July 9, 1931

Mrs. Oscar Fred is ill at the hospital. I was Dist. Guardian neighbor at Choteau 23-24 of June.[1. Mary was a member of the Neighbors of Woodcraft.] Received congratulations for my good work. The drills and kitchen band and other entertainments were fine. Then I visited all the relations on Mr. Geo. Schenk‘s side at Gt. Falls and Neihart coming home July -6, 1931. A fierce rain storm which was on while I was at Jack Tripp’s forming a lake which Anna Tripp[1. Mary’s first husband George and Anna Tripp’s mother Katherine were half-cousins.] and I now boated on. My first boat ride was 40 yrs. ago. I was on a pleasure boat from Cincinnati, Ohio to Cooney [sic]  Island down the Missouri River[3.In 1891, Mary made a trip back east with her family. It was on that trip that she received her First Holy Communion in her mother’s home town of North Vernon, Indiana. Apparently the family also traveled to Cincinnati where they most likely visited with relatives from her father’s side of the family, the Rumpings. I believe Mary meant to write that she was on a pleasure boat – probably the steamer known as the Guiding Star – from Cincinnati to Coney Island on the Ohio River, rather than the Missouri River. Coney Island, located about 10 miles east of downtown Cincinnati, was originally known as “Ohio Grove, The Coney Island of the West”, and opened in June of 1886. By the time Mary visited there in 1891, it was simply known as “Coney Island”. The Guiding Star made four runs a day, at 9 am, 1 pm, 4 pm and 7 pm. The cost was fifty cents round trip – 60 minutes one way – and also included park admission.], & then I was on the Missouri when 1 1/2 yrs. old coming from St. Louis to Fort Benton in 1879.

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NOTES

June has been a busy month! And so I’ve fallen a little behind on blog posts. In an effort to quickly catch up, here are all of Mary’s journal entries for June, 1931.

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June 5, 1931

Richard Fletcher[1. A little searching in Ancestry turned up a WWI Draft Registration Card for “Richard Fletcher” who was born August 12, 1873. No place of birth was given but he was a “naturalized” U.S. Citizen. Occupation was listed as “Miner” and his place of residence was stated as being “Marysville, Lewis & Clark, Mont.” His nearest relative was William Fletcher. His height and build were “medium” and his eyes were blue and hair was brown. Another record showed him buried in Forestvale Cemetery in Helena next to William Fletcher, probably his brother. According to this FindAGrave memorial, Richard Fletcher died June 14, 1931.] died last nite[2. Mary also mentioned the death of “Dick Fletcher” in an earlier journal entry from late April 1931 (click here). As I’ve mentioned before, I think some journal entries were made several months or even years after an event occurred. And her journal is not chronological – which means she may have made duplicate entries.]. 57 yrs old.

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June 16, 1931

This morning I felt a tremolo or quake at 3-5 a.m.[2. I was unable to find any information on a “tremolo” or earthquake on this date. Interesting to note, however, that according to earthquake.usgs.gov, “Montana is one of the most seismically active States in the Union.” And my mother has told me on numerous occasions her recollections of the October and November 1935 earthquakes in the Helena area, which “caused four deaths, several injuries, and property damage exceed $4 million.”]

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June 17, 1931

Mr. and Mrs. Jno Korting and Ernest, Ralph Williams and myself went to Helena to Richard Fletcher’s funeral, had a large turn out. Herman Weinrietter, H. Ingman, Oscar Fred, Jim Jennings, August Summers and Geo Slater [or Slaten?] were palbearers. After that we went up to see Mrs. Margurite  (Kockler) [blank space] and new baby boy. A big fire is on at Priest’s Pass and the smoke formed a beautiful snow like appearing clouds, was a nice sight to see.

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June 24, 1931

Nels Lund[3. A search in Ancestry turned up “Nels H. Lund” in the 1930 U.S. Census living in Marysville. He was 74 years old at the time and was of Swedish descent. He was a single man and immigrated to the U.S. in 1881. I also located this memorial page at FindAGrave showing he is buried at Forestvale Cemetery in Helena.] died about June 24th.

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