Edith B. Ziegenhorn Diaries: A Young Girl's Life In Claytonville, Illinois - 1914 to 1917

Edith B. Ziegenhorn

January 8, 1899 - May 23, 1982

Diaries

A Young Girl's Life In Claytonville, Illinois

February 1914 - March 1917

Edited and transcribed from the diaries of Edith B. Ziegenhorn

by Donald G. Enz

copyright 2012 by Donald G. Enz

All rights reserved

3rd edition

10-7-2012

Dedication

This book is dedicated in loving memory to Edith B. Ziegenhorn. She was not only my Great Aunt, but also a very dear friend. This book is also dedicated to the rest of my Ziegenhorn, Mumbert, et al. relatives who put up with me as a child when I spent my summers in Claytonville and Cissna Park, Illinois. I consider myself extremely blessed to have known many of the people mentioned in these diary pages.

Acknowledgements

I wish to thank the Claytonville Historical Society for creating such a fantastic history book of their town back in 1982. It is a must read for anyone interested in life in a small community. It was very helpful as a resource for names for some of the photographs in this book.

I want to thank my brother, James K. Enz, for lending me photos for this book.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Diary - 1: Feb. 24, 1914 to Mar. 17, 1914

Diary - 2 Jan. 1, 1915 to May 31, 1915

Diary - 3 June 1, 1915 to Nov. 19, 1915

Diary - 4 Nov. 20, 1915 to June 21, 1916

Diary - 5 Dec. 22, 1916 to Mar. 21 1917

End

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Preface

Claytonville, Illinois is located in Iroquois county approximately five miles east of Cissna Park. The town was established around 1882 on land owned by William Clayton. During the early 1900's, it was typical of most small towns and had many privately owned businesses. Each business served a certain segment of the population, which allowed for a wide variety of services.

My Great Grandfather, August F. Ziegenhorn, owned one of these businesses, a hardware store. Eventually, the store sold groceries and he became a postmaster, veterinarian, pharmacist, and merchant. He married Sadie Guingrich in 1893 and had three children: Vera, Maurice, and Edith. All three children lived their entire lives in Claytonville. Maurice did leave briefly to become a wagoner in the Army during WWI. Vera and Edith never married and lived in the same house their entire lives.

After August's death, Maurice took over the operation of what the local community refers to as The Ziegenhorn Store. After Maurice died in June of 1956, Vera took over as the store manager and postmaster. Edith became a beautician and operated her business in a room attached to the house.

As with most towns in the early 1900's, fire was a major problem and in 1912 a fire destroyed a block of businesses on North Manning Street. There were several other business and house fires through the years. The earliest fires, though, caused the most damage because there was no way to contain a fire with inadequate equipment and wooden structures.

Unfortunately, over the years, Claytonville, like most small communities, is not what it used to be. There is still a strong local commitment within the area between its citizens, but Claytonville is no longer a thriving community with businesses and shops. Automobiles and easy to travel roads has killed most small towns. Also, the demise of train travel, which was a major mode of transportation into the 1960's, is no longer available.

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Vera, Sadie, Maurice, Edith, August Ziegenhorn

Edith Ziegenhorn's

Diary

February 24, 1914 to March 17, 1914

{Ed. Note: These pages were found loose in the diary covering Dec. 22, 1916 - Jan. 29, 1917. They were evidently torn from another notebook, which has not been located. All of these loose pages have a one inch rip approximately two inches from the page's bottoms. From the uniformity of the tears, all pages were torn from the book at once. All misspelled words are Edith's spelling errors.}

Feb. 24 -. Up at 7:30 this morning.

Didn't do much before school time.

Went to school. Snow was so deep

that I didn't come home for dinner

Nearly starved before eve. Nothing in

particular happened except the re-

modeling of the organ by - I don't know

who. After school, I ate my supper and

washed the dishes. There is a dance in

town to-night. When I started this

I didn't think I would go, because

Vera fell and hurt her ankle somewhat.

But 8:30 o'clock Anna and Ella Hofer

came over and wanted us to go, so we did.

Not many there. Ella and I danced a good

deal. Felt tired when I got home. Got a

card from C.W. to-day. To bed at 12:00.

~~~~~~

Feb. 25. - Got up about 7:15. Helped a

little with the morning's work,

then went to school. The school is

in a state of uproar now on account

of Feb. 21st. election. Had Algebra

test to-day: it was pretty hard. After

school to-night Mrs. Phillips brought

over some cake. My but it was good!

I read a while after she left; then B.H.

called up and asked about orchestra practise.

Later L.M. called and asked about practising

songs. I said, alright; so Ella, G.S., L.M.

came about 8:15 and we practised (?) until

10:30. I took Ella part of the way home. Maurice

wouldn't go with us. My, but we were frightened!

Well, good night. To bed at 11: -

~~~~~~

Feb. 26. - Got up at 7:30. Helped a little

with the work before I went to school.

Nothing unusual happened, I guess.

Got my Algebra paper with a grade

of 99. Came home for my dinner

to-day. To-night I came home

and ate supper and washed the dishes.

Studied a little while after that; then

Vera came home and we had to go to

Hofer's to practise - this being Briton's

night. Say, we had a time. I was

so sleepy, I couldn't see; in fact

we all were. Well, to bed for

me, at 12:30.

~~~~~~

Feb. 27. I cannot break the record

in getting up. I got up about the

same time again. Vera had a head-

ache and hadn't gotten up yet

when I left. I had the stomach ache

all day. Ella didn't go to school

because she had a boil on her nose.

Didn't come home for dinner.

Aunt Ada was here, but I didn't

get home in time to see her. I

helped with the dishes, after supper

then read a while and about 8:00

o'clock laid down on the lounge

and went to sleep. When the folks came

home, they awakened me, because

they had some ice cream. My, but

it was good. Now to bed, 10:00.

~~~~~~

Feb. 28. Up at 7:30. Say I have

been some sleepy. Well, Vera has

been sick all day. I did all of the

sweeping but the dining room and

kitchen and mama did that; [she also] baked

pies and got dinner. I washed the

dishes and read all the rest of the

after noon. Didn't clean up till

late. There is going to be a lecture

in town to-night by Mr. Bangs at

the U.B. Church xx You bet, we went

to hear him and he certainly was

fine. Say, its turning colder. It was

raining when we went to church; then

it snowed a while, then, when we came

home it was real clear. After we came home

we sat around and read awhile. I am

going to bed now at 11: - Studied S.S. lesson after

I wrote this

~~~~~~

March 1. Well, I broke the record to-day

got up at 8:00. Say, but its cold. [bed] The felt

some good this morning. Say, I [we were] was

invited to a wedding to-day, but didn't

get to go. Went to S.S. Prof. Bangs was

our teacher. He was some swell. Stayed

for church. After church and dinner

Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Burkhart came over,

then I went to Hofer's. Ella has a boil on

her nose. It's better now. She was making

candy. It was very good. When I came home

Mrs. Burkhart was still here and pretty soon

{Ed. Note: Burkhart was Burkhard: overwritten.}

Bess Wilson came up. Then, this evening we

went to church. There are the most new guys

here. All from Virginia. He, [Mr.Bangs] certainly is a fine

talker. Everything was so quiet at church you

could [have] heard a pin fall. Well, good night. 10 -

{Ed. Note: The original writing was could hear.}

~~~~~~

March 2. Up at 7:15. Helped a good deal with

the work before school time. It was "Wash

Morning." Miss Wilson has a severe cold

so she was a little cross to-day. She scold me,

though, Lauree is taking classes with us

now. I am afraid to say anything for fear its

wrong. Came home for dinner. To-night

after school, Mrs. Burkhart was here, Ate

supper and she ate some. Then she

left. Mamma cleared the table, then I

washed the dishes. When Maurice came

home, he brought some of yesterday's

Wedding Cake. There [were] six different kinds,

My but it was good! I read a while

this evening. To bed at 10: -

~~~~~~

March 3 - Up at 7:00 o'clock, I think.

I ironed awhile this morning. Nothing

much happened at school, Ella

hasn't started yet. Came home for

dinner. To-night when I was

getting ready to leave the school

house I discovered that one of my

rubbers were gone, I could not find

it anywhere so I came home

with just one. Stopped and talked

to Ella on the corner. After supper,

B.H. called up, saying he couldn't come

in to practise. We practised to night.

Harry H. and Fritz W. came down to

hear us. Well I guess I'll go to bed.

Good-night, 11: -

~~~~~~

March 4 - Up at 7:30, Made beds,

ate breakfast and went to school.

Another new scholar at school, Roy

Meade. Found my rubber. Howard

B. had worn it home in his rubber.

Almost tardy at noon when I

went back. Ella was there to-day.

After school Mrs. Bradford, Vivian,

Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Burkhart were

all here besides all of those

who came to practise. We had

an awful time practising.

Didn't do much. I'll bet the

program will be punk. Well

I guess I'll retire. Good-night 11:20

I read awhile after this. It was about

12:00 when I went to bed.

~~~~~~

March 5 - Up at 7:25. Cleaned up

the upstairs and made bed down.

stairs and went to school. I had to hurry,

but I got there on time. Vera went

to Hoopeston this morning. She came

home at noon and brought me a couple

of pieces of music. "Do You Take This Woman for

Your Lawful Wife and I'm on My Way to

Mandalay." After school I played them

awhile, then Bess Wilson brought me

some more. Say, but its hard; but I am

going to try to learn it. Well I tried

to fill the lamp after she left and I had

a dreadful time. Mr. Britton came out

to-night. After supper I studied a while,

then the kids came. After they left [12:00] I studied a while.

It was 1: when I went to bed with a splitting

headache.

~~~~~~

March 6 - Up at 7:20. Wrote up my diary

from yesterday. Made beds and went to

school. We had a time. We couldn't

get a drink without getting snow-balled

I'll tell you I certainly got some hard ones

I was so sleepy, that I couldn't study.

We intended to practise to-night but McC's

didn't get in so we didn't. Ruth O'C was

down. Vera M. was too a few minutes. I

went to the store and talked to her while

Ruth took a lesson. When she went home

I went to the store with Ruth, then took

her home. I came home then and played

on the piano awhile. Now I'm going to

bed, good night 10:00.

~~~~~~

March 7. Up at 7:15. I worked all

forenoon. We had to sweep and

bake pies. Got cleaned up before dinner

all but putting on my dress. Before

I got through eating, Vera Mumbert

came. A few minutes later Bess

Wilson came; then Anna Burkhart.

My they did tease me. V.Z. and Vera

M. went down to the church to practise

I went to O'Conner's and got Ruth.

We went to the church, too. We stayed there

until about church time. Came home

then went to church. After church

we, the choir, practised for Temperance

Sun. George Swartz wasn't there. The

kids acted so foolish over there, I was good

and sore when I got home. 11:00.

~~~~~~

March 8. Up at 9:00, Didn't go to S.S.

Vera wasn't feeling good. Harl Sites

came over to see if [we] were sick. Vera got

so hoarse during the afternoon, that

she could not talk above a whisper.

Ella came over about 4:30. About 5:30

we went to the church to practise.

We had a time. Ella and I sang

a song which we had never sang

but once. G.S. came. I'll tell you

we don't agree. We had a fuss over

everything that was said. Ella &

George do. Lee and I do. ha! ha!

Program was fair. Our (Lee McCray,

George Swartz, Ella Hofer, and I) quartet

was fair. Yours at 11:00.

~~~~~~

March 9. Up at 7:00. Helped do up

the work. Mamma washed.

Went to school. Nothing happened.

Louie Woods has asked the

Claytonville Orchestra to play

for her Box Supper. When I

came home from school to-night

Aunt Ada was here. I ate supper,

washed dishes, read the paper,

studied, then went to bed at 10:15

Charley Long is getting along

fine after an operation for

appendicitis

~~~~~~

March 10. Up at 6:30. Studied awhile

made the beds, ate breakfast, went

{Ed. Note: At this time there were two stores

in Claytonville, Hofer's & Ziegenhorn's}

to Hofer's store, then went to school.

Nothing much happened. To-night

Bess Wilson was here when I

came home. Anna Burkhart

came a few minutes later, lite

supper, mamma washed dishes.

I slept awhile, then got up and

went to Hofer's to