1926 March 7th Sunday

A very cold night and water froze in our room and cold morning as N.W. breeze snappy but began to thaw at mid-day as was real bright but breeze from N.W. cool all day. Louise washed some handkerchiefs & hose and went to Tom’s to teach the children catechism and home late eve. The men hauled hay and then William went to hunt coyotes and John Wisenberger came so Will visited with him. I just sat around and got something to eat but not much as shoulder pains. Several cars and a mover wagon passed to-day. Helen came to sell chance on candy and went on to Tom’s as Reva, LeMoyne and Charlotte there to trade at store.

1936 March 7th Saturday

Bright and colder. Quite a strong N.W. wind. LeMoyne and Fritz took lunch and wind came up so they went out towards hills a mile and came back but Will sent them back to get a load even if it is windy so they put 4 in stack on Hampl Land and brought 1 load home and put in big stack. I got meals and mopped floors and baked apple and cherry pies. After supper Frank went to Henry Acorn’s and had his hair cut and back after we went to bed. Henry came and he and Will worked at the shed, set posts and leveled them. Will made a place for the puppy by the porch. Mr. Wheeler, Harold and Perry and Stanley Whiting brought in 1 ton Salt and rest of the shed lumber after supper last evening.

1946 March 7th Thursday

Very much snow, strong northwest and north wind, about 30 above. Will ate breakfast and got in cattle from 1/2 mile north in a pocket on Wagner or State Land, then chored. Van Epps came after dinner so he and Will gave cattle hay. Van Epps got sausage, bones and lard from his butchered hog at Klein, came from Winner last night, he brought our mail. I wrote in diary. Will looked at mail in p.m. then chored. I got meals and read mail.

1956 March 7th Wednesday

Bright and sunny and not too cold but 22 above. Chester gave cattle hay and Chester in p.m. vacuumed front-room ceiling. Ellen helped a little at cleaning walls and Manley, Pauline, Tony 3 yrs. and Jackie 2 yr. old girl came to Janis’s to deliver dresses bought from the same dress company. They stayed for supper. Athel and Patsy Whiting (Bud’s girl) and Annette or Sissy came so Athel worked at dusting front room, also Louise. Mary played with Elaine, Patsy and Annette Wise until her father and mother (Keith & Caroline Wise of Mission Hotel) came for her. She cried and begged to stay but finally went home. Chester got Darryl and Jimmie & David so Athel went home after lunch.

1926 March 6th Saturday

Was snowing at bed-time last night so ground white this a.m. and cloudy, sun shone only at times and wind blew so hard from N.W., was a regular blizzard at times all day. Louise went to school but scholars not there so she came home at p.m. and cleaned her dresses and the front room and lamps. Will got some hay and the men put the cows and calves in the barn for the night and chored early on account of the wind and snow. I rendered some lard and mixed the sausage that Will ground up this a.m., also fried some and put in pails, sealed it. I set yeast and tried to make buns but they were only a fake, my first experience.

1936 March 6th Friday

Bright, nice, warm all day. I got meals and visited with Ed, Rena and Yvonne who brought us some beef, they came with a team of mules, one black and one white, belonging to Arnold Schott or his man Mr. Justis, and had a small buggy. Robert Roubideaux, Rena’s nephew, came horse-back. Will chored, went to store and mailed letters, then he and Henry Arcoren who was at store horse-back went to A. E. Brown’s and got the saws that Mr. Brown sharpened. Will came for dinner and Henry after dinner and Ed helped and they started the shed Northeast of barn and east of the trees. Frank and LeMoyne took put 6 loads hay in stack and brought a 4 horse-load home. Isaac Afraid Of Bear and Elsie Badwhirlwind, his wife, and little niece came for lease money.

1946 March 6th Wednesday

Bright towards eve, clouded and southwest wind to N.E. I got meals but was sick at noon so Will helped me after he and Van Epps fed cattle hay and then they ate dinner. I laid down. Will spaded at S.W. corner of yard, we then went to Wm Abbotts. He will go with Will to Lake Andes tomorrow if no snow. I talked to Mrs. as she and Mr. finished work at Dam. We got 3 bu. ear corn at their place to feed chickens and beef. Home to chore and supper.

1956 March 6th Tuesday

Cloudy all day but no rain and N.W. wind, was 22 above zero. Chester took Darryl to School and took address so Stanley so he could write Will, then he gave cattle hay. They went away last night, said to get hair cut at Thomas’s. Ellen washed clothes and took home to dry on her lines. We got dinner and Harry, Harley and Billie came to eat with us, they stayed awhile then went home. Louise and Mary baked pies. Mary did most of the baking. Chester got mail and nothing from Will, to be operated 8 a.m. yesterday. Elaine here to help Mary a lot. We get eats and I take it easy.

1926 March 5th Friday

Cold N.E. wind and turned to N.W. and cloudy in the p.m. Will & William early finished chores except the gate. Louise to school. Bill Elshire came to get wire-stretcher. Leonard Evers brought the mail from O’Kreek and went to Dick Schmidt and several folks passed by. I rendered some lard but not much success on account of my shoulder pains as I made Danish Pastry and quit for the work of day.

1936 March 5th Thursday

Bright, nice, S.E. wind quite strong. I got meals, baked bread and sewed on my black velvet dress and mended LeMoyne’s shirt. Will chored, then went to Massey’s near Crystal Springs, S.E. of Jordan and to Jordan and Presho where he saw Mr. Schulte, all these about cattle to pasture but none so far and home at bed-time. He had dinner and supper at Witten on way back and home from Presho, S.D. Frank and LeMoyne took lunch, 2 hay-racks and put six loads on stack on Hampl land and hauled one home in eve. They had to chore this eve for Will not home yet. Mr. Clarence M. Wheeler and Stanley Whiting went to Valentine, Nebr. yesterday and came this noon with 2 loads of lumber and posts and nails and got stuck at gate coming into our yard so unloaded there, they will get the balance either to-morrow or very soon.

1946 March 5th Tuesday

Cloudy, cold, snow late p.m. Will and Van Epps fed cattle hay and Van Epps went home after he ate dinner so Will and I to Valentine after they caked cattle after eating dinner. We got there just as Oliver Walcutt Funeral at 2 p.m. and businesses closed until 3 p.m. so I got to Dr. Farner Clinic and a New Dr. examined me. Snow started so we got things and came home. I saw Mrs. Roundy and she said Mr. & Mrs. Bert Roundy, Gerald, Anthia and Loretta there with Herman Schneiderweit to Walcutt Funeral.

1956 March 5th Monday

Bright, nice after Foggy morning and some wind so clothes dried that Louise and Mary washed, and Mary put on line. Elaine and Mary got them in and Mary ironed, also Louise helped. Ellen drove and we went to Store, sent Will a letter, saw Wm. Van Epps. We got mail, 2 letters from Will written Sat. & Sunday, home via Thomas’s to get milk. Home to get clothes in. Billie A. here, took some home.

1926 March 4th Thursday

Quite strong south wind, bright but not very warm. Mr. Geo. Menz came this a.m. for a hog to butcher, stayed for dinner. Will, William and Clayton Haisch got in horses for Haisch and Will helped Clayton get started and home via C. Elshire’s and got saw and square. William started round corral but so windy went to the store and in eve they worked at corral. Louise to school and tired in eve. I worked at the meat but not much done on account of my shoulder pains so much so only the choring work. The Lattimore moving teams went by to their place where Elshires left.

1936 March 4th Wednesday

Bright, warm until late p.m. clouds and a sprinkle of rain just as men finished chores in eve. Will chored and soldered in a new sieve on milk strainer and gave pigs new bedding and took the cattle to State Land to graze on windrowed ray. Frank and LeMoyne took 4 head of horses on hay-rack and put 2 loads of hay in stack-yard on Hampl land and brought one home in eve. I got meals and laid down in p.m. then baked cookies. I churned butter yesterday and ironed a few pieces. Henry Arcoren came in car to creek, got a rope and brought it back in eve, he helped Jake Wisenberger raise a poor horse also Bill Smith helped them.

1946 March 4th Monday

Bright, nice day. Will and Van Epps fed cattle and Van Epps and Will only drank coffee, helped Bud Whiting unload cattle cubes, 3 tons from Mosher and Bud went right back home. I got something for Will and I to eat but none too smart. Will went to Mission to fix A.A.A. Papers as was a mistake and ordered locker at Winner Ice Plant over Phone from Mission. Van Epps and Will had only coffee but Will ate more when Van Epps had dinner at home, then got mail and put this letter with mistaken in mail, so Will to Mission for a quick trip, brought home ice-cream for our supper. Roy and Babe Drey came to see about buying a saddle horse and they visited awhile while Dreys here but after they left, I put cold water on my head and neck and it got better, so we enjoyed ice-cream in eve after Will chored.

1956 March 4th Sunday

Bright warm day. Chester gave cattle hay and they stayed home to-day. Louise, Mary and I are alone. Ellen, Darryl and Elaine took Chester to get the Ferguson Tractor and then on to Thomas’s to take eggs and some things that Ellen got at O’Kreek such as corn-meal and ice, etc. They caked cattle this a.m. Louise and Mary cleaned at Heater in Kitchen and Chester came in at last end of this and they got heater to burn so was nice in Kitchen. We had a dinner of all kinds of good things. We played cards in p.m. and had an Oyster Supper.

1926 March 3rd Wednesday

A bright cold day and N.W. breeze. Mr. Clarence M. Wheeler and Mr. A. L. Elshire came and Will went along via Menz’s to Winner. They came home at 8 p.m. with coal for Elshire and posts for Whitcher, and Clayton Haisch came along to get some horses, they had supper then Elshire & Wheeler went home. William helped cut up the hog and in p.m. went down South to look for horses. Louise to school and gathered cobs in the eve. I cut up meat and my shoulder still pains so was slow. Will has another cold and William feels bum also.

1936 March 3rd Tuesday

Strong S.W. wind, bright and warm, wind changed to N.W. quite strong at times and some clouds in late p.m., no snow here. I got meals and boys got in water so I washed clothes and Will hung out white clothes and towels before he, Frank and LeMoyne went to Frank Rohloffs Sale, west of O’Kreek. They chored and Frank went to Lattimores and got some money so he could buy a cow but they are too high at Sale. LeMoyne and Will cleaned the coop in a.m. I hung out rest of clothes and brought all in.

1946 March 3rd Sunday

Sun shone, was warm. I got meals but was sick this day and had to lay down a lot, visited with Mr. Chauncey Sr. and Will in p.m. Bus McKee and Jesse Lewis came to tell Will about cattle cubes at Mosher. They went to look at calves, windmill on Moore Creek, Sundquist’s field, home to eat, then to their home. Mr. Wm. Chauncey Sr. came to see about fence on Banks Land. Dolly Furrey on way to Furrey School stopped to find road to Elmer Chauncey’s to stay for the night as Dorothy Furrey has the mumps and she will stay away until they are better. She said that Oliver Walcutts died at 2 a.m. Saturday morning and were we shocked. She went East to Highway. Mr Chauncey went home in eve. We did not see Van Epps today.

1956 March 3rd Saturday

Bright, nice day. We got home at 10:20 p.m. from Valentine, Nebr. via Mission and sky clear and stars shining so Mrs. Abbot made coffee. I put sandwiches out to eat and Mrs. stayed with me last night and Mr. went home. We retired, not to sleep until 12:40, past midnight, and to-day we are all in but baked 2 cakes and cooked potatoes, gravy, hamburger, coffee, bread, butter, jell, salad of carrots, apples, lettuce and French Dressing, 4 kinds of cake, white, chocolate, yellow with chocolate icing, yellow with brown and powdered sugar, butter and flavors. Athel, Doris, Jimmie Whiting, Patsy & Danny, Bud’s children came. Janis’s went to Mission, here to chore. Harley Furrey brought Louise and Mary to stay with me for some time while Will is at Omaha in Hospital. We had dinner and women all washed dishes. Athel washed her clothes and Doris helped her hang out on our line. They went home about 4:30 p.m. to dry some clothes at house. Harley went home and said he would come back in 2 or 3 days. we had oysters for supper, etc.

1926 March 2nd Tuesday

A very cold night, bright but cold N.E. breeze and turned to S.E. in p.m. The Men hauled hay and got ready to butcher a hog which they had done up in a hurry in p.m. Some men moving to Mission in a truck inquired the way. Louise to school and got gathered cobs in the eve. I did ordinary work and baked bread after water was warm to butcher. The Menz family came in eve and played cards.

1936 March 2nd Monday

Bright, nice, warm, a few clouds in p.m. I got meals and not much else but sewed a little and finished an every-day dress. Frank and LeMoyne chored, got a 4-horse load of hay N.E. Hampl Land and Will walked in, in eve as they pulled him out where he got stuck in field N.W. of house, he went to Winner to get car number for 1936 and on to Rosebud where he asked Mr. Hansen, the Range Unit man, if any chance to get cattle to pasture this summer.

1946 March 2nd Saturday

A nice bright day. The men gave cattle hay, enough so as not to have to feed Sunday. I gave them dinner, then they cleaned the barn and Van Epps went home and to Kleins in p.m., brought a card saying Schlaikjer, Mosher, as 3 ton cattle cubes so Will and I went to Whitings and Bud will get it Monday forenoon.

1956 March 2nd Friday

Some clouds here and there and Showers of rain, then Sun would shine, was a real rain on us when going to Mission, turned South and Sun shone towards Valentine. Mr. & Mrs. Wm. L. Abbott came and we went in our car to Valentine, got some groceries, a few things. I ate a beef Sandwich as I am diabetic and get sick when don’t have meat. Abbotts came at 1:30 p.m. Will and I ready in our car and Abbott drove, Supper time at Home Cafe and Main St. South then on No. 20. Mrs. and I ate Shrimp, French Fries, Lettuce and a Tossed Salad, Rolls, Tea & Butter. We waited 2 hours for rain from west, left at 8:45 p.m. for Norfolk and Omaha, Nebr. Will had a Pullman Berth, he is going for cataract removal of eyes. Janis’s to Winner and back to chore and get dishes washed.

1926 March 1st Monday

A very cold night, in fact got cold last eve and cold this day, wind blew some and a little cloudy. Will went to Bailey’s and N.E. of here to look at pasture and home in eve. William went to Tom’s to help move a shanty to use for a blacksmith-shop and was home for dinner. They hauled hay before they left this a.m. Tom was here to ask for team to move shanty. Fred Menz’s horse came by from Tom’s and Fred got him in pasture east of house. Fred turned him loose at Tom’s last eve and went off with E. A. Elshire. Louise to school and has 4 pupils for beginners. Emma Schmidt, Ernest Elshire, Perry Wheeler and Gary Elshire. I did only the ordinary work as my shoulder pains but fixed chicken to-day.

1936 March 1st Sunday

Some clouds early morning. Bright and wind from S.W. until towards evening was real quiet and a beautiful eve. I got meals, played solitaire and read a little and looked at catalogs. Frank after choring and giving cattle hay went to Lattimores, back in time to chore in eve. Will and LeMoyne after choring shaved and went to the Store, then on highway to A. E. Brown’s to get him to sharpen the saws, they came back via Elliotts but was plenty of water and mud. LeMoyne read in p.m. and Will laid down and read.

1946 March 1st Friday

Fair day, in fact nice so Van Epps went to Winner, took Wm Abbott along and Wm Chauncey, Sr. took Van Epps’ hogs to sell and 1 to butcher. Van Epps home after dark for they had car trouble going in to Winner. Will chored. I got meals, played solitaire and am doping for smothering spells for I feel none too well, listened to radio, read some. Will fixed Nests and set 4 hens this afternoon.

1956 March 1st Thursday

Bright day and men gave cattle hay and cake. I got usual eats and Janis’s went to O’Kreek. Will and I were alone and all his clothes packed in Bag or Gladstone. We had Radio on and sat in dark as Will’s eyes hurt. Kitchen light on, I played solitaire and read.

1936 February 29th Saturday

Bright, warm. I got meals and mopped the front-room and took a bath. Will chored and dug trenches to drain water also put roof on ice-house, for he packed ice yesterday a.m. LeMoyne helped him in p.m. for he and Frank got a load of hay north of Strids in a.m., and in p.m. Frank got one on Old Lodge. They all cleaned hog-house and drained water in same and gave 2 sows & 17 little pigs new hay.

1956 February 29th Wednesday

Leap Year extra day. Bright, warm day and Will & Chester gave a stack of hay in early a.m. and 1 late p.m. so will not feed tomorrow. Mr. & Mrs. Wm Leo Abbott and Billie Francis came to see about getting Nerve Block for cow that has wethers out, also some penicillin for this cow. Billie went to Hidden Timber P.O. to mail letters. Janis’s to O’Kreek last eve and back early. Lyle Bartleson came from Jim Dowd’s to see about getting 20 cows in our pasture but I guess will not as he takes over Bus McKee’s place for one year as Bus will doctor the elbow joints of both arms at Sioux Falls or some other place. Judy, Betty and Patsy stayed home with Bartlesons until school is out then the Family will go to Oregon to live for 1 yr. and back home here if Bus’s arm is better.

1926 February 28th Sunday

A real strong N.W. wind and oh! such dust all day, and some clouds but bright awhile toward evening, but still the wind blew. Will threw some tumble-weeds over the fence and tried to haul some hay in the evening. William had a cold so stayed indoors. Louise was tired from the dance but helped all this day. I only cooked a little grub for I felt bum and had a lame shoulder. Ed and family came and the wind blew so much dust, they all washed their faces when they got here. They went home via Hidden Timber Store. Fred Menz stopped and went on to the Store, also Curtis Elshires moved to their new home on Moore Creek to-day.

1936 February 28th Friday

Warm, sun shone and under clouds at 9 a.m. but bright p.m. I got meals and baked bread and mopped Kitchen Floor. will chored and Frank and LeMoyne got a load of hay north of Sundquists and in p.m. Frank took Pete Karnes Hay-rack home via Store and brought some groceries that Will bought, for he and LeMoyne helped Ed and Thomas Whiting take 4 of our bulls and 2 calves Stanley bought from Henry Arcoren to Tom’s, then Will & LeMoyne helped Ed, passed John Carr with our bulls. Henry hauled hay for himself in p.m.

1946 February 28th Thursday

Some clouds but no moisture, sun shone until late p.m. Will and Van Epps gave cattle hay and they came in for coffee, then Will and I went to Abbotts, got Mrs. and her mother, Mrs. Anderson, went to Winner, left Mrs. Anderson, Mrs. Abbott and I to Dr., got Rx, medicine, groceries. Home to eat in eve and chores. Mrs. Abbott to see Dr. next week.

1956 February 28th Tuesday

Bright, warm. Men fed cattle and after dinner went to Abbotts to tell them he goes to Omaha Friday p.m., and Billie cut his hair again. They came home to have Chester get Darryl and David & Jimmie in his car. Elaine went along. I got eats and played solitaire. Will played a little pitch late p.m., also rested. Ellen came up then she ironed clothes. Some men came to see about leasing the Archibald allotment as they are heirs but Will gone so no do.