Friday, Oct. 6, 1933

Papa is discing corn ground, with Roy’s horse & kids brought it here. Liesce Lumber Co. stopped, inquired the way to Bill Heyl’s. Bertille got the mail, received an invitation card to come to Ruma to J. Merycouth [sic- Myerscough] dance at the hall, wedding anniversary dance. Mrs. Dalkert passed away Oct. 3. buried this afternoon. Harold Hellmer & Bertram were published 1st time.

Sunday, July 30, 1933

Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary where here for dinner, lunch. It is rather warm again today. We went early to church, had a blow out coming home close to Chas Helfrichs, changed tires & came on. Fred Papenberg got a new chev & Oscar Birkners a used Ford, all close cars. There must be some thieves around Hecker, Hugo Probst got $10 stolen, Wagners got all the ripe & green plums stolen. Lester Gregson moved from the Gambach place to his own that he bought on East Main St. & Mr. & Mrs. Willie Gregson moved in Gambach property. We had our first roasting ears corn for dinner. The pallbearers from Aunt Lizzie where, Emil Brand, Ben Schilling, Hy Eichelman, Edwin & Willie Reheis, Fred Wiegand. The Heyl’s relatives have basket pinic [sic] at the Round Prairie Park, in honor of Mrs. Kessler from Alba. The threshing crew of Oscar Klotz’s have chicken bouilion, at Sam Krehers woods. It is in the paper that Lavern Koerber 23 & Irene Neff 21 where married at Red Bud by Rev. Stern in Catholic parsonage, Mary Havey & Paul Neff where attendats; last Wed. Roller skates & bicycle riding is the latest in Hecker at present. Mr. Rettinhouse is very bad expecting to live only couple days. We have 2 qts tomatoes canned so far, Mrs. John Reheis has 28 qts. & ain’t near finished yet.

Monday, April 24, 1933

It looked cloudy, so we didn’t wash, papa plowed the orchard. Steve came over & told us that Abe Heyl was here yesterday & looked at our pigs, Ab came this morning again, but they was to small for him, so he got some from Bill Geodell. Knappe stopp [sic] a little while this morning. Mrs. Hosto of Smithon [sic] is getting buried this afternoon at 1 o clock, to the church & from there to Summerfield; quite a few from here attended the funeral. Papa altered our 5 little pigs. Bert took 6 doz. egg off got 9¢. Clem Parker & Papenberg where here invited us to come to George Parker’s barn dance, Elmer’s birthday 19 yr. old; cake & water where served. Henry brought a calf up this evening, he said Floyd has the measles.

Friday, April 21, 1933

Jonny Krehre’s [sic- Kreher] had a dance last night, celebrating Authur [sic] Schaefer’s birthday which was yesterday & Mrs. John Krehers last Mon; we have no invititation [sic]. Mr. George Boll & Karl where here got a fat hog, to butcher today; it weighed 242 lbs. & $3.50, $8.45 all cash. Papa went to Red Bud & bought lumber for corn crib, & coal 4 bus. 2@17½¢. & dried skim milk. Rosalia & Bert went out to Henry’s got some oats & helped in the garden. Mr. & Mrs. Louis Goessling of Waterloo have a little baby girl, they just have a pair. Omer Schilling has a birthday dance advertised, for Apr. 29 Sat. at Oak Grove. There was a diregible [sic] flew over this morning right low. The other day there was an airplane landed near Valeymeyer [sic] on Schaefer’s farm, & burned up. completely, 4 persons all from Arksasas [sic – Arkansas], the remains where taken to Wagner & Herman funerl [sic] home. Miss Alberta Heyl, Albert’s daughter is switch board operator in Waterloo now, taking the place of Miss Marie Gentsh who is taking the place of Ruth Olendorph, who recently on Easter Sun. got married to Morris Binder also working at the switch board. A Sign was put up in West end Hecker today saying “Road Closed.” It rained all night.

Sunday, Feb. 26, 1933

Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary stayed awhile then left, they brought Lonie along up to church. Gilbert is sick, got fever & ear ache. Fr. Aydt said this morning, they ain’t sure if they can have the play tonite or not, because Lee Gregson was here praticing [sic] last nite & when he got home, they had to call doctor , he had 104 fevers. There where 2 fellows here looked at our mules this morning. Bolstead from Burksville. Our 3 hens hatched last Thurs. 28 chicks, we put them in basement & we set 3 more. We went to Waterloo this afternoon to Heyls Hatchery, chicks are 7¢, then we went to Luhrs Hatchery at New Hanover, & priced them there & seen all the little chicks he has there. We stopped in at Henry’s on our way home, & Frank & Gusta Dudenhoeffer & Lester Herfurner & his family where there from St. Louis, & also Gus Geodelle’s. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came here, then we went along up to see the play “A Path Over the Hills” at the School Hall, Adm. 25 reserved seats 35¢, there where a lot of reserved seats, & the hall was just packed, some standing, just filled up, the Red Bud Junior Orchestra played the musci [sic]. The players in the play where Joe Griffin, & Pearl, Vic & Rosalia Braun, Anna Marie & Agnes Parker, Edgar Wittenauer, Lee Gregson, & Alb. Coop, & a girl from Pickneville [sic], took Bessie Parkers place, in the afternoon they had a boy from there to because Lee was sick, but he played pretty good. Vic Braun & Anna Marie where negroes.

Tuesday, Feb. 14, 1933

St. Valentine’s Day, & turning cold again, rain & sleet. We got a bottle of bluing today by mail from so Co. got the Chicago Mail Order catalog. There was a fellow around & brought a bottle of medicine good for everything. Rosalia took a dose after supper. Henry Armstutz was here this morn. There was a guy around delivering Freedman Bros. papers sale. Red Bud & Waterloo are giving euchres this evening, but it is an awful bad nite, so we didn’t go. Ironed & quilt today. Mrs. Schenider called up & wanted setting eggs, but we haven’t any right now. The hard road is awful slick, there was a car turned over in front of Ed Parker’s, & Vic Braun & Paul Neff turned over in Smithon [sic] at Siebert store, they where coming home from St. Louis. Ralph Rausch turned over with his lic. [ed. note: unclear] Willie Heyl’s boy is being buried this afternoon at Waterloo.

Sunday, Feb. 12, 1933

Lincoln’s birthday. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary where here awhile, they told us to come out there for dinner, so we went out, chicken dinner & supper. We heard the 11 o clock mass over the radio; & some popular tunes from 1926 etc. Willie Heyl’s boy of Waterloo, got killed some time last night, by a train, he was 12 yrs. old. The Ladies Aid are giving a euchre, pinochle & lotto party in Kammler’s Hall tonite. Rosalia & Bertille went up to Mamie’s & then we went to the euchre, Bertille was the only one of us that got a prize, 9 point got a pair pillowcases. Rosalia had 6. Mamie 8. Uncle Fred 7 & Aunt Mary 8, but they didn’t have no more prize.

Friday, Feb. 10, 1933

It is a year ago today that Mrs. Ed Neff died. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary where up all day for dinner & supper, she helped to quilt. Mr. John Hepp 75 yrs. old resident of Hecker, for a few months was buried this afternoon, with ceremony at the house & taken to Stehefest cemetery, the bell tolling as they left the house. Eggs are 9¢ in town today. Mr. Arthur S. Budde passed by here today, most probably he was out at the cemetery, the paper has a big piece about it, she shot herself while seating in a rocking chair in the parlor. Dr. Smith & Mr. Budde where the only one present at the inquest, it was private. It is snowing this evening. Mr. Barney Deken of Waterloo, died Feb. 6, aged 74 yrs., was buried Wed. morning; his wife nee Geodelle, her first husband was Henry Brueggman & he passed away just 25 yrs. ago on Feb. 6, same day as he died. Tiptown congreation [sic] is giving a euchre & pie social next Mon. evening. Mr. Alfred Kohler & Miss Margaret Wiersham where married at Harrisonville on Feb. 8, Wed. morning, the attendants where Armin Wierschem brother of bride & Anna Marie Parker cousins to groom, he is the son of Alvanna Kohler of Waterloo, just relatives attended. Mr. Henry Schrader was operated Tues. morning in East St. Louis. Mr. & Mrs. Albert Heyl & children & Mrs. Henry Fenere left for Alabama last Sat. to visits at the home of E. J. Brand, & Dr. Kessler, they arrived safely after covering 525 miles, a most pleasant trip.

Tuesday, Jan. 10, 1933

We fried down bacon, sugar cured meat. Steve Rennecker came over & collected his telephone dues, $1.50 including drop tax. Steve cut all of his trees down in front of his house. George Wagner hauled them away for firewood. Papa went over awhile. George & Joe Wactel was also there. The Democrat man from Belleville called out to Hills to get some information to put in the paper today on Hecker Default State Bank, about the wreath that has been placed there; in front of the bank door. Mrs. Hill ordered some cottage cheese from Ben Heyl’s they sell it 15¢ pint. Mrs. George Wagner put a quilt in the frame this morning, Mrs. Rennecker helped, Mrs. Watchel also helped to quilt on it this evening. Jerome Cortner was to see Uncle Fred’s but they wasn’t up here, they where at Chris Buehler’s, who is pretty sick, he didn’t come over here. Wagner told him that they wasn’t up today.

Saturday, Dec. 31, 1932

Josie Keller came here this morning a little bit & called Heyls, then she went on down she was invited there for tonite New Years Eve party & it is Ben’s birthday, she intends to stay till about Wednesday. Papa got crushing done this morn. Geo. Schilling says Ben’s in bed this morn. & so is Levi Ganley. There is a sign put in front of the bank door again this morn, made of cedar, a wreath, & on a board, remind that another year past bank closed, just 2 years. Mr. Wm. Reagean & son where here on business. Mrs. Geodelle called up for Rosalia to come out there at Henry’s now, because she wants to go home with milk driver this morrow morning. Henry & Floyd where up but not outside yet today. There was a little shooting go on here in town awhile, shooting the old year out & the new in.