Wednesday, April 22, 1931

Bertille baked molasses cookies, & Rosalia is shelling corn this morning.  Papa went out to Henry’s to help him measure for a milk house, he wants to make it in the back porch, they say its allright that way.  This afternoon Papa & Henry went to Belleville to get the lumber for it.  Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came up this evening for the euchre & dance given by the Y.P.L. in Kammlers Hall.  Bill Herzog & his brother Ray furnished the musci [sic], 10 games in Euchre where played Uncle Fred had 6 points & got a Jar of Honey Aunt Mary had 6, & got a pan & a lid, Bertille had 6 got a potato masher.  Rosalia had 3 points.  Wm. Sensels the assessor was here & sessed Uncle Fred’s property.

Wednesday, Feb. 4, 1931

Papa went out to the cemetery this morning, because they are going to start to plow it over today.  But we don’t want it done to our lots.  Rosalia fried down sausage this morn.  There wasn’t anybody at the cemetery today.  Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came up & then we went over to clean their place.  They were here for dinner.  We were just washing dinner dishes when all at once, we heard there was fire at Mrs. Deukers house.  So we all ran down there & fire was a blazing, the house burned to the ground & the shed & barn would of went too if they hadn’t called the Smithton Fire Apartment [Department].  The water was to scared or’s they could have saved the house.  They saved all the furniture down stairs, their clothing was all up stairs, that they couldn’t save.  Mrs. Ruhl just about went wild about it.  They stored all their stuff in Kammler’s Hall for the evening.  They were here this afternoon & looked at Aunt Mary & Uncle Fred’s place, it suited them allright but the rent was to high.  They went down to Barthel’s house, but the chimneys were condemned, so they couldn’t get in there.  Deukers was going to call Harold out & then talk it over with them.  Tonight they went to Walter Parrot in Red Bud.  Olivia Gregson & baby was here this afternoon while Lester helped to move the furniture.  This evening Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary, Henry & Leona & kids were all here.  The kids stayed at home with Papa, & the rest of us went to the dance down at Wiegand’s House.  Herzog gave it.  Bill Freund & Creses took Rosalia & Bertille along there.  It was a crowd there from all over.  They said there was about 500 people at the fire today.  Bill & Philip Freund was there too.  They were working at Ganleys.

Monday, Jan. 26, 1931

Rosalia was at church this morning.  Today is Aunt Mary’s birthday she is 54 years old.  We went out there this evening.  The bunch came and then they danced “what a time?!”  Lemonade and cake were served.  They left at 12 o’clock.  We got our invitation for a dance down at Wiegand’s house next Friday night, Clem Parker & Aaron Papenberg are giving it.  It sure is a heavy fog this evening.  Talk is out that Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary had a farewell party tonight & Feb. 1 they are going to move to Hecker.  Adam Eckert rented the Kaiser farm east of Hecker where Joe Herzog is now living.  Christ Buehler intends to rent Mrs. Threfall’s farm.

Wednesday, Sept. 17, 1930

We washed bed spread today & cleaned the backyard.  Philip Meuth from Jake Neff’s place in blackjacks was here this morning, he said he didn’t want our leghorn springs, he could get them cheaper some where else.  Mike Armstutz was here this afternoon a little while talking to Papa in the field.  Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary was here this evening, from here they went to a dance at Fred Weber’s barn.  Annie Herzog invited them to come over, they were going to celebrate Joe Herzog’s birthday.  We found 21 eggs today.  I seen in the paper that Victor Metze, son of John Metze and Miss Florence Crook, daughter of Cora Crook of Belleville will be married soon.  Last week Leo Metze had his marriage license in the paper.  He married a Horn girl.

Thursday, Sept. 11, 1930

Rosalia & Bertille had house cleaning upstairs today.  Washed curtains.  There was a man here this morning wanted to know if we had any wells or cisterns to clean.  We sent him off.  Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary were here this morning.  He wanted to get some jack to raise the house a little.  Aunt Mary said there was just such an awful crowd down at Wiegands, they took up collection .25¢ a piece.  They took in $9.00 and some cents.  Bill Herzog, Lawrence Schultz and another fellow, furnished music.  Ted Eichenseer’s were cooking apple butter today.  Rosalia took 5 doz. eggs to the store & got .25¢ a doz.  I noticed in the paper in Hecker news that, Adam Eisenhaver and H.M. Hill were called into probate court at Belleville Sat. to testify as witnesses to the last will of Benhardt Buss.  George Gambach dug a new well on his premises.  There is about 5 or 6 ft. of water in it.  A St. Louis baseball team arrived here Sunday & showed Hecker boys how to play ball by defeating them with a score of 7 to 2.  Hurrah! for St. Louis.  Charles Boll is the oldest man in Hecker.  He celebrated his 82 birthday last Sunday.  Mr. & Mrs. Roy Kunz are the happy parents of a baby boy born to them last Tuesday, Sept. 9.  She was formerly before marriage, Miss Marie Rausch of Hecker, Ill.  They now live at Smithton.  Clifford Sthaleber [Stahlebher] was over a little while this evening.

Wednesday, Sept. 10, 1930

Aunt Mary called up this morning and said we should come out they had company from St. Louis.  So this afternoon we went out there.  Mr. & Mrs. Val Adams & children Ellen & Eugene & Mrs. Frank Dudenhoeffer from St. Louis were there, but they couldn’t stay very long on account of Val had to start work at 5:30.  We had lunch out there.  Uncle Fred & Papa sawed our barrel in two after the company left.  Tonight is a dance down at Wiegand’s place, Herzog & Schultz is giving it.   Herzog wants to advertise his music, we have an invitation but we ain’t going.  Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary went.

Friday, August 8, 1930

Papa & Rosalia took a load of wheat to Red Bud this morning & got .82¢ a bu. for it.  Today is Mrs. Ronenberg’s birthday.  They are to have a surprise party tomorrow night.  It is also Mr. & Mrs. Adam Eckerts wedding anniversary.  Last Monday Mr. & Mrs. Fred Doyle got a little boy.  They now have 2 boys.  I seen in the paper that Mr. & Mrs. Joe Klingler have a little boy.  Papa & Rosalia took another load of wheat to Red Bud this afternoon & got same price.  Papa got his watch repaired, cost him $1.00.  Papa brought a fish along this morning for dinner, it sure was good.  It costs .30¢.  It rained this evening, a little shower.  Herzogs are moving Bill Herzog today & tomorrow.

Sunday, August 3, 1930

We all went to first mass this morning.  Today Bill Matzenbacher and Viola Bestmann are getting married.  They are going to have a wedding dance at Oak Grove this evening.  We all went to the dance.  Roy Staunbiel & family were all her this afternoon, they was here for supper.  Mr. & Mrs. Edgar Herzog furnished the music for the wedding dance.  They received quite a few presents at the hall.

Saturday, August 2, 1930

Today is sales all over again, Smithton, Red Bud, Waterloo, Burksville.  Papa was talking like going to Geoddelman down by Red Bud.  Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary were here a little while this afternoon.  Papa didn’t buy anything at the sale today.  This evening we all went out to Cleveland’s dance, we sure did have a good time, there were so many people there.  Dan Geodelle & Gus Geodelle, Bill Herzog furnished music.  Lemonade, cake, beer were served.

Thursday, June 12, 1930

Papa went up to Jake Neff’s this morning and when he got there Ed was still in bed yet so after awhile Ed came down here & him & Papa went out to Henry’s & got his team & went up in the woods to haul posts.  They came back at dinner time.  Ed was here for dinner.  Papa went out in the woods this afternoon again.  Rosalia planted some beet seed, radish & beans this morning after the rain.  We washed & ironed, patched today.  There were 3 fellows here this morning that goes around demonstrating washing machines, the Maytag’s. They wanted to see Papa, but he was out at Henry’s or rather up in the woods.  This afternoon there was a man by the name of Herzog from Belleville here.  He wanted to fix up landscaping.  But we didn’t want to do it, so he left.  This evening those washing machine men came here again & then Papa was at home.  The Misses Lela & Ethel Denker & Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary were here this evening.