Sun 1. Betty, Peggy & Jerry are here. I let them go to call on their Grandpa Hough this AM. Took him some flowers, cookies and candy. Gerald & Miriam did not get in for them until evening. Rev. Wardle was away. Mr. Peterson from Ft. Dodge spoke in the AM and we had no church at night.
Miriam’s father, Clyde Hough, was a farmer, butcher, and grocer. Her mother, who died in 1904, was Lizzie Strother. There were several family interconnections, including a sister of Clyde’s who was married to a cousin of Tell’s.
Mon 2. It is a beautiful washday. Have washed and planted some dahlias. Wrote Katharine today.
Tue 3. Did my ironing and some mending this AM. Went to the Ladies’ Aid at Van Patters this PM. The IHC took their machinery out of the shop today. Mrs. Pierce and Pauline Kulsmeier called in the evening.
International Harvester Corporation was one of the largest US manufacturers of farm equipment. With little business coming to Tell’s farm implement shop, he would not have been able to make “floor plan” payments on the machinery that was displayed in the shop. Here’s an interesting article on the development of IHCs signature Farmall tractors during this era, and a picture of the F20, which was first produced in 1932.
Wed 4. Have been sewing for Betty today. Am to lead the prayer meeting tonight but it is raining very hard now. Mrs. Swallum called in the PM. Brought me a plant from Mrs. Below & Mrs. Dubberke sent me a bouquet of tulips. Betty will stay awhile.
Thu 5. Sewed for Betty today. Went to Eldora with Mrs. Mohler today. She wanted a driver. She was called as a witness.
Fri 6. Spent most of the day sewing for Betty. Miriam came in to wash. They were all here for dinner except Gerald. Ruth went to Ames with her class.
Sat 7. Have put the house in order. Finished a little pink suit for Betty. Made it out of Miriam’s—also made her a dress out of one of Ruth’s which was formerly Katharine’s. Ruth was sick all day. Betty went to KH’s at Guss Miller’s.
Granddaughter Betty was 8—the Kings Heralds was the children’s organization of the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society (WFMS), in which Emma was quite active.
Sun 8. Mother’s Day! Daddy wanted John & Alice over so they came for dinner. We took a ride in the PM. After the taking of our goods at the shop this week it was a hard Sunday but we had victory at Sunday School. Betty went home today.
Mon 9. Went to Geralds today. Helped Miriam make some garden. We planted 28 rows of potatoes and some other things. It looked like rain but it did not do anything. Was cold & cloudy. Gerald does not look very well. He is working pretty hard.
Here’s a guide to planting and growing potatoes.
Tue 10. It is cold again this AM tho’ the sun is shining. Ruth has academic tests today. Bunk! Rev. Wardle was here for dinner. Ruth got her picture today. Got one for me—a large one in a frame.
Wed 11. Spent the day at Geralds. Got a pretty dress from Katharine for Mother’s day. Went to prayer-meeting at night. Ollie M & Mrs. Hornung were there.
Thu 12. Spent most of the day getting my TO talk ready for Iowa Falls. Orie was in in the evening to have some help on his SS lesson. He plans to teach for me.
Fri 13. Have spent a busy day. Washed, went to a morning prayer meeting and an afternoon Steward Board meeting. Found the Lindberg baby dead yesterday. It was stolen two months ago.
There’s more information about the Lindbergh kidnapping in Emma’s entries from March 1932.
Sat 14. Have been doing up my work preparatory to being gone Sunday. Baked cookies, finished the ironing, etc. It is very warm. We drove or rode, Ruth & I, up to Iowa Falls with Howard Robertson. Had a new thrill—rode in a “radio car.” It was interesting to hear from Waterloo & St. Louis etc. as we rode along. We went to Grooters—Robert took us down town to shop (in the bus) and stayed over night. They are a fine family. They made us so welcome.
Here’s an excerpt from a history of car radio:
“In 1930, brothers Paul and Joseph Galvin developed the first commercially successful automobile radio. They named it the ‘Motorola.’ At $130 (equivalent to about $2,000 today), it was shockingly expensive. After all, a 1930 Ford Model A coupe or sedan cost around $495 to start.”
Sun 15. Ruth & I are at Grooters. We went to church & SS. I gave the TO address. Talked on tithing. Perhaps a dozen folks spoke to me about the message. They were very attentive. In the PM we went to hear Rev. Cannon in a Prohibition address. He is a Bishop I believe. At night we went to the Baccalaureate service at Zion church. Rev. Bitzer spoke. It rained so hard we asked our neighbor Delany to take Ruth—and he then came back for us.
Tithing is the practice of giving 10% of your income to the church. Here’s a little more information on the history and practice. The Tithe Offering address was a short talk given at the point in the church service where tithes and offerings are collected. Here are some sample tithe offering talks with scriptural references.
Mon 16. It is much cooler this AM after the rain. We had a lovely time at the Grooters home. Mr. Strother brought in a gal & a half of cream ready to churn. It took several hours before it was made & the work done. I went up to Swallums for a few minutes in the forenoon. Went out to Geralds in the evening as he has been sick. Took him some fruit, groceries, bedding and medicine.
Tue 17. Spent all afternoon out doors. This is Ruth’s last day of school except for one examination on Thurs. She got a lovely locket from Katharine, a purse from Ruth Beck, another from Rev. & Mrs. Muhleman, a silk suit of undies from Aunt Linnie and a bracelet from Cecil.
Wed 18. Went with Leo Robertson, Ruth & Ona to the woods after mushrooms. Went to prayer meeting at night.
Here’s some information on wild mushrooms in Iowa.
Thu 19. Ruth had to take one exam today. She is almost through. Agnes Samuelson is to give the address. Ruth got a lot of lovely gifts.
Fri 20. Baked some cookies today. John & Alice came over & stayed for Ruth’s graduation.
Here’s Ruth’s graduation program and final report card. The class motto—”Climb Though the Rocks Be Rugged”— seems particularly poignant.
Sat 21. Have cleaned up the house today. The children came in to stay all night.
Sun 22. John & Alice and Gerald & his family were here for dinner today. We went to church & SS. Johns & we drove to Radcliffe in the PM. They took the kids home today.
Mon 23. We did a big washing today. Miriam brought the kids in for me to take care of.
Tue 24. Have done the ironing today. Worked out doors some. Bob Grooters was down a little while. The three kiddies are here. Miriam is painting. Hester Chussy & her husband, daughter & a friend were here this evening.
Wed 25. Ruth went to Iowa Falls to visit Grooters for a few days.
Thu 26. The children are here. Keeps me busy, I believe.
Fri 27. The children are here as Miriam is papering.
Sat 28. Dad & I took the children home today. We went to the farm to work awhile. I washed windows, dishes etc. Dad worked out doors. After dinner we went to the Cemetery. Lyle, Lois & I went fishing. Was so tired. Miriam sent the children in & I had to get supper for all of them.
Sun 29. Rev. McDonald preached today as Rev Wardle was sick & did not get home from Wilton yet. Ruth got home from Iowa Falls. Petersons brought her. Bob & Estella came & we got lunch for all of them. Gerald & Miriam were in & after going to the cemetery they took the three children home.
Mon 30. Another Memorial day is over. I spent the forenoon mowing lawn & part of the afternoon in the garden. John & Alice & Ans drove over and we took some flowers to the cemetery. Bought a rooster for 4¢ per lb.
Tue 31. Dad was out at the farm awhile. He enjoys it.
From the Family Files
I found two interesting documents in the family archives. The first is a family letter from Tell’s brother John T. Boylan dated May 1, 1932. Along with his own letter he includes more excerpts from the old family diary that I talked about in the April 1932 post. I chose a few to give you an idea of what life in Iowa was like over 140 years ago.
Eldora, Iowa, May 1, 1932
Friday afternoon autoed to Hubbard and attended the Senior Class Play, “Sweet Sixteen” in which Ruth took the leading part. She certainly was a credit to the production. Staid over night; saw several friends; came home Saturday forenoon; stopped at the farm, saw Gerald and family and got some excellent milk. They are happy on the farm.
1880—Fifty-two years ago
Sat. May 1. Uncle Mose found a new baby boy this morning. —Nora
Mon. May 3. I started to school today. I have five studies. Addison Drake is our teacher. Very warm today. —Chris
Sat. May 8. Fifty two years ago [LH: this refers to 1828] grandfather and grandmother Boylan were married. Cooler, has been raining this afternoon. —Maloa
1881—Fifty-one years ago
Tue. May 3. Tell is now herding the cattle on the prairie with Elmer Gordon and Ed Lewison. We are having nice weather. It looked nice after the long winter to see a little green now. —Maloa
Thu. May 5. John came home this evening—he has been working for the Eldora Herald but has now taken a school near Union at 36 dollars per month. —Maloa
Fri. May 6. Mother took out 31 dozen of eggs all been gathered in a little over a week. Our chickens have commenced dying with cholera. —Maloa
I also found an article by John’s wife Alice, entitled “Motoring in Mexico,” that gives an account of an automobile trip from Brownsville, TX to Monterrey and Saltillo, Mexico, that was published in the May, 1932 edition of The Pythian Sister Tidings. Her byline is Alice M. H. Boylan, S.M. of F. Turns out she was the Supreme Mistress of Finance for the Pythian Sisters, a women’s group affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, a fraternal organization. Here’s a small excerpt from the article.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for June 1932.