Fri 1. Ruth’s school is out today. We are invited up for a picnic supper. Fanny Reiks sent me 6 turkey eggs today and I have them set. Gerald went away this AM. The children ate dinner with me. Katharine thinks she will not be home for awhile.
Last month Miriam brought Emma some goose eggs, and now there are turkey eggs, too. Without electricity they would not have had an incubator, so it’s likely that they were placed in the nest of a broody hen.
Sat 2. We got things ready for Ruth’s picnic dinner today. She is going to Dayton—tomorrow.
Sun 3. Uncle Pete, Stella, Robert stopped for Ruth this AM. They will be gone all day. We took Viola Radley with us to SS. Had a flat tire. Ora ate dinner with us today. We stayed at home all day. Ruth got home in the evening. Geralds went to Whitten. Did not get home till 9 PM.
As you probably know by now, Robert Grooters was Ruth’s beau. Stella was his sister, and Uncle Pete was a brother of Robert & Stella’s father Gerrit. Peter Grooters was a Presbyterian minister.
Mon 4. Ruth was not well all day. I planned to wash but put it off.
Tue 5. Washed today with the gasoline engine. It surely makes a lot of noise and smoke. Ironed awhile with the gasoline iron which Robert brought down. Ruth started the two Reiks girls with their music today.
Wed 6. Got up at 4:30 & have managed to keep busy. Am going to iron with the gasoline iron.
Could not make it work.
Here’s a pretty entertaining video about firing up a gasoline iron. The one in the video made much earlier than this, but I’m guessing the technology is much the same.
Thu 7. We went over to see Mrs. Rogers about Ruth’s teaching in Buckeye. She thinks Ruth can get up a class.
Fri 8. Dad is still cultivating. Anvil Strausser is helping. Gerald will plow with the tractor for them. We had a nice rain today. Pastures are brown but it will surely help the oats & corn.
Sat 9. Today is Saturday. It is the day for the Creamery picnic. The morning is lovely. Have had a full day. Robert came down for dinner. He fixed the gasoline iron while here. I am so happy when it works. It is so hard to russle fuel. Ruth is getting ready to go to Scranton tomorrow.
Sun 10. We could not go to church this AM as the tires on the car are so poor and there is no spare. Yesterday was Gerald’s off day. We are so depressed over it. Robert and Donald came after Ruth today. They go to Ft. Dodge where Robert is to sing & Ruth play for him, then to the cottage for dinner and then to Scranton. Got our loan approved yesterday—it was cut $1000.
As you may recall, the farm was foreclosed and sold, but was bought by Tell’s brother John. He leased it to Gerald, who moved there with his family in 1932, and then deeded it to Emma & Tell, who have now moved out there as well after losing their house in town. They applied for a loan earlier this year to provide operating capital for the farm.
Mon 11. I went with Gerald & family to Point Pleasant last night to a children’s day program. Was surprised to have it end up with a wedding. Gerald Dreier and Emily Meeker. It was a very pretty ceremony. Mrs. Wardell spent the day with me. I washed. Got so tired.
I found their wedding notice in the paper. A little more digging revealed that they had a long marriage, with several children. He died in 1988, and she in 2000.
Tue 12. Today is the SS picnic. It is cool and windy. We took our dinner—Dad & I & the kiddies. Dad plowed.
Wed 13. Dad has been cultivating by the corn today.
Thu 14. A letter from K. came containing $5. Dad & I went to the Falls to look at a farm.
This is interesting…I can imagine that moving into the farmhouse with Gerald and family was not easy; sounds like they were already looking to find a different option.
Fri 15. Alice came over today and took me to town to pick cherries. We got quite a few. I had a card from Dale saying he would pick today. The Alumni picnic was held tonight. We did not go.
Sat 16. Robert came down today. He was going to Scranton after Ruth. She is not going to teach. Robert & Ruth were here for supper.
Sun 17. We went to church & SS today. The Wardles came out here for dinner & to spend the PM. Ora & Cecil came after us to go to church.
Mon 18. Alice came over today to meet Jessie Lindsay who came by bus today. She stopped for Ruth & me to go along. We got some more cherries. We went to town this AM—bought a cow if it tests alright.
Tue 19. Washday! It is some job out here! The water has to be brought from the well, the clothes from upstairs—the fuel has to be collected—and it is some job!!
Wed 20. Katharine came home today. She sent us a telegram which arrived after she did, or about the same time. Gerald, Miriam & Ruth went after her. We were so glad to see her and have her home.
Thu 21. Dale Knowles came out to spend the day. He helped Ruth make a tennis court today. Gerald has been plowing for Fred Reiks.
Apparently tennis became very popular during the Depression. Although courts were made of other surfaces as well, I’m guessing this was a grass court. In 1934, there was still some controversy at Wimbledon and elsewhere about whether it was acceptable for women to wear shorts when playing tennis.
Fri 22. Gerald & Katharine went to town this morning. Ruth went to a shower in the PM at Clarks. Bob & Katharine went too. In the evening Ruth went to Reiks to eat ice cream.
Sat 23. We—Gerald & I—went after some corn. Our hogs were out of feed. We got $1.70 worth of corn of Kenneth Vanpatter. Dad got caught in a hard rain. After he got in we all went to Hubbard for K’s trunk, but it had not come.
Sun 24. (Day to plant cucumbers for pickles.) Today the Gypsy Smith meeting began at Radcliffe. We had SS and then went up there for church. Edith Rash Robertson went with us. I cooked a hen & made noodles & divided with the family below.
“…the family below…” would have been Gerald, Miriam, and the kids. Sounds like maybe tensions were a little high!
Gipsy Simon Smith, also known as the “Silvery-Voiced Tenor from the Woods,” was one of a family of evangelists born in a gypsy camp in Epping Forest, England and converted to Christianity. His more famous cousin, Rodney “Gipsy” Smith, was an early member of the Salvation Army and credited with preaching to more people in history than any evangelist before Billy Graham.
Mon 25. I washed today. Such a wind and dust came up before I was through.
Tue 26. Katharine is making me a new dress. Ruth gave three music lessons today—five with Margaret’s and Betty’s.
Wed 27. Dad & Gerald are thinking of cutting oats.
Thu 28. It is a hot day. The oats are ready to cut. Gerald & the Clingerman boy are working at them.
Fri 29. K, R & I went to Eldora to look for a car. They want too big a payment down. John & Alice & Jessie stopped for a few minutes in the evening. My teeth have been bothering me. They make me sick.
Sat 30. We have worked all day. In the PM Dad & the rest of us went to town after the long-looked-for trunk. Katharine brought me goods for a suit. It is lovely.
And, postmarked on this date, another Poetry Post from Uncle Chris to Ruth.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for July 1934.