Wed 1. John & Tell went to Marshalltown to see about getting a car spring but did not find one. Tell had to telegraph for one after he got home. He saw Mr. Meade who wants him to sell life insurance. I baked pies and cookies & did up the other work. In the afternoon I wrote Mrs. Shower, Miss Malen, Aunt Kate and Katharine. Bought some towelling.
My curiosity about Tell’s use of the telegraph led me to this 1936 book on the history of the telegraph, telephone, and wireless, in which the last chapter, “In the Palace of Aladdin,” talks about the latest developments, including the shift away from tapping out messages in Morse code (which is probably what they were still using in rural Iowa) to the use of teletypes and automatic printers. I found this tidbit irresistible:
Thu 2. Alice & I are canning a few beans & peas today. Dad & I went to prayer meeting in Eldora tonight. Had a pretty nice time. Had some ice cream afterward. Dad went to Marshalltown again today. He did not want me to go so I staid at home. Dad thought he would go to Des. M. but didn’t.
Fri 3. Dad brought me over to Mrs. Robertsons today where I ate dinner & supper. She asked Mrs. Buchan to come over which she did. We had a nice visit. I came over to Mrs. Mohlers to stay all nite.
Sat 4. I was at Mohlers all day. Lotties was here for dinner & supper. We picked raspberries, slept, studied the SS lesson, looked over beans & visited. Had a nice time. It has been very hot. Weighed 168½ today.
In March 1934 Emma noted that she weighed 179.
Sun 5. Am going back to Eldora today. Ate dinner at Mrs. Leibensteins. Had a lovely dinner & visit. We went to the Baptist church at night.
Mon 6. I got up about 5 & ironed. Did not get it all done so finished it after breakfast. Mr. Meade came and spent the afternoon with us. He wants us to sell life insurance. We do not know what to do.
In this period before Social Security provided some level of financial security for old age and/or the loss of a breadwinner, life insurance was one of the most common ways people created financial security. According to this article, it was considered a safe investment for a family of limited means; some policies allowed people to take loans against their insurance, and there were also provisions for disability payments.
Tue 7. Today and for several days it has been pretty hot—up to 98° and higher 117° was reported at Le Mars. Alice & I called on Mrs. Near this evening. We also called on Chris Cobles. She gave me Margaret’s address at Daniels, Wyoming.
After record cold in February of 1936 (when Emma and Tell were in Oregon), July of 1936 was a month of record heat through the upper Midwest, plains, and Great Lakes. About 5,000 deaths were attributed to this heat wave. Here are daily temperatures from nearby Omaha.
Wed 8. We went to Hubbard today & ate dinner with the Swallums. Betty & Peggy came on the early morning bus. We brought Betty with us & came to Denison. We stopped a few minutes in Glidden. I spent several hours at the court house getting a drivers license. The examiners were late. I was happy to get it. We gave up the trip to Marshalltown. Drove to Denison. Got here about 6:30.
Thu 9. Denison. I did a washing the first thing this AM. Dad, Betty & I all needed things. It is terribly hot. Did not do much but sit around on account of the heat. Florence thinks she would like to have Betty. John has been sick-ish.
Fri 10. Dad & I drove over to Glidden this morning. Stopped for dinner in Carroll. It was terribly hot. 104 at many places. We talked to Mr. Waldron at the bank but he knew of nothing for us. We plan to move into Miss Malen’s house if nothing else turns up. John was sick last night & today. In the evening Tell was worried over his traveller’s checks. Lost one. Phoned Eldora but did not find it. I found it in my work basket while he was down town. Was he happy! Betty went to the pool with Lehmans in the evening.
With the exception of an American Airlines air travel card that had just been introduced, credit cards did not exist in 1936. Traveler’s checks were one common way of protecting one’s funds while traveling. While they are still sometimes used in international travel, they have largely been replaced by credit and debit cards and other forms of digital payment.
Sat 11. It is another hot day. I am up & so is Dad. Everybody else is in bed. We heard from both Katharine & Ruth yesterday. I wrote them today. Heat is still unbroken. Bought me a new dress today—black with white dots. Florence got Betty a lovely new bathing suit. Betty went to the pool again this evening. We all went down to watch her. She is unafraid!
Betty, the oldest daughter of Gerald and Miriam, would have been almost 13. Here are some 1936-era swimsuits.
Sun 12. Betty, Dad & I are still in Denison. We will probably be here this week. We have had ten days of heat—98 to 104—Terrible! Betty reminds us so much of Katharine.
Mon 13. We are still visiting at Denison. We are furnishing the eats & I am doing the cooking. It is so hot. 111° here today & no rain yet. Betty seems quite contented here. Do not know whether she will stay here or not. I am hungry for a home. I cannot stand this way of living much longer. We have been back here nearly six weeks & nothing more in sight to do than when we came.
Tue 14. Betty & I have been sewing today—I made her a dress out of one of Elaine’s & she has been making an apron. It has been terribly hot here today—112° by the Gov. Thermometer. They say there is only a 50% crop of corn now. We are hoping it will be possible for Katharine & Ruth to see each other this summer. We can think of no other way than for Bob & Ruth to drive out here.
Wed 15. Denison. Today we have washed and ironed and has it been hot!! We sewed awhile too. I am so anxious to find a place to call my home. I can hardly wait.
Thu 16. Another hot day. The corn is almost ruined. I do not know what our future will be. I get so tired & discouraged. Dad’s arm is better for which I am thankful. He does not seem at all well—he’s down a good deal. We drove to Mapleton tonight. It was a hot ride. Got a letter from Gladys & a card from Ruth today.
Fri 17. Another hot day. We cleaned the house in the morning & sewed for Betty in the PM.
Sat 18. Betty & I baked cookies etc. In the PM we had a good sleep. It is so hot. At night Florence & I took Betty down town. I bought her a two pair of shoes. Betty—buckle .10, shoes 2.00, shoes 2.00, teeth pulled 1.00, swimming .16
Sun 19. We went to the ME church, Betty & Florence to Pres. Florence had to sing at a funeral at Charter Oak. Got a nice rain today.
Finally, a break in the weather!
Mon 20. Denison. We called up the folks in Miss Malen’s house yesterday so as they are leaving today we plan to go over there. Florence will try Betty out. Johnnie Meyer & his wife & two babies were in Miss M’s house. They left about noon. Rev. Johnson the ME preacher is taking them out to Smiths to stay during his vacation. We began putting our things to rights. We stopped to see Margaret a few minutes.
Finally…someplace to stay for at least a little while.
Tue 21. We are here in Glidden for awhile. The hardest thing here is the washing. Have to do it on a board, but I did a good sized one today. We planted some beans, carrots and lettuce, also a few hills of cucumbers today. Mrs. Leonard was over for awhile this PM. We plan to go to Eldora soon. Got a card from John today.
Wow! The first day in the new house and they’re already getting a garden going.
Wed 22. It was lovely & cool last nite. We had a good sleep. Wrote the children yesterday to come here for our re-union. This is the day Gerald gets out if he gets his money. We drove to Eldora today. Stopped awhile in Hubbard. Saw Gladys. Went to Eldora & staid all night with John & Alice. Loaded up our belongings ready to start early in the morning. Stopped to see Margaret at Ragens.
In last month’s installment, Emma learned that Gerald was in jail for 60 days for forging a check.
Thu 23. We went to Alden via Iowa Falls. Had dinner with Mrs. Johnson. Drove to Glidden via Hubbard. Got home about 5 PM. We were invited to Leonards for a SS class party. About 30 were there. We had a nice time.
Fri 24. Have been busy settling, putting things away etc. Went to the Ladies Aid meeting at the church basement. About 30 there. We were pretty tired tonite. Got a letter from Ruth today. She wants us to drive out there.
Sat 25. Another hot day—it was 105° today. I kept busy—cleaning, ironing, sewing—I made me a new house apron today. Did some other sewing. I am so glad to have the use of a machine. Got a letter from Miss Malen today.
Sun 26. A letter from Linnie says Rachel & Gertrude will be there Tuesday & for us to come there. We may go today.
Mon 27. Today we washed & ironed getting ready to go to Beresford. Rachel & Gertrude are to be there tomorrow. We will get up to start early.
Rachel was Linnie and Emma’s sister-in-law, married to their brother Charles Troutman, a linotype operator for the Government Printing Office, and living in Washington, DC. Gertrude was their youngest child and only daughter, and would have been about 8 years old at this time.
Tue 28. We got up a little before 2 AM & got started to Beresford about 2:30 AM. We got to Beresford about 8 AM. We found Rachel here. We are so happy to see her. And Gertrude is more marvelous than we had any idea. Harry & Mildred were down here this evening.
Wed 29. We are having a lovely time. Harry called up & invited us to come to Sioux Falls for dinner. We—Linnie, Gerrit, Rachel, Gertrude, Tell & I went up in our car. We had a lovely time. Called up Boyd Knowles and he & his wife came to Harry’s to call. Staid till after we left which was about 11 PM.
Thu 30. Rachel expects to go back to Washington today and we are going back to Glidden. We came as far as Denison today. Florence prepared us for the fact that John thought they could not keep Betty. Thought it was too expensive. So we will probably take her home with us tomorrow. Betty & I got supper & did up the work. Florence went to the Kiwanis club.
Poor Betty! Her dad has been in jail and she’s bouncing around between relatives’ houses.
Fri 31. We decided to bring Betty with us to Glidden. She feels pretty sick. Did not care to get out at Carroll where we stopped and bought a washing machine. Paid $15 for it. Think we can sell it for that or more when we get ready to. Tell started to work on the house today. Katharine will likely get home next Tuesday & Miss Malen on Monday. The Leonards left this morning for a vacation. Left some milk, butter & tomatoes for us.
Special Treat: A Family Cookbook
A few weeks ago I posted a calligraphed recipe from a cookbook that Katharine made for the family in about 1990. I’ve been working on a project to recreate the cookbook to share with family and friends, and just finished putting it up on Amazon. As a tribute to Emma’s granddaughter Bobbie—my mother—who you will meet in Emma’s journals before too long (and who just celebrated her 85th birthday), the Kindle version of the book is free to download for the next several days. You’re welcome to share the link with anyone who might enjoy this family treasure.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for August 1936.