1926 April 5th Monday

Cloudy and oh so cold for East wind nearly froze us as we left Dave’s at 7 a.m., got gas at school and left at 7:30 a.m. via John Neiss’s, started to snow after we left Neiss’s and took Louise to school at 9:45 a.m., home here, nearly froze and the ground covered with snow in a short time. Menz’s stayed for dinner. Ed, Rena, Edward & Charlotte here and went on to O’Kreek for the night at Pete Haukaas’s. Mr. & Mrs. Wm Welch came and brought our potatoes and got eggs, and William & he went to the store. Fred Menz came for his car which was out of gas. William & George Chihak who came last eve to help with work took lunch in Menz’s car to Louise. I made butter and cooked but we are all in from the trip.

1936 April 5th Sunday

Snow fell in night and some in a.m. I got meals and laid down awhile after I roasted a chicken and made pop-corn balls, for the men went to store and around at Furrey’s and home to eat at 3 p.m. We ate a light lunch in eve. I still am all in with pains in back and have a cold in head and a sore throat. The men chored and finished early eve to listen to radio.

1946 April 5th Friday

Not so pleasant but bright and was cool. I got eats but Will had a cold so he just managed to chore in morning and looked at cows as they may calf now, laid in bed so I lay down also and gave Will orange juice, bacon and eggs late p.m. My eats just cereal, toast, poached eggs, boiled potatoes, orange juice and prunes, milk to drink. I played solitaire, listened to radio and read some. Van Epps are at their place repairing fence and cleaning house. Will looked at cattle in eve but did not do chores.

1956 April 5th Thursday

Bright, nice day, was warm in p.m., had to take off coats coming from Valentine via Mission where Athel got 3 lamp chimneys at Abourezk Store, also a loaf of bread. Athel came in their Pick Up and drove our Mercury via Mission to Valentine. Met 7 repair trucks for R.E.A. as a lot of electric lines down all over this territory. We had dinner at Home Cafe on 20 South of Valentine. Will had his eye fitted to glass and Mr. Frank Coburn had taken information to get deed from Helen Swagger Holtman, Norfolk, Nebraska, for her land in our pasture. Athel and I got groceries, a hat for me and some drugs and batteries for flashlight and lantern. Saw Bud Whiting and he said to tell his folks to have meat boxed to take to freezer at Vanderheiden Storage south of 20, also our meat to go along. Stopped to tell Sadie but she had to wait until Bud got home to see about things. Chester fed cattle, and 12 calves came and twins this morning. Helen and Elaine at home and took Darryl and David and Jimmie to and from school.

1926 April 4th Sunday

A cloudy, very cold Easter, in fact outside one nearly freezes. Jake’s family, several school girls and Dave & girls at Dave’s to-day. We went to a very nice play in the eve and at Dave’s for the night after a very cold day and all are sleepy.

1936 April 4th Saturday

Some clouds and a few flakes of snow, a north wind and clothes Will hung out on line froze but he brought them in, in eve. Will got in water, turned machine and wringer and rubbed dish-towels. I rubbed the colored clothes, got meals but still have pains in my back. Lemoyne and Thomas hauled 2 loads hay from North Strids.

1946 April 4th Thursday

Bright, nice day after snow of yesterday. I got meals, laid down in p.m. Elsie, Billie and Mr. E. Van Epps came. They walked down, for W.D. came in car to feed cattle. Elsie helped with dinner and she washed dishes. They then went home. Men and Billie gave cattle cubes and fed calves in p.m. Will fixed S.W. corner of wheat grass fence. Van Epps brought mail.

1956 April 4th Wednesday

Sun shone so snow is melting and was warm so snow settled. Ellen brought some in so I got enough to wash dishes. Chester got drinking water at Thomas’s in Jar for them and us when he took Darryl, David & Jimmie to school. Chester cleaned out gate going to wheat grass. Athel came in Pick Up to bring milk and to see when Will will go to Valentine to have glass for eye. Ellen up and Elaine in p.m. Vere cleaned shed and Chester helped, also they fixed fence. Will rested and played radio and walked a few times, made him tired. I got eats and laid down in p.m. and played solitaire and read some.

Chuck Lucas sent the following postcard (circa 1927) showing cowboys who may have been going to a rodeo with a car loaded with their saddles. If anyone can help to identify the people in the photo and/or location, please leave a comment or drop me an email. Click on the photo to see a larger image.

Also, Chuck’s father, Ken Lucas, was a partner with Howard Lamoureaux in calf roping at the local fairs and competed with Clint Anderson’s horses in the Roman races. If anyone has any photos of Ken riding/roping or competing in Hippodrome/Roman racing, Chuck would like to hear from you (either leave a comment here, or email and I will put you in touch with Chuck).

1926 April 3rd Saturday

Bright forepart of day but clouded middle p.m. and got cold and late eve spitted some snow or mist. Glen McEachran went home with horses. Will & William fixed fence west of the barn. Louise finished her dress and I dressed 6 chickens to take to St. Francis then finished on my dress. Will waited patiently for Menz’s to come, they came at 3 p.m. and Louise, Will and I left for St. Francis via Tom’s and car balked so Mr. Clarence Wheeler who was helping dig a well west of Clausen land helped fix but the trouble caused us to stop at Mr. John Neiss’s and we got warm and Mose Marshall pulled us up the Rock Creek hill and car trouble punctured tires, got to St. Francis at midnight and slept on floor at Dave’s. John Kirwin, Paul Meyers and Joe Gordon family there. William at home.

1936 April 3rd Friday

Sun shone but clouded at 4 p.m., was cold and N.E. wind. Will got breakfast, for these days I can scarcely move for pains in right side of my back. I got dinner and supper and not much else but laid down in p.m. Will went to Whiting Store and Tom went along to Mission where they met the highway board and bid to maintain roads and Will was home before supper. LeMoyne and Thomas chored and hauled 2 loads hay from North of Strids.

1946 April 3rd Wednesday

Snowing and rain. Will chored and Van Epps came, they fed cattle and calves, then Van Epps went home and Will came in to eat. I got meals, laid down in p.m. as I am on unsalted diet and not much to eat at that so I cannot work much, also iodine capsules. I fed chickens on east porch.

1956 April 3rd Tuesday

Snowed last night and terrific N.W. wind but snow got worse today. Men gave cattle east of trees at Janis’s stack of hay. Some calves come day and night, we now have 26 of them. No go to school and Will did not go to Valentine, Nebr. with Thomas’s on account of snow but not too cold. I got eats, laid down in p.m. Will slept also. I played solitaire. Electricity went off 1 to 5 a.m. so no juice.

1926 April 2nd Friday

Cloudy and bright at mid-day and cold east wind. Will took the blacksmith to store and had tongue for buggy fixed and in p.m. he visited with Jesse Haisch, Glen McEachran and William Whiting who returned from St. Francis via Rosebud. Glen came for his horses that strayed in and he & Will brought them to corral. Carl Anderson brought back bridge-plank. The blacksmith, Mr. Kaiser, came for old iron. Louise to school and in eve sewed on her dress. I made cakes and we had fish so fried it and was tired in the eve.

1936 April  2nd Thursday

Sun shone but was cold. I got meals and looked over old letters and papers to discard some of them. Will got his Adjusted Compensation Receipt, he slept in p.m. as his cold on chest still a nuisance. He chored in a.m. and eve. Thomas and LeMoyne got one load hay on Old Lodge and took some to Henry’s cattle at noon when they went to N.E. Strids and got a load to feed tomorrow to stock here at Home.

1946 April 2nd Tuesday

Was quite nice, fair after South and West wind of yesterday. Will chored, took lunch and he and Wm Abbott finished discing in wheat on Strids for us but not so warm. I laid down in forenoon, again in p.m. for am all in from trip of yesterday. Played solitaire, read some and listened to Radio for Van Epps did not come today.

1956 April 2nd Monday

Was a little cloudy but not much moisture until eve. Men gave cattle hay and Vere and Elaine and Ellen went to O’Kreek and Winner but did not get Driver’s License on account of fog and threatened rain, so got groceries and came home. No doubt her mother along from O’Kreek. Chester took Darryl to School, also David and Jimmie and got them in late p.m., also the mail and Athel here this a.m. to say they will got to Valentine tomorrow and Will can come along to have eye tested for glasses. Wm, Elsie and Ralphie, 3 yrs old, here this p.m. We had a lunch of ham sandwiches and apple pie.

1926 April 1st Thursday

Cloudy morn and bright but cold East wind until eve warmer and cloudy. Ed Penny went to Tom’s and no work so went home. Will got a load of hay and in p.m. he and I went to the store and Ed, Rena, Leo, Edward, Charlotte, Abe Elshire, Mr. Lattimore, the two Couser young men were there. Mr. Lattimore came home with us and he and Will seined the fish-hole and got over 60 fish. Fred Menz brought Louise back in time to go to school as they got as far as Carter and all buildings north of Hotel burned down, so they stayed and fought fire all night. Louise to school and sewed on her dress in eve. Fred went to store and brought our things from home.

Note from Lisa: Chuck Lucas recognized the name of Ed Penny and forwarded the following photos. If anyone has information about the unidentified men in the second photograph, please leave a comment or drop me a line.

1936 April 1st Wednesday

Cloudy, cold, the sun only peeped through clouds before noon, some snow from N.E. fell. I got meals, played solitaire, slept in p.m. for the men went to a meeting of Sioux Association at Whiting Store, Hidden Timber. In the forenoon they gave stock hay for got a load on Old Lodge and loaded a load of Alfalfa to feed tomorrow and gave Henry Arcoren’s cattle some alfalfa as they went to Old Lodge for they had a load on rack to give this morning.

1946 April 1st Monday

Bright, hot day, wind was in west most of day and very Strong, it blew my hat off at Clinic in Valentine but Will got it. I was so sick last night, started to feel bad when we got back from White River as I gathered cobs and fed chicks but went to Abbotts thinking it would help but when I got out of car on return I got oozy in head. Will helped me to house. We ate Raisin Bran Flakes and retired. Will waited on me for awhile, he went to sleep and I lay awake until 3:15 a.m. last time I looked at the clock, just dozed off for an hour or so but at 5:15 a.m. awake again. Couldn’t get breakfast so Will got his own and chored. Van Epps came and they gave cattle load of hay. I got ready. We went to Valentine but cafe so crowded, on to Woodlake, had dinner at Stockman’s Cafe, on to Johnston, on to Ainsworth which is 46 miles from Valentine. Arabia first place to load cattle from Valentine, is just a Ranch Home now, school-house and Stock yards. We took Bachman’s Harness to Art at his mother’s home at Ainsworth and got Van Epps. No Osteopath there, back to Valentine Clinic. Saw Dr. Degan and he advised a no salt diet. Ate supper and home via Abbotts. He will disc in Strid wheat tomorrow. Van Epps put chicks in boxes for the night and disced on his place today.

1956 April 1st Sunday

Easter. Was bright, nice. Janis’s went to O’Kreek at 9 a.m. to Catholic Services. Saw so many folks, Furreys, Mrs. Fronek, Sullys, Garrys, News, Phillips, etc. This p.m. Lew Wright, wife, 3 girls, 1 small son, Mrs. Alec Wright, Grandma, Della & Jean Marie stayed for Supper. Very stayed home this a.m. Wm Leo and Billie Francis Abbott came this p.m. and had a lunch with Will and visited. Mrs. is at Winner, S.D., has been since last 2 or more weeks. Will and I alone this eve but Janis’s stayed home.

1926 March 31st Wednesday

Bright but cold. Will worked on narrow gate for yard at coop and to Wisenberger for seeder in p.m. I made bread and sewed on my dress. Jack Arcoren was buried today. Louise to school and in eve to Winner with Menz’s. Ed Penny went to Tom’s and he was at Winner so came back for the night.

1936 March 31st Tuesday

Was real cloudy, cold until 9 a.m. started to snow and continued all day. LeMoyne and Thomas took lunch, went to put hay in stack on Hampl land but brought one home and gave to cattle, also loaded a load of alfalfa for tomorrow. Lemoyne got Arcoren cattle to feed and they went back to the shed on Wagner’s again. Ben Clausen came this day to see what to do about a coughing horse and stayed for dinner. Will chored but his cold is still with him so he visited with Ben and stayed indoors until chore time in late p.m. I got meals, dressed a rooster, made noodles, mended a pair of socks for Will and played solitaire. Bruno Richard Hauptmann of Bronx, New York was to be electrocuted this night for murder of Baby Charles Augustis Lindbergh but Grand Jury gave 48 hours Reprieve for an investigation of crime.

1946 March 31st Sunday

Bright, northwest wind blew strong and dusty in places and was about the hottest day this spring so far. Will chored, fed calves and we got ready to go to Two Kettle 7 miles west of Highway between White River and Westover. As we crossed Little White River Bridge and went west 2 miles, we could see Westover north of Big White River and it was only a few miles down the River. We got sandwiches at Horst Cafe, Mission, of prepared meat, hamburgers and ice-cream cones at White River on way up and on return we drank a chocolate soda with ice-cream for no malts at White River but got some at Hoffine’s in Mission and another hamburger. We looked at cow to calf when we left and Will went horseback on return and found calf, chored. We went to Abbotts for a small chain in eve. Van Epps not home until eve. No McKenzie at Two Kettle to buy our Stallions.

1956 March 31st Saturday

Bright day. Men gave cattle hay and hauled out Old Stacks to South Hill. Ellen, Darryl, Elaine and Vere to O’Kreek to Baptism of Cecil and Snooky Haukaas’s baby boys and Lew Wright’s 4 mo. old son Benjamin Charles. They came home at Sunset and had supper at O’Kreek. Athel, Doris, David and Jimmie in Pick Up this p.m. and Athel & Doris washed dishes. They brought Milk and Cream. Will & Chester went to Mission to get lights tested. Doug Janis & wife Lillian were here. Tom & Will had lunch and I ate meat also.

1926 March 30th Tuesday

Bright, nice forenoon but clouded in p.m. and spitted snow. I hung out the clothes, that is white ones, and they dried before clouds. Will burned thistles all day and had a headache in eve. Noble Moore here for dinner looking for horses. I sewed on my dress. Louise to school and in eve ironed all the big washing.

1936 March 30th Monday

Partly cloudy, thawed some snow. I got meals, baked bread and cookies, cooked pickle for head-meat and Will sealed it for me. He is sick with a cold on lungs and stayed indoors all day and helped me in eve with supper for I have pains in right-side of back and hip so could barely walk in eve, so slept in p.m. and played solitaire in p.m. Thomas and LeMoyne gave cattle cane in a.m. then got a load of hay on Old Lodge Place and gave cattle hay in eve.

1946 March 30th Saturday

Bright, warm day. Will chored Van Epps came and they gave cattle hay and cubed before dinner, after they ate dinner they fed calves and Van Epps went home, then Will rested awhile and took eggs to Whiting Store and got the chick 1 gal. waterer, started and Germozone for drinking water that mailman brought from Valentine. I got meals, laid down, played solitaire, read some.

1956 March 30th Friday (Good Friday)

A beautiful day and not cold. Athel came, left their car as Thomas, Doris, Jimmie, David, Athel, Will and I went to Winner. Thomas and Will got license for our Mercury and Thomas’s Ford. Sent for Pick Up Certificate as original lost and we will wait 2 weeks to get license. I saw Dr. Stoats and Athel went with me and I have to cut down on starch foods so my feet may be better. We went to 5 Spot, no room, to Holm Cafe and Athel brought a tray to me, a Fish Dinner. Julia, Mary and Jerry sat with me while I ate dinner. Saw Bill Fronek, Louise and Mary as I sat in car as feet hurt. Never saw Nellie and Old People’s Home. Louise was to get Mary a New Easter Coat. We got Easter eats, drugs and 1 small bottle for Will’s left eye. Prescription given by Dr. Stoats. Doris and Jimmie had dinner with Evelyn Whiting. We came home and Thomas’s stayed home and Athel brought us home and got her Pick Up. Janis’s are home. No School today as is Good Friday.

1926 March 29th Monday

Bright, cold day. N.W. wind quite raw as I washed the clothes and blankets dried but colored clothes hung out later froze. Louise to school and in eve sewed on dress. Will didn’t feel good, a cold on lungs but drove out horses in eve and on to Wisenbergers and ice on pond so went around on Billy. Fred Menz here and asked for eggs for his uncle. I was all in on account of washing clothes, could barely walk in the eve.

1936 March 29th Sunday

Cold and N.E. wind, snowing all day, ground is white. LeMoyne, Thomas and Will chored, shaved and went to the store to mail letters, got mail and groceries, back for dinner. We played cards in p.m., then the men chored and back to store to see if Tom was going to bid on maintaining roads, back to eat supper in half an hour. I got meals, wrote letters and played solitaire.

1946 March 29th Friday

Bright, warm. Will chored and fed calves and he and I fixed 2 crates with pasteboard so hens could roost in them with chicks at night, then Will ate a lunch and went to Strids to finish discing in Rye and started on the wheat to cover the stand that was left in field. I got eats and cared for chicks. Van Epps went to Winner. Mr. Ernest and Marjorie along. No school for 7th and 8th graders on account of lower grades having achievement tests.

1956 March 29th Thursday

Sun shone and was nice, got to 43 above in p.m. Men gave cattle hay and usual work all around. Eats for me and played solitaire. I visited with Will as he does not see very good. Janis’s come for water for the chickens, Ellen to insulin me and clean Will’s eyes. My feet cause me trouble and we will go to Winner tomorrow to see Drs. about it. Athel here to say they will go along.