Tue 1. Bob got his check today and we went to town to cash it or get $50to pay on the note. I went to see Mrs. Fifield about Missionary work. Ruth & Bob were here for supper. Bob went to PTA. Ruth stayed here. Ann came over to ask Dad to run the station till Sun.
I am guessing that this was a service station of some kind, as it apparently required Tell to be there for long periods of time each day and appears to have been open on Sunday as well.
Wed 2. Raining this AM. Dad is over at the station. I am churning today. WFMS meets today. Ruth & I had a nice meeting at the church today. We went in to choir practice at night.
Thu 3. I went over to Ruths today. Fixed a cupboard and a wash stand. Was very tired.
Fri 4. We canned a few bottles of catsup & grape juice this morning. Ruth came over for dinner & drove back alone. She was too sick to go to the banquet at the church. I went in with Bob to help make the salad.
Sat 5. Dad & I went in to look at a house for rent. Got the stuff for Ruth’s salad for the teacher’s party. She felt better & decided to go in. Dad has been taking care of the station since Tuesday morning. I will be glad when Ann gets back.
Emma and Tell moved into the Rainbow Ranch on the Redwood Highway in April 1935, with Tell agreeing to try it out for six months. It’s been six months now, and it sounds like they won’t be staying.
Sun 6. Dad did not get to go to church & SS this AM as he still is keeping Ann’s station. We—Bob, Ruth & I took in the two Williams kiddies. In the PM Mrs. Woodward called. She wanted help in the Jerome Prairie SS but of course we are all tied up. We all went in at night. John & Gertie & Louise & Mary Lou White were out in the late afternoon.
The search for Jerome Prairie led me to a site that has scans of old maps and atlases, and I found these images of the Grants Pass area from 1932. They show a lot of detail, including property ownership. With a little more digging I might be able to figure out the exact location of Tell and Emma’s place. (And you can see Jerome Prairie in the lower left of the map.)
Mon 7. Ruth came over and brought her washing. We did it by hand. Ruth & Bob gave me $8 to come to the meeting. Pearl & George came in to see if we had moved out yet.
Tue 8. Came up to Salem today with Mrs. Isham to attend the Columbia River Branch meeting. Miss McAdams met us and drove me up to Bernes. Had a nice dinner. Berne came home. I wrote Tell a card.
Berne was one of Tell’s brothers. He lived in Salem, about 200 miles north of Grants Pass. They would have driven up U.S. Highway 99, which was nicknamed “Oregon’s Main Street.” Here’s a little history of this highway, which was decommissioned in 1966 after the completion of U.S. Interstate 5.
Wed 9. It does not seem possible that I am here. It is a lovely morning. Berne brought me to the church. The organ prelude is on. Have attended the meeting all day. Betty & Elizabeth went to Corvallis tonight. Berne came after me.
Here’s a story I found about the meeting, which was a regional gathering of the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society. It mentions missionaries to India who were attending—I found the picture in the family files and wonder if it might have been taken at this event.
Thu 10. Foggy. Hope Tell is not too lonely. Going to the church. Attended all day. Invited Elizabeth to attend the banquet with me. So glad she could be there. Had a fine time today. Got a letter from TE (Tell Emmet).
Fri 11. Berne again took me to the church. Have had no bus expense. A car brought me home. Am glad I came to the meeting but I am tired. Another letter from Tell tonight. Betty went to Portland. Am enjoying the radio!
Sat 12. This has been an eventful day. Elizabeth “gave” me a permanent. I went down about ten and got back about 2 PM. I am so happy to have it. It has rained nearly all day. I got a bit sick today but am feeling better tonight.
Sun 13. Berne, Elizabeth & I went to the ME church to hear Pres. Baxter. He preached a fine sermon. We then drove to Portland to eat dinner at Edgar Densmans (a lovely dinner—Edith Hickam Densman). We drove home—to Salem. Got there at 8PM.
Dr. Bruce Baxter was the president of Willamette University, a private liberal arts college founded in 1842 as the Oregon Institute to educate the children of Methodist missionaries serving in the Oregon Country. It is the oldest college in the western United States.
Mon 14. We got up this AM & Betty came with me to the train. We came on the bus as Berne had to leave early. I had a nice trip home. Rode awhile with Mrs. Davis & then rode from Drain with Mrs. Isham. Bob & Ruth met me & Ruth got supper for us all. We went to bed early.
Tue 15. Had a lot of dishes to do this AM. Ruth came over and staid for dinner. Tell went to town. Got the cream check ($3.25). Gertie came home with Tell & staid till evening. Bob & Ruth are planning to go to town. We all went in to town. Car went wrong & we had to leave it in town. A Mr. Carter brought us home.
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Wed 16. This has been an eventful day. Dad went in after the car. Nothing wrong with it. Needed a little adjustment and some gas. We came over after Ruth. Got the check from Katharine, so paid the gas bills and the electric bills with enough left for most of the rent. We are going in to the choir pot-luck supper tonight.
Thu 17. Ruth & I went to the Womans club this afternoon with Mrs. Coke. Heard the book “Honey in the Horn” reviewed and then had tea. Got some books at the library. Bob & Ruth came over in the evening. Dad was so tired he went to bed early.
This debut novel by Harold L Davis is a coming-of-age story set in the homestead days of Oregon. Honey in the Horn is the only Oregon book to have won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
Fri 18. We wrote Katharine today. She is faithful in writing to us. Ruth came over and we washed. I made some grape jam. We are planning to have Gertie & John and family out on Sunday. It will be Gertie’s birthday. Mr. & Mrs. Woodward called in the evening. Asked us to help at Jerome Prairie SS.
Sat 19. Ruth & Bob were here nearly all day. We went to town to get some feed. We also got some things for the dinner tomorrow. We invited their whole family out for dinner tomorrow as this is Gerties birthday.
Sun 20. We all went in to church & SS this morning. We brought Gertie & the children out. John & Johnnie will come out. We had a nice dinner. Dad walked home. We went down to the river awhile. I did not go in to church tonight. Wrote a letter to Eunice Andrews. They said my SS class had dedicated a hymnal to me.
Mon 21. We got the first pullet egg today. Old hens are moulting. Got a report today that Babe our cow is a-re-action to Bangs disease & must be sold. We took Bob in today to the teacher’s meeting. Went to Linendolls and got some pears. Went over to Rericks to get some beans. They are nice. Gertie took us to see Will Rogers in Steamboat Round the Bend.
Bangs’ disease, aka brucellosis, is a bacterial infection that can spread rapidly and be transmitted to humans. In cattle it can lead to spontaneous abortions, decreased milk production, weight loss and infertility. In 1935 the US bureau of animal industry was conducting a disease control program with widespread testing and compensation for owners whose cattle tested positive and needed to be killed.
Steamboat Round the Bend, directed by John Ford, was the last movie made by Will Rogers before his death. It was released posthumously a month after he died. Here’s a short scene from it.
Tue 22. We took Bob in and got our cream check today. Did not get an egg from the pullets and only one from the old hen. No mail! We went over to Ruths today & Dad did a little carpentering. Ruth is having the SB tonight at the parsonage. I am reading “The Hunted Woman” by James Oliver Curwood.
Published in 1916 and set in the Northwest Canadian wilderness, The Hunted Woman is the story of a woman looking for her [dead] husband or proof of his death and encountering dangers among the outpost camps and railways. You can read it free online here.
Wed 23. Ruth came over this morning. After dinner I went home with her and we canned tomato juice & made cookies. We paid Geo & Pearl $17.00 on the rent today. Promised to help in Jerome Prairie SS next Sunday. Hope we can sell Babe for $25.
Thu 24. After dinner I walked over to Ruths. Dad came after us and we all went in to a church fellowship supper which turned out to be a shower for Ruth & Robert. It was put in a little wagon with a placard on each side—Iowa to Oregon or bust. A lovely lamp (floor), pillowcases, dishes, towels, holders, double boiler, pans, etc. etc. were their gifts. It was a delightful evening. Babe not sold yet.
Ruth mentions this shower in her memoir of their wedding and honeymoon. Here’s a vintage double boiler that is probably very similar to the one they received.
Fri 25. We did not go any where today. Ruth came over in the car. Then we took her home. Saw all her lovely gifts. The man did not come to look at the cow.
Sat 26. Bob & Ruth walked over for breakfast & stayed till after dinner. Bob drove over & home & Dad walked over to drive the car home. Bob set up the stove.
Sun 27. We drove over after the children & went to SS & church in town. In the PM we all went to the Jerome Prairie church to SS & heard Mr. Harris preach. He told the story of the man who saw “Go Pin“ the sky. It was funny. Ruth & Bob went to town to a concert. In the evening we all went to town. Dad slipped away to hear Burke. It looks now as tho Bob might be moved.
Mon 28. Dad went over after Ruth. I wrote a letter to the Ft. Dodge women who wrote me from St. Louis. Dad went over after Bob & we all went to Burke’s meeting. Bob left to go to a teacher’s meeting. We waited an hour & a half at the Redwood for him. We took them home after church. Today is Katharine’s birthday. She has been sick but I hope she is better now.
Tue 29. We plan to go to town today for our cream check. We hope to sell our BD cow. Geo. & Pearl were here last night. They want us to move out. Sold our cow today. We went to the Burke meeting at night. Robert sang.
Sounds like the month is ending on a low note. Even though it sounds like they had decided not to stay on the property, it puts a whole new spin on it when the landlords want you to leave! Here’s hoping for better things in November.
Wed 30. Almost the last of this month. Babe had to be sold. Has the “B” brand on her jaw. We will get about $41 for her. Will pay it on the note. We plan to go in to wash today. Ruth went in to the teacher’s meeting. Dad & Robert came in to practice.
I believe they bought Babe from the landlords when they moved in. Fortunately the Bangs’ disease eradication program provided some compensation to them—in today’s dollars this would be about $900.
Thu 31. Spent the day drying clothes. Did not go to town. We went in to hear the choir from S. Cal. It was very good. Robert was sick & couldn’t go.
