Thu 1. We made a dress for Katharine today. Went to Arvin Marshman’s to see an WearEver Aluminum demonstration by a young man named Gardner. It rained so very hard they brought us home in a car. I got three letters this week—one from Mrs. Johnson, one from Mrs. Walker & one from Mrs. Beck.
WearEver cookware was one of the first commercially available aluminum-based consumer products. Here’s an ad from a 1929 paper.
Fri 2. Have read all morning—Finished Peder Victorious by O.E. Rolvaag. It is a sequel to Giants in the Earth which I read last week. It rained so hard we drove south of town to see the high water under the bridge and in the field. It is over the grade east of the south bridge.
Ole Edvart Rølvaag wrote about the Norwegian immigrant experience. The second volume of the Giants in the Earth trilogy, Peder Victorious, had just been translated into English in 1929. In 1951, an opera based on Giants in the Earth won the Pulitzer Prize for Music.
Sat 3. Gerald’s birthday. Had him & his family over for a birthday dinner this evening. Had a chicken dinner—Katharine baked a nice angel food cake.
Angel food cake is a sponge cake made with egg whites, flour, and sugar. Very light and tasty!
Sun 4. Went to church & SS. Kept the children while Gerald & Miriam went to Mason City with Pete & Mamie—they got home about 10 PM. We drove to Eldora in the PM.
Mon 5. Rainy and cool.
Tue 6. Did a washing today—also cleaned the basement. Had a called WFMS meeting in the evening to plan a picnic.
Wed 7. Did not feel very well today. Did some mending & sewing. We made Betty & Peggy some pajamas today.
Thu 8. We are getting ready to start to Linnie in the AM. We are going to take Betty with us.
Emma’s sister Linnie (married to Gerrit Muilenberg), was living in Beresford, SD.
Fri 9. We drove to Beresford today. Stopped at Paullina to see Mr. Smith, a cousin. Also went by West Bend and visited the grotto built by the Catholic priest, Rev Dobberstein. Got to Linnie’s for supper. Bought 3 89¢ hats for myself, 1 apiece for Ruth & Katharine.
Road trip!
The Grotto of the Redemption, a religious shrine made up of multiple artificial caves depicting scenes from the life of Jesus, is believed to be the largest grotto in the world.
Sat 10. We all (except Gerrit) drove to Sioux Falls today. Saw Harry’s new office—ate dinner in the park. Had a fine day.
Linnie and Gerrit’s son Harry was a dentist.
Sun 11. Spent this birthday at Linnie’s. Went to church & SS in the AM. Had a lovely chicken dinner.
Happy 50th birthday to Emma!
Mon 12. Started home about 5 AM. Got here about 3:30. Ate supper at Gerald’s. It is Betty’s 6th birthday.
Tue 13. Washed & ironed today. Got the house to clean up for Nora’s pupils’ recital.
Margaret Manora, Tell’s sister, was a music teacher and performer.
Wed 14. Cleaned the house up this AM. Invited 21 folks for Nora’s pupils’ recital. Mrs. Oldham and Mrs. ______ [she left a blank space here] read and sang. Only a few came.
Thu 15. We canned succotash. Uncle Will picked beans last evening. Went to the shop Thurs PM to begin to decorate the truck. Made vines & roses while Katharine painted.
Fri 16. Worked at the shop at the truck all day.
Sat 17. Hubbard Day! John & Mrs. Roth came down today. Ruth & Betty rode on Daddy’s truck. It looked very pretty.
Hubbard Day is an annual celebration of the town’s founding—it sounds like they decorated Tell’s truck and drove it in a parade.
This week’s curiosity trail: While I was looking for information on Hubbard Day, an annual celebration of the town’s founding, I ran across a 1929 issue of The Horseshoe World, a publication of the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association. In addition to an ad for horseshoe pitching uniforms made in Eldora by someone called “Putt” Mossman, I found this story.
Sun 18. Old settlers picnic, with a Boylan get-to-gether. John S and friend, Jack Wickham & wife, Eugene Boylan & family, Gerald & family, Ruth Beck, Cal, John & Alice, Will & Daisey, Mr. & Mrs. Shimmerhorn and we ate dinner together. We saw Harry Chin.
The Old Settlers’ Society of Hardin County had its first picnic in 1882. Tell’s father, William Wesley Boylan, was one of the early settlers of Hardin County.
Mon 19. Ruth is getting ready to go with the two other Ruths to Ft. Dodge. Four Ruths will be together. Daddy & Katharine took them to Iowa Falls. I went to a committee meeting at the church.
In 1913, the year my grandmother Ruth was born, Ruth was the fifth most popular girl’s name in the US, behind Mary, Helen, Dorothy, and Margaret.
Tue 20. Today is washday. We had a big one for we have had company. I went to Bakers to a com. meeting.
Wed 21. Katharine & I did the ironing today. Then we sewed awhile. Went to Eldora in the evening.
Thu 22. Twenty nine years ago, I changed my name to Boylan. Katharine & I canned 15 qts of tomatoes “coldpak”. Sewed some and I went to Steward Board meeting. Ruth got home from her visit to Ft. Dodge. Went to prayer meeting—we four & John Lubenstein.
Happy anniversary, Emma and Tell!
Diversion #2: Canning. Here’s an explanation of hot vs cold pack, and an interesting history of the early days of USDA canning recommendations and research.
Fri 23. We drove to Boone to see Florence Stoll, a friend of Katharine. She was at Camp Hentesa. Had to leave that same evening. We then went to Dora Moore’s for supper. Sewed all morning.
Camp Hentesa is a summer camp founded in 1919 under the CampFire organization.
Sat 24. Had a busy time today getting ready & holding a picnic. About 80 attended the KH picnic when we entertained Alden K.Heralds. Had a steward board meeting at night.
King’s Heralds was the children’s organization of the Women’s Foreign Missionary Society. Emma was very active in WFMS.
Sun 25. T.E., Ruth, Katharine, and I went to Eldora today. Heard Rev. Smith preach a fine sermon on the court house lawn in the AM. Ate dinner with John & Alice. We took two chickens, dutch cheese & honey. Went to the cornerstone laying in PM. Former Att. Gen. Haversham spoke. Quarterly conf. at night. About 6 hours in church.
I’m always a bit astonished when I can dig up old newspaper stories about events Emma mentions.
Mon 26. We have spent a busy day—putting the house in order, sewing, and canning tomatoes. We will soon take out 15½ qt from the oven. One tomato today weighed 27 oz. It was 16¾ in around. Another 26 oz and 17 in around. The right of way for the highway past our farm was contracted for today. Dad is at a school board meeting tonight. Clara, Kenneth & wife called today.
Big home-grown tomatoes! Yum!
One more diversion: the highway! Turns out that the Jefferson Highway, a north-south sister to the Lincoln Highway, went right through Hubbard on its way from Winnipeg to New Orleans. There’s even a driveable Google Map.
Tue 27. We—the girls & I—drove over to Eldora today. Got a number of things for Katharine. Visited with John & Alice, Daisey & Will awhile.
Wed 28. I spend the greater part of the day at the shop and Daddy went to the Fair. The girls & I canned a bushel of peaches—26 qts “cold pack.” Gertie’s baby born today—10:25 AM. [This note was added later.]
I don’t have time for another curiosity trail! Google the 1929 Iowa State Fair, though…the “healthiest baby” contest, Baby Mine the Elephant, artist Grant Wood winning an award for a portrait…so many things to explore.
Emma’s sister Gertie (married to John Schieferstein and living in Oregon), had a daughter.
Thu 29. Katharine & I sewed today. Finished a lot of things. John & Alice came over for “tea”. The girls & I went to the Glee Club concert. Ruth has not felt very well today.
Fri 30. We canned corn today. Kept the girls while Gerald & Miriam went to the Fair. Had a business meeting of the WFMS at Rev. Rowley. 15 members—$270 raised.
Sat 31. We spent the forenoon packing, putting the house in order, and shopping. We went to Iowa Falls in the PM.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journal! See you next week for September 1929.