Grandma Pfaltzgraff's Journal - March 29 - April 4

 29 - We did our wok & then went to Lyman & sold 1-1/4 pounds of butter for which we bought 1/2 gal of vinegar & 25 cents of soap.  Then we went to W. Eppelsheimers.  Mrs. gave us some soap.  They had the pink eye so we didn't stay very long.  We came home by the way of N. Fishers & the car ran back down the hill fur us there.  But we finally got home alright.

30 - We stayed home today & tatted & we left Hazel outside a while & she was so happy to be outside.  She just rand back and forth & then she sat on the walk awhile to rest & she put one foot up on the other knee & folder her hands & then she would pick up a dry weed & call it a flower.  She called fence posts & trees & everything flowers.

31 - We did not hear from Fred today so we hurried our work.  Done by 4:15 & went to Griswold to get the mail & got a letter from him telling us when to meet him.  I was almost frozen when we got home.

April 

1 - We went to church this morning.  I slept neatly all afternoon.  There wasn't any service at church in the evening so we took a little ride & then stayed home & went to bed early.

2 - I got up at five o'clock & finished tatting a hood.  I was at & then I went to get Frederick from Atlantic.  The car worked good all the way.

3 -Wilma & I cleaned the cellar today & Frederickwent to Griswold after some freight.  Mrs. Dolch called.  She asked Fred to preach the funeral service for the Walter's baby.

4 - Today O.D. Funke & Laura Knoke & G.F. Kuester & Elda Weaver came here to the parsonage to get married.  After that was over, Della & Frank Knoke & Harold Schuler came to practice for the funeral.  I sang with them.  We practiced a while then left for the funeral.  I went with Knokes & Fred went with Harold Schuler because it was raining so we couldn't go in the car.

Grandma Pfaltzgraff's Journal - March 1 to 28

 March 1917

1 - Fred went calling all day.  Mrs. G.P. Schuler and Bernice came to see me & stayed all evening.

2 - Fred went calling & Mrs. Wm. Epplsheimer came to see me & Mrs. Ed. Fisher & Leora. (Laura?)

3 - Fred cleaned the church & tried to fix the lights but could not & then he tried to thaw out the pump but he could not.

4 - Fred & Laura went to church.  Della Knoke came in & stayed until evening.  Mrs. Dolch & Emma came over in the afternoon.  They all went to church in the evening so I was alone.  Martha S. came down to see me before church but when I got to the door she was going up the road again.  There was a man there today that wants to teach music & singing for us for 2 weeks.

5 - Fred went to Grant and made some calls.  He calle Ed. Fishers & Wm. Birgs & J. Wasmers & Geo. Rose's. In the evening the young folks came to the school house to practice singing.  Beulah & Viola Weaver & Mary & Roy Rothe & Fank Knoke came in a few minutes before.  There were not very many there so they dropped it.  Fred stayed here with me.  He can never know how much I appreciated that.  Laura went.

6 - Fred sowed the hot bed & set the incubator & a hen.  Fred & I played in the evening.  

7 to 18 - Laura Eppelsheimer stayed with me until the 18th of March.  We did some sewing.  Fred was very busy collecting the benevolences for Conference.  Hazel is feeling just fine.  I did some crocheting & tatting.  Then on Sunday the 18th Laura went home.  We had quarterly meeting, too.  

19 - Fred helped me do some of the work.

20 - Fred helped me again & then went to Atlantic to get Wilma.  I stayed here.  It was almost eleven o'clock at night when they got here.

21 to 24 - Fred finished up his work.  Mrs. Go. Rose visited me one evening when there was a congregational meeting.  Fred got the car all fixed up so we could run it when he was gone to conference.

25 - I went to church for the first time again.  It seemed good to here Frederick preach again.  Hazel was pretty good.  I went again in the evening.

26 - I took Fred to Atlantic today.  He got a new spring coat.  We washed before we left.  We were almost there then Wilma finished.  When I got home we sprinkled the clothes & did the chores.

27- We did the chores & the ironing & the chickens started to hatch.  I brought some of them up into the house & Hazel was tickled over them.  She just laughed & laughed & threw kisses at them & petted them & everything.

28- We finished the mending & went to Grant to give me Mr. L.C. Schuler the auto license money to send in for us.  We washed the car when we got home.

Grandma Pfaltzgraff's Journal January 31 - February 28

 January 31 - Fred when to Henry Schuler's this morning after the mill and stayed there & talked until 3 o'clock then he came homd & went over to Knoke's. This is about the longest day I ever passed I guess.  It was 9:30 when Fred came home.

February 1 (1917) - fred stayed home & worked at the car & found that it needed repairing.  In the even he read "When A Man's A Man", to me.  I finished my pin cushion top.

2 - I started to work at an apron for Wilma's birthday.  It is a little white one worked in pink with a pink crocheted edge.

3 -  Laura did up the Sat. work.  I worked at that little apron.

4 - Today was very stormy so we could have no church.

5 - Laura planned to go home today but the other girl did not some so she will stay with us this week.  Fred called at Rudig's today.  H.C. Schuler's baby is very sick.  Fred went to telephone meeting this evening.

6 - Laura washed clothes today.

7 - I am still in bed.  Laura called up her mother today & asked them to come 7 get her because she had a sore throat.  Such a baby, she cried all morning.

8 - Fred got Laura E. last night & Mrs. Rose visited me in the afternoon.  Today Laura E. ironed.

9 - Hazel burned her little hand.  I picked her up & rocked her so she would stop crying so I could bandage her hand & she started to sing "Bye, Baby! Bye Baby!" (This might possibly be Hazel's version of "Rock-a-bye, Baby.") when she was half crying yet.  Fred has the quincy ? he got it & was in bed yesterday and today so I stayed up these days.

10 - Laura did all he work & she left the pump in the kitchen freeze in so Fred got up and thawed it out which made he worse.  I was up today, too.

11 - Fred got up & sat in a chair by the stove.  I read "The Girl Of The Limberlost" to him.  He liked it fine.

12 - Fred was up today again but not able to go to church.  Laura went.  I played the piano quite a little.  Walter Eppelsheimer's family came to see us today.

13 - Laura E. washed.  Fred was worse & me too.

14 - Laura ironed a& then her mother called up and wanted her to come home because they butchered & Della got sick so Blanche Rudig came.

15 - Blanche did the work & got worse so Fred got up & I went to bed.  Mr. J Schuler came up & did the chores.

16 - Mrs. Rudig came up today & put Fred to bed & got me out.  I got very sick.  She put hot packs on Fred made of oats & he couldn't bear the smell.

17 - I got up today & laid on the foot of the bed.  The doctor came several times to see Fred.

18 - Today Fred got up.  I was up, too.  Blanche went to church & then home.  Mr.s E. Eshelman & Vivian & Mary &  Roy Rothe & Alice came in from church to see us.  I got an awful weak spell this afternoon.  Mrs. G.P. Schuler & Mrs. Walter Epplsheimer came in to see us but I couldn't see them.

19 -  I was some better today.  Mr. & Mrs. V. G. Weaver came to see me this afternoon & then Mrs. Rudig came in & wanted to take Blanche away to work for her sister in Grant.  I got very weak & nervous again.  Mr. R. Came up in the evening & brought a chicken.  Fred went out a little today.

20 - Fred went to Grant today to get the repairs put on the car.

21 - Fred went calling today.  Blanche did the work.

22 - Fred went to the sale today at F. C. Saemisches.

23 - Fred went calling.

24 - Fred cleaned the church & in the afternoon he went to Miller's & Sothman's.  Blanche went to Grant in the evening.  Mrs. W.L. Eppelsheimer from Griswold called on me this afternoon.

25 - Fred & Blanche went to church.  Laura E. came in a minute before church.  Mr. Rudig came up & stayed up with me in the evening.  Fred took Hazel out for a walk after dinner.  Laura K.came in to see me a minute.

26 - Fred helped Blanche wash today & then dug out the hot bed & filled it in again.

27 - Fred got Laura E. today again & took Blanche home again.  Blanche ironed today.  I went Wilma that apron for her Birthday.

28 - Fred went called.  I started to crochet & showed Laura E. how.  Mrs. Knoke came to see me.  Laura E. went to a farewell party on Saemisches.

Grandma Pfaltzgraff's Journal 1917 - January 21 to 30

 1917 January    

21 - It was very cold today.  Martha staid home with me in the forenoon & in the evening.  There wasn't any services.

22 - Martha washed clothes today & I cut out some quilt blocks for her.

23 - I started to crochet some lace for a dresser scarf for Fred's Mother.  Fred called at Emil Pilzer's & Gus Kuester's.  Hazel was a very good girl all day.  She sang so nice for me (in her own way).

24 - Today Frederick did not go calling.  He pressed his clothing in the morning and after dinner Mrs. Dolch came over to visit me.  She brought a lot of spare ribs.  Then Fred went to a wedding of George Berg to Maud Hully.  Her cousin was married today, too & they said he wanted Fred to marry him too, but they did not know both weddings were to be on the same day until it was too late.  It was after ten when he got back.  The wedding was in the evening.  they sent a beautiful rose & some sweet peas & some ice cream & cake with him for me.

25 - Fred called at F. C, Saemische's & Kritzberg's & H.Epplehem's.  Then came home.  I finished crocheting some inserts for a dresser scarf.  Knoll came from Audubon to give his lecture on the "Common People" this evening.  Rev. Bogen from Ross brought him in his car.  They stayed at H.C. Schuler's. Mrs. Fisher & Grace & Laura & Arthur came in a while to see me before the lecture & Ella Sothman did too & she brought some beautiful flowers.  2 red rose buds & one pink one & one white one & a red carnation & a white carnation and some ferns. My sweet pea just looked lovely with those ferns & flowers.

26 - Today Fred called on Mrs. Henry Eppelsheimer & then went to F.Schuler's to see if we could get Laura to work for us.  Martha did up the Sat. work.  I started to crochet a top of a pin cushion.  Laura S. is coming to work for us for a week or so.  When Fred went to Lyman today he met a strange girl who is looking for work.  She is staying at H.L. Nettys.  We are thinking about getter her.  Marth has to go home & sew.

28 - Fred & Martha went to church. Mrs. Henry Eppelsheimer died last night.  Orville Funke stopped here for dinner today & after dinner he took Fred & Henry Schuler over to Eppelsheimers.  I did not feel a bit good this evening.  I got very nervous while they were gone to church.

29 - Fred took Martha home & Laura Schuler came to work for us for a week.  This afternoon Fred called again at H. Eppelsheimers.

30 - This afternoon was Mrs. Eppelsheimers funeral and Laura went.  She had to sing & frid preached on "Ther is but one Step between me and death."  There was a large funeral yesterday.  They opened the outside door in here and then they penned Hazel out because it was too cold in here for her & she clasped her little hands & cried so hard because she couldn't come in to me.  this morning when they prayed at the table she folded her hands & shut her eyes.  She is just start to talk now.  she says "boot" for book when we pick her up she says "up a day" & she brings her dolls to us & says "see e bitso baby: for little bits of baby.

Grandma Pfaltzgraff's journal 1917 - January 1 - 20.

 1 MONDAY 

Mother and Father 7 Little Girlie & I went to a church to New Year's service to hear Frederick preach & then had election of S. S. Officers.  The same ones were re-elected.  Then we went to H.C. Schuler's for dinner.  Hazel and Geneva had a big time about 4 o'clock.  We returned. I drove he car with Mother & Hazel.  Then Fred took Mother to Mother Miller's & I stayed with Father and Hazel at home & got supper.  We had sweet potatoes & other potatoes - chicken fry & gravy & dressing - celery & Nei Yahrs' breaids & cake & papa said it was good.

2 - Father & Mother were busy packing their suitcases & got dinner & packed them a lunch 7 then we got ready to go to Atlantic (Iowa) to see them off.  We were very lonesome to see them go.

3 - We went calling.  We called at Aug. Millers & Chr. Bros. & Ella Sothman's school & Henry Martens, Simon Sunderman & H. L. Nettzs & then came home to prayer meeting.  There were about 21 out.  H.C. Schuler led & we had a blessed time.  after whch we had a S.S. teacher meeting.  I got my old class again.  "Somebody" wants some of my scholars.

4 - We went to Taylor County.  They were very glad to see us. The roads were very bad south of Vilised & was almost sick on the way home.  I got so hungry & Dear Frederick got some cheese & crackers for me.  My it was good.  I can taste it yet.

5 - Today we went calling again and we were at J. Wasmers for dinner & then we went to call on L.C. Shulers.  Mrs. was sick in bed with the rheumatism & then we called at Mrs. F. C. Samisches who was at the hospital in Grant & had one operation & then at Chr. Fishers & Wm. Bergs & Geo Roses & Ed Fishers.

6 - Fred helped me with the housework in the forenoon & In the afternoon cleaned the church.

7 - We went to church & for dinner we went to Knokes & and in the afternoon we came back & went to church again in the evening.

8 - Fred & I washed clothes.  

9 - I ironed clothes and in the evening we went to Mrs. Knokes to baptize her little boy.

10 - We went to Wm. Epplesheimers for dinner today.  They were frying down sausage & I helped make sausage rolls & they gave us a big piece of beef when we left.  Also called at Franks.

11 - Last night we had prayer meeting but I had to stay home with Hazel becaus of her earache.  Today I finished ironing.

12 - I was very weak all day today.  I did not eat no breakfast or dinner & so Fred thought I ought not to eat any supper either & stary my milk diet so I did.  Today Fred called at Mrs. F. Miller & at Sothmans - Martha S came along to work for us.

13 - I was quite sick today so Martha had to do all the Saturday's work.

14 - I went to church & taught my class & went again in the eveing.

15 - Today Fred went calling & Martha & I canned some beef - 9 quarts of it.  Fred brought home some meat & flour & cream of wheat & sauerkraut & sausage & jell from the people he called on today.  He called at Mr. Bickings & Mother Nau. & George Bicking.

16 - I stayed in bed with the diet.  Fred called at Kreitzbergs where we was for dinner & at F.M. Schulers where he was for supper.

17 - Fred called at F. Sundermans & Old Mrs. Sunderman.  I read & wrote letters.  This evening was prayer meeting.  I was here all alone.  I was very nervous.  Thay had election of officers too so it was eleven o'clock when they got back.

18 - The missionary society met at Mrs. Chas. Sundermans.  There were not very many there.  Frederick was there & from there he went to Mr. Pelzers & called there.  In the evening we made out an order for garden seed.  I started to dress one of Hazel's dolls.

19 - I finished dressing Hazel's doll.  Fred went calling today.  He called at Bourchs but they were not at home so he went to G.P. Schulers for dinner & then to W. L. Eppelsheimer & E Millers.  F. C. Sarmisch sold their farm to H.C. Schulers & L. Rudigs.

20 - I started to dress another one of Hazel's dolls & did some crocheting.  Fred cleaned the church in the forenoon & in the afternoon went toGrant.  Beulah 7 Neva Eppelsheimer & Bernice Schuler came to see me this afternoon.  We looked at pictures & everything.  Time passed so quickly.  George Berg asked Fred to preach his "wedding sermon" next Wednesday.  There's where I miss some more good things.

Grandma Pfaltzgraff's journal June 10 -

 Continued from previous blog post -

& they came on the noon train to Atlantic all together & Harold Schuler went to meet them in their big car.  Then that evening were services & also the next day Bro. Kimmel preached in the forenoon & in the afternoon he dedicated the church & then we gave him a lunch & he left for Atlantic so as to be back to his work again on Monday & in the evening Bro. Faust preached & we had communion services & the next morning he left.  Mother & Father stayed with us yet.  Then we had very much work still with the Xmas programme.  One of the committee refusing to help put the load on me.  But God always helps his children when they are in need & so finally it was over with & pronounced a success & then came Xmas at home.  Fred hurried home after the services and lit our little tree & then after a while we came &then such a time Hazel was so tickled over her tree she would look at it & clap her little hands & then she would carry nuts & candy & apples to Grandpa & the rest until she had our arms & hands filled.  I must write down some of the things I go for Xmas from Fred - a clothes rack, a sweater & cap, a cameo pin, a post card album & buttlerfly slippers from Mother & Father, a dress (blue serge skirt & tube silk waist), a dust pan & milk strainer & from Fred's folks a yoke for a nightie & a handkerchief from Florence & from Wilma & from Leslie & Salome 5 or 6 kitchen holders & clothes pin apron & from Herb & Elsie a lawn apron & Laura G. a handkerchief & from Mrs. Bourck an apron also dress for Hazel & Laura Knoke a box of stationary & Della K butter plate & Mrs. Rudig a little H and bag & from the W.M.S, a beautiful corset cover yoke from Mrs. Sumisch & utility case from Mrs. H. Nau. & apron from Ms. N Wasmer & handbag - Mrs. Dinsmer & Glove box - Mrs. W.L. Epplesheimer & Blue silk dress for Hazel from Mrs. G.P. Schuler.  Then other presents I got were a kitchen apron from Aunt Eva & also picture and dresser set from Martha Sothman & pennant from Ella Sothman.

    The next day we had Xmas dinner at Dolches.  There were others there also.  Father and Mother stayed with us until the 2 of Jan.

Grandma Pfaltzgraff's Journal May 28 - June 10th and beyond

 May

28th -We all went to church there was a big crowd there.  We went to Rothe's for dinner & after dinner they went to A. Rothe's & Mother Naus.  In the evening we went to church & a storm came up in the middle of the services.  So they had to dismiss the people.

29th - Fred took Bro. Faust as far as Knoke's & then Frank took him with a team to Griswold & Fred solicited for the church.  I stayed home and crocheted.

30th - Fred & I went calling.

31st - We went calling.

June

1st - I stayed home & started to get ready for the picnic.

2nd - Fred 7 I did up our Sat. work in the forenoon 7 in the afternoon went to the programme at the church.

3rd - Fred went to Griswold to get mother & Florence & Carol.  They came on the early train.

4th - We all went to church morning & evening.

5th- We washed clothes & were all thru by noon.

6th - I ironed some & did a little mending.  Fred went calling.

7th - I did some more ironing & Fred went calling.

8th - I finished the ironing & did some mending & went to W.M.S. at Novel Wasmer's in the afternoon.

9th - I did up the Friday work & in the afternoon did some mending.  The little tots practiced at the church & some of them came down to play with the baby.  We practiced singing for Children's Day in the evening.  The painters finished giving our house the first coat of paint.

 10th - This is our second wedding anniversary & we celebrated it by working hard all day.  Fred went to Lyman and Griswold & washed the car & some of his clothing.  I did up the Sat. work & in the afternoon I rested & I canned 8 qts. of priplant & one of strawberries.  Last evening Fred brought us some fresh meat from Kreitzberg's & some strawberries from H. Nare's a lot of priplant from H. Eppelsheimer's & Today Esther Schuler brought us some strawberries & some nice fresh butter.

From here on I cannot tell all the things as they happened but perhaps I can get down a few of the most important ones.  After Fred's mother went home we were very busy.  Fred solicits for the church nearly every day until the money finally was subscribed then the building commenced.  They boarded here & after the basement was dug, the carpenters began & for 5 weeks we had from 3 & 4 to 6 carpenters.  Emma Knester worked for me.  The the plasterer & painter took their meals here & then when the finishing work began & then I had 4 men steady for about a month. Doing my own work & housecleaning besides.  It was a rush because of such a late start from the beginning to the end & then the dedication was the 17th of December & the painter had dinner with us yet the 16th on the 16th Bro. Faust & Prof.  G.B. Kimmel of Naperville came to dedicate the church.  Mother & Father came also to be with us.