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.

Sunday, February 24th, 1935

Three generations

Mary's mother comes to visit and the visit nearly scares her to death. I wonder how her mother did that? Mary's mother is Lenora (Wright) Hemminger, a widow. Her husband, Ovella Hemminger, died just a little previous to a year ago, on December 1st, 1933. The grandmother that Lenora is going to visit is her husband's mother, Jennie (Steel) Slane, so on these pages we see reference to three generations.

I once met a woman who was well acquainted with Porter Township, Delaware County where the Hemminger's lived. She got on the phone with her aged father who had been some sort of agri-business salesman and knew everyone. She asked him for me, "Dad, did you know Ovella Hemminger?"

"Wello?" says he, "oh, yeah. Lived on Chambers Road, by the covered bridge." Bing!

The point of the call was to validate what I'd heard about my great-grandfather Ovello Hemminger.

"Dad, was he a bootlegger?" my friend asked.

"Oh, yeah," says he. So there you have it, straight from a personal witness. Prohibition ended just days after his death.

On Sunday the 24th, the shower referenced here is Harry and Richardine's belated wedding shower. But who is Floyd? Any ideas anyone?

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.

Saturday, February 16th, 1935

Fortune Teller

On Sunday we read yet another reference to fortune telling. This time Ruth A. and her friend came over to have their fortune told. Who is Ruth?

I now know who the fortune teller is. My dad told me that his mother, who's diary this is, told fortunes using cards.

On Tuesday Mrs. Beacon comes over to report that grandma isn't doing well. This would be her Grandma Jennie Slane. Her grandma lived at 421 Uncapher St., Marion and was 73 years old at this time. Pictured here is her grandma's house as seen in February, 2010.

Tuesday, February 12th, 1935

Tenth wedding anniversary

Thursday the 14th, Valentine's Day, was Mary and Lloyd's tenth wedding anniversary. They ran off to Monroe, Michigan on Valentine's Day, 1925. You can see the official marriage record at Family Search Record Search: http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#start Search on Lloyd Benson, marriage, 1925, Monroe, Monroe, Michigan. Shazam!

You might notice that some of the facts reported to Monroe County when taking out the marriage license were less than accurate.

Included in this post are a couple bonus images. Hope you enjoy viewing them. Happy Anniversary, Grandma!

Friday, February 8th, 1935

Keeping hours and being a neighbor

Life seems to be rather ordinary in these pages. Storms. Cleaning. Family visits.

Mentioned here is Richie, who is Harry's wife Richardine. Harry, like his brother Lloyd, had a previous marriage, and earlier this year, on January 19, married a younger woman. From this marriage would come three children, Violet, Kenneth and Leonard.

On Monday Mary writes that she thinks she will call on a lady on the corner who says she doesn't have a neighbors. Isn't that a kind thought?

Monday, February 4th, 1935

Been on the hummer

Mary's diary records these next four day the very commonplace. Cold weather. Work. Puzzles. Sore toes. She's sure been on the hummer. Lloyd spend the last $5 and Leo steals a dime.

Included with this post is a picture of Leo as he appeared around 1935. He is the first child of Lloyd and Mary Benson, born July 1st, 1926 in Marion, Ohio, and died September 11th, 1997 in the same city.

The picture survived a house fire Mary had later in life, after her children were grown and gone, she'd been through a divorce with Lloyd, and remarried Art McKibben.

She was always known as Grandma McKibben to me.

Lloyd spending their last $5 reminds me of a story I remember Grandma (Mary) telling. She told how much she laughed when one of the two boys, Leo and Paul, observed the other rolling home some old tire, as kids did for play in those days. Shouted the one to the other with the tire, "How much did that cost you, Benson?"

She thought it was so funny because it was exactly the phrase she'd use when Lloyd would come home with something. The kids had picked up on it. If you know a Benson, go ahead and ask them, how much did that cost you, Benson?