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.

Winter is On Its Way

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.

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

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

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.

Basket Socials Still a Draw in Galena

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


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

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

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

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.

Happy Birthday Dear Lillian, Happy Birthday To You

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.

Wallpapering Again?

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

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.

Another Year Begins

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.