Who is L.S. ?

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.

Dad's 1st Birthday Party

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.

Off on a Road Trip

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

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

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

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

* Any idea what a clan meeting was?

Life On The Farm

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

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

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

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

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

Even Death Waits On Galena's Weather

"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.