March 1947
Sat. Mar. 1. 1947./ 8. eggs today./ Well, the wind backed up to the N. east & it began to snow about 9. o’clock & been at it all day. we been home all day. & haven’t much left to eat, hope we get the check Monday or the fast will be to hard on me, as I can’t eat like most peopl & get by with it. I ate 2 eggs & 2 slices from a bread biscuit for my supper & I drink hot water after I eat. I just did my house work & crocheted a little on the handkercheif today. would like to go to church in the morning, I’m feeling so weak I don’t feel able to go, but would if we had the money for gas. The roads are bad to. I pray for the rest that can go & that God will help me to be able to go soon.
Sun. Mar.2. 1947./ 6. eggs today./ We haven’t been even to church today, I feel as if I’d been a way for a yr. I hope we will soon be able to go again & Praise the Lord & give thanks to Him for all things. It seems as if something is about to happen but, I don’t know what. It’s been a nice winter day snowed in showers, sun would come through even while it snowed. evergreen trees were beautiful looked like Christmas, again. Tonight the wind has freshened up & blowing in puffs & it’s colder. We have a S. west wind tonight, it may go N. W. before morning.
Mon. Mar.3. 1947./ 7. eggs today/ We didn’t have much to eat & so I haven’t done only what I had to do took care of birds & beds & washed up what dishes there were dirty. Elbert was sure there was a rabbit in the pipe under the drive way & he went to a lot of trouble to try to catch it then found, it had got out
Mon. Mar. 3. 1947./ page 1052./ 7. eggs today/ & gone before he got out there, well we went to the coop & got a hen & she was one that’s been laying had several eggs in her & looked as if she laid every 2 or 3 days, anyway we had to eat. Elbert dressed her & we put it on to cook We ground the breast, added the eggs a slice & a half of bead salt pepper & touch of sage, tried out the fat & made 3 large meat balls, I fried them brown & added water let them simmer about 10 minutes took them out & made brown gravey & we ate balls with the gravey on them & some tomatoe pickles, & drank hot water. It’s snowed & blowed most of the day, Radio says New England states are digging through snow drifts 10. ft. high & many other places are most burred & they are starviing & freezing & fighting on the other side. Surely the bible history is working out & soon Jesus will be coming & there’s going to be weeping & nashing of teeth. How much I wish I could help turn others to God quickly before its forever to late. Winds little N. of West & blowing in puffs its partly moon light, hope I get my check tomorrow.
Tue. Mar. 4. 1947./ We went to Lorain today I took the India lily with me or us & we stopped to Mrs. West’s & sold her a doz. eggs at 50 cents & she came out to look at the lillie & talked a little said she’s all broke up & don’t know what to do, she has 2 sons & a son & his wife living with her & it’s terrible, she says the daughter isn’t any talker & she has to do all the talking, she ought to be happy, but of course I don’t know. We got gas & went on to Lorain. Elbert took me to Miss. Baumgart’s or Mrs. Cranage’s & I took the Lillie in for them to see, neither had ever seen one. and was pleased to think I’d brought it so far for, them to see. We had quite a visit & then she gave me part of a sack of flour she’d only taken out a little. she said it was good flour, but she had a sack of the new Robins flour, & I’d be welcome the gold medal so I took it, & a bunch of news papers & a violet plant that I had given her, I gave her several when she gave me a nice on & another plant something like a cactus. Mrs. Cranage took 2 doz. eggs 55 cents per doz. Elbert got a check for one hundred & 12 dollars & 10 cents this a.m. from Federal Government he paid 74.00 on his engine bill at the bank & then when he had looked around for work awhile & found none then we came back to Vermilion & went to see if Miss. Clark wanted eggs she wasn’t home so I went in the notion store to show the woman the lillie
Tue. Mar. 4. 1947. page 1053./ 8. eggs today./ I gave the plants to last yr. she wasn’t there the man said & he thought the lillie was wonderful, well I went back to the car & we were going over to the preachers house for a few minutes & had just got backed out when Miss Clark came over the railroad track so we pulled back in the parking space & she got in the car & talked a few minutes & she to, thought the lillie was so pretty, then she had to go to post office & so did Elbert & we drove there & she got back first so we had quite a visit, there are a lot of sick one’s that belong to church that haven’t been coming so the meetings have been small but good wonderfully filled with the Spirit of God Glory to His Name Oh God I thank Thee for answering prayer. I feel so happy so over joyed to Know Thou art on the Throne listening for our earnest prayer & glad to help us when we call & abide close to Thee Glory. Glory Hallelujah I Praise Thee forever & ever Amen. Well we took Miss. Clark back to her house & went on over to the Preachers home, honk the horn & Miss Brown looked out the upper window I ask her & Sister Gurney to come down & they did we had a good visit & they to thought the lillie beautiful, they told me a lot of good news that Garry Black is doing he has talked to his school teacher untill she has brought a bible to school & reads to them each morning & has prayer & he testifies to them all. If all those who have been born again & received the Holy Ghost would step out on the promises & keep under the blood what a lot of good work they could do. Miss Clark told me about Harry Miller today, she said he was born again & fill with the Holy Ghost, but went his own way after he had been so wonderfully saved filled & healed & now, he don’t get back because of doubts & fears, Oh God, I pray thou wilt have mercy & forgive him & take away every doubt & fear & help him to be a living healthy holy testimony for Thee, that will help to awaken all the people, both in Vermilion & miles about, I ask in Jesus name believing, Amen. Well, we bought some meat, flour, canned beans, peas & kidney
Tue. Mar. 4. 1947/ page 1054. / 8. eggs this day. / beans, cheese, tea, broccoli, apples & yeast macaroni noodles & speggetti & forgot light batterys, cocoa, crackers & butter. so will have to get them next. & his shoes 10.00 & lisence plate for car 8.00. So, it will still take my check to help finish out & I have 10.00 to pay on my teeth yet & 11.00 for coal. I like to keep paid up :& not be owing people money. Wind has been N.W. & cold it’s colder tonight & New York is most buried in snow & Boston Mass. & there are all sorts of accidents, fires, wrecks & deaths from them & cold weather & a severe battle off the coast of San Francisco California today 3. of our ships sunk 12 Jap ships before the last of our 3 went down & only 9 of our men saved & two of them talked about it tonight over the radio. Well, that will sure stirr up trouble again, sure a fate.
Wed. mar. 5. 1947./ 8. eggs today/ Well, I got the wash done once more & dried. I dried them indoors. It’s been a fine day out side & snow most gone, again. I took care of birds & bedrooms & swept & got dinner, Elbert fried some salmon steaks, 3. pieces, & boiled potatoes & I cooked broccoli & then washed up the dishes. & I’m tired tonight. Well, no check today. I’m glad we managed a little out of Elberts check. Elbert carried the water & did out side chores today.
Thurs. Mar. 6. 1947./ 10. eggs today/ Mrs. Cranage gave us a sack of Gold Medal Flour & it’s bad I set bread & it hardly made a raise of it & I was foolish & used an egg to make a few muffins & they were terrible, so hre I am stuck with a sack of Gold Mettle flour. I haven’t tried the bread yet, hope it wont kill us it’s not light & nice like it should be. & it tires me so to bake. Oh, well. Wesather has been warmer today & not much wind today snow most all gone little patches where sun don’t hit it. I did in side chores & Elbert did out side chores I cleaned all the bird cages today & give them a bath & that’s a job all by it’s self. Well Elbert’s going to Lorain in morning
Fri. Mar. 7. 1947./ 10 eggs today./ Elbert went to Lorain, he got his insurance papers filled out & forgot Drs. bill so has to go back. He saw a lawyer & talked to him & learned that a neice or nephew could bid the home place in & after 2 yrs. Frank or any of us could buy it again, so Gertie wasn’t very wise. Elbert has the promise of a job for Mon. It’s been a beautiful day, nice sun N. west breeze & light not cold tried to snow several times. We took the India Lilly over to show to Mr. & Mrs. Douglas & visit a little, he has been sick for 3 weeks with flu. is up & around now look bad
Fri. Mar. 7. 1947./ page 1055./ 10 eggs today. she dont look very good either. They told us Mrs old lady Hahn was dead & buried last week & Mrs Wickum killed her self a yr. ago by putting hose on car & running car, with hose in her room & the rest are in Florida. she & several of her sisters & brothers had softening of the brain when they get old & she left a note, she didn’t want to be a burden. Mrs. Douglas said she called on Mrs. Myres who are living in the Wickum house & Mrs myers said the woman who lives in the Sanders place said she didn’t like this neighborhood for none of the neighbors come in to call on me, So maybe I had ought to go in, she & her man take care of the club house & they say it’s a gambling joint, so I’ve wondered about it. Well I must get to bed, I wrote Nellie a letter & got Elbert’s insurance letter wrote & addressed & the other one ready to send if I get my check tomorrow.
Sat. Mar. 8. 1947./ 4 eggs today./ No check today & tomorrows Sun. Well we went to Lorain & got Elbert’s receipt from Dr. Siffling & we mailed the insurance letter & one to nellie & the girls. We went out to see the work out on Col. Ave. & then we stopped to see Pearl, Lillie & Tessie, they were glad to see us & we had a little visit, learned Armond is going to live in the old home place & his wife gave birth to a baby boy & it’s in an incubator in the hospital doing well. They are using Elbert’s lots and haven’t even ask if they could. Lillie bought 2. doz. eggs. & Mrs. West took 1. doz 50 cents per. doz. We used all of it for some food for Sun. & Mon. some fish & boiling meat & some lettuce & we got home at 3-30-p-m. it’s been a beautiful day. Elbert talked with the city Attorney & he told him to serve a notice on Frank to keep off his lots. We are both very tired to night to some how.
Sun. Mar. 9. 1947./ 12. eggs today/ We had a good day, went to S. school & church & to church in evening, had good pray. service & sunshine this morning untill noon then it tried to snow several times & got a little colder & mostly cloudy all after noon & evening N.W. wind. Praise God, I am Glad He’s mine All the Glory belongs to Him Glory, Glory, Hallulijah, Glory to God.
[Letter from Ella Jane Harnish to her brother John Malcolm Harnish: Sunday nite March 9, 1947. Dear Johnny Mother has had an awfully severe headache for several days and is in bed, so I am writing for her. Her blood pressure is quite high & the Dr has changed her medicine so she is feeling better. Nothing to be alarmed about so don’t worry. She hasn’t felt like doing anything of course, but was worrying because she hadn’t written her letter. Bonney isn’t home from young people’s meeting yet but I came right home from Church so I could get some lunch for Mother. I wrote to Bonita and told her about working for Beauty Counselors. It would be very nice work for her and I think she could manage to do it at home. Just thought I’d tell you cause she’ll probably talk it over with you. Bonney just came in so will probably be getting to bed soon. Today’s another work day. I’ve been getting up part of the time and getting breakfast for Bonney She leaves the house at 6:10 to catch her bus at 6:20 at the foot of the hill. Then I stay up and usually get started on my work at 9 or 9:30. I have 5 appointments for tomorrow and want to make some contacts for other appointments. Mom will probably be able to write in a couple of days so will sign off for now. Love to you Ella Jane
Elinor’s Diary Continued:]Mon. Mar. 10. 1947./ page. 1056./ 9. egg. today./ Well I didn’t get my check to-day, Elbert & I received a letter from Carl Betz. he writes a nice letter told us how they go to the mountain where there’s lots of snow & then they drive 90 miles to the desert & he & his son (a boy they adopted) shot 21. Jack rabbit’s he says there are lots of them there. He also said that he goes fishing surf fishing & sometimes he pays 2.00 & goes out deep sea fishing for tuna fish, he says they are so good baked. They pack a big basket & go for the day. He’s working in a shop during the week. Says there bad weather is over now untill Nov. Well, Elbert went to Lorain & got a job, he’s going to work in the morning. He don’t feel very strong, We haven’t been having enough to eat But I hope & pray God will take care of him. I baked 2. big tins of bread biscuits & one loaf & did some mending on the seqing machine. Had to patch up big chair seat cover again & As the Man in Chicago says, it’s been a wonderful day. Not cold mild & sunshiny all day. I looked after hens & birds & did my house work & I have felt as if I couldn’t go. hope check comes in the moring.
Tue. Mar. 11. 1947./ 11. eggs today. / Elbert went to work & worked all day & tonight he couldn’t eat his supper, he was so full of pain, his stomach & bowels I don’t Know what’s wrong but his stomach tortures him most death of late burns untill it most throw him into fits, so that’s the way he has been all evening, it could be a lot of different things, I don’t know what it is liver gas or stomach ulsers & with it all His, nerves, are terrible bad. he has taken olive oil, some of nature remedy tablet & an anasin, now he’s sleeping, he wore his abdoman belt to hold his rupture & he may have worn it to tight. I did my usual work & did the washing & had to carry part the water & took care of the hens. No check today. Wind has been N. east all day, nice sun, beautiful day.
[Letter from Nellie Harnish to her son John Malcolm Harnish: Tues. Mar. 11. 1947. Dear Johnny; Today a card came saying the springs are at the depot. Thank you very much for sending them. I think I will be sleeping on them tomorrow night. Also I received a nice letter from Elinor. She sent a few seeds and told me her India lily is in bloom. She only sent a few seeds of a melon, yellow tomatoes and a pod of sweet pea seeds. So maybe I can have a couple of fresh tomatoes and a hill of melons if I water them. I am sitting at the table to write though I have had my meals in bed. Maybe I can dress tomorrow. My blood pressure had gone so high I had to lie down & stay down. But Dr. on Fri. change my medicine to work on the blood pressure. I have to go back as soon as I finish this bottle of med. Ella Jane is working this evening. Bonney is writing. She had Sun off & will have Tues. for this week. She works 40 hrs.for same pay. She joined the A. Legion as she just about had to. Bill belongs to the reserves & he goes to meetings for that. Bonney had chicken dinner at Venebles Sunday. Read Bonita letters when you go home & I won’t have to repeat quite everything. I like the people out here as they are so friendly. The most common remark instead of the weather is “where are you from,” as the majority are from some where else. Fri when I went to the drug store to get the new prescription filled the Dr. had just given me, I ordered some rubber stockings. I said I had ordered some in Ohio in Oct. but had not received them. A woman immediately asked me what part of Ohio? She was from Cincinnati. Right now the cattle men are having a big meeting here & E.J. says the town is too full of people. I had to miss S.S. & church this Sun. Tomorrow night is the Women’s Society meeting of the L[? oveland] District Community Church. It is just a few houses away & I hope I can go but don’t know yet. E.J. & I went last meeting. The new church will be quite handy. I think I told you it will be close to us in this block. Hope you are much better and Tell Jiggs I hope he is better. Give my love to Marci. Loads of love to you, my dear son, Mother.
Elinor’s Diary Continued: ] Wed. Mar.12. 1947./ 11. eggs today./ Elbert had cramps mostly in his stomach & bowels all night untill morning & he’s so sore & lame all over, his stomach & bowels been so sore hurt him to eat, so he’s had to take it easy today. He worked yesterday for
Wed. Mar. 12. 1947. / page 1057. / 11. eggs this day./ a contractor by the name of Dietz just a bout a mile or so west of Lorain, on main highway, by the lake, it’s a big compartment house & it’s ___ ft wide and ___ ft. long. lower part’s brick outside & concrete block partitions. 3 dormatorys on each side of roof. & house is on the lake bank. I haven’t done much today can’t stand to carry wather & do out side chores, so, I been feeling bad, but our trouble is we haven’t been having enough to eat of the right kind of food for strength. it surely been a wonderfully nice day, N. east breeze light.
Thurs. Mar. 13. 1947./ 9 eggs today/ Elbert’s felt real bad all day & I haven’t done only what I had to do It’s been a nice day cloudy most all day but not cold, I heard a kill dear last evening & Elbert see a robbin this morning winds been all around & it started to rain at 4.p-m & is still at it Wind S. west.
Fri. Mar. 14. 1947./ 14./ Felt to bum to work & went to bed at 8-p-m sick. I took care of Elbert untill 12-p-m
Sat. Mar. 15. 1947./ 12 eggs/ Lost out today, in bed all day. didn’t know much rest of night or today.
Sun. Mar. 16. 1947./ 13. eggs/ I’m been bed all day, sure sick & only half here.
Mon. Mar. 17. 1947./ 15 eggs/ Still to sick to get up.
Tue. Mar. 18. 1947./ 11. eggs/ Well to sick to get & sit up. snowed before morning.
Wed. Mar. 19. 1947./ 11. eggs./ Determined to get up & so, I did. Elbert went to Lorain & see Mr. Dietz & got his money for one day he worked & left the eggs for the man that had jpaid for them & sold 5. doz. others, he left note for Mr. Keep. came back with few things to eat & hadn’t been here for only a few minutes, when Hauffman came in (the one that brought the canary) he didn’t stay long. I was sitting in the big chair in my night gown with blanket around me. & could hardly keep my head level, I felt so bad. Thurs elbert looked so bad when he got back & I wasn’t able to wait on him. I usually have hot coffee for him.
Thurs. Mar. 20. 1947. 12 eggs today. / I took a bath & dressed yesterday morning & sit around most all day. it was Tue. Elbert went to Lorain. My heads bum yet. Today he’s gone to Vermilion. I sent my pussy willows & golden bells to Miss. Clark & a pt. of soup & cup of sugar. I brought the pussy willows & bells last week & they have been in bloom only a few days My flesh has been so terribly sore, never was any worse, Well,
Thurs. Mar. 20. 1947./ Page. 1058. / 12. eggs today/ I’m up again & hope I can stick. Well it’s getting cloudy & looks like rain. Elbert got back, O.K. he don’t feel able to get around & he’s run in debt for food & the check hasn’t come through yet. Well the preacher came in late & had a cup of tea & told us all the Church news they always have a big group out to meetings when I’m not there I pray God will continue to Bless the meetings. My heads bad yet.
Fri. Mar. 21. 1947./ 15. eggs today./ It was yesterday Elbert went to Vermilion & the preacher came in to call today. It snowed last night a good thick white blanket & everything trees shrubs & weeds fences posts & evergreens looked like real Christmas this morning it’s melted and was gone by noon then snowed a soft wet fine snow & then it rained a little. air is damp & chilly. & today is the first day of Spring.
Sat. Mar. 22. 1947. 11. eggs / We been home all day cloudy day tried to rain. Elbert went to see if Mrs. Deforest Ward could call to talk to me but she is in bed with the flu. I sent Elbert to find a peice of salt pork but he didn’t find any.
Mon. Mar. 24. 1947./ 12 eggs today/ Elbert done out his washing he’s cooked the meals & he’s gone to see if he can sell eggs & get us a little to keep soul & body together. Its been a dark cloudy day. tried to rain Elbert hung his undersear & shirts outside but they don’t look as if they are drying. No check yet. Today I wrote a letter to Mr. Reinhardt N Ausmus, 1102 Buckingham St. Sandusky to see if he could see what’s going on a-bout the check. It’s such a wicked, wicked world. Elbert sold 3 doz. eggs for 55 cents & one doz for 50 cents & he paid 90 cents for 5 lbs oyster schell he got a very small piece of boiling meat
Tue. Mar. 25. 1947./ page. 1059./ 12 eggs today/ Been snowing & blowing a living gale since Mon. night & it’s still at it. I’m to weak to do anything. Elbert’s feeling a little better, but a long ways from good. No check & we’re out of eatables & I’m so weak & hungry seems as if I can hardly keep from crying.
Wed. Mar. 26. 1947./ 12. eggs today/ Evelyn is 35 yrs. old today. & it’s stormed & blowed all day & the sun shines through even when it’s snowing a gale. No check today. between a number of sittings, I mixed a couple tins of bread biscuits & got them baked. & I’m no good tonight. hope check comes in the morinng & we were with out the electric lights last night but they got them fixed after dark tonight.
Thurs. Mar. 27. 1947./ 15. eggs today./ Well, Elbert went to Lorain sold 2 doz. eggs $1.10 borrowed 10.00 & got us a little food, he left at 11-a-m & got back 4-30-p-m. I washed out my clothes with anything to eat ate a 3-30-p-m. felt to sick to move rest of afternoon & evening, I got all my things dry ex-cept rags, didn’t have enough water to wrinse them but got them done tonight. we had some short steaks for supper, they were tender ,& looked like horse meat red he got some garlic saucage & some fish & no potatoes or anything else except 2 cans milk. No Check today but I got a card that is made out for April & May so maybe I ought to be able to live in hopes I might get it next month if I can find a way to exist. If they trust Jesus, as they do me, how will they get to heaven. I had Elbert mail the letter I wrote to Mr. Ausmus in Sandusky, I do hope he will be able to get Mar. Check for me. It’s been a beautiful day, quite & sunshine snow has melted a lot on ground & on the roads. the school buss went through today. No other mail been off 2 days because of weather.
Fri. Mar. 28. 1947. / 8. eggs today/ No check today, Elbert went to Huron & looked around a little some of the fishermen put in there nets & only got 1. or 2. fish & the nets all rolled & full of dirt, green slime, sticks, grass & weeds; Well I got a letter from Nellie & it tally’s with my dream I had a few nights ago & told it to Elbert, Nellie’s been in bed since Mar. 7. she said they told her she’s out of danger now, but that she’s up to high, altitude to high for her heart &
Fri. Mar. 28. 1947./ page. 1060./ 8. eggs for today./ her blood pressure lots to high said she’s proped up in bed to write. I ask her if she had found out all those things before she went, but, she said it was O.K. I dreamed they brought her back ____. today’s letter said she was coming back home in a mo or so, or by the time it was really Spring here. Well, this morning sun shone & the snow was almost gone only little where the drifts had been , but tonight it started again to snow an hour or so before dark & tonight the ground is white & evergreens look like Christmas trees, once more. light breeze from S.W. not cold out & snows melting. I have felt to terrible for words all day, weak. But I thank God for his tender mercies & care.
Sat. Mar. 29. 1947./ 14 eggs today/ Elbert sold 4. doz. eggs $2.15 got 2. pieces of meat hardly enough to say meat, & few groceries. & I over did somewhat I swept wiped up kitchen washed out rags & ironed my dress, 2. skirts, 2. kercheifs, & at 10-p-m, still tuckered It’s been a fine day, it snowed last evening & it laid 2 ins. of snow & looked like Christmas once again & then all melted off & sunshone today clouded up & snowed, but only a little late this evening & is colder tonight & wind is a little stronger from the N.W. hope it don’t get bad. And I pray God will fill the church each meeting tomorrow & save some souls in Jesus Name. Miss. Clark was feeling better today, Elbert said. I do hope & pray God will fill us with health, all who are in need, when they pray Sunday Morning. I’ll thank Him & give him all the praise forever & ever Amen.
Sun. Mar. 30. 1947./ 10 eggs today./ No Church for us today and I do want to go so much. Elberts not feeling so good, but we don’t have enough to eat.
Mon. Mar. 31. 1947./ 14. eggs today./ Elbert went to Huron he’s wishing for some fresh fish, but, they didn’t get enough to pay them & he said the nets were torn & in terrible condition, I opened some cans & made soup & just got it done when he came & the tea made he washed & was ready for it. I knew he would be, he’s so weak his legs ach so from just going up there & walking around & he looks bad yet & talking of getting off to Lorain to look after work again & I can’t hardly get around yet. & haven’t been out side yet, I sure am terrible weak & miserable yet, to.