Thursday, October 10th, 1935

Always manage to keep going

She sews, bakes pies and make noodles. She goes to movies. She shops. She makes apple butter. Mary sure does manage to keep going.

Paul is noted as doing better from his recent illness, but he doesn't go along with the rest of the family to visit grandma Lenora.

Sunday, August 11th, 1935

Feeling cranky?

You might feel cranky if your ear ached. By the 13th Mary says her ear broke. Ouch.

She was so cranky she mentions that if all those Benson men thought she'd have dinner for them, well, they had another think coming. Especially Virgil. What did step son Virgil do to raise her ire?

You can see Mary stop writing with this ear ache. She will not write again for another week.

Saturday, August 3rd, 1935

It's Paul's Birthday!

And he gets a licking! It's a family tradition. Hey, I got the birthday lickings, too. Plus a pinch to grow an inch. Happy birthday, Paul!

Mary's mom isn't feeling well, and she's acting, well, funny. The family is still visiting there. Mollie is mentioned. Who is she?

The poor puppy got it's leg broken by lil D.J. To top it off, it is missing the next day. What's going on here? Hmmm. Someone getting rid of damaged goods?

The washing machine (must be used) isn't working right, and boy is Lloyd not pleased. The clothes looked "like the dickens" and Lloyd did some growling about it.

Tuesday, July 30th, 1935

Beer here!

Lloyd went to get some yeast. He's making home brew. By this time, beer is legal again. Prohibition ended just a few years earlier. Lloyd and Mary had some brewing experience from that time.

It's also so hot that naps are in order and the kids slept downstairs during the night. Remember the days before AC? The upstairs could get unbearably hot after a day of hot sun.

Nellie gets the news that Mary is pregnant. Surprise! Oh, and in the margin: "The kids got a dog." Guess that is two surprises.

Friday, July 26th, 1935

Washing machines and radios

Mary got a bad scare. She thought DJ was hit!

Now that they have had a full pay, things like clothes for the kids are gotten and a washing machine seems like a good idea. $10 wouldn't put them out very much.

I'd love to look at a Marion Star for this weekend to see what show they went to see on Sunday.

Would you believe that the police were prowling the neighborhood looking for the loud radio? Of course, we're talking something like that new swing sound from that new kid Benny Goodman on NBC played over a Philco; not some hip-hop blasting boom box.

Lawrence is mentioned here. He is one of Garnie (Benson) Weaver's kids, the father of Don Weaver, former Morrow County Commissioner who just recently passed away. Also mentioned for the first time here is Emma. Who is she?

Thursday, July 18th, 1935

Hot days

The days are hot and Paul is getting sick.

Saturday, July 6th, 1935

What's this? A car?

We read here about getting tags. On the 9th a mention is made of a car. Lloyd tried out his car and the kids got a ride! It appears that getting back to work is a good thing.

These pages show several days that start off good, but Mary isn't feeling well and gets to feeling worse. DJ is noted as coming down with the measles.

So on the bright side, there's new playthings for the kids; a new lawn chair; groceries and good food like home made bread, noodles, rasberries and even ice cream. Plus a new car!

On the down side, Zelia (who is that?) falls down stairs; Mary gets to feeling bad; the kids start fighting and measles strike. The summer is coming on.

Tuesday, July 2, 1935

DJ's new dress and Firecracker Day

Here Mary writes of the fine dress she made for Dorothy. It is sweet and looks ready-made.

Lloyd goes downtown on July third but finds most of the store closed. He still manages to find a teapot and plate as a wedding gift for Harold and Goldie who were married on the 29th.

For the Fourth of July they went to the Delaware Dam with Harold and presumedly Goldie, his new bride. While it was a good time, it was also a hard and tiring day.

Lloyd and Mary don't have a car. Albert gave Mary a ride to the doctor when he saw her at the bus stop. That was nice.

Friday, June 28th, 1935

Let the good times roll!

Shopping. Dress, shorts, toy guns, overalls, sheets and even a mattress! And then there were cherries. They canned 7 quarts.

Harold's wedding is also recorded here. Harold married Goldie L. Pierson. They had one child, Ronald Leland Benson born in Marion in July 1943. Harold was the only child of Albert and Nellie Benson. Albert was Lloyd's brother, and Nellie his 1st cousin.

Mary also writes that the kids played with some fireworks. Also noted was that she also got to hear a story on Levin's radio on Sunday. Imagine that!

Leo had a birthday on the first of July. Leo is Mary and Lloyd's oldest. He was nine years old this birthday. No special celebration was noted. Plans are made to go to the zoo on the 4th of July.

Who is Long and who is Alice that she would hide from them?

Saturday, June 8th, 1935

A big day.

We have a big day on the 9th of June. What's the occasion? Anyone know?

The kids play in the cellar. What are they playing? Pass the spud?

Friday, May 31st, 1935

Operation! Staying in bed

Mary had her toe operated on, going under by the use of ether. She suffers for several days. Family come by to see how she is doing.

Four-year-old Dorothy, or DJ, goes to her first party on Sunday at Mary Lou's. But who is that?

With some money that had come in, it appears that a treat came to the house. A quart of ice cream! Ice cream was one of those things grandma would always bring by our house when visiting when I was a little boy. Thanks, grandma!

Thursday, May 15th, 1935

Check came

Where did the check come from? Was there public support in the 30's? And don't you think Mary did an awful lot of ironing? She metions it often. Count your perment press blessings.

She sure was tickled to get her hair done.

Mary got a ride home to mother's again where she spent some time fishing. Who is Matt?

FAMILY FEATURE #2 MOTHER'S DAY

Happy Mother's Day

This was a favorite verse of Mary's. It's by George Cooper (1838-1927) called Only One Mother. Some people use just the second verses.

Only One Mother
Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky,
Hundreds of shells on the shore together,
Hundreds of birds that go singing by,
Hundreds of lambs in the sunny weather.

Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.

There's no way to know what day today's featured photo was taken, but wouldn't it be nice to think of it as Mother's Day? From the age of the children, it would appear to have been taken around 1939 or 1940.

Standing in the back, from left to right, are Mary and her two sons, Leo and Paul. Centered and seated in the front is Mary's mother, Leonora (Wright) Hemminger. She is flanked by Mary's two youngest children, David and Dorothea Jean, or D. J.

If you have a copy of this picture, I'd like to get a better digital image of it. If you have other pictures you would like to share, email them to bensonml@familysearch.org

Happy Mother's Day!

Tuesday, May 7th, 1935

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANDMA!

Mary writes, "Today is my birthday. I ironed and Lloyd got 38 mushrooms and planted a maple tree for me..." She noted that she was now 30 years old. Included today with her diary entry is a picture of her, looking somewhere around the age 30. Does anyone actually know when this picture was taken?

These pages note many good things. Birthday gifts, mushrooms and greens found off the land; a new tree, a new dress to sew; numerous visitors and spring plantings. She even got to listen to the radio over at Harry's place. she wishes she had a radio, but alas, not now, not for her birthday.

She also talks about pie plant for pies. What is pie plant? And romance is in the air. Mr. Levin is showing an interest in Mae.

Friday, May 3rd, 1935

Birthdays coming!

Mary's birthday is May 7th. She will be 30 years old. She notes that she got a little birthday $ from her mother on the 3rd. But her birthday is not the story on these pages. It's little DJ's birthday!

Dorthea Jean is four years old on Monday the 6th. She weighs 37 pounds. Her mother makes her an "awful pretty" dress and her brother Paul gives her candy. She also gets "a licking," which is to say everyone give her four little lighthearted spanks. This tradition was carried on in my own house as a little fellow. Turn 8, get eight wacks. From everyone. Turn nine, get nine. The tradition has faded some with my own kids. My youngest just turned 18 last week. He didn't get 18 wacks or any other kind of "licking."

Rain continues as often does in Ohio this time of year. It's a good time to have family over and play cards. Mary played "for a wonder," which must mean she was, as we now say in our generation and house, "the party star."

Thursday, April 25th, 1935

Mary and grandma not well

Mary reports not being well at all on Thursday. You may recall that after arriving home from an extended visit to her mother's that word was received that grandma Slane was not well. Friday she took a bus over to visit grandma.

Other visitors come and go. The weather has improved and they spend some time porch sitting.

Mrs. Stone is mentioned, and it is presumed that this is the mother-in-law of Nellie Benson who married Henry Stone. Nellie you may recall is Lloyd's daughter from his previous marriage to Daisy Weaver. Who is Florence? Who is Mrs. Parks? Is Hazel connected to the Stone family?

Friday, April 5th, 1935

Scarlet Fever strikes

Adversity comes. Sickness. Bad weather beating up the garden. Mary reports that Dorothy (DJ) comes down with Scarlet fever.

But amid this there are new clothes and "stepping out with the preacher." But who is Bresler? Is that the nurse's name, or is this the name of the preacher? Or both?

Well, hot dog, we know she was looking forward to getting out.

(Interesting historical footnote printed in the diary for April 6th.)

Monday, April 1st, 1935

All fools day

There's a good bit of content in these first four days of April. Mary tells fortunes again and gets fooled.

Bertine is mentioned for the first time. Who is this?

Lloyd almost forgot to go for his surplus. What is this? Is it like the surplus cheese the government was passing out in the 80's? Was there surplus food or clothing available during the depression?

Did you ever miss school because of a wardrobe malfunction? Leo did on April 4th. I guess baggy pants were not in style in 1935.

Also on the 4th, Albert "got the machine" and took her and D.J. somewhere. Does that mean he got his car? Lloyd and Mary do not have a car.

(Don't forget. You can click on the image to enlarge it. Also, leave comments. Your thoughts and reflections are welcomed! And that's no April fool.)

Sunday, March 24th, 1935

Clothing

In these pages clothing needs and how they these needs are met are written about. Other new items in her life are the spring garden coming up and a new sidewalk out front of their home on Van Buren Street.

Tuesday, March 12, 1935

"I walked... holding my crutches."

In this installment we have a little better view on Mary's ailment. Whatever has been troubling her, her toes or whatever, we now know that her condition was such that she was also using crutches to get around. She walked clear to Haynes, whoever they are, but the use of crutches.

Old Jerry is mentioned on the 12th. He was at grandma's, grandma being her grandmother Jennie Slane. But who is Jerry? Jennie is married to Frank Slane. On this same day, Clarence, his girl and Leada is mentioned. Leada is a misspelling of Clarence's sister's name, Leta. Mae has been frequently mentioned in this diary. Who exactly is she?

We learn that Mary knows a thing or two about sewing as she reports she has made a dress for her little girl, Dorothy.

An astute reader of this blog noted that on March 7th Mary noted Mrs. R's weight, and then a second number was also entered; 182. Also, on January 5th, following her entry for the day, the number 183 appears. It was observed that perhaps she was noting her weight. I think the observation has merit.

Note: If you would like to explore real record sources online and search out this or other families, check out this free access website: http://search.labs.familysearch.org/