Lillian's Diaries Find Another Home

Lillian's Diaries" have found another home in The Book Worm at 110 S. Riverview in Bellevue, IA. The 3 volume series of diaries from 1913-1931 will be right at home in this quaint shops which also houses antiques, folkart, local art as well as new and used books. Hopefully "Lillian" will be housed in the Iowa history section as there is so much in Lillian's diaries about spending time in the Waterloo area visiting Uncle Thomas and Aunt Rachel Trudgian. You can check The Book Worm out at http://www.bellevuebookworm.com/.

Ancestor Helps Prove Genealogical Data

I am working on entering all my genealogy info on ancestry.com's Family Tree and have found a supporting source I had never thought of before. I am using "Lillian's Diaries: Whispers of Galena's Past" to add some of the "flesh" to people who I have statistic data on in my family tree and that Lillian has made diary entries of those same people that expand the person beyond just birth, death, marriage. etc. If you have the pleasure of having old letters or diaries/journals of your ancestors this might be a supporting source for your genealogy information.

The End of Volume I

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

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. ?

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.

Birthday, Church Service, Funeral

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.