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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NOTES

[Monday] May 14, 1931

I worked 3 hrs. in the grave yard to-day and put a box of flowers by the loved ones. I’ve always did my part in remembering the loved ones there & after I am gone I sure hope my children will never neglect doing the same for Alb. and myself. It can be done without spending money for unnecessary offerings.

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NOTES

Mary was most likely working that day in the Marysville cemetery in preparation for Memorial Day, which was more often referred to as “Decoration Day” in those days. Although Memorial Day was originally intended as a day to decorate the graves of soldiers who died in the service of their country, many people also decorated the graves of other family members.

In 1931, the “loved ones” Mary was referring to were her first husband George Schenk who died on October 31, 1915, their daughter Valentine Dora who died several months before George on April 2, 1915, and Mary’s unnamed infant son who died in 1921.[1. The grave marker gives the year of death as 1920 but I located a record that gives “abt 1921” as the date of birth and “2 Jan 1921” as the date of death. “Montana Death Index, 1907-2007,” database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/search/ : accessed 30 May 2016), entry for Infant Schafer (sic), 2 Jan 1921; citing Montana State Genealogical Society, comp. Montana Death Index, 1860-2007.] Mary’s second husband Albert Schaffer was the father of that child.

About 15 years ago, my son and I visited the Marysville cemetery and he took these photos of the graveyard. Image #1 is a map he prepared showing the location of the cemetery in relation to Marysville.

Curious about the image shown in Photo #7, I did some research and learned that it represents a fraternal organization founded by Joseph Cullen Root in 1890 known as Woodmen of the World. Membership in this organization included an insurance policy which provided for a free gravestone which exhibited the insurance company’s logo. Traditionally, four objects were included on the gravestone: maul, axe, wedge, and a dove of peace carrying an olive branch.[2. Sources for information on Woodmen of the World:  http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~okmurray/wow.htm and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WoodmenLife#History.] The Latin inscription on this marker is “Dum Tacet Clamat” – which translates to “Though Silent, He Speaks”.

The four-sided Schenk grave marker shown in Photo #4 contains information on one side for George Schenk (Photo #5) and on a second side for his daughter Valentine (Photo #6).

*All photographs in this post were taken by the author’s son, Jake Hertz.

Copyright (c) 2016, Lark M. Dalin Robart

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SOURCES

Mr. and Mrs. Isac Ranta[1. I did a search at Ancestry.com and located a married couple in the 1930 U.S. Census named Isaac and Mary Ranta, ages 44 and 49 respectively. Both were born in Finland. His occupation was listed as “blacksmith”. Mr. Ranta immigrated to the U.S. in 1913 and Mrs. Ranta in 1912. Living with them was a 19 year old lodger, also from Finland, named Matt Luoto. They lived on Empire Road in Marysville. See 1930 U.S. census, Lewis & Clark County County, Montana, population schedule, School District 12; Marysville, p. 186 (stamped), enumeration district (ED) 25-26, dwelling 14, family 14, Isaac and Mary Ranta; image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 May 2016); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1258.] moved up to Bald Butte in Lauller’s old house. Mrs. F. Hartmiller & family spent the evening.[2. Another search at Ancestry.com turned up a married couple in the 1930 U.S. Census named Joseph and Nellie Hartmillar. Their ages were 48 and 23, respectively. Mr. Hartmillar was born in Ohio and Mrs. Hartmiller in Montana. They had four children: Lillian, age 17; Katie, age 13; Annie, age 10; and Mary, age 6. All four children were born in Montana. Mr. Hartmiller’s occupation was listed as “prospector” and the family lived on Grand Street. See 1930 U.S. census, Lewis & Clark County County, Montana, population schedule, School District 12; Marysville, p. 187 (stamped), enumeration district (ED) 25-26, dwelling 39, family 39, Joseph and Nellie E. Hartmillar; image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 May 2016); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1258.]

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NOTES

May 9, 1931

Evelyn Marks sent me a rayon nitie, little pipi, a birdie you wind up and a card. Irene Weber a pillow which has on it “Mother Dear – God took the sunshine from the skies and made the lovelight in your eyes; from honeyed flowers, he took the dew, and made your tears unselfish, true; from a rock your faith he built, with angel prayers your breath he filled, and with his Love made yours divine, but best of all he made you mine.” Many love verses I’ve read on the cards from my children which I take in to my heart with all these meanings and the Love they had in sending them.

May 10, 1931

My girl Frances Dalin and her son Honor and Daughter Shirley also my son Christie came home Sun. afternoon, and Oh! I was so happy. Brot a beautiful bouquet from Fran. Grandma Dalin and her brother Erik came also. We had lunch and all this time I was waiting for a token of Mother’s day from Christie. So any way they went home and on going to bed I found a box of candy from Christie to his Mother. Oh it was a happy day.

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Notes

The first Mother’s Day observances were organized by Anna Jarvis in her hometown of Grafton, West Virginia – inspired by the death of her own mother in 1905. The second Sunday in May was eventually set aside as the official “Mother’s Day” holiday by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914.

When the holiday became a commercial success, however, Anna spent much of the rest of her life organizing boycotts and threatening lawsuits.

Click here for an interesting National Geographic article on the subject written by Brian Handwerk in 2014.