planted late potatoes. Made a spice cake. And fixed a little on the car. Raining tonight. Hear that Henry Zarndt came home from Lacross Sunday eve. Friday Ruby & I went to Galena in the buggy as the roads are rather muddy. The dentist didn’t work much on my teeth just put some stuff in two front teeth to treat them. One aches tonight. Ruby bought herself new white skirt for four ninety-five. Saturday my face was all swelled up and achy. Baked bread & coffee cake & cake. Ruby did. She getting to be quite a cook.

Sunday Mom and Ruby went to church in the morning. I was an awful funny looking human. Face all swelled up. No company in the afternoon, but had some this eve. Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie, John, Agnes, Milton, and Blanche were up. Also Ben Y. He staid till late. Monday was beautiful day. Well I guess Ruby gave B her promise last night. Dad, Ruby & I autoed to Galena in the morning. The Dentist stuck in a needle or something away up at the root of the tooth where it was so swollen. Left out pus. It feels lots better now. Bought a roll of bard wire. Had a puncture in front tire on the way home from a tack. Put in a new tube. Our neighbors had to appear before the jury this afternoon. But were out in the field again late this afternoon. Coming quite an excitement in the neighborhood.

Tueday Ma ironed. Dad & Ruby finished planting corn in the afternoon. Wednesday Ruby & I got an graduation invitation to the Galena commencement exercises June 5 from Thelma Davis. A warm day. The picnic at Ford School was today. But I didn’t feel hardly able to go. And Ruby didn’t feel like walking up either. Wanted to go badly. Weis girls & Agnes & Blanche went. Thursday, Ruby went over to Sadie Bastian’s in the afternoon. I went up on John’s hill to pick asparagus. Called in to John Tippet’s as Aunt Annie was staying with the baby while Ethel, Mary and Grandpa Tippet and Uncle Edd went over the grave yard. Ascension Day today. And so many many cars on the road. Warm day.

Friday about ten oclock we started out for Apple River. Roads were good. Took an hour and fifteen minutes. Stopped in Scales Mound awhile. Had dinner at Grandpa’s. After dinner we went up to the hall heard the priest speak. Also had supper at Grandpa’s. The weather didn’t look good. Afraid we’d get wet yet. But got home without getting wet. Then the clouds scattered. Mother staid out to Apple River and Aunt Maggie came in. Myrtle Graham graduates tonight. Uncle Edd and Aunt Annie started out for Schapville. Saturday, May 31 was a very hot day. After dinner it came to quite a storm. Rained quite hard. After the rain a Ford stopped and it was Uncle Bens & Mr. William. They were to Galena and when it looked like rain started out for here. But got caught on the road. Some were wet. We were very much surprised. It rained again tonight. Had quite a time to get them all put away for the night.

Rain, Rain Go Away, Always Changing the Plans For The Day

2011-05-22T08:08:00.001-04:00

Friday, May 16, 1919: Ruby cleaning the hall. Ma finished ironing. I cut lawn. Dad is plowing. Saturday we were busy all day. In the evening, we all went to town again. Getting quite sporty. Well, Ruby is going to Dubuque tomorrow. An awful crowd in town. There is quite an excitement about some of the neighbors. The sheriff has been out after one. Uncle Georges are coming in to Aunt Annie’s tomorrow.

Sunday: Well, Ben & Ruby started at nine for Dubuque. Intend to go to church in Dubuque. After dinner all of Uncle Georges and Mr. Sam Hanson and Clifford Price came in to Aunt Annie’s with the Buick and the Ford. Had to sell Wesley some gas. He thought the carbruater leaked. First time we met Mr. Hanson. It came to look like rain toward evening. Uncle Georges started for home. Then we did. It rained a little on the way home and was rainy all evening but not enough to make the roads slippery. As it started to rain at seven I thought sure Ruby & Ben would have started for home early. But it was after ten when they got home. Thought surely something happened to them. They say from Dubuque to Hazel Green the roads were awful muddy. Had quite a time getting up one hill.

Monday we washed. Started to plant corn. I went with Agnes & Blanche to cut asparagus. The sheriff was out to the neighbors' again today and took him along. Tuesday, Dad & Ruby finished planting that piece of corn today. I had an appointment with the dentist, so Ma and I drove Pet to town. I had a wisdom tooth filled and two more teeth pulled*. It hurt a little and it aches this evening. Two big fellow heads about all teeth. Wednesday, May 22, 1919: We ironed. Also did some sewing or mending. Raining a little and raining quite a lot tonight.

* If someone has the time, count all the teeth that Lillian has had pulled between Vols. I & II of Lillian's Diaries: Whispers of Galena's Past. I am quite sure she has had more teeth pulled than is humanly possible to have had in her mouth. Same goes for Ruby.

Love Is In The Air ~ Or Is It?

2011-05-14T10:16:00.002-04:00

Friday, May 2, 1919: Clouded up and started to rain again this evening. Ironed today. Also baked bread and coffee cake. Ruby cleaned my room. Received from Sears Roebuck the wall paper for the kitchen. Brown varnished paper. I trimmed most of it today. Saturday was very rainy again. Baked a cake and cookies. Sunday was cloudy and looked like it might rain any minute. Mr. Cavanaugh called up to know if he should come up to Union. Uncle Edd thought not. But later on it started to clear off. Dad, Ma and I went up to Aunt Annie’s in the afternoon. Ruby staid at home to do up the chores early. She thought she might have company. And she did. The parlor was used tonight. Milton came down with the ‘flu’ today. Had the doctor this evening, nearly all of Fiedlers sick.

Monday was cloudy again. We tore up the parlor and tore off the paper. Tomorrow the woodwork has to be painted. Ruby has to decide a question soon. Tuesday was rainy all day, three or four storms. A little sunshine between several times. I painted three chairs and Ruby and I painted the woodwork of the parlor.
Wednesday, Aunt Annie came down in the forenoon and in the afternoon we papered the parlor ceiling. Ma also churned. Ruby baked bread (about the first time). Getting interested. Milton and Fiedlers are getting better. A nice day for once.

Thursday, Pete McDonald* was here for breakfast. But it was before I got up. He always likes to get a meal here. I painted in the morning. Ruby & I went to town in the afternoon in the old buggy. Got thirty-nine cents for eggs. Couldn’t get an appointment with the dentist till a week from Tuesday. Friday, we finished painting the parlor in the forenoon. Ruby and I papered the parlor. Aunt Annie came down in the evening. The paper looks quite dark. It has a rose applique border.

Saturday we had to straighten up the parlor today. Very busy. We all autoed to Galena early in the evening. Bought Ma a hat. About half past ten when we got home. An awful big crowd in town tonight. Something new for us to go to town Saturday night. Well, Ruby isn’t going to Dubuque tomorrow. Sunday was a lovly day. We all went to church in the morning. In the afternoon we autoed to Scales Mound. Thought we would see Charles. But he has gone out to Washington. Has a girl out there. Saw a German helmet and belt and a cap taken off a dead Hun. Grahams were up to Aunt Lizzie’s too. Ben was here in the evening. Elmer is going away to be operated on again Tuesday.

Monday I cut some lawn. We also planted early potatoes and Ma & Ruby planted more garden stuff. Received a dress today from Philkipsborn today. I didn’t like it very well but Ma thinks its nice. Tuesday Ruby cleaned the bedroom. After dinner Ruby & I went to Scales Mound. Our first trip alone with the car, at least for that far. I wanted o see if I could get the car fixed. But Mr. Bird was too busy. He opened the spark plugs for me anyway. Got fourty-two cents for eggs at Tippet’s. We also bought a hundred bran. On our way home on Kane Hill a Ford was coming as we were going up. I got to far to the side in the ditch one wheel went down. The man in the other Ford backed it out for me after awhile. A Kane boy, an old man & Ruby & I pushed.

Wednesday we washed, churned, baked bread. We also cut lawn, straightened up the bedroom and set two hens*. Bernetta invited us over the telephone last night to go to her picnic tomorrow. Would like to go.

Thursday, May 15: Threatened rain this morning. We did not think much of going to the picnic but about eleven it looked better. We hitched up Old Pet and went. Twelve before we started but was over there a long time before we had dinner. Not a very big crowd there. Had dinner outdoors. Had lots of good things. Had a big basket of oranges and bananas, lots of ice cream and candy, besides other dinner. Lots of cake. Bernetta must have spent a lot. Josie, Helen & Bessie were over there. Bessie rode part way home with us. Had a nice time. But hardly had time to go.

*Pete MacDonald ~ not sure who this person is but he weaves in and out of the pages of Lillian's diaries, always asking for a meal and not smelling any too nice....maybe he was one of the first homeless people in the Galena area. Have any ideas on this?
* Set two hens ~ if you have never set a hen check out the glossary in Vol. 2 of Lillian's Diaries: Whisper of Galena's Past for a definition.

Watch Out For Those Grass Seeders

2011-05-01T12:35:00.001-04:00

Friday April 25,1919: Cold again today. Had an awful hard frost last night. I think ice on a tub of water. Made bread and coffee cake and a cake. Well, this evening Ruby and I went over to the Miner’s Social with Josie, Helen & Bert. We walked. Quite a crowd there. Had a very good program. Tresidders were over. Blanche had to sit on the platform holding a doll while Mrs. Wingler sang. Baskets sold well, none below a dollar. Ruby’s brought a dollar. Joe Dower had hers.He had two others. Archie Virtue bought mine for a dollar and a half and also Miss Reddington’s. Fourth time I got a Virtue. First time a cousin of theirs, second and third time Charlie Virtue and now Archie Virtue. Had a very nice time. Very interesting. Got home at half past twelve.

Saturday was very nice day. A great celebration at Galena today. One hundredth anniversary of the Odd Fellows.* We didn’t go. Ma & Ruby made some garden today. The first we made. Sunday was rainy in the morning. Ma & Ruby went up on the hill this morning but didn’t see anybody at church so came home again. Uncle Edd and Aunt Annie came down to dinner today. Rainy this afternoon and eve. Monday was well cloudy in the morninbg and road muddy. Dad & Ruby went to town to the big celebration this forenoon with Old Pet in the buggy. I had a chance to go with Uncle Edd but didn’t know what to do. Just awfully dissappointed. In spite of the muddy roads just an awful lot of cars went by also teams. They saw Charles Trudgian in town. He has been home since Wednesday. He’s working roads now driving tractor. It wasn’t such a bad day after all (the weather).

Tuesday we cleaned the rag room. At noon John Tresidder asked to borrow our grass seeder. After dinner he came up to get it. Came up in the car. I was looking out the window to see him crank it. It back fired and hurt his arm or wrist. We bathed it in hot water thought probably it was only a sprain. Also put linament on it. It began to swell. Couldn’t use his hand, so I drove him home. He had the spark to far advanced that why he broke his arm. Also the car was missing one cylinder. Then Agnes thought he’d better got to the doctor so I said I would take him in. I had to have other clothes on so we drove back up. His car went so bad that we took our car. The doctor said the both bones in his arm were broken. Said it would be four weeks before it could be taken out of the cask. Ruby went to town too. Then when we got home I had to drive John’s car down again.

Wednesday, was raining all day today. Ruby cleaned Dad’s & Ma’s room today. Thursday,May 1, 1919, it rained a little. Cleared up this afternoon. Ma washed today or finished. She started yesterday.

*Odd Fellows: An altruistic and benevolent fraternal organization dedicate to improving and elevation the character of mankind, aiding the community, the less fortunate, youth and the elderly. ( You will be happy to know that starting with Vol. 2 there is a glossary that covers many of the words and expressions that you may not be familiar with. If, when reading Lillian, you see a word that you think needs to be defined just let me know through the blog or on Facebook Group "Lillian's Readers" and I will add it to the glossary for Vol. 3, which will be out in August 2011 in honor of Lillian's birthday)

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T14:35:00.000-04:00

Friday, April 18, 1919: We baked bread and coffee cake. Also ironed. Saturday, Dad, Ruby & I went to town in the car. The roads wasn’t so bad as I thought they might be but the car didn’t go very good. We brought home a big load. 100 oyster shells, plow, groceries, & etc. Got thirty-seven cents per dozen for thirty-one dozen eggs. I made an appointment with the dentist for next Monday at two. Sunday

Sunday was a Beautiful Easter day. Warm. Ma, Ruby & I went to church in the afternoon. Picked some flowers to put in church. Agnes, Milton & Blanche walked home with us to pick some flowers. Our sow had four little pigs today. Tuesday Uncle Edd, Aunt Annie & John were here this evening. But didn’t have any other company. Monday was another nice day. Ruby & I drove Pet to town today. Had a xray picture taken of my two front teeth and two teeth pulled upper jaw left side. Awful hard getting out broke off a good many times. In a way it didn’t hurt but wasn’t very pleasant. In a little while it started to ache and ached till I went to bed. Ruby bought a pair of brown shoes for five dollar and I a brown pair oxfords for four dollars.

Tuesday my jaw or whatever it is doesn’t ache any more. Another lovly day. Washed. Also ironed all but the starched clothes. I baked a batch of cookies in the afternoon. Also made rhubard sauce. Ma & Ruby cleaned some weeds out of the strawberry patch. Dad hauled manure on garden also started to plow it.

Wednesday, we finished ironing and also baked bread. Had an awful storm and heavy rain early in the morning. Can’t plow the garden now for a long time. I wanted to go to Scales Mound too awfully bad to get the car fixed up. I painted three chairs this afternoon.

Thursday April 24: Ma and Ruby cleaned Ruby’s room today. Also went up to Aunt Annie’s and got three bushels of potatoes. Also went over to Hammer’s and got one bushel of early potatoes. Quite cold today. We got our parlor paper from Montgomery Ward.

A Little Extra

2011-04-19T10:01:00.002-04:00

Some readers from Lillian's Diaries Vol. 2 are having trouble posting their reviews on amazon.com ( yes they have already finished reading the book) so I have suggested they write their reviews on this website. Look for some upcoming reviews to appear here. I always like to hear from readers about Lillian's Diaries, as their comments help me shape the next volume.

Speaking of next volume, how do you feel about Lillian's Diaires as a "book group" book. I am thinking of adding a series of questions to Vol. 3 that would encourage discussion on the book, the time period, the location and, of course, the main character. Do you think that might be appealing to some people? Send me your thoughts on the subject.

Eggs .36 a dozen ~ Wallpaper $6.66 for a Parlor

2011-04-17T15:12:00.000-04:00

Saturday, April 5, 1919: We wanted to go to town today. But it rained this morning so we didn’t go. Showery late this afternoon. Aunt Annie came down today. It is warmer today. Sunday was very warm, too warm to wear a coat. Lots of cars on the road. We all went to church in the afternoon. In the evening Agnes, Blanche, and Milton came up. No other company.

Monday it stormed several times during the night and again in the afternoon. Had lots of rain. The grass is very nice and green. Hope it clears now. Tuesday Ruby & I intended to go to town but Aunt Annie said Uncle Edd was going in and we could go and would take the eggs. So I went in with Uncle Edd. We had thirty five dozen. Took to Sheean. Got thirty-five and a half cents. I went to the dentist and made an appointment for next Tuesday. Aunt Annie was down here today.

Wednesday we started to wash but it was so rainy we didn’t hang any out. Ma sewed on my dress. Thursday was reading day and rainy all day so we didn’t get our wash out again. Friday we finished washing and also ironed. Cloudy yet today. Thursday Dad went to town. He got thirty six cents a dozen for eggs at Stauss’. Weather cleared off today. Do hope it will keep clear for awhile.

Sunday we all went to church in the morning. Then we went down to John’s for dinner. Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie were there too. Had two guineas for dinner. This afternoon Milton, Blanche, Ruby & I took a walk away down to the Old Bartell house. Thought we would find some flowers but only found one crocus. Had company this evening. Also a little excitement. Monday was rainy, cold, and very windy all day. Ma cut out and sewed on Ruby’s green gingham dress. I finished a crochet yoke.

Tuesday was still rainy and cold. It was an awful day. I did not go to town to the dentist today. It wasn’t fit for a dog to be out. Ma was sewing and I was making up a corset cover with crochet yoke. Wednesday was still chilly and rainy. Ruby & I drove up to Aunt Annie’s this afternoon to get some potatoes. Dad is fixing fence. Had pie plant sauce today. Thursday, April 17th was a nice day. It cleared off for once. We washed today. Sent for paper for the parlor today. It will cost $6.66.

Family Ties

2011-04-04T14:16:00.000-04:00

Our son-in-law, Todd Nettlehorst is an up and coming photographer and I think you will enjoy his work. Check out his blog at http://www.kindledcuts.com/kindledcuts.html. His three lovely daughters are often the source of photos, but his animal and scenery pics are fantastic too!

Basket Socials Still a Draw in Galena

2011-03-27T18:37:00.003-04:00

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".

Galena's Social Life

2011-03-20T17:36:00.000-04:00

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.

Volume II - Now Available

2011-03-13T12:50:00.001-04:00

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!

Uncle Henry Dittmar's Visit

2011-03-06T09:33:00.001-05:00

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.

A Sad Departing and a Mysterious Visitor

2011-02-23T13:54:00.000-05:00

Saturday, February 15, 1919: Had to work hard to get ready. We started from here at twenty-minutes to five with Pet and Uncle Edd’s Prince in the hack. My but the roads were terrible. Partly frozen and broken thro and some drifts op on the ridge but it was a beautiful moonlight night. We got out at Uncle Joe’s at ten after nine four hours and a half. Ma came down there too today. Uncle Herman looks real nice. But they have his head turned so one side of his head couldn’t be seen. One eye was all black. I guess the brain was pressed outward. Uncle Ben said it was an awful sight. He did not regain consciouness. An awful hole on the side of head. He has a very nice coffin. His shoulder was broke also a thumb. It is bluish gray brocaded. We had a supper at midnight then went to bed.

Sunday was the funeral. It was quite a large one. Grandpa and Aunt Annie, Maggie and Tillie did not come to the funeral. None able unless Aunt Annie. Maybe she wasn’t. Uncle George, Aunt Lizzie, Mayme and Wesley hired a team and rig to come. Uncle Dan came down with Hammers this morning. Mrs. and Miss Wilson and Ehardt & John D and Mr. Shapp sang at the house and church, also at the grave. It was about half past twelve when we got to the church. Wesley, Raymond, John Westaby, Walter Schlichting, Herbert Brickner, and Adam Dittmar’s son were pallbearers. He had three spray of flowers, all of carnations but one had some different flower along with them -white and pink carnations. One from the family, one from Apple River Sunday School and one from the Woodbine Sunday School and another from the Young People’s Society of Schapville Church. Uncle Dan took two spray up to Apple River for the folks. The minister preached a sermon in German and one in English. We staid around the church and got warmed up a little before we started for home. We started at two oclock got home four thirty.

Monday Mother called up from Apple River this afternoon. Just wanted to know how we got home. Didn't do much but chores today. Tuesday I baked bread. One sheep had a lamb today. But lay on it and killed it. Wednesday I baked pies, (squash pies) and biscuits. Ma called up today. Said she is coming home in the morning.

Thursday Ruby and I went to meet Ma in the forenoon. It snowed this afternoon, an awful storm. Aunt Annie isn’t coming home for a few days yet. Friday was cloudy. Dad got a load of straw down at John’s today.

Saturday was snowy today. Dad has the toothache. Uncle Edd went out to Apple River today. Sunday was a nice day but very muddy. And what do you suppose? Who came at about half past one S.S (guess) I was very very much surprised. Ruby and I were just getting ready to go to church. We run up stairs got ready and climbed out the parlor window and went to church. Dad and Ma had to entertain. The mystery is which one?* (no one).* Ethel, Ruby & I called into Tresidder’s awhile after church. Uncle Edd came down tonight. He was home today. But did not have any other company.

* Who is S.S. nad what was he to Lillian? She eludes to liking someone here and there thoughout 1918 and 1919 ....is it a beau? Maybe the answer will be revealed in Lillian's Diaries: Whispers of Galena's Past, Vol. II.

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T10:56:00.000-05:00

Friday, February 7, 1919: A lovly day. Dad had to go to Galena today with John to help him bring home a thorough bred cow. Ruby baked a cake. Ma bread & coffee cake. Saturday We didn’t know if we should try to take the car to town today or not. Didn’t have the tires pumped up. So Ma and Ruby went with Pet. A very nice day. Sunday was another lovly day. Uncle Edd came down to dinner. We all went to church this afternoon. I had to play the organ. Well, Ma went in to Agnes’ from church and Blanche came up here. So this evening we took her down. When we were nearly there we met Ben. So he went in there too. Don’t know how he liked it. Uncle Edd was down there to.

Monday we took the car out today for the first time this eve. We went as far as Tresidder’s then up the road past the school house and back. Afraid the weather is going to change. John Tresidder came up and helped Dad butcher a hog. Quite a few cars on the road. Tuesday I got a Valentine. I know who its from if it doesn’t say. Found the little pig “Jane” dead this morning. Late this afternoon we thought we would try to auto to Scales Mound but up on the ridge it was muddy and bad in places so we came home again. The car runs junk anyway. Very warm.

Wednesday was a nother warm day. Ruby and I washed this afternoon. Ma busy with the sausage, lard, & etc. Thursday, it rained last night and this morning. Its very muddy now. It was terribly windy. Rainy again this evening. Ironed today. Friday we had very sad news this forenoon about half past ten. Uncle George called up said Uncle Herman was killed, yesterday afternoon by a tree falling on him. He was living yet but died soon after. Aunt Annie answered the telephone it was an awful shock for her. I had to tell Ma but told her first that he was awfully hurt. He was down at Fred Horsch’s went down this evening. If John will do our chores we aregoing to go Uncle Ben’s. Of course we don’t know much particulars. Aunt Annie and Ma went out to Apple River this afternoon. Uncle Edd took them to town. Uncle Edd is going to drive out tomorrow toward evening. Ma called up this evening. Said he and Mr. Horsch was cutting down a tree near the house and the tree fell the wrong way and hit Uncle Herman on the side of the head. The funeral will be Sun. morning at half past tem from Uncle Joe’s.

The Trudgian''s "Pets"

2011-02-06T11:27:00.000-05:00

Saturday, February 1, 1925: Della died today. This forenoon of old age. She has so poor lately. Dad went to town today. He had to pull Della away yet when he got home. Dragged the road by here today. Dad said there was lots of cars in town today. Sun 2: Ground Hog Day. Cloudy. Dad & Ruby went to church this morning. Didn’t have any company. It rained a little this eve. Ma & Ruby laughing at me because I look funny because my face is swelled but don’t think I look so funny as I did yesterday.

Monday: Dad and Ruby buried Poor Old Della up near Nellie, Della’s colt and a steer*. All kinds of weather today. Windy and cold tonight. Tuesday we did some sewing. Dad went over to John Combellick’s and got a load of oats. Wednesday was a very nice day. We washed today. Ruby and I went up to Aunt Annie’s. We got a letter from Aunt Tillie. She is getting better slowly. Aunt Maggie is still in bed. Aunt Annie expects to go out to Apple River tomorrow.

Thursday there is a cattle show in Galena. It is reading day*.

* Pets or work animals - there does not appear to be a difference between them - were given much respect and a proper burial by the Trudgians. Next time I am in Galena I am going to walk the back acres by the knoll and see if there are any stones marking the graves of these many animals who came and went.
* Reading Day. I checked at the Historical Research Room at Galena's Public Library about this. They were nice enough to check some reading groups that met at the library and had reading days during this time period. Unfortunately, the Trudgian name was not found in the membership minutes of these groups. Early on (1913) in Lillian's diaries she mentions books -geography, writing, literature books she had at home and is using for Reading Day. Perhaps, since neither she or Ruby attended high school, this was a home schooling curriculum they were following. Reading Day appears in her diaries into the late twenties, just not as frequently as it did in the early years. Anyone have a better idea?

Lillian's Diaries Vol. II: Out late February 2011

2011-01-29T20:20:00.000-05:00

Lillian's Diaries: Whispers of Galena's Past Vol.II will be out by the end of February 2011. This volume will cover the years 1920 through 1925. World War I is over and the boys are returning home as Galena mourns the young men who have given their lives for their country. Lillian is still living with her family on the farm on StageCoach Trail, but there are big changes coming for the family.

For the rest of this year I will be posting entries from 1919 to help set the tone for the new volume. Both volumes will be available to you on amazon.com and at Book World in Galena, IL. One or both of the volumes will be available on at an expanded list of distribution venders such as Barnes and Noble and maybe at your local library. I hope to hear your thoughts as you delve into Lillian's Diaries. Remember they are written almost as Lillian penned them in her diaries.

January 1919

Wed 1: Happy New Year. Well, we had a big dinner today; goose, dressing, gravy, asparagus, cabbage slaw, pickles, mashed potatoes, celery, apricots, squash pie, pie plant pie, bread, butter, cream, saffron buns, white date cake, fruit cake, as tidbits candy, oranges, bananas, cigars. Uncle Edd, Aunt Annie, John, Agnes, Milton, and Blanche were up here. Quite a little snow fell last night and this morning. But the sun shined part of the day. Tonight clear and cold.

Thu 2: Very cold today. Clear and bright. This afternoon Dad went over the Station. Sold the hogs for Monday at seventeen cents. Dad bought a little pig of Amos Ford for two dollars. Only little one he had.

Fri 3: Very cold again today. Ma washed out a few things. Too cold to wash much. About eight below this evening.

Sat 4: Another very cold day. Too cold to go to town.

Sun 5: It got almost too late to go to church this morning and some of us got colds. Home all day and had no company. No, not even tonight. Not quite so cold today.

Mon 6: Dad took four hogs over the Station today. They weighed just three hundred each at seventeen dollars a hundred making two hundred four dollars all together.

Tue 7: Well today Dad and I took a cutter ride to town. Quite cold today. But not as cold as it has been I guess. We bought two wristwatches today. Ruby’s and my Christmas presents. They are very plain. Gold filled bracelet and watch case warranted for ten years and works for fifteen. Have Swiss movement. Fifteen dollar watches two for twenty-eight. Got our auto license today no. 22887.

Wed 8: We washed today. Clear and cold.

Thu 9: Reading day. We ironed today. A very beautiful day and evening. Beautiful sleighing and lots of teams on the road. Dad helped saw wood for Fiedlers today.

Fri 10: A very beautiful day. Baked bread and coffee cake today. Didn’t do much else in particular.

Sat 11: A great many teams and sleighs going by today to town. A nice day. Aunt Annie told Ma tonight that Elmer came home this morning from Brooklyn. Uncle Edd and Aunt Annie were to town.

Sun 12: Quite warm today. The sleighing is getting poor. We all went up to Aunt Annie’s to supper. In the evening they had other company. They were here first although they didn’t say so.

Mon 13: Another warm day. Did some sewing today. Dad hauled some manure. Quite a celebration at Chicago today for the Black Hawks that have just returned from oversees.

Tue 14: Leroy Tresidders came down to John’s today. And Aunt Lizzie came down here with them. She said Charles had been in the hospital six weeks wounded. A nice day. Clifford Tresidder is home for good now. Came home Saturday eve.

Wed 15: Another lovly day. Dad helped saw wood down to Tresidder’s today. We baked bread, a cake and sewed a little.

Thu 16: Ma and Ruby went to Galena in the buggy this afternoon. Sleighing is done for. They got home at seven thirty. Dad hauled manure. Well in today’s paper it says that thirty-four states have ratified the National Prohibition Amendment. And thirty-six to ratify will make the U.S. bone dry. More states are voting on it.

Fri 17: Well thirty-eight states have ratified. Hurrah, a dry nation. A year from yesterday January 16, 1920. Sooner I guess as of next July 1 all the saloons were to be close anyway until the army was completely demobilized. We washed today. Very warm. We used the wash machine out in the kitchen.

Sat 18: Very warm today. Busy with Saturday work.

Sun 19: Dad, Ma, and Ruby went to church this forenoon. Uncle Edd and Aunt Annie came down to dinner. Tresidders came up this afternoon. We had company this evening. Ruby or both of us are asked to go to Galena to a chicken pie supper in the Methodist Church Thursday evening. Suppose we’ll go but don’t want to.

Mon 20: Foggy today. Very warm. Ironed a little.

Tue 21: Finished ironing today. Also did some sewing. Foggy and warm. Aunt Annie got a letter from Aunt Tillie. She is sick now. Has the flu. Aunt Maggie is sick yet.

Wed 22: Another warm foggy day. Aunt Annie came down today. The roads are getting very muddy. Think the roads will be bad for tomorrow night. Also will be awful dark if it is like tonight.

Thu 23: A little cloudy today. Well we went tonight started here about half past five. By the time we got to town all the chicken pie was gone (we didn’t mind that) and everything else I guess. So we had supper at a restaurant. Then we went to Dreamland. After that came home. Had a box of candy to eat. The roads are very muddy. About eleven when we got home. Quite a time.

Fri 24: Clear and warm. A spring day. Didn’t get much done today.

Sat 25: Just a lovly day. It would be lovly automobiling today if it wasn’t muddy. Baking today. Dad splitting wood.

Sun 26: Another lovly day. Had company this afternoon, Bernetta and Thelma, quite a surprise. They walked down. Had a nice visit. They had supper with us. Then walked home. Dad and I was about ready to go to church when they came. Dad went to church. We didn’t have any company tonight. Hardly knew weather to expect it or not.

Mon 27: Warm again today. Ma cut out a dress for herself.

Tue 28: Cooler today. We all went up to Uncle Edd’s tonight. We washed today.

Wed 29: We ironed today. Another lovly day. Today Ruby & I got an invitation over to Mrs. Win Tippet’s for Friday afternoon to a sewing club for girls. Were to take our sewing.

Thu 30: Ruby & I drove to Scales Mound today. We called at Aunt Lizzie’s. The Red Cross met there this afternoon to work.

Fri 31: My but I’ve got the toothache in front tooth. Had it about all last night and all day. I couldn’t go over to the doings. Disappointed. Ruby got a ride home with Davises. Poor old Della lay down today and couldn’t get up again. Poor thing has to stay out all night.

The Last Days of Lillian's 1925

2011-01-01T20:54:00.000-05:00

This Sunday's entry will be the end of my blog entries for the next two weeks. I am in the final weeks of transcribing the 1920-1924 diaries which were found earlier in 2010 and the publisher is pushing to move forward to getting them to Lillian's readers. Look for Lillian's Diaries: Whispers of Galena's Past Vol. II at amazon.com or BookWorld in Galena, IL on Valentine's Day 2-14-12. It will also be available at many other outlets such as Barnes & Noble. When I start the blog up again I will use 1919 as the year to post, which will set the tone for your reading of Volume II. Have a happy, healthy 2011. I hope you will join me mid-January for the weekly postings of Lillian's diaires.

Sunday, December 20, 1925: Cloudy & foggy today. Didn’t know if we should try to go to church this morning or not, but got ready. After we started we thought it too late so we went in to Aunt Annie’s. Then they would have us stay for dinner. This eve Ruby & Len went up to Scales Mound to church. Tresidders came up this eve.
Monday we washed. Len went out to Raymond’s that afternoon. We all went up school to a Christmas program. Santa Claus was there also. They had a tree too. Just the parents and a few extra ones. Jerry Kohlbauer & new wife were there.

Tuesday we made doughnuts and two batches of fondant.Also made up into bonbons a batch I made before Mother also ironed some. Got some Xmas cards. Wednesday got more Christmas card. Altho it was snowy, Len Ruby, Dad and I went to town. It stopped snowing in the fternoon. Took up a Xmas present each for Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie. They gave us some. I got gingham for a dress from Aunt Annie and a box of candy from Uncle Ed.

Thursday we were busy baking bread, saffron cake, a cake. Made a batch of candy chocolate coated the candy & etz. Snowing about all day. Going to have a white Xmas.
Friday, Merry Christmas. A cold Christmas. Didn’t know if we should try to go to Apple River or not, but got ready and started about ten thirty.Didn’t find the roads very good,some places so rutty so very hard to meet cars, but got there before twelve. Uncle Georges and Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie were there. Had a big dinner, a nice time. At four oclock we started for home. But as we didn’t drain the radiator out there it froze and the water and car got so awfully hot. Had to stop and let it cool off and get water several times, but home at six. Len & I took off the radiator and brought it in to thaw out. Very cold night.

Saturday was a very cold day, about eight below Zero all day. Baked pies and cleaned up. Sunday it was twenty below Zero in the morning. Very cold all day. So didn’t go anywhere and did not have any company. Monday was another very cold day. Mother went up to Fiedler’s in the morning to see if there is to be stock shipped from the Station today. Len took hogs over the Station. Tuesday it was very cold in the morning but more moderate in the afternoon. Len, Ruby & Mother went to town in theafternoon.

Wednesday we washed. It was a lovly clear day, and beautiful moonlight evening.
Thursday - The last day of nineteen twenty-five. A most beautiful day. Ironed and baked bread, saffron bread, cookies and etz. Len took some chickens to Scales Mound

Mother and The Cream Can

2010-12-19T17:26:00.000-05:00

Monday, December 14, 1925: Washed today. Len took hogs to the Station. It was cloudy all day. Tuesday was snowy. Len & Ruby were going to town about one oclock. Mother was helping Ruby carry out a can of cream and slipped on the ice. Guess she must have hit the back of her head. We got her up and Len & Ruby helped her to the house and got her things off and got her on the couch. She talked to us alright. Told Ruby she guessed they better go on as she felt better. Then in a few minutes wanted to know what had happened. Told her she fell down, said she didn’t know anything about it and kept on asking us if she fell, where she fell, what she was doing, what kind of cream she was carrying and etz. We were scared, rubbed her with liniment on her head and cold water and etz. she remembered then but her heart was so bad she didn’t get off the couch till about four oclock. Ruby & Len didn’t go to town. Wednesday Len & Ruby went to town. Mother feels quite poorly, very stiff. Uncle Edd and the Aunts came down this evening. Aunts Mag & Till expect to go home tomorrow from Galena. They want us to come out there for Xmas.

Thursday was cloudy. We made fruit cake and a batch of fondant. Friday Dad, Len & I went to town in the afternoon. Saw Thelma Davis. She is home from Minneapolis from Sunday till the 28th. Very cold today. Saturday it was almost too warm. Made the roads soft. A good many cars went along today. Ida, Loretta & Stella Fiedler came down this morning to invite us up to their Xmas program at the school Monday evening. Sunday was cloudy & fog. Didn’t know if we should try to go to church or not, but got ready. After we started we thought it too late so we went in to Aunt Annie’s then they would have us stay for dinner. This eve Ruby & Len went up to Scales Mound to church. Tresidders came up this eve.

Chopping Wood and Fixing Cars

2010-12-13T19:27:00.000-05:00

Sunday, December 6, 1925: We were home all day, went up to Fiedler’s this evening. Stella isn’t so bashful now and is very cute now. Monday we washed. That eve all but Dad went up to Aunt Annie's by car. Tuesday we ironed & baked little cakes* & etz.

Wednesday was sales day at Bergers so we started to town at nine oclock. Wanted to go while the roads were frozen. Took Len along to John Tippet’s to help saw wood. Had an awful jam at Bergers’ sale. Had to lock people out. I bought black silk for a dress at $1.09 a yd. about 5 yds, also a red sweater at $1.95, a pr. of stockings for 50 or 55 cents & a corset for 49 cents. Mother bought some blankets, Ruby a cap. Weather cleared off so we came home about noon. The roads were getting quite smeary already. Uncle Edds are going to saw wood Friday.

Thursday we swept upstairs. It was a nice day. Uncle Edds & the Aunts came down in the evening. Friday Dad & Len helped Uncle Edd saw wood. They took our car. Ruby & I walked up to Aunt Annie’s later. Ethel was there too. Had about a hour's sawing yet after dinner. Uncle Edds had us look at his brake band. He had no control of the car when he went down to the road when they went home from here last night. Found part of the brake lining gone and worn out. Saturday was a nice day, not so cold.

Sunday Len, Ruby & Mother went to town to church in the forenoon. Mother stayed up to Aunt Annie’s to dinner. Walked home towards evening. Then we all went up again in the eve. Monday we washed . Len took hogs to the Station. It was cloudy all day.

* Anyone have a definition of "little cakes"? I have a glossary in the next volume of "Lillian's Diaries: Whispers of Galena's Past" and this is one of the phrases I want to define.

1925 Slowly Winds Down

2010-12-05T15:57:00.000-05:00

As you probably will notice I wrote this posting in the correct chronological order, rather than in the backward order that I have been using in most postings. Do you find it easier to read the entries this way or in the backward mode? I also wanted to give you a "heads-up that " Lillian's Diaries: Whispers From Galena's Past Vol.II covering 1920 through 1925 will be published by Valentine's Day, 2011. A perfect gift for your favorite genealogist or for yourself.

Sunday, November 22, 1925: Didn’t go to church this morning as our car isn’t in running condition and Len & Ruby didn’t get ready in time. Roads are grand. Dad, Ma, & I walked up to Aunt Annie’s this afternoon. Uncle Edd brought us down this evening. He wouldn’t let us walk. Quite cold today. Monday was cold. We washed today. It was beautiful and clear. Tuesday, Mother baked. Len took chickens to Scale Mound. Dad and I worked on car, opened it up and took out the front piston. The rings didn’t seem badly worn.

Wednesday, November 25: Len went to town this forenoon to get a new piston, then we worked all afternoon trying to get the burr loose that holds the connecting rod in place in the piston but couldn’t do anything so had to put in the old piston again. Got the top of engine put on again. A lovly warm day. Thursday, Len and Ruby went out to Wulff’s to Thanksgiving Day dinner, had her folks, his folks and Rev. Swalve’s family. Uncle Edd brought down Aunts Mag & Tillie this forenoon. Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie are going to be at Johnnie’s today. They came down after them again this eve, but didn’t stay as it was snowing. It has been cloudy all day. We had quite a good Thanksgiving dinner. Finished putting together our car this morning, tried to start it several times today. It started several times but would die again. Len started it this evening. Friday, was clear and cold. Didn’t snow much. We tried our car today, seemed to go quite well.

Saturday, November 28th : We all went to town this afternoon with two cars. Len brought home a new hog rack. Roads dandy weather cold. Sunday, It was snowy this morning. So we didn’t go to church, but lots of cars on the road this afternoon and evening. Monday was snowy this morning and cleared off tonight. Uncle Edd and the Aunts came down this eve. They received word today that Gus Winter died last night. We washed today.

Tuesday, December 1, 1925: We baked and did most of ironing. This eve we all went to Scales Mound to see Aunt Lizzie. Len went to his folks most of the time. Wednesday we had thought something of going to Dubuque but got up late, then Len & Ruby decided to go down to Uncle Ben’s. They did up what eve chores could be done and had some dinner. We started about twelve oclock and went the Ridge Road and thru Elizabeth. Had cement road from there to Woodbine. Vada & Lester were home alone. Uncle Ben went to Gus Winter’s funeral and Aunt Dora was at an Aid meeting. Lester went and got her. Heard the Auctioneer selling cattle and etz. at the Stock Show over Uncle Ben’s radio. After supper we came home by the new cement road to Galena. There is about 3 or 4 miles out of Galena that isn’t paved yet. Thursday was barbecue day at Galena today but we didn’t go as the roads got slippery and then it rained this afternoon. Cars went home early, some perhaps wishing they hadn’t gone. Tomorrow is pie day. Friday it rained all day, and quite hard tonight. Didn’t many people from out this way go to town for pie day.

Dad's 1st Birthday Party

2010-11-21T21:20:00.000-05:00

Saturday, November 21, 1925: A lovly day. All but mother went to town this afternoon. Quite a crowd in town. Aunt Tillie went up to Aunt Annie’s again this forenoon. Friday was Dad’s sixty ninth birthday. It was a most beautiful day and evening. We were busy all day making bread, angel food cake, cleaning up and getting ready for the party. We could hear them coming about seven oclock or a little later. Ruby & I got dressed. Dad was reading, not suspecting a thing when they heard the cars. Mother said “I guess Uncle Edds are coming”. Then he said something is up. Then they came in. Wilbur Bastians and Lottie came a little later. Most all came that were invited but Bert Weis. There were thirty two here, eight of Fiedlers, Tressiders, Wilbur Bastians and Lottie, John Ethel & Leslie Tippet, Win & Martha, Mr.& Mrs. Butcher and Uncle Edd & the Aunts. All seemed to have a good time. The men folks were out in the dining room and the women in the parlor. The parlor was almost too small. The women and children played games & etz. The men talked. About eleven oclock we served supper. Had lots of sandwiches, pickles & cake, We had three cakes besides ours. About twelve thirty they departed for home. Aunt Tillie stayed all night. Had got a picture of the Apple River Canyon from Win & Martha and three handkerchiefs from Leslie Tippet. Think Dad was quite tickled about the party. His first birthday party.

Thursday we were busy getting the house cleaned up for the party. We swept upstairs and etz. That forenoon Uncle Henry & Aunt Lue called in. They and some more of the family were on their way to Galena. Nice day. Wednesday Uncle Edd and the Aunts came down in the forenoon to spend the day. Dad and Len were stacking fodder. Agnes suggested to Aunt Annie Sunday that they invite in a few neighbors to a surprise party for Dad on his birthday Friday evening. So they wanted to know if it would be all right and they are to tell Agnes as they went home.

Tuesday Dad and Len went over to Jim Ivey’s funeral. I went up on Weis’ hill and looked over with the field glasses. The funeral went by here from Spencer’s to the cemetery. They had a Warren minister to officiate. We washed. Monday it was cloudy all day. Dad, Ma & Len went to town. We started out with our car, but it went so badly that we turned around up at Uncle Edd’s and came back & got Len’s car. Jim Ivey’s funeral was at one oclock from John Spencer’s. He was buried at Miners Cemetery. Monday afternoon we all went up to Aunt Annie’s by car. John, Agnes, Milton, & Blanche came up there too. Jim Ivey died yesterday at a Duburque hospital of an operation.

A Visit From The Taylors

2010-11-14T13:22:00.000-05:00

Saturday November 14, 1925: It was cloudy all day. Len, Ruby & Dad finished husking corn today. We baked and ironed & etz. Friday was a beautiful clear day. We worked very hard to get ready for the Taylors* this forenoon. Ruby went up to Fiedler’s and telephone up to tell them all to come down. We wasn’t ready for them yet when they came, that is all but Uncle Edd. We had lots of singing and playing. They are very good company. After supper they went back up to Aunt Annie’s. They intend to start for Waterloo tomorrow. They have a Chevrolet car, quite new.

Thursday we had got a card from Aunt Till in the morning saying the Taylors are up there. They came Monday evening. She said they may come down here. It started to rain in the forenoon and rained very hard all afternoon. We churned and made a cake. Wednesday was another nice day. It was quite warm. We washed in the afternoon. We also set up parlor stove, and washed windows in dining room & kitchen & made drop cookies.

Tuesday was warm and clear, certainly put roads in bad condition, as bad as spring of this year. We spent the day trying to straighten up the house a little if the Taylors should come. Monday we got a letter from Aunt Annie the morning saying they had expected us up yesterday. Uncle Edd isn't very well. He went to the Dr. Saturday. The doctor said he had high blood pressure and kidney trouble. They are expecting the Taylors this afternoon. They have been holding meetings at Waterloo and are going to hold them in another church in another week off so are coming back here. They were going out to Apple River to the Aunts but as they were in here they are coming to Aunt Annie’s. Len, Ruby & I went to town to call there. They hadn’t come yet when we came home. It thawed quite a little, roads were quite muddy, especially from the foot of Ehrler’s Hill to town. Ruby found one of their nicest sheep dead up in orchard.

* The Taylors have appeared off and on in Lillian's Diaries, but I have been unable to find out exactly who they were and how they knew the Dittmars and Trudgians. Do you know anything about them?

November Already ~ How Did That Happen?

2010-11-07T16:31:00.000-05:00

Saturday, November 7, 1925: It snowed all day. We had to haul in corn in the snow. Quite cold too. We wanted to go to town but weather was too terrible, regular blizzard. Friday started with a beautiful looking morning but clouded about noon. Dad, Ruby & Len were very, very busy husking and hauling corn. I wanted to try out the car but Dad didn’t come in till late. Then he couldn’t it get it cranked. We wanted to go over to the P.T.A. at Independence School that evening, but everything went wrong. At last it was decided that Len, Ruby & I would go, so Ma & I had to help milk so as to get there before midnight. There was quite a crowd there. Ethel said Uncle Edd isn’t well and that Aunts Mag & Till are up there. Uncle Edd went out to Apple River Tuesday to get them.

Thursday Mother churned. I finished the job on the car. But had to try it to see if the bands were adjusted right. Wednesday I worked on the car most of the day. I put in the bands, put cover on and put in the bolts ready to tighten. I also tightened up the clutch fingers. It was quite a rainy day. Tuesday was another nice warm day. I worked at lining the brake bands of car. Monday was a very nice warm day. We washed and also started to take the car apart to put in brake bands.

Sunday, the first day of November, we all went down to Tresidder’s. When we got there Wilbur, Sadie & Evelyn Bastian were standing in the lawn. They said there wasn’t anybody home but the key was in the kitchen door. We stood around awhile. Then we saw somebody coming walking down the road. It was Aunt Annie going to John’s too. We all had a good laugh. We asked them all to come up here so we all walked back up. Bastians walked home across the fields. After supper Dad, Ma, Aunt Annie and I went down to John’s again. Before we came home Ma & I took Aunt Annie part way home.

Happy Halloween From Galena, IL

2010-10-31T13:56:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween

Saturday October 31,1925: It is a nice day. Thought the road too slippery to go to town. Frozen again tonight so Dad, Ma & I drove up to Aunt Annie’s this evening. A beautiful moonlight evening. Halloween! Friday was a beautiful, clear day and a beautiful moonlight evening, altho it was cold. Ground thawed some but froze again at night. We ironed and baked.

Thursday was very cold again. The roads thawed a little in the wheel track. Len went to Scales Mound. I sewed in the afternoon on my dress. Wednesday was a beautiful clear but very cold morning. The window panes were covered with frost, just like New Year’s day. About nine-thirty in the morning it was eighteen about zero. The snow staid all day and the ground remained frozen, softening just a little. Len went to town. Quite a number of cars on the road especially in the evening. The therometer said eight above at 9:40 in the evening. Tuesday Len & Ruby started for Elizabeth at 8:30 to go to Mr. Gensler’s funeral. About ten or ten thirty it started to snow and snowed all day. Snowed several inches, looks like January weather and cold too. Guess it would make sleighing all right and I bet dandy land sleigh riding for children. It hardly seems possible that it be such weather so early. Len & Ruby got home before dark. The funeral was at 1 oclock from the Methodist Church at Elizabeth. Mr. Adam Stiefel got run over by a truck at Elizabeth this afternoon. Reports were he was in a serious condition.

Monday it snowed some in the forenoon. It was cold and cloudy rest of the day. Mother churned. Len fixing on his car so as to go to his Uncle’s funeral tomorrow. The worst weather for the longest time I ever saw. Didn’t have any Fall yet at all. Sunday we didn’t go to church as the roads were slippery yet. Mother walked to Aunt Annie’s in the afternoon. At nearly dinner time we all went up in the car. That afternoon Mrs. Eustice & Palmer came out to Aunt Annie’s. Ruby & Len came home to do their chores. We stayed to supper. About nine oclock Uncle Edd brought us home. Ruby & Len were gone to Scales Mound. Mr. Gensler, Len’s uncle, died.

Another Galena Mainstay Passes Away

2010-10-24T14:37:00.000-04:00

Saturday, October 24, 1925: It rained today. Len, Dad & Ruby hauled in corn. Friday Mother baked and ironed. Tonight there is a basket social at Independence School. I would like to have gone very much but wasn’t able to go. Thursday we washed. It snowed that afternoon making things quite white for awhile.

Wednesday we all went to town in the afternoon. All but Len went to Eliza Bastian’s funeral. We went to the church. The church was nearly full. Rev. Smith preached. He is going to leave for Chicago tonight. Mrs. Bastian had a grey coffin, and many flowers. It was raining when the services were over. So we put on chains to come home but wouldn’t have needed them out this way. Tuesday, well Anna and Aunt Lizzie got started from here at eight o’clock. Anna has a very fine six cylinder Oldsmobile touring. While she was home she, Uncle Thomas & Aunt Rachel went up to Ft. Dodge, and Aunt Lizzie went to Hampton to see her brother she had not seen for nineteen years. Mrs. Haines came back with Anna to Eliza Bastian’s funeral. I let out my dress that afternoon. That evening Len, Ruby & I went to town. Ruby & I went to Harris Hall to the indoor fair put on by the Standard Bearers. They had a program and candy booth and fortune telling and a fish pond. They also sold sandwiches, cake & coffee. It was quite nice.

Monday we spent the day carrying in celery, endive, radishes and some cabbage. As we were eating supper Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie came. They said we were going to have more company. Anna Bates* had called out from Annie Zimmerman’s that they are coming out. Just she and Aunt Lizzie. Anna said she was awful nervous driving out over the hills by night. But they got out all right. Anna was going to start for Chicago again in the morning. The next day she is going to go up to Michigan again to take the car up. Then she is coming back again to Chicago to work. They expert to go south in December as Mr. Bates wants to stay there to go deer hunting first. He walks with crutches now is worse than he was. (Eliza Bastian died yesterday afternoon.)

* Anna Bates is the same Anna Trudgian mentioned in the last posting. Austin Bates was her first husband

A Lady of Mystery

2010-10-17T11:06:00.000-04:00

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?

An Early Winter.....

2010-10-10T20:44:00.000-04:00

Saturday, October 10, 1925: Had a very hard frost last night. Everything froze, thick ice froze. The celery and etz. froze stiff. Quite cold all day. We all went to town this afternoon with both cars. The roads not very good. Friday was very cold and snow flurries most of the day. We were busy baking, churning and brought in some squash and some beets. Thursday was cloudy and cold again. It was rainy during the night. We finished digging potatoes. Dad also picked some apples. We also made some fall grape jelly.

Wednesday I finished assembling Leonard’s car and to try it we went up as far as Aunt Annie’s in the forenoon. At about eleven-thirty Ruby & Len started out in quest of a stock hog. Hardly knew where they were going. They came back before dark with a pig. They got it out at Arthur Wulff’s. They said the roads are bad out that way. They carried the hog in a crate on the side of the car.

Tuesday was rainy in the forenoon, cleared in the afternoon. I helped Leonard put in brake bands in his car. Had quite a little trouble. Ironed today. Monday was raining. We washed and picked some ground cherries & etz. On Sunday Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie came down. It cloudy nearly all day and coldin the evening. We went for a walk up on the hill this afternoon.

The Fall Harvest Begins

2010-10-03T13:42:00.000-04:00

Saturday, October 3, 1925: Len & Ruby went to town this afternoon. Roads are not very good. They are muddy. Friday we picked off more grapes and made jam & jelly and also baked. Flies were terribly bad. Thursday it had cleared off . We ironed and put up chow-chow, 2 quarts of ground cherries and picked off some grapes.

Wednesday, September 30th: It was rainy during the night before and also today. We made tomatoe preserve and catsup. We also grounded up the ingredients for chow chow. Tuesday we washed and made tomatoe (green) pickles. Uncle Edd and Aunt Annie came down in the evening. It was a lovly day. Monday we all went to town with two cars. The roads not very good yet. We went up to Zimmerman’s to get the shawl. They came home by train Friday night and Mr. Johnson came home Saturday evening. It rained out there Friday so that was why he didn’t come Friday. They said that Uncle Thomas told Johnson that Anna was going to Chicago on the noon train. She hasn’t heard from her husband (Bates) for sometime. Don’t know if she’s going to look him up or what.

Sunday we staid home all day. We did not have any company. Len went over to Bonhoff’s to tell them their pigs were over here. Saturday was a very rainy day, so we couldn’t go to town. Friday we were busy with baking as usual. Uncle Georges thought they might come in the eve, but didn’t come. Perhaps it looked too much like rain. Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie came down that evening.

Thursday we all went to the Elizabeth Community Fair. We left here about twenty after ten. Len & Ruby rode with Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie rode with us. We missed seeing the parade. A big crowd was there, Tresidders & Butchers and a good many others from around here. Uncle Bens, Uncle Henrys, Uncle Joes and Aunt Lizzie, Wesley and Sadie, Maryanne & children and Aunt Tillie were there. Len drove Uncle Edd’s car home as he didn’t feel very good today. Wednesday we ironed, hulled and put up 1 ½ quarts of ground cherries. Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie came down in the eve. We had intended to go to town that evening, so they went home early. We drove in there as Aunt Annie was going to try to call Zimmermans to see if they were home yet. When we got there Ma & Dad were there. They had come home on the train and had a ride part way. They walked from Charlie Ehrler’s. Uncle Edd met them and took them along back to their place. They came home with us when we came home from town. Tuesday was cold. We washed that day, but it didn’t dry very good. We got a card from Ma & Dad. They got out at Waterloo at five oclock. They went up to the Devil’s Backbone , and went through Strawberry Point. They had a cold windy ride. Anna was home yet. She was expecting Austin and his brother. They intended to go south for the winter.

Monday was quite cold. Ruby helped cut corn in the forenoon. We put up six & ½ quarts of tomatoes in the afternoon. We also washed up quite a few jars and picked up ground cherries and etz. We wonder how Mom and Pa were getting along in Waterloo. Sunday we had got up early. Pa and Ma got ready to go to Waterloo. The weather got so cloudy we thought it would rain. We didn’t know if they should start or not but they went as far as Aunt Annie’s and could see it was bright in the west. Len & Uncle Edd took them in. Ruby & I staid at Aunt Annie’s to help her. Zimmermans weren’t ready yet when they got there. I suppose it was anyway eight-thirty before they got started. It turned cooler and out to be a lovly day. We had to hurry awfully with our work to get ready to go to church. Uncle Edd went with us. We were a little late. We staid at Aunt Annie’s to dinner and supper. The Aunts came along with Uncle Georges. Maryanne’s baby was very cute. Warren was quite a boy.

The Ditmars- Uncles George, Ben, Henry, Joe, Dan; Aunts Annie, Tillie and Mag and Amelia ( Lillian's mother) with their parents

♪ Happy Birthday Dear Aunt Annie & Uncle Edd ♪♪

2010-09-19T17:56:00.000-04:00

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.

Labor Day & The Eagles' Celebration

2010-09-15T20:24:00.000-04:00

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.

Off on a Road Trip

2010-09-05T11:48:00.000-04:00

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?

Happy Birthday Dear Lillian, Happy Birthday To You

2010-08-29T11:59:00.000-04:00

Saturday, August 29, 1925: My twenty-eighth Birthday. It was a very hot day. Len & Ruby went to town this afternoon and brought home a brick of ice cream for my birthday. Dad, Ma & I went to town this evening. Friday we ironed and baked and etz. and etz. Aunt Till came down awhile this afternoon.

Thursday we washed a big wash, baked bread & drop cookies and cut up big cucumbers that evening. Dad went over to help clean the cemetery this forenoon. Wednesday, I put up ten quarts of peaches. Also made 2 ½ quarts of sweet cucumber pickles. Uncle Edd and the Aunts came down this eve. Brought me some birthday presents* a dresser scarf from Aunt Mag & Till and fifty cents from Aunt Annie.

Tuesday Len thrashed at Glassman’s today. Dad, Ma & I went to town this forenoon. Ruby chanced it up to Aunt Annie’s and came home with us this afternoon. Lavina Grebner and daughter and Harold & ______ Dittmar were there at Aunt Annie’s fixing a tire. They were on their way to Galena. This evening they and John H. and Bessie and two children stopped out in the road. Bessie is here from Dakota. As the aunts weren't at home they stopped to see if they were here. We put up ten quarts of plums that we got at Fiedler’s after we got home from town. Monday was a warm day. Len helped thrash at Bert Weis’. Bill Fiedler brought us a peck of blue plums today for seventy-five cents. We canned tomatoes, corn and beans, made apple sauce and picked cucumbers and etz.

* This is the most Lillian's birthday was celebrated in any of the diaries [1913-1931]. Ice cream and presents! Do you know how one of your family members celebrated birthdays in the mid-1920's. Want to share that experience? Today Lillian would be 113 years old!

The photo above is thought to be from 1910, but I think it is a later date photo. What do you think? Starting on the left hand side front row we have Lillian, Aunt Tillie Dittmar, Pearl Bunder ( I think Bunker is the correct spelling and fits into Lillian's comments on Pearl and Mr. Bunker). Then in the back row 2 Tippet men ( I think Johnnie Tippet and Uncle Edd) and then behind Lillian is Ruby.

Who, How, Where?

2010-08-22T12:15:00.000-04:00

Saturday, August 22, 1925: Fiedlers thrashed this forenoon. The thrashed here this afternoon. We served a early supper, only five stayed. Dad, Ruby & I went to town this forenoon. Aunt Mag came along down with us to help us. Len got three hundred seventy-seven bushels of oats.On Friday we had baked bread, coffee cake, cookies, drop cookies and two cakes. It was a beautiful day, in fact a perfect day. Butchers thrashed on Friday.

Thursday was the Schapville picnic and a circus at Galena. Nobody knew where to go, who to go, how to go, where to go. Len thought he might be called on to thrash. So Dad, Ma, Ruby, Aunt Till & I went to town to see the parade but did not go to the circus. Didn’t know what it would cost. Raymond, Elma and another girl went down this evening. They were going to the circus I suppose. I would like to have gone to it this eve.

Hacks or Autos ~ Which are Safer?

2010-08-19T11:05:00.000-04:00

It has been a while since I have posted on this blog. My Mother, who lives in Arkansas , was ill and I drove down to spent 10 days with her. To catch you up with what Lillian has been doing while I was gone, I have posted the last nineteen days exactly as written in her diary. Hopefully I will be more faithful in posting each week from now on.

Sat. August,1: Lovly day and eve. Dad & Len went to town this forenoon. Mother was too tired to go to town this eve. So we didn't go.

Sun. 2: Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie took Martha & Win out to the Westabys today. Then they were going to Uncle Joes. Aunt Mag & Till came down this far. Then we took two cars and went to church took our dinner and ate in the park. Then the Aunts wanted to see Grant's home so we went up there. Then we went to Greenwood Cemetery then stopped at Bartells to get the pin cushion that she wanted to give me it was given to her (about 54 yrs ago she thinks) by Grandma Trudgian it is a beaded one made by Indians.She gave Ruby a small table cover. Embroidered with chain stitch and crochet edge. We took the Aunts up this eve.

Mon. 3: Dad, Ruby & I picked blackberries this forenoon and Dad picked this afternoon. We picked most over and put up 3 qts.

Tue. 4: Washed blankets, a comforter and some sheets & pillow cases, made jelly, picked cucumbers and beans and etz.

Wed. 5: This forenoon Ma, Ruby & I went to town in our car. The men stacked. Aunt Till came along down and picked some berries this afternoon. I went up later on and picked too. Had a later supper. The men stacked late. Uncle Edd & Aunts came down this eve.

Thu. 6: Washed today made four pies put up half gal cucumbers and etz. and etz. Leonard's birthday. He and Dad worked hard stacking and finished this eve.

Fri. 7: Rainy this today. I cleaned out the engine of our car. Len put a new tail light on his car. Ironed & Baked today.

Sat. 8: Len took cream to town this forenoon. This eve Dad, Ma & I went to town. Got rather late before we started. found Aunts Annie & Till ready if we should call and could take them along. A very large crowd in town. A dance at fair grounds.

Sun. 9: Did not go any where today. roads lively with cars. The Aunts and Uncle Edd came down this eve.

Mon. 10: Mother and I went up to Fiedlers this eve to order some small blue plums. Mrs.Herman Studier got hurt badly yesterday when she fell from a hack to the ground when the horses scared of a tractor car and hurt her head and shoulder. Couldn�t tell yet if any bones were broken or not.

Tue. 11: Washed today. This afternoon Dad & I and Len went to S.M. with two cars to get a ladder and 17 rolls of roofing. we sent to Montgomery for. Took six rolls up to Stauss� till a later date. Rained on way back. We all went up to the Aunts this eve.

Wed. 12 Ruby & Len went to town this afternoon. Got a box of peaches for 1.70. We ironed, made some sweet pickles & etz.

Thu. 13: The three Aunts came down today. We put up the peaches then qts.

Fri. 14: Busy as usual on Fri. Baking and etz.

Sat. 15: Len and Ruby went to town this afternoon. Dad, Ma, Aunts Mag and Till & I went out to Apple River. We all went to the store this eve. All of Uncle George's but Uncle George and Edward drove up to Pearls and came back

Thu. All had quite a talk about Bunker. Say there is nothing to get now and etz.

Sun. 16: We all went down to camp meeting this forenoon. Uncle Georges went too. Uncle Bens, Uncle Joes. Most all of Uncle Henrys and Uncle Dan was there. We ate dinner together. Quite a crowd there and the most awfullest uncomfortable seat in the tabernacle. Couldn�t set on them. Uncle Georges came down to the Aunts this eve.

Mon. 17: Finished cutting the lawn and dug some potatoes took up the onions and put up 3 qts beans and Uncle Henry and Helmer came up with their car to have fixed as they tipped over on their way home from Lena. None got hurt but the car fell on Alma's leg, bruised it some. They went home by way of Stockton &Woodbine and went up a steep hill and the car stopped near the top and brakes didn�t work and Leon backed it against the bank and it tipped on its side, broke top some. We got home late this afternoon.Tige is dead and buried. Sat eve when Ruby & Len came home from Scale Mound Tige and Purp had a fight. Guess Tige got badly hurt by lay around awhile then disappeared. Found him next morning down in the pond of water below the culvert drowned suppose he tried to get in water to sooth his injuries and perhaps got in too deep a water and perhaps being exhausted could not swim out. Don�t know how else it could have been. Ruby and Leonard buried him yet Sun. forenoon. He was about Seven years and six months old. The last of our pets or animals that we had yet when we farmed. He is buried on the knoll up near the wood, beside the graves of our other dogs and cats sheep and etz.

Tue. 18: We took Aunts Mag & Till up to Aunt Annie's last night. Washed and baked bread, pickled cucumbers.

Wed. 19: Len went thrashing up at John Tippets. Today is Mission festival at Schapville church. We planned on taking the Aunts but weather was unsettled so did not get ready to go. This after Aunt Till came down said they were ready all day. Weather cleared this eve so Len, Ruby, Aunt Till, Ma & I went. Had 3 sermons.

Harvesting God's Summer's Gifts

2010-07-25T12:05:00.000-04:00

Saturday, July 25, 1925: We picked over and put up tens quarts of blackberries beside Saturday's work, haying & etz. Len & Ruby went to town late this afternoon. Dad, Ma & I went this evening. A big crowd in town. Uncle Edd & the Aunts made arrangements to go out to Schapville to church then to Uncle Joe’s tomorrow. But then Mrs.Tom Tippet came down this noon. So they asked us if we wouldn’t go out instead of them, as Rachael would have prepared for visitors.

Friday we baked bread and coffee cake and canned four pints sugar peas and six pints yellow beans. We also put up 4 quarts of cucumbers. Dad & Ruby picked blackberries. Thursday we ironed and the men worked cutting oats till real late so as to get through cutting. Dad, Ma & I went up to Aunt Annie’s yet although it was late. Wednesday we washed, made jelly and etz and baked bread.

We went to town on Tuesday. Ma & I picked blackberries in the afternoon. On Monday we had baked bread and churned. Plus we put up six quarts of bean pickles. Dad & Ruby picked blackberries. It was our first picking. We cooked them for jelly and etz. & etz.

Sunday we had several hard showers of rain in the forenoon with sunshine between. The weather had looked fairly good in the afternoon so we walked down to Tresidder’s. Several weeks ago Edd and Elmer Young and families autoed back from Denver and stayed about a week. We heard then that Elmer was married again. Agnes said he was married last fall. His wife has a boy eight years old.

Lazy Summer Days

2010-07-18T10:13:00.000-04:00

Saturday, July 18, 1925: I wanted to go to town tonight but it was raining so we didn’t go. We could have been ready quite early once. Could have gone if we knew it wouldn’t rain anymore. Stars are shining now. Friday was an example of the nice cool weather we’re having now. Baked and put up some gooseberries. I finished fixing a white slip and fixing the hem and etz. of my new dress.

Thursday was Ruby’s thirty second birthday. She spent all afternoon in the hay field. Uncle Edd & the Aunts came down in the evening. Ruby & Len milked yet after ten oclock. They brought Ruby a present of a glass dish & six sauce dishes. Wednesday we ironed some and pickled four quarts of beans. Aunt Till came down late afternoon for her slippers & stockings she left here. She brought down a dress she got out of the bargain catalog. It is a yellow voile that cost $1.50 and fit me, so I took it.

Tuesday I was sick in the forenoon. I was dizzy and sick to my stomach so staid in bed till nearly noon. Ma, Ruby & Aunt Mag washed. Aunt Till helped with house work. That eve we took the Aunts up to Aunt Annie’s. Monday afternoon, Dad, Ma, Aunts Mag, Till & I went out to Apple River to cut the lawn and weed & hoe the garden. We got home at twenty to nine.

Working Hard for A Good 4th of July

2010-07-11T13:24:00.000-04:00

Saturday, July 11, 1925 was a very, very hot day. We couldn’t hardly work, and had lots of hay to make. Dad, Ma & I went to town tonight. Aunt Mag went up to Aunt Annie’s. It was 103 degrees in town today. Friday, Aunt Till, Mother, Ruby & Len went to Mr. Stadel’s funeral in the afternoon.

Thursday, Aunt Margaret & Till came down today to stay awhile. Martha Tippet might want them to
go down there as Win has gone to Prairie Du Chien for treatments. Heard that Mr. Stadel, who has been so sick, died yesterday. I did the baking, made bread, & coffee cake. Also made apple sauce and etz.

Wednesday, Uncle Edd & Aunts came down this eve. Dad, Ma, & I were getting ready to go to
town. So we went yet as we wanted sugar and Kerosene. Tuesday, we washed. Dad picked goose- berries. Len & Ruby went to town in the afternoon. Monday, we finished washing the Fourth of July dishes and straightened them out. Put up five pints of sugar peas and one quart of pickled beans. Sunday, morning Dad, Ma, Ruby, Aunt Till and I went to town to church. Aunt Till rode out with Uncle Edds. Since we had no company we rested the rest of the day.

Saturday the Fourth of July
That morning it was cloudy yet but cleared off so Len & Dad went to town for the ice cream. They bought 5 gallons of ice cream and got 50 cones. About ten thirty the folks began to arrive. Uncle Edd and the Aunts came first, then Uncle Bens. They had had lots of rain down there and had muddy roads to travel. Then Uncle Henrys, Uncle Joes and Uncle Dan arrived. Uncle Georges and Rev. Swalves didn’t come till after dinner. We had a big long table in the dining room, in fact we had two tables put together which sat about eighteen or twenty and a table for the children out on the porch for the children Aunt Margaret sat down with the children. Everyone brought such a lot of things to eat. All seemed to have a nice time. In the afternoon, the young folks took two cars and took a ride Galena and all over Galena. Lester, Vada, Laretta, Leon & I went to the jail and Grant’s home. It was about supper time when we got back. After supper all went home but Uncle Georges. They staid till Wesley came home from the celebration in Galena at ten-thirty. Then he and another fellow ate a lunch making it fourty-four that were here that day. Edward and Raymond & Elma didn’t come. Ray & Elma went to Galena. Aunt Till stayed down here.

Friday was very busy again. I baked two cakes and a batch of cookies and washed out dish towels but didn’t get the floors cleaned up. It was so terrible sweltering hot. Rainy & storming that evening so we were afraid the celebration on Friday wouldn’t be much. Thursday was very, very busy all day. The Aunts came down to help us get ready for Saturday. They baked bread rolls and coffee cake. We cleaned the cellar and swept upstairs and dusted. Nosed and put up gooseberries and pieplant & etz. That evening Rev. & Mrs. Stauss and Paul came out. We were glad they came in the evening this eve instead of this afternoon, which was half sweltering. Wednesday afternoon, Len, Mother & I went to town. We bought some paper plates and etz. for the Fourth of July Family Reunion doings we are going to have here. Mosquitoes have been terrible lately.

Working Hard For a Good 4th of July

2010-07-11T12:12:00.000-04:00

Saturday, July 11, 1925 was a very, very hot day. We couldn’t hardly work, and had lots of hay to make. Dad, Ma & I went to town tonight. Aunt Mag went up to Aunt Annie’s. It was 103 degrees in town today. Friday, Aunt Till, Mother, Ruby & Len went to Mr. Stadel’s funeral in the afternoon.

Thursday, Aunt Margaret & Till came down today to stay awhile. Martha Tippet might want them to go down there as Win has gone to Prairie Du Chien for treatments. Heard that Mr. Stadel, who has been so sick, died yesterday. I did the baking, made bread, & coffee cake. Also made apple sauce and etz.

Wednesday, Uncle Edd & Aunts came down this eve. Dad, Ma, & I were getting ready to go to town. So we went yet as we wanted sugar and Kerosene. Tuesday, we washed. Dad picked goose- berries. Len & Ruby went to town in the afternoon. Monday, we finished washing the Fourth of July dishes and straightened them out. Put up five pints of sugar peas and one quart of pickled beans. Sunday, morning Dad, Ma, Ruby, Aunt Till and I went to town to church. Aunt Till rode out with Uncle Edds. Since we had no company we rested the rest of the day.

Saturday the Fourth of July
That morning it was cloudy yet but cleared off so Len & Dad went to town for the ice cream. They bought 5 gallons of ice cream and got 50 cones. About ten thirty the folks began to arrive. Uncle Edd and the Aunts came first, then Uncle Bens. They had had lots of rain down there and had muddy roads to travel. Then Uncle Henrys, Uncle Joes and Uncle Dan arrived. Uncle Georges and the Rev. Swalves didn’t come till after dinner. We had a big long table in the dining room, in fact we had two tables put together which sat about eighteen or twenty and a table for the children out on the porch for the children Aunt Margaret sat down with the children. Everyone brought such a lot of things to eat. All seemed to have a nice time. In the afternoon, the young folks took two cars and took a ride Galena and all over Galena. Lester, Vada, Laretta, Leon & I went to the jail and Grant’s home. It was about supper time when we got back. After supper all went home but Uncle Georges. They staid till Wesley came home from the celebration in Galena at ten-thirty. Then he and another fellow ate a lunch making it fourty-four that were here that day. Edward and Raymond & Elma didn’t come. Ray & Elma went to Galena. Aunt Till stayed down here.

Friday was very busy again. I baked two cakes and a batch of cookies and washed out dish towels but didn’t get the floors cleaned up. It was so terrible sweltering hot. Rainy & storming that evening so we were afraid the celebration on Friday wouldn’t be much. Thursday was very, very busy all day. The Aunts came down to help us get ready for Saturday. They baked bread rolls and coffee cake. We cleaned the cellar and swept upstairs and dusted. Nosed and put up gooseberries and pieplant & etz. That evening Rev. & Mrs. Stauss and Paul came out. We were glad they came in the evening this eve instead of this afternoon, which was half sweltering. Wednesday afternoon, Len, Mother & I went to town. We bought some paper plates and etz. for the Fourth of July Family Reunion doings we are going to have here. Mosquitoes have been terrible lately.

Oops! The Computer Was on Vacation

2010-07-08T20:54:00.000-04:00

Tuesday, June 30, 1925: We ironed and baked bread. Ma & Ruby picked raspberries and a few gooseberries*. We nosed* them and put up 2 quarts and two of raspberries. Uncle Edd & the Aunts came down this eve. Monday we washed. I picked a few gooseberries in the evening.

Sunday, Uncle George came into Aunt Annie’s in the forenoon and they had gone to church, so Uncle George and Aunt Lizzie rode along in to church with us. We staid at Aunt Annie’s for dinner and supper also. Len & Ruby took Mr. & Mrs. Stauss out to Schapville to church. Then they went down to Elizabeth to Gerraler’s. Saturday in the afternoon Dad, Ma, & I went to town. Took a bouquet of Dorothy Perkins roses to Annie Zimmerman. We staid the evening. Ate some bakery goods over in the park for supper and got a parking place early. A lovly evening but very cool and a big crowd in town.

Friday we ironed and baked and made a cake and etz. Thursday we washed. In the afternoon the Aunts came down Dad, Ma & I took them up that evening. Wednesday it rained very hard all forenoon. We put up the pieplant*. Ma & Ruby picked some raspberries, Dad picked some gooseberries and I picked the strawberries. Tuesday we put up twelve quarts of cherries. We worked very hard all day. Had to be so terrible careful as so many of the cherries were wormy. Ruby had to help with the hay too. That forenoon Uncle Edd went out and got the Aunts. They stopped down the road and brought us some pieplant. We all went up there that evening.

In Vol. II of Lillian's Diaries: Whispers of Galena's Pastthere will be a glossary of terms in the back which will explain words or terms that some of us may never have heard of, such as these below. If you know the meaning of words which appear in this blog with an * please let me know.
*Gooseberries “The gooseberry is a straggling bush growing to 1-3 meters (3-10 feet) tall, the branches being thickly set with sharp spines, standing out singly or in diverging tufts of two or three from the bases of the short spurs or lateral leaf shoots. The bell-shaped flowers are produced, singly or in pairs, from the groups of rounded, deeply-crenated 3 or 5 lobed leaves. The fruit of wild gooseberries is smaller than in the cultivated varieties, but is often of good flavour; it is generally hairy, but in one variety smooth, constituting the R. uva-crispa of writers; berries' colour is usually green, but there are red variants and occasionally deep purple berries occur. source www.Wikipedia.com
*Nosed – anyone have a definition?
*Pieplant “Ah, the pieplant -- rhubarb! Most old farms and homesteads have one or more of those plants growing somewhere on the property, usually near a barn. At least that's where I've often spotted them.” Source: www.suite101.com

Rain, Rain Go AWAY!

2010-06-20T15:40:00.000-04:00

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.

Was Life Really So Much Different?

2010-06-13T12:37:00.000-04:00

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?

Rain, Rain & More Rain

2010-06-06T09:35:00.000-04:00

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.

Snow and Sleet in May ~ Wish I Was There!

2010-05-31T10:00:00.000-04:00

Sunday May 31, 1925: We all went to town to church and took our dinner along. We ate it in the park. Then we went to see the new road. They have it all graded from Les Eustice’s east. They are laying cement on the top of Nolin’s Hill. We had a notion to go to Rob Virtue’s from there and started, but the road looked so hilly we turned around again. Then we went east on Elizabeth Road thro Glen Hollow, Long Hollow and up Snip Hollow to the Ridge Road and then home. It was very warm . That eve we all went up to Aunt Annie’s.

Saturday, Decoration Day*. We didn’t know if we should go to Schapville or to Galena to exercises. So went to Galena this afternoon but not many people to the exercises. This forenoon Jeffery, the Ford salesman, called here with a new sedan he was demonstrating to another fellow for us to look over. Then he would have me drive it so I drove up to Ford School and back. He, Dad, Len & the other fellow rode along. On Friday we baked bread, coffee cake & a cake. Dad, Len & Ruby went to town in the forenoon. Three- thirty or more when they got home. Len bought a new suit but left it in to be pressed. It was a navy blue one.

Thursday was a very nice day. Mother sowed some more garden stuff. Ruby baked cookies in the afternoon. I found a strawberry nearly ripe a surprise! Wednesday we ironed. Uncle Edd sheared the sheep. He had sheared Bert Weis’ sheep in the forenoon. Aunt Annies came down. Tuesday we washed and baked bread and also made biscuits & cream pies and cream puffs. There was a Sunday School Convention at Galena Methodist Church for two days. Raymond & Elma went in on Tuesday morning. I talked with them.

Monday was still cool. We had a hard frost during the night which froze potatoes corn and etz. I painted some of the porch screens in the afternoon. Mother cleared out the kitchen cabinets. Sunday it had hailed, sleeted & snowed in the morning and surely was cold enough. I was very glad to have the dining room stove up yet. It was too cold to go outside. The weather cleared off after the snow. That afternoon Len, Ruby & I went up to Stauss’. This eve Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie came down.

* Decoration Day is our Memorial Day and the exercises are what we would call the program of speakers, singers, etc.

Visitors and Visiting

2010-05-23T12:07:00.000-04:00

Saturday, May 23, 1925: Len, Ruby & I went to town this afternoon. It was warm today but turned cool this evening. Friday had been a very warm day. We baked bread, coffee cake, a cake. Plus we did the churning and cleaned the parlor. Dad talked with a Ford agent that morning. The Watkins* man called at noon and at supper time a picture enlarger man came. Terrible pest he was.

Thursday Mother was sick with a bad cold. We ironed and then planted late potatoes over in the garden in the afternoon. Raymond and Loretta Fiedler came down in the morning with an ad the mail man left up there. Uncle Edd came down in the evening. Aunt Annie was in town. Mattie was very sick Wednesday with acute indigestion. Had the Doctor there three times and a nurse. Win went over to Dubuque to Dr. Guthrie Tuesday and went to the hospital and was to have an operation on the lump on his shoulder. On Wednesday we washed and stretched the curtains. Then in the late Dad Mother & I went over the cemetery. It would have been Grandmother Trudgian’s hundredth birthday* and Dad wanted to go over the cemetery. We cut the grass on the lot with the lawn mower.

Tuesday we finished papering the bedroom and got it straightened up. On Monday it was a very nice day although there was frost the night before. We all went to town in the afternoon with two cars. Ruby took in fifty dozen eggs. Got twenty-seven and a half cents per dozen. Last Sunday we all went to town to church in the morning and then came home and had dinner. Then we went to Aunt Lizzie’s. Maryanne had an operation but was home again. A cold day and we wore winter clothes.

* What was the Watkins Man? He was one of a legion of salesmen who traveled the back roads of rural America in vintage autos, selling products door to door for the J. R. Watkins Company, located in the Mississippi River Bluff town of Winona, Minnesota. In 1868, Joseph Ray Watkins started the company in Plainview, MN. He had one product. He purchased the right to produce and sell “Dr. Ward’s Anodyne Liniment.” The product was mixed in the family kitchen, bottled in a woodshed, loaded onto a horse-drawn wagon and sold door to door throughout southeastern Minnesota. After the company moved to the town of Winona, the product line expanded, but products stayed true to a standard that is still adhered to today. All products are made with natural ingredients with no chemical additives. The Watkins line of products is one of the very few that is certified by the Natural Products Association. By the 1940s, the Watkins line of products had expanded to include soaps, cleaners, personal care products, and my mother’s favorites, the baking materials. The vanilla cinnamon, cloves, and other spices came in metal cans with a tight-fitting top. They made great toys when they were emptied. The Watkins Man would deliver the products customers had ordered the month before, and fill out a form for the products to delivered the next month. The Watkins man often arrived in his Model A coupe, with a rumble seat. Inside, on the rumble seat was always a box of candy, one free piece for every item the customer had purchased. I have a Watkins' medicine bottle from Lillian's home with a bit of cork still in the top.

* Lillian's Grandma Trudgian was my great-great grandmother, Mary Pellymounter Trudgian, who had settled in Galena with her husband, Joseph Trudgian from Cornwall England in 1852.

Wallpapering Again?

2010-05-16T15:14:00.000-04:00

Saturday May 16, 1925: Rainy today. So we didn’t go to town as we had intended. We needed the rain badly. Besides doing our Saturday work we papered some. On Friday Aunt Mag & Till rode in to Aunt Annie’s with Hernillers this afternoon. Uncle Edd brought the Aunts down. We baked bread, coffee cake, drop cakes and a cake. Also papered some.

Thursday we tore off paper in the bedroom getting ready to paper. Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie came down in the eve. Had our first lettuce. Wednesday, Dad, Ma, Ruby & I went up to the school picnic today*. Miss Ahler, was the teacher this year. Sixty three were there. A nice time with lots of ice cream.

* Lillian and Ruby attended Ford School (pictured on top). The classroom photo is from 1911 courtesy of Jean Schultz and her mother Coletta (Weis) Schultz of Galena. Coletta lived near Lillian at the Weis' property next door. Lillian is the first child in the back row to the right of the teacher. This might of been Lillian's last year of school.

All in The Family

2010-05-11T16:50:00.000-04:00

Tuesday, May 12, 1925: Ironed and baked and made a cake to take to the picnic tomorrow. Monday, was a nice day. We washed. Sunday, We all went to church in the morning. It was Mother’s Day. Dad, Ma & I joined the Methodist Church*. Dad & Mother by letter. I by faith. Twelve joined. Mr. & Mrs. Franzerriger & son, Mr. & Mrs. Winsicker. two of the White girls, a Mr. Bodel and another lady. A few minutes after the joining Mother and I got coughing spells and had to go out. Nearly choked at that. We both have colds. I felt so funny about both having to go out. Ashamed to ever go in the church again. Started to rain just as church left out. It was slippery driving, had to put chains on. Cleared off again by the time we got home. This eve. we all went up to Aunt Annie’s Ma went up to Fiedler’s to see the boy this afternoon.

Saturday we were busy with Saturday work. I had a bad cold and it was cloudy that night so we didn’t go to town. Ida & Loretta Fiedler came down and to invited us to the Schapville picnic and told us they have a little brother. Friday, Dad, Ma & I went to town in the afternoon. Roads were good. We got a card from Aunt Rachael saying Anna & her husband went home Wednesday.Went the North road. Guess they didn’t want to see us or we to see them.

Thursday I went to the Miner School picnic. I went with Miss Taylor, the teacher, Agnes and Mrs. Butcher. A big crowd there. Had a nice time. Had ice cream. Milton brought it out so I had a ride home. I called in at Weis’ on the way home. Saw Colette for the first time. She is over six months old. She wasn’t a bit strange. Made up with me and cut up more than I ever saw a child that age do before. Mother and Ruby cleaned the summer kitchen, an awful job.

Wednesday Mother and Dad went down to Uncle Ben’s with Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie. Cold day.
Tuesday, We ironed and cleaned my room. Monday we washed. Aunt Annie came down. John Tippets saw Anna Bates* & husband in Galena last week on their way to Waterloo. Just stopped long enough to get gas. They came by way of Hanover. They were certainly foolish. Uncle Edd came down this eve.

* The photos in this blog are courtesy of Janet Temperly who found and sent Lillian's 1920-1924 diaries and some Trudgian photo to me. The first is a picture of Anna Trudgian and Ruby and Lillian Trudgian taken during their trip to Waterloo, Iowa whcih was described in Vol. I of Lillian's Diaires. The second is a photo of my great-grandparents Thomas and Rachael (Kloth) Trudgian who were Anna Trudgian Bates' parents. This is the "youngest" picture I have of them together.
* The Methodist Church is the one on Bench Street pictured in last week's post.

* Anna Trudgian Bates was my great aunt and has always been surrounded by mystery. You will read lots about her relationship with her husband in the third volume of Lillian's Diaires: Whispers of Galena's Past. Why she seems to be avoiding Lillian and her family in 1925 is an unsolved mystery and this coldness between cousins seems to carry through the remaining 11 years of diaries.

Spring Has Sprung in Galena

2010-05-03T15:03:00.000-04:00

Sunday, May 3, 1925: Ruby & Len went up to Scales Mounds and brought down Mr. & Mrs. Stauss. Another yearling steer didn’t look very well & Len wants his father to see it but it eats grass yet. Len took them back this P.M. so Mother went to Engel’s. She is some better. Saturday was a nice day. So many cars went down tonight.

Friday Len & Ruby went to town in the afternoon. Rev. Smith called here that afternoon. He wanted us to join the church a week from Sunday.* A yearling steer was sick this morning and died this afternoon. A little calf was sick too. Thursday, April 30th, Albert Drink came and bought a cow and calf for sixty-eight dollars that morning. We partly cleaned the kitchen. Dad went up to Fiedler’s and got some little blue plum trees to plant. Heard Clara Engel is holding her own but is not out of danger yet. Wednesday it was rainy and quite cold. Cleaned the cupboards and bookcase. I faced the hem of my yellow apron.

Tuesday,Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie took the Aunts home. We ironed. Also hoed the new strawberry bed. Mother cleaned and white washed the cellar way. Aunt Annie came in when they were coming home. They heard that Clara Engel is very ill not expected to live. She had a baby girl last week. But hope she may get better again. Monday morning Aunt Margaret came down. Uncle Edd, Aunts Annie & Till and Mattie and Win went to Dubuque. Uncle Edd drove over. We washed and worked some in the old strawberry bed. Mother made cookies and etz. We took Aunt Mag up in the eve. Aunt Annie got a new coat. Win had an exray picture took of his teeth. They found a tooth in his jaw bone. It grew down instead of up. So had it chiseled out and he had to go to the hospital for a few days.

Sunday we all went to Galena to church in the morning. That evening Tresidders all came up. I got an invitation to the school picnic at Miner’s. May 7th. No Grant’s birthday celebration this year. First time for a good many years.

* Rev. Smith was from the First United Methodist Church of Galena, which was also on Bench Street with the Presbyterian Churches where the Trudgians worshiped. It is the Oldest Methodist Church in Northern Illinois.In 1829 the first regularly appointed Methodist minister arrived in Galena. By 1832 a plain frame church was erected on Bench Street, but was lost to fire in 1838. A new building was built in 1841, and by 1856 the congregation had grown so that yet another new brick and stone church needed to be built. The present church was dedicated in 1857. Ulysses S. Grant worshiped here regularly from 1859 to 1861. See photo above.

Miracles Do Happen

2010-04-25T14:14:00.000-04:00

For years I have searched for the missing diaries which should have sat between the 1913-1919 ones that have been published in Lillian's Diaires: Whispers of Galena's Past* and the 1925-1931 diaries which I am currently working on to be published this year. Despite all the searching these diaries - which tell of Ruby's wedding and the sale at the Trudgian farm, etc. etc - remained hidden until a week ago when an email arrived from Janet Temperly (whose mother - Sadie Dittmar Temperly - was a cousin of Lillian's)who found the diaries when searching through a box of old photographs for pictures of Lillian) She sent them to me - God bless her! and now there will be 2 more books of diaries to be published -1920-1926 and 1927-1931! Watch for some of Janet's photographs in the next couple of blog postings!

Saturday, April 25, 1925: We were busy all day with Saturday work and getting Ruby’s room straighten. All but Mother went to town this eve. It was nearly nine when we started. The roads were rough. Friday we had a dandy rain during the night and quite a few showers during the day. We baked and finished papering Ruby’s room. Also finished ironing. Made applesauce.

Thursday we washed and also did most of the ironing. It was another very warm day. It came to a storm that evening. Had a nice rain. On Wednesday we finished planting early potatoes and made some garden and papered some today. Had our first asparagus today. About five oclock Aunt Till came down. She then went to town that evening with Ruby & Len to the Presbytery at Stauss’ church. We took her up before they were ready so she could get ready. Very hot weather.

Tuesday we planted some more potatoes. Also papered the ceiling of Ruby’s room. The oldest calf (that is this year’s calf) died in the morning. I guess it bled to death. It was all right last night. It was such a pet. Thought of keeping it for a steer. The Scales Mound Methodist minister called here in the P.M. Monday was cloudy and cold. Len plowed part of the garden patch. We planted six rows and a part of a row of potatoes and got Ruby’s room already to paper. Rained a little that eve.

* Lillian's Diaries: Whispers of Galena's Past is available at Book World in Galena IL and on amazon.com

Dubuque, Digging and Death

2010-04-18T08:53:00.000-04:00

Saturday April 18, 1925: Dad, Ma, Ruby & I went to town this afternoon. Before we came home we drove over to Tippet’s on Park Ave., thinking Uncle Edd and the Aunts were there getting ready for the Snows, Mattie and Grandpa to come home. Snow was going to meet them about 200 mi down state with the car. They were there already. Got home about twelve oclock. Today is Grandpa Tippet’s ninetieth birthday. Saw Mary and the children. Stormy after we got home but didn’t rain very much. Friday all felt tired. Baked and etz. Thursday morning Sally had six little puppies out in the summer kitchen. Len & Ruby drowned four and left two. Then Friday morning they drowned one more.

Thursday’s morning about eight thirty the Stauss came on their way to Dubuque. So we jumped in our clothes, put together some lunch and went. We met Stauss in town. Went thro Menominee. Ate our dinner before we got to East Dubuque. About eleven thirty we got there. Well, Ruby got a hat and I a dress. Paid twelve dollars for it. An odd dress and odd color. Yellowish brown. Mother got a brown coat. Mrs. Stauss got a coat and dress. Edna a coat and hat & Eloise a hat. They went home by Hazel Green & New Diggings. Wednesday, morning all but Mother went to town. Ruby had Dr. Stone fill our teeth for her. I had one pulled - upper right side next to the wisdom tooth. It didn’t hurt but it was a terror to pull. Broke up so. And the roots was hooked. Came right home. Hurt awfully this afternoon. Some easier this eve. Mother & Ruby tore off the paper in Ruby’s room this afternoon.

Tuesday I worked about the car in the afternoon. Mother and Ruby made a little more garden. Edna Stauss went along to Galena with J. Virtues. They stopped. They, Raymonds & Mr. & Mrs. Stauss want to go to Dubuque some day soon. Said Len could ride along or take his own car and go along. Monday we washed. Aunt Margaret came down. The others had gone to town. They came down this evening. Last Sunday was Easter. A most beautiful day. Very warm and roads very dusty. We all went to Galena to services that morning. The church was full. Had to use chairs. Mr. & Mrs. Jack Combellick’s five week old baby girl had died Friday and was buried from the house at one oclock. Mrs. Whitham’s funeral was at three on Easter afternoon. We didn’t have any company that day.

Spring Gardening Begins

2010-04-11T15:08:00.000-04:00

Saturday April 11, 1925: Dad, Ma & I went to town this afternoon. There was a meeting of the young people of the church at the Pres. Church today. Vada and Lester drove in and Aunt Dora came along. Raymond, Leon and Alvina were in also. Said they would stop here on their way home, but they didn’t. Naomi was in also. Friday we were busy baking. Also made a little more garden.

Thursday, We made a little more garden. Cleaned Dad’s and Ma’s room today. Len and Ruby went to town this afternoon. Wednesday, We made a fence around a plot out west of the house for a early garden. Also spaded some and planted onions seed and tomatoe and radish seeds. Roads are very dusty.

Tuesday, we ironed and baked bread. Also oatmeal drop cakes. Election Day! Dad, Len, Ruby and I went over to Guilford, but Ruby and I didn’t vote*. Bert Weis was on the township ticket for school trustee. We had green onions of our own raising for supper. We sowed the seeds last year. Monday was another beautiful day. I never saw the weather as beautiful and clear and warm and dry for so long this time of year. Need rain badly to start grass and etz. Washed today. Len & Ruby went to Scales Mound this evening.

*Although by 1920 all women had the right to vote in United States, in 1913 Illinois was on the cutting edge, allowing some voters’ rights to women. According to Wikipedia; “In 1912, Grace Wilbur Trout, then head of the Chicago Political Equality League, was elected president of the state organization. Changing her tactics from a confrontational style of lobbying the state legislature, she turned to building the organization internally. She made sure that a local organization was started in every Senatorial District. One of her assistants, Elizabeth Booth, cut up a Blue Book government directory and made file cards for each of the members of the General Assembly. Armed with the names, four lobbyists went to Springfield to persuade one legislator at a time to support suffrage for women. In 1913, first-term Speaker of the House, Democrat Champ Clark, told Trout that he would submit the bill for a final vote, if there was support for the bill in Illinois. Trout enlisted her network, and while in Chicago over the weekend, Clark received a phone call every 15 minutes, day and night. On returning to Springfield he found a deluge of telegrams and letters from around the state all in favor of suffrage. By acting quietly and quickly, Trout had caught the opposition off guard. U.S. women suffragists demonstrating for the right to vote, February 1913. After passing the Senate, the bill was brought up for a vote in the House on June 11, 1913. Trout and her team counted heads and went as far as to fetch needed male voters from their homes. Watching the door to the House chambers, Trout urged members in favor not to leave before the vote, while also trying to prevent "anti" lobbyists from illegally being allowed onto the House floor. The bill passed with six votes to spare, 83 to 58. On June 26, 1913, Illinois Governor Edward F. Dunne signed the bill in the presence of Trout, Booth and union labor leader Margaret Healy.

Women in Illinois could now vote for Presidential electors and for all local offices not specifically named in the Illinois Constitution. However, they still could not vote for state representative, congressman or governor; and they still had to use separate ballots and ballot boxes. But by virtue of this law, Illinois had become the first state east of the Mississippi River to grant women the right to vote for President of the United States.”

Moving into April

2010-04-05T15:37:00.000-04:00

Sunday, April 5, 1925: Len, Ruby and Mother went to town to church this morning. They went to the Presbyterian Church on the hill*. Late this afternoon Uncle Edd and the Aunts came down and went back again before dark as Uncle Edd was afraid there would be so many cars on the road. I believe thousands went along today. Just out riding I guess. Saturday, Dad, Len & Ruby went to town in the forenoon. Cooler but a very clear day.

Friday was a beautiful day. Baked and swept upstairs & etz. Thursday was another beautiful day. We cleaned the rag room . Certainly was some job. Got wallpaper for 2 rooms. Wednesday, the first day of April, we ironed and dug around the asparagus. Uncle Edd & the Aunts came down that evening. They got word today that Mrs. Beil of Apple River was dead. They may go to the funeral and asked Ma to go along. (a lovly day). Tuesday, the last day of March, Mother went along to the funeral with them. They didn’t get back till nearly dark. Uncle Henry was up to Apple River too. Guess he and Uncle Dan are having quite a time of it as Uncle Joe is so poorly. We finished raking the lawn today.

*The First Presbyterian congregation is housed in the oldest church building of any Protestant denomination in continuous service in the Old Northwest Territory (which consisted of all or part of six states: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin). The building was built in 1838, but the congregation really had its start in 1829 when the Reverend Aratus Kent decided to leave his prestigious New York City parish to bring the gospel to what was then this country's western frontier. He wrote to the American Board of Home Missions and asked to be sent to "a place so tough no one else will take it." They assigned him to Galena.

It took him almost a month to get here from New York, traveling by horseback and steamboat. He arrived on a Sunday morning and immediately went knocking on doors, telling everyone he could find that he was going to have a worship service that afternoon at 3 o'clock.

He swept out the back room of a saloon on the corner of Bench and Hill Streets (next door to where the church is located today) and about 50 people showed up. At that point, he probably thought that evangelizing the frontier was going to be an easier job than he'd imagined, but those 50 people turned out to be the largest group to attend one of his services in Galena for many years. Apparently, many of them came to that service because worship was such a novelty in Galena. For the next several years, Rev. Kent worked very hard, riding a circuit with a one hundred-mile radius, preaching at dozens of locations and teaching numerous Sunday school classes. Eventually, it all began to pay off in terms of church membership. He was able to found a number of congregations throughout Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin, including the First Presbyterian Church in Galena, which was officially organized in October 1831.

At that time, there were only six members: two who lived in Galena and four others living as far as 40 miles away. That's a very healthy commitment in the days of horse-and-buggy travel! Seven years later - after Rev. Kent had helped lead a series of revivals throughout this region - our congregation had grown to include 100 members. It was then that they decided to build the church building we still use today. (Before that time, the congregation had been meeting in the old log court house that was located next door to the present church location on the Franklin Street side.) The building was constructed with limestone quarried in the Galena area. The pews are original - from 1838 - except that they used to have doors on the entrances to keep drafts off people's feet as they sat in worship. At that time, the only heat in the sanctuary was from two fireplaces in either corner up front, so that in those early days - unlike today - everyone wanted to sit up front in order to be closer to the heat. However, in those early days people couldn't just sit wherever they pleased. Each of the pews is numbered on the back along the aisle side, and every family was assigned to a certain pew, for which they had to pay a pew tax. That was the way the church raised money to pay the internal bills of the congregation, such as the pastor's salary, the purchase of candles, etc. The congregation would also take an offering to be used for mission work - those needs which were outside of the immediate congregation. The church still has a receipt for one family's pew tax from the mid-1840's when the tax was $6.00 a year.

Our founding pastor, Rev. Kent, was a graduate of Princeton and Yale Universities. When he officially organized this church in 1831, Yale donated the pulpit and the four chairs that are currently in the front of the sanctuary. This was a gift to the fledgling congregation and a means of encouraging the mission to what was then the country's western frontier. The two chairs on either side of the communion table and the two in the back of the sanctuary came from Rev. Kent's home. We aren't sure how old they are, but he died in 1869, so they're at least that old. The large chair in the right front was built in the 1860's and was designed to match the style of the chairs behind the pulpit.

When the building was built, the windows were made of an opaque yellow glass. The stained glass windows you see today were installed between 1890 and 1910. They all have a dedication "plaque" near the bottom of the window. A couple of the dedications are to previous pastors and one is for the Christian Education Society; all the rest are to former members. The windows are made of Belgian stained glass with the colors fired in rather than painted on.

The vestibule section was added in 1851. That addition includes the steeple, which stretches 125 feet above the street. Even though the congregation officially began in 1831, the current pastor - the Rev. Jim McCrea - is only 20th installed minister to have served the church. Source: Church website

Something Extra VI

2010-04-03T17:37:00.000-04:00

I have really been neglectful in reporting my thoughts on the challenges from "52 Weeks to Better Genealogy" from Facebook. This request of reporting is for those who have genealogy blogs after we try out the challenge. I have found that I am not as charmed by the most recent challenges. # 12 was to check sites about the Society of American Archivists...which I did and actually found an interesting article on how to donate diaries, memoirs, letters, etc that may have historical information and to whom. I have been wondering what to do with Lillian's Diaries once they are all transcribed and this answered alot of my questions. Challenge # 13 was to visit Cyndi's List for Genealogy which I do on a regualr basis anyway. I did try using a new surname for the search - The Westbergs- which is my maternal grandmother's maiden name. My mom has just finished the Westbergs as far back as she could and I was looking for a bit of information that would be new for her....unfortunately I didn't find anything. Challenge #14 was to use the search engines bing.com, ask.com, and Clusty.com I again used the surname Westberg for a search on each of them (the first ten pages) and was unable to find any information I could use and was unable to find how to get a translated page on any of them as most of the information was in Swedish. So think for the moment I will stick with Google & Yahoo.

Life On The Farm

2010-03-29T19:20:00.000-04:00

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?

Tri-State Tornado

2010-03-21T10:35:00.000-04:00

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

A Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That

2010-03-14T17:33:00.000-04:00

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.

March Almost Comes In Like A Lamb

2010-03-06T11:54:00.000-05:00

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.

Something Extra V

2010-03-04T18:23:00.000-05:00

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.

It was a cold and windy time my friends!

2010-02-28T14:15:00.000-05:00

Saturday, February 28, 1925: We ironed and did the Saturday work. Friday, Dad & Len went to town and Aunt Annie rode along up home. It was very cold. We baked and washed.

On Thursday, Len went to Scales Mound to get oats. It was a very cold and windy day so Aunt Annie didn’t go home. We finished quilting my quilt before supper. Aunt Annie had come down on Wednesday afternoon to help us quilt. She staid all night.

Tuesday, we quilted some. It was a dark, cloudy day. Len sawed wood over at Bonhoff’s. We had put my yellow nine patch quilt* in the frame and quilted a little on Monday. There was no mail on Monday.

*Nine-patch quilt blocks initially contain nine equal squares. The squares are arranged three rows across and three down, as shown in this beautiful garden nine patch (block) quilt.

Snow, rain and a strange visitor

2010-02-22T12:42:00.000-05:00

Sunday, February 22, 1925: It was cloudy, foggy and rainy today. Uncle Edd and Aunt Annie came down to dinner with the car. Rained quite hard this eve. Saturday was warm and cloudy. Did the usual Sat. work.

Friday Len, Ruby & I went up to Aunt Annie’s in the eve. As we were going cars were coming from all directions going to a big dance at Temperly’s. Thundered and lightening after we came home but did not rain. Thursday we had ironed and sewed some.

Wednesday, we washed. Ruby & I each made a dust cap that evening. Knucky called and paid his interest. Tuesday, Mr. & Mrs. Stauss came down in the morning. Len & Ruby took them to town with the car. Had a late dinner when they got home. About eleven thirty a man came asking for something to eat and for coffee. So we gave him some dinner. As he wasn’t dressed bad I thought he might offer to pay for it but he just thanked us. Wanted to get work on the new road.

Monday it was snowy most of the day. Quite cold. We sewed some & etz. Sunday was beautiful weather in the forenoon. Cloudy in the afternoon and snowy that evening. Cars were buzzing along the road. Dad, Ma & I went up to Aunt Annie’s that afternoon. Came home after supper. Ruby and Len went up to Scales Mound in the afternoon with the car. Just four years ago was our sale. It doesn’t seem so long ago.

Something Extra IV

2010-02-20T16:55:00.000-05:00

Challeges #6 & 7 from the 52 Weeks to Better Genealogy Challenge on Facebook went fairly well. #6 involved going to your public library's website and checking out the online databases available for those having a library card. There was quite alot of Michigan genealogy data and resources (not helpful for this Illinois girl). I was hoping for access to some historical newspaper collections but that did not seem available. Doing this exercise I learned how to navigate through the MEL and WorldCat data bases and today went to the WMU Regional Archive Center and was able to order the French book by Helen Trudgian that I have been looking for. It will be delivered to WMU and it can be copied, so I may soon have some answers about the mysterious Francis Tregian whose is the hurdle to me moving backwards to the next generation in the 15th century! I can't wait!

Challenge # 7 was to play with Google Maps to determine locations of addresses in your family history. My mother and I played for an hour together on the phone while she talked me through where her parents and grandparents lived in the Amberg Wisconsin area. The houses are gone....but with me on Google Maps and her remembering the roads and landmarks we were able to find a satellite view of the properties. We then went on to Middle Inlet Wisconsin to where my Dad and his parents - The Trudgians - lived....we didn't do so well there but did find my Trudgian grandparents home in Waterloo, IA and my Port grandparents in Chicago, IL.

Leaving the U.S. and traveling abroad it was much more successful as I not only found Golden Manor in Cornwall, England but multiple photos of the house,barn, etyc. That I had never seen before, including a watermill dating from King Henry VIII's reign. In Dunbar, Scotland I again was able to zoom into what remains of the Dunbar Castle (this is one of Dennis' surnames) but also found multiple photos. It just seems a whole lot easier to find a whole lot of more information.

Even Death Waits On Galena's Weather

2010-02-14T12:49:00.000-05:00

"Saturday, February 14, 1925: Mother and Ruby went over to the cemetery to Mrs. Bastian funeral today. A few people from around here and the immediate family came out.

On Friday we baked and ironed. It was a very nice clear day. In the evening Agnes, Milton and Blanche came up to tell us that Mrs. Bastian was to be buried tomorrow afternoon. The funeral would to start from town at one oclock.

Thursday we washed. Len has a bad cold. Wednesday was quite cold. We sewed some.

Tuesday was colder than yesterday. Len went up and got Aunt Annie in the afternoon. And took her back that eve. Uncle Edd was at the supervisors’ meeting. Monday it cleared up. Mother and Ruby were all ready to go over to the cemetery to Mrs. Bastian’s* funeral when John Tresidder drove up. He said they wasn’t going to bring her out here yet as the roads were too bad. They were going to put the body in the chapel at Greenwood* till roads got better. Johns had started out for the cemetery and Milton called them back. He had word by telephone that they wasn’t coming out. We sewed that afternoon."

* Elizabeth Bastian ( according to the tombstone b.10-22-1836 d. 2 -6-1925) wife of Henry Bastian. Was held in chapel of Greenwood Cemetery [photo on left above] in West Galena Township due to road conditions and then brought out to Miner (Chapel) Cemetery [photo on right above] 8 days later.

February in Galena

2010-02-08T08:06:00.000-05:00

Sunday, February 8, 1925: We had very warm weather today. It thundered in the night and off and on today. About four oclock it rained quite hard with thunder and lightening. Dad went down to Tresidder’s this forenoon. He wanted to know when Mrs. Bastian will be buried. The services are to be at the house at one thirty. Dad stayed down to Tresidder’s to dinner. Saturday was very foggy and damp all day. Len & Dad went to town in the afternoon with the team. They heard that Mrs. Henry Bastian died Friday at four oclock. They did not hear when the funeral will be.

Friday morning Ruby & Leonard walked over the Station and went to Dub. They came back on the five oclock & walked home. Ruby got a new coat. It is grey. She paid eighteen dollars for it - a winter coat but not as heavy. It was very Friday and muddy. Len and Ruby had to hurry that morning to catch the train.

Thursday was another warm day. We sewed. Wednesday was a lovely spring day. But too warm for the roads. They were very muddy. Len went up to Uncle Edd’s and went with him to Walter Falancer’s sale. We had a early dinner and then us three women walked up to Aunt Annie’s. Len & Ruby came home before Mother & I. We had to stay to supper. Tuesday we ironed, baked bread, a cake, made applesauce and finished two night gowns. We had also made pies and a pasty* for dinner that night.

It was a nice day on Monday. We washed. That eve Uncle Edd and Aunt Annie came down to tell us that Boevers called up that afternoon to say that the Dittmar side was out in the Dittmar-Evan’s case in the appellate court. Sunday was cloudy all day. Snowed a little in the evening. Aunt Annie and Uncle Edd came down in the afternoon.

* A pasty (the 'a' pronounced as in 'cat'), Pasti), less commonly known as tiddly oggy or tiddy oggy, and sometimes as pastie in the United States, is a filled pastry case, commonly associated with Cornwall, United Kingdom. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasty And a type of seasoned meat and vegetable pie, usually of a semicircular or distinctive shape. A (savory) hand pie; en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pasty. The Trudgians were miners and tinners in Cornwall and would have wrapped one or two of these in a cloth napkin and carried them in their pockets for “lunch”. They ate them cold or if eating at home warm…either way they are oh soooooo good!

Something Extra III

2010-02-03T08:03:00.000-05:00

I am continuing on with the 52 Weeks to Better Genealogy Challenge that is currently running on Facebook. Last week I went over to the library and checked out how the Portage Library handles interlibrary loans. When I first asked I was given a list of 6 or 7 local libraries, and was really disappointed. I then went to their website and discovered that those libraries are what is called recipical libraries - meaning all I need to do is to walk in with my library card and I can check out the book myself. Interlibrary loan libraries cover the entire state of Michigan, including several universities and colleges. This opens a whole new world of finding genealogy material for me.

This week's challenge is to go to Worldcat.com and search for genealogy material. This was a real treat... I found Histoire d'une famille anglaise au XVIe siècle, les Tregian by Helen Trudgian, written as her doctoral thesis in 1934. Problem is so far I can only find it in France. It might hold the key as to how the Trudgian line came down from Francis Trdgian(Tregian) in the 1500s. If you run across it let me know and do check out Worldcat.com Our oldest daughter was a French major in college so she can translate for me so now I have two searches going on - this book and Lillian's 1920-1925 diaries.

Flinch! Have you ever played it?

2010-01-31T14:16:00.000-05:00

Saturday, January 31, 1925: It is a warm day. The warmth broke up the roads and the creeks are running. Yesterday was a very nice day also. We baked and Len & Ruby went to town in the afternoon. Mother washed a few pieces.

Thursday, Mother cut out two night dresses* and partly made them. I felt tough* that day. Wednesday was quite cold in the morning. We didn’t know what to do about coming home. Everyone thought it too cold to walk from Station. I was in a terrible way to know what to do. At last we bought tickets to Scales Mound, thought we might get a chance* home but didn’t. Then Len came up with some hogs. But I was afraid I couldn’t stand to ride in the wagon. So Mother and I went to Galena on the noon train. We didn’t know how we would get out from Galena to home but we met Aunt Annie right away. So we had a dandy chance out. We had so much time we even went up to the library. Uncle Edd brought us home.

Wednesday when we were still in Apple River we called on Emily Elbren* and Mr. Leathlain* in the afternoon. Sadie came down to invited us all up to supper so we all went. Had a fine supper. Played flinch* till after ten then had popcorn and went home.

* Night dresses are what we,today,call a woman’s nightgown.
* Tough, as Deb told us last time, means not to feel well.
* Chance means catch a ride, as in hitch hike.
* Elbren & Leathlain - I cannot find any documentation of either of these surnames
in Apple River or the Galena area, so am not sure of their actual identity.
* "Flinch is a card game, played with a custom deck, invented in 1901 by A.J. Patterson. This deck has 150 cards, consisting of ten sets numbered from one to fifteen. Some variations use a 144-card deck. It is based on "Spite and Malice". Rules of play;
• The cards are dealt face down.
• The first player turns over his top card and if it is a one it is put in the middle of the table; if it is not a one it is put face up so that everyone can see it.The second player takes his top card,and again if it is not a one it is put face up; and so forth for the rest of the players.
• The first player goes again: if his face-up card happens to be a two it can be placed in the middle, on top of the one; or, if the face-up card is either one more or one less than another player's face-up card, that card can be placed on top of the other player's card. For example, if the first player's face-up card is a seven, it can be placed on another player's six or eight. If the player is able to get rid of his face-up card in one of these ways, he turns up his next card and attempts to discard it using the same methods. He continues until he is unable to discard any more cards. Play then continues with the next player.
• Note that cards may be placed in the middle only in ascending order,starting at one and continuing to fifteen, whereas cards may be placed on other players' cards
in either ascending or descending order.
• The object of the game is to get rid of all one's cards.
• If the current player's turned-up card could be discarded, but the player fails to
notice this, other players may yell "Flinch!". Source: Wikipedia

A Busy Week of Visiting

2010-01-26T15:30:00.001-05:00

Monday, January 26, 1925: Aunt Mag & Mother went calling this forenoon. This afternoon Sadie came down for us to help her start to make some forget-me-not beads. Then we called on Mrs. Price. Yesterday we went to the Presbyterian Church in Apple River*. Then in the afternoon we all went up to Uncle George’s. In the evening we went to the Methodist Church*.

Saturday in the afternoon we called on Lena Fisher and heard their radio. Then we went to the store awhile. Friday, Uncle George, Aunt Lizzie, Sadie and Naomi were down in the evening.

Thursday, Len helped Butchers saw wood. We didn’t know if we should try to walk to the Station and go to Apple River that day or wait and have Len take us to Scales Mound on Friday. At last we got the car ready and Ruby and Len did some chores and then we went to Scales Mound. We went out on the five o’clock train. We surprised them, although they were looking for us for quite awhile. Uncle Henry & Helmer were up there having the car fixed. They were at the Aunts’ for supper and stayed awhile because we were there. Tillie Trevethan and two children came there also.

Wednesday, just as we were ready to eat dinner, the Atwater Kent radio man came and wanted to leave a radio on trial. But we didn’t let him do it. We felt as if we would have to buy it once it was in the house. We ironed, baked bread, coffee cake, cookies and made applesauce. We also cooked apricots and etz. Got new auto licenses. Ours is 277301. Len’s is one less.

Tuesday we washed. It had thawed quite a little. Len, Ruby & I went up to Johnny Tippet’s that evening. I took up a string of beads that I made for Ethel. (like Ruby’s.) green, white and yellow daisy beads. I got $2.75 for them. We heard the radio all that evening. Monday we all went to town in our car. The roads had thawed in some places.

Len, Ruby Mother & I went to town to church on Sunday morning. Had a temperance sermon. That evening we all went to Aunt Annie’s. Tresidders were up there also.

*[note the picture on the right above]"In the year 1858, the people gathered in the school-house to listen to the teachings of Rev. S. S. Guyer, a Methodist circuit-rider, and in the same year, a Methodist Sunday-school was organized, by T. F. Hastie, in the railroad office. This was soon transferred to the school-house. Two years after, the Methodist Church, a good frame building, was erected, costing about $2,000, and seating three hundred persons. At present, Hans Lamont is the Sabbath-school Superintendent. The church was dedicated by Rev. Peter Cartwright, a pioneer of Methodism in Illinois. The ministers in succession have been: Revs. J. Clendenning, E. B. Russell, J. M. Clendenning, J. Odgers, H. U. Reynolds, S. 0. Foster, T. L. Olrnsted, A. D. Field. Joseph Crummer, Joseph Caidwell, Thomas Cochrane, concluding with the present pastor, Rev. D. W. Linn." Source: http://genealogytrails.com

*[note picture on the left above] "The Presbyterian Church was organized by Rev. John Reynard, in April, 1861, at the residence of Mr. Vroman, when Joseph C. Jellison was made elder. From this time, the association took no action until 1864, when Rev. J. W. Cunningham came, reorganized the society, and caused the church to be built. Rev. Rufus King was their first permanent minister. He was followed by Rev. G. M. Jenks, then John Cook, D. B. Gordon and E. B. Miner, who remained until 1876, since which time the church has been unable to maintain a regular pastor." Source:http://genealogytrails.com. I don't know if this church is still an active one or not.

Something Extra II

2010-01-23T22:11:00.000-05:00

The 52 Week Genealogy Challenge is now in it's third week and this challenge was to think about how we - you and I - are documenting our existance for the future generation of genealogists. At first I was taken back....I know I have dispaired when my ancestors haven't labeled a photo, or recorded where their home was or in the case of Lillian - especially in her later years - put her diaries somewhere safe and let those that cared about her know what treasures they are...so they wouldn't have been thrown in the garbage after her death. But what have I done? It took some thinking!

I have the usual documentation all in one place....my birth certificate, baptism certificate, diplomas from high school and colleges, marriage certificate, and I have even started planning my funeral. I have made scrapbooks of our wedding, special occasions - like my 50th birthday - and each of the girls' weddings. But that still didn't seem enough! Then I remembered 2 books I had received as gifts. 1 from our oldest daughter, Heather - entitled "The Story Of A Lifetime: (which I think she gave me 10 years ago) and the other one recently received from Tambi, our middle daughter, for Grandparents' Day, entitled " A Grandparent's Book". Both have hundreds of questions about your life - everything from your first pet to your first kiss - all your dreams and disappointments are exposed and in each is some sort of a genealogy tracing - who are my parents, grandparents, children, etc. The more I thought about these books the more I thought how wonderful it would have been if all my ancestors had kept one - and given them to me! Then I would know all the little stories that round out the statistics and make all those dates and places into a real person - with dreams and plans and loves and disappointments! So I have renewed my plan to work on these books daily and to get them back to the giver! So future generations, when you want to know my story ask Tambi or Heather for the book!

Winter Socialization

2010-01-17T12:29:00.000-05:00

Saturday, January 17, 1925: Raymond went up to Aunt Annie’s to go to town with Uncle Edd to go to Apple River yet on the noon train. Feel tough* today.

Friday was snowy in the forenoon. In the afternoon Raymond Dittmar came from Aunt Annie’s. He had come there Wed. We baked bread & coffee cake, two cakes and a batch drop cookies. Len, Ruby, Raymond & I went to the party at Bonhoff’s Wednesday eve. We walked over the hill. Had to put on leggings and wade thro. Quite a few were there when we got there and they kept on coming till about ten oclock. Over seventy were there and they dance & dance. So many came from Schapville way. I was rather disgusted with the whole affair. They jumped around like Indians. Of course, we had to sit or stand in a corner. Mrs. Heller, Agnes & Blanche & Mrs. Winsicker were there so we had a few to talk with. We started for home at one oclock in the morning.

Thursday, Len went to Raymond’s to help his father cut wood. He had gone to Scales Mounds first so Mother had went along up to Aunt Lizzie’s. Then she went to Mrs. Stauss’ to supper. That afternoon Ida and Loretta Fiedler came down to tell us there was going to be a party at Bonhoff’s tomorrow night. They talked as tho they (Fiedlers)were getting it up*. I had supposed it would be a dance.

Both Tuesday and Wednesday were clear and cold. Ruby made a apron. Mother ironed some. On Monday it was snowy and I sewed a little.

* What do you suppose "I feel tough" meant? I tried to research it, with no results.
* “Getting it up” means to organize or be the host of an event

Something Extra

2010-01-12T16:39:00.000-05:00

I am doing Thomas MacEntee's "52 Weeks To Better Genealogy - Challenge" on Facebook. Since I am co-leading a group of new genealogists I thought I would do the challenge and pass it on to the new seekers of family history as it is geared towards the new genealogist, but as Thomas says it is always possible to pick up new ideas no matter how long you have been searching for your family roots. The first two challenges were to go to your local library and the local history, archives and/or special collections section and if you have a genealogy blog, write about what you find in your library’s local history and special collections. I must say, I was a little disappointed. I had donated Lillian's Diaries: Whispers of Galena's Past to the room, and was happy to find it there, but was unable to really figure out how the room is organized and how one interacts with it. The room was open and lit, but no one was anywhere to be found [in other libraries there have been volunteers or in some cases a librarian in the room to help]. The room is very, very tiny and works as a display area for things, like a giant wooden checst on the floor, military hats and uniforms here and there and locked display cases of books and whatnots. There is no card catalog, no directions as to usuage of books, magazines, etc. There was a small area of books on "doing" genealogy and most of the rest was on local and state history. I wonder where Lillian's Diaries will be placed once it it is moved from the Newly Added shelf.

A Life Just Like Ours

2010-01-11T08:57:00.000-05:00

If the dates were removed wouldn't this sound very much like our lives today? Lots of company one day and then none for weeks afterwards? The census being taken? Economic hardships for some in difficult times? Cleaning the kitchen shelves?

Sunday,January 11,1925: All but mother went to town to church in our car. Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie came down to dinner. This afternoon Fielders came down. This evening Tresidders came up. I guess all came in one day. We won’t have any company again for a long while.

On Saturday Dad, Len, Ruby & I went to town in the afternoon in our car. A radio man came on Friday afternoon. After he was gone,the census man came. We baked.

Thursday was a nice day. Mother went up to Aunt Annie’s in the morning. Uncle Edd brought her home in the eve. She washed for Aunt Annie. In the afternoon Ruby & I went up to Clara Engel’s. They seemed glad to see us. Vivian wanted in the worst way to come home with us. I guess they have had a rather hard time getting along. Seemed to be very economical.

Len & Ruby took chickens and cream of Scales Mound on Wednesday. Mother and I cleaned the kitchen shelves that afternoon.

Another Year Begins

2010-01-06T17:36:00.000-05:00

Tuesday,January 6, 1925 was a nice day. We ironed. Yesterday, Len, Dad & I went to town by car. We also washed. Raymond Strauss* called here in the afternoon. We got a sheep.

Sunday, Len & Ruby went out to Schapville to church in the forenoon. They didn’t come home to dinner but went to Raymond’s. That afternoon we walked to Aunt Annie’s. We had also planned on going over to Johnny’s in the evening, but Henry & Minnie Weis came there,so we didn’t go. We were thinking that maybe Len & Ruby wouldn't go up to Aunt Annie's - but they did. So we went over and heard their radio for awhile before we came home. I hadn’t heard much radio before. We heard programming from San Antonio Texas & Omaha etz.

Saturday would have been a very nice day to go to town but we didn’t have very much to do there so we didn’t go. We all went up to Aunt Annie’s in the evening as I was anxious to know how she was. She looked like she was feeling bad yet.

Friday we just baked and swept upstairs after spending Thursday - New Year's Day quietly at home. Mother came home from Aunt Annie’s that afternoon. She had staid up there all night as Aunt Annie was sick, She felt better New Year's Day but was still weak. It had been cloudy all day and snowed a little in the afternoon.

* Raymond Stauss is Len's brother, who lives in Scales Mound, IL. This is the first diary of volume II of Lillian's Diaries: Whispers of Galena's Past. There is a gap in the diaries between 1919 when the first volume ends and 1925 when the second volume will start. In these gap years, Ruby - Lillian's sister - married Leonard Stauss and they are now living in the Trudgian homestead.

Wishing You a Happy New Year

2010-01-03T12:29:00.000-05:00

1926 has drawn to an end in Lillian's time. I hope that you have enjoyed reading her words about life in 1926. I would welcome your feedback on how the entries have been presented and the level of interest you think this format will generate. I am still transcribing the entries exactly as she has written them for the next volume of "Lillian's Diaries" which WILL BE PUBLISHED IN 2010 but can easily make the common corrections that I have made in the blog format. Please either leave your comments on the blog or email me at joneslinks@charter.net.

I will continue making entries, This time going back a year and presenting 1925 in the next blog entry.

So finishing out 1926 for Lillian; Friday, December 31, 1926: Busy today making bread, saffron cake, a cake and pies. Len went to town by car with feed to grind. The roads were quite good. I got Len to ask the Aunts and Uncles to come down tomorrow. They haven’t been down for a long time and the roads are good. The last day of nineteen twenty-six.

Thursday was a lovly day. Len went out to Schapville to get a stock hog that W. Wulff brought. We ironed and made cookies. I felt some better today and Dad seemed some better also. He was just a trifle better on Wednesday which was a nice clear day. Mother had walked up to the Aunts’ that afternoon, but they were down to Martha’s and just Dan was home so Mother didn’t stay long. Uncles Edd & Dan came down that evening and we had baked bread.

We all got up very late on Tuesday. After Dad ate his dinner he felt sick and vomited all afternoon. John had wanted us to come down there to hear the radio in the evening. So Mother staid home with Dad and Len, Ruby, & I went down. We heard most of a good sermon, singing & etz. Dad had felt very poorly all day Monday. In truth he felt almost too weak to sit up much. He has been poorly for quite awhile now and is very thin.

A Somber Christmas

2009-12-25T22:21:00.000-05:00

Saturday, December 25, 1926: We surely had to hustle to get ready to go to the cemetery. We went up as far as John Tippet’s and waited till they got out with the body. We had a sleigh and team. There was just the sleigh and our two cars at the cemetery. Mother staid at Aunt Annie’s. Besides Mr. Caille and the driver there were just us folks and Uncle Edd and Wilbur Bastians. We knelt and said the Lord’s Prayer at the grave. We then all went to Aunt Annie’s to dinner. They had planned on a Christmas dinner, so went ahead with it and it was very nice for us. Al started out right after dinner for home. Wilbur went along but intends to stop here on his way home. Win & Martha were at Aunt Annie’s to dinner also. Tresidders came up there this afternoon. They were expecting to visit with the folks but they had gone. Raymond Dittmar & Alta Waswund were married Thu. Dec. 23 at Pres. at Schapville parsonage.

Christmas Eve day was very icy in the morning. We all had hurried around to get ready to go to the funeral. A wreath of yellow christantumums came in that morning’s mail for the funeral. It was sent by Mary Potter. They were frosted. We had started about eleven and called at Aunt Annie’s. Uncle Dan and Aunt Tillie were going in town so mother rode with them. The roads were very icy but we had no trouble. We called at Nash & Bertsch’s Chapel and saw Uncle Thomas he looked quite natural but I think he looked thin. We then went up to Zimmerman’s to see the folks. Al got there at nine last night and Wilbur was coming this afternoon at 3:30. So they had the services at the Chapel at one. There were quite a few there. Roy & Mabel & Willie were there also. Uncle Henry & Aunt Lue, Uncle George & Arthur Schlichting. Quite a few folks to the funeral. After the services we waited around then went to train to meet Wilbur. After Wilbur saw Uncle Thomas, Al and his family and us folks started out and the hearse was to follow. When we were out to the fair grounds the hearse did not follow so we stopped and Len, Wilbur and Al went back. The hearse could not make Shea’s hill and as it was getting late, they decided they would bring the body out tomorrow at nine oclock with a team. There were several cars stuck on Ehler’s hills. One in the ditch, delaying us for sometime till they got out. Charlie Ehler had to pull some up with a team. Nancy, Geraldine, Aunt Rachel & Mother walked up the hill. But we had no trouble. When we got to Uncle Edd’s hill there were several cars that couldn’t make it again, but by several men pushing & etz they got up. Al’s & our car made it alright again, but it surely was a good thing the hearse didn’t get any farther. We had quite a time to get the fires going. All were cold. Agnes, Milton & Blanch came up that evening. Geraldine was to sleep with me. Aunt Rachel & Nancy in bedroom. Al & Wilbur in the parlour. We’re were all asked up to Aunt Annie’s to dinner Christmas.

The Death of Thomas A. Trudgian

2009-12-23T17:56:00.000-05:00

Thursday, December 23 1926: It is raining today and tonight, and getting very icy. I’ve worried so much about it raining. We swept and cleaned up the house. We didn’t bake anything as we bought bread, rolls and cake and etz. Wednesday Al, Nancy and Geraldine were to come back tonight. They were to leave out there after the funeral which was to be at two. I am afraid the cement will be very icy. Aunt Rachel will come with the body on the train at 4 oclock tomorrow morning. They will stay at Annie Zimmerman’s till the funeral.

Wednesday Dad, Ma and I went to town. Uncle Edd rode along in with us. Uncle Dan took Aunt Annie and Tillie. Tresidders were in also. All of us made funeral arrangements. Sullivan was to get Nash and Bertsch funeral chapel for the funeral. We got Rev. Brewster and Uncle Edd and John ordered the singers. He got Wallace Ford and Wallace was going to try to get Miss Eustice, Mrs. Bader and Herbert Dallyn. Mother called up Aunt Rachel to see for sure when they were coming and if the arrangements were satisfactory. She said they weren't going to have funeral here but that it would be all right. Tresidders came up this evening. Aunt Rachel said Wilbur and Anna was not coming.

Tuesday we had a card from Al saying he thought Uncle Thos was some worse. So we washed and Dad and Ma prepared to start for Waterloo on Wednesday. About eleven oclock Uncle Edd and Johnny came down to tell us Uncle Thomas* passed away that night. Al had called up and said they were going to bring him back to Galena Friday morning and Uncle Edd should see Sullivan and get the minister from our church. We hadn’t heard from Uncle Thomas on Monday. It was a nice warm day. Len, Dad and Ruby husked corn today. Mother and I made fruit cake and filled cookies. We staid at home all day on Sunday.

* According to the Records of Death , Black Hawk County, Iowa Thomas Alfred Trudgian (my great grandfather) died in Waterloo, Iowa on 12-21-1926 of Chronic Nephritis . Dr. W. Ellepson was his doctor and Peterson Brothers were the undertakers.

Winter Begins To Take Its Toll

2009-12-17T18:09:00.000-05:00

Saturday, December 18, 1926: We were busy with Saturday work as usual. Did not hear anything about Uncle Thomas.

Friday was cloudy most of the day. Cold yet, but ever so much warmer than it has been. At least we could keep warm in the house, so we did a small wash. Len went into town with feed. Thursday, Ruby & I walked up to see how the Aunts were getting along. It was very icy walking. We called at Tresidder’s to let them know about Uncle Thomas. It was warmer in the afternoon.

Wednesday was another terrible cold day. The kitchen window were frozen shut all day. There was not one bit of a sign of thawing. The dining room windows were also frozen. For three days we lived in solitary confinement. We got a letter from Al on Wednesday saying Uncle Thomas was in very bad condition. He has been out of his head all the time. He wasn’t sleeping hardly any day or night just a few minutes at a time. He was in the hospital from Sun. till Thursday and then wouldn’t stay another minute. Aunt Rachel was worn out. He ran away Sunday and went over to Metcalf’s with a bath robe on. Al scolded about Anna going away down to Arizona when he was so bad.

Tuesday was clear and very cold and very icy. We just couldn’t warm up the house. The kitchen window was altogether froze up both Tuesday and Wednesday. But it started to thaw a little Tuesday night. Len had thought of going to town but decided it was too cold.

Excitment in Galena

2009-12-12T14:09:00.000-05:00

Monday, December 13, 1926: It snowed some this morning an awful windy day and very cold. A very cold night. Yesterday we staid home all day. It was rainy most of the day, which made it icy getting around. That afternoon Mr. Fetter came. He wanted to us to take in a radio on trial but we didn’t let him. He had brought one along. He is the first agent we ever had on Sunday. In one way I guess it would have been alright. From here he went up to Fiedler’s.

Saturday, Len & I went to town in the afternoon. There was a big crowd in town. Officer Dwyer had ordered a very drunk man out of town. The man tried to drive out with his wife & baby. Officer Dwyer might as well committed murder as send such a dead drunk out of town driving a car. I surely expect to see the man drive right into a car or somebody. It was a terrible thing. It would be a lot better if Galena had no officers. I don’t see why the decent people of Galena stand it.

Friday we were all busy baking and ironing.

Thursday we got a card from Aunt Rachel{Trudgian}[the photo above is Thomas and Rachel with their three children - Alfred , Wilbur and Anna]. She said they did not bring Uncle Thomas home Wednesday night as he wasn’t able and that she staid at the hospital till ten and Al was going to stay the rest of the night there but as Uncle Thomas was sleeping Al went home. Uncle Thomas was some better in the morning.

Wednesday we washed. It was cloudy. Uncle Edd & Uncle Dan came down that evening to ask Leonard to help saw wood on Thursday. Uncle Edds got a letter from Aunt Rachel, saying Uncle Thos was very poorly and that he has in a sanitarium but they wouldn’t keep him as he annoyed the other patients.

Winter Has Arrived

2009-12-07T11:00:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, December 7, 1926: It was raining today turning into snow, loading trees and bushes with ice & snow. Luckily, on Monday, Len went to town with oats to grind. Dad, Ma & I went too. We took Aunt Tillie along to take a kiropathic* treatment. Roads are kind of rutty.

Friday had been a very nice day. It was a little too warm and the roads got soft. They finished husking shock corn. Ma & I were busy baking as usual on a Friday.

Saturday was rather cold, so we did not go to town. Then it snowed during the night. Sunday Len, Ruby & I went up to see the Uncles and Aunts in the evening.

*The Illinois Chiropractic Society (ICS) is an organization that represents the chiropractic profession in the state of Illinois. ICS was established in 1926 as a non-profit organization and is acknowledged in the Illinois Medical Practice Act of 1987. ICS works to promote and advance professional standards of ethics, education, training and quality health care for all of their members.

"I Say Thank You For The Music"

2009-12-01T11:39:00.000-05:00

Thursday December 2. 1926: It was quite a nice day. Dad, Len, Dan & Ruby were busy husking & hauling corn. We got a card from Aunt Rachel. Uncle Thomas is about the same. They had heard from Anna [Trudgian-Bates] when she was on her way to Arizona.

Wednesday was cold. We finished ironing. Dad & Dan husked. Len & Rub hauled in corn. Tuesday, Dad, Len & Ruby went to town in the forenoon. Dad & Uncle Dan husked corn, while we baked, ironed some & etc.

Monday we washed as usual. Uncle Dan came down that morning to husk shock corn. Len went up to R. Baus’ that afternoon to get the bull calf.

Sunday we all went down to Tresidder’s in the afternoon. The Aunts and Uncles were there also. We heard the new Atwater Kent radio* [see photo above] they had put in last Monday. It was very clear and nice. The best I ever heard. The roads were quite muddy that afternoon. Fiedlers were to church that forenoon in their new sedan. It was the second time we saw them with it, fear it got a bit muddy.

Saturday was a very nice day. That evening cloudy & chilly. Len went up to Ray Baus’ and bought a young bull. He wanted to get it next week. I put the heater on the car in the afternoon.

* Arthur Atwater Kent produced his first radio components in 1921, selling the do-it-yourself kits consisting of "breadboards" that could be assembled by early radio enthusiasts. In 1923 his firm started producing complete radio sets, using a facility on Stenton Avenue. In 1924 the company moved to a new $2 million plant at 4745 Wissahickon Avenue in North Philadelphia. This plant, constructed in sections, would eventually cover 32 acres (130,000 m2). In 1925 the Atwater Kent Manufacturing Company became the largest maker of radios in the nation. The company also sponsored the popular The Atwater Kent Hour, a top-rated radio concert music program heard on NBC and CBS from 1926 to 1934. The show featured top entertainment and became one of the most popular and acclaimed regular radio programs of the era. At its peak in 1929, the company employed over 12,000 workers manufacturing nearly one million radio sets. The plant itself was an architectural sensation and received hundreds of visitors annually. By 1931 the company boasted that it had produced over three million radios. source : Wikipedia.com