Tuesday, August 27th, 1935

Pickles, garters and prayer

Mary's mother is taken to Columbus for a gall bladder operation. Some money got wired to them to make things happen. Was it Florence? Who is Florence? Who is the old maid she doesn't like?

The 28th is Lloyd's birthday. He is 54. He got for his birthday new socks, a tie and a garter. Whoo-hoo. Then he worked on putting pickles up for winter.

The pickling continued the next day as well with Nellie and Massie. Word was also received that her mother, Lenora, would be operated on the next day. Frank, Ida and E. came around midnight to drive her to the hospital in Columbus. She says they had trouble. Today a drive from Marion to Columbus should only take about an hour, depending. She didn't arrive until 5:30 am!

The next day the operation took place. Mary cried and prayed and went without eating nearly all day. She stayed with her mother until about 8 pm.

Wednesday, August 7th, 1935

Operation!

Lloyd's eldest son from his first marriage, Roy, is taken to the hospital in Mansfield to be tended to for appendicitis. Roy will be 35 years old on the 25th of this month.

While their machine has continuing troubles, they do go as far as Galion headed over to see Roy. They stayed at Aunt Laura's. Who is this? (Might this be Laura Garver? not a true aunt?)

There's still trouble with that washing machine. Payday comes and so do the purchases. A drive to the country provides them with chicken. Think of it! Roast chicken, fresh from the country.

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, 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?

Wednesday, June 12th, 1935

Cinderella Man documented

Mary notes a significant cultural event on the 13th of June. James Braddock won the heavyweight championship of the world as the 10-to-1 underdog in one of the most stunning upsets in boxing history at Madison Square Garden. Of course, they listened to the match on someone else's radio. They didn't have a radio.

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?

Tuesday, June 4th, 1935

School is out

Leo advances to the 4th grade and Paul to the third. Mary's toe sure is sore.

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!

Tuesday, May 27th, 1935

Decorating Day

Everything I ever learned about Decorating Day, also known as Memorial Day, I learned from my grandma. Here, on the 30th, she notes that she couldn't go to the family graves or take any flowers.

Because I knew she always did this, especially decorating her own mother's grave after she left this world in 1952, I did the same while living in the Morrow County area in the 1990's. The cemetery was located at East Liberty near where her mother Lenora and Mrs. Chambers lived in Porter Township, Delaware County. This cemetery is the first cemetery I remember wandering about in as a child.

The circus is in town. She watched the animals from Gilbert's porch, which strongly suggest that Gilbert's lived on Fairground Street. Homes there face the Marion County fairgrounds across the street. The kids were up early due to the excitement of the big top. They didn't go, but she notes that Harry's do go to the big show on Thursday.

Mary records here blood pressure and reveals that her toe nail and roots must come out according to the doctor. Lloyd's brother Albert drove her over to the doc.

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?

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."

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.)

Thursday, March 28th, 1935

She gets the news

Mary writes about a nurse coming to their home. The nurse, out of concern, made a follow up visit the next day. That following day, March 30th, she writes that she "gets the news."

The news, no doubt, is that she is pregnant on top of the other medical problems she is having. Later this year she will give birth to David Arthur, my father.

She may have had some cramps, but sugar cakes make life worth living.

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.

Wednesday, March 20th, 1935

Spring arrives, brings hope

Mary notes that the first day of spring has arrived and it was ushered
in by thunder, lightning and rain. Something got her all excited for
awhile, but what was that?

And who is the benefactor, the mysterious Mr. F. (?) that promised to
get her 8-year-old son Paul a new pair of shoes, and to also pay the
gas and electric bills? These several days raise more than a few
questions.

Even Albert, Lloyd's brother, gives the opinion that Lloyd should soon
have work. What does he know that isn't mentioned here?

Dr. Grover taped up Mary's feet on the 21st, an odd thing for a
chiropractor type to do, but the family oral history always stated that
he was a "quack." Is that just what chiropractors were called in those
days? Or was he really a practicing quack?

Spring always does offer hope, and the spring of '35 brings hope that
work will be available, that they will be able to take care of their
needs, that health will improved. We'll see about that.

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/

Friday, March 8th, 1935

Sharing food, playing cards and other women

In the next four days, Mary writes about sharing food with family and about how when family visits they pass their leisure time away.

Stella is mentioned here for the first time. Stella is Stella Kelley, the fraternal twin of Nellie Kelley. In the 1900 US Census of Grand Prairie Township, Marion County, they are enumerated as Stella E and Nella B., both born in March of 1893. A kind reader reported this relationship and also helped answer another question, which is who is Mae that Mary so often writes of? Mae is the daughter of Stella and Don, last name not currently known.

Moving on. The Friday entry didn't make much sense to me in the first couple of readings. What did it mean? "Then they went to the hospital and got a girl C goes with and left for home." I read it several times searching for understanding.

Then I realized that "C" meant Clarence. Still I was confused. Clarence was a married man with two little girls. This didn't make sense. I turned to my previous family research in my Personal Ancestral File to look up Clarence.

Ah-ha. I now believe that the girl Clarence "goes with" is Esther Hall, a young girl a few months shy of her 20th birthday. He's apparently going with her quite openly because his folks (parents) are with him and Mary writes about it without judgement even though he is a married man.

Bertha, Clarence's wife, sued for divorce the following year in Knox County, Ohio. From the Record of Divorce, Vol. 6, p. 354, she charged him with neglect and for running off with Esther Hall," with whom he left on the 19th day of September, 1936."

The divorce was final on November 5th, 1936, and Clarence and Esther Marie Hall were married that very same day. Together they would have four children. The second one, a little boy, lived only 15 minutes. He is known on the records only as "stillborn." He never drew breath. Shortly after birth, his little beating heart went still.

Thursday, February 28th, 1935

Visiting with friends and family

These next four days are all about visiting, and on the 28th, not visiting, with friends and family. Ailments and doctors are mentioned. To sweeten things up, she makes candy.

Who is Miss P?

Mentioned for the first time here is Henry Stone. He is the husband of Lloyd's daughter from his first marriage. She was born Nellie I. Benson, July 30th, 1904 in Cardington. Where we read "Nellie, Henry and D," the "D" is an abbreviation for Nellie and Henry's daughter, Lloyd's niece, Donna May Stone who is 10 years old at this time.

Wednesday, February 20th, 1935

George Washington's Birthday

Friday was celebrated as George Washington's birthday. No school. The school the kids went to was just a short walk away, a little more than a block, located on Greenwood Avenue. Today the location is a large empty lot.

Remember the quick notation of Harry (Lloyd's brother) and Richardine's marriage back on January 19th? Well now it looks like a shower will be held for them a month later. Lloyd pick up a gift for them.