Goshorn - 1944
1944 LULA GOSHORN DIARY
Ladoga, Indiana
Note: This is the last
Jan 18 – Lewis gave another pint of blood for the Red Cross War Plasma drive. His second time.
Jan – about the last of the month Mrs. Oltho (Otto?) Winger died. 68 years old.
March 3 – John Brough 26 years old commenced working here. Lives in Lewis’ house.
March 8 – Lewis got John Brough’s deferment from the army extended until Sept 6 1944 (six mos)
March 9 – Lewis sowed clover seed on his wheat.
April 6 – Sowed first field oats, disced one way then it rained.
April 11 – Lewis finished the wiring for electricity in his house and where Paul M. lives. Its partitian walls are brick. Saved at least $100 by doing it himself. Such work runs from 1.50 per hour to 1.75
April 13 – John Brough’s referment extended until Sept 23 1944 (odd just a few days difference)
April 28 – Electric line to John Broughs and Paul Mahorneys completed and lights turned on.
May 15 – Made some garden. Has been too wet to work in ground and couldn’t get all in yet, it rained again.
May 19 – Finished making garden. Very late in the season. Hot now. Queer weather.
May 23- Finished all the plowing
May 24- Commenced planting corn
May 25 – Lewis finished planting his corn.
May 26 – Lewis is planting 1 field of our corn and had 177 western lambs delivered at the far place which he has rented this yr.
June 3 – Lewis finished planting corn on the estate today. All done now with corn 65 acres. Next comes soy beans. Ruth is having to do practically all the work around the house, chickens, garden and yard and the cooking. For over three weeks I’ve had very high blood pressure, 264 and the Dr. says I’ve got to quit work and rest or something will give way. If I only can go quickly, I hope and pray I will not have to be waited on. To do nothing when theres so much needs doing is very very hard. The season is so late and everyone is working so hard.
June 9 – Lewis finished sowing soy beans today. Has some on three places.
June 12 – Commenced cutting alfalfa hay. Saw Dr. about my blood pressure. Still too high 228 but better than it was. Still have to lie around & be careful.
June 15 – Roland came on the train. So glad to see him. Very hot, trying to make hay and its to rainy.
June 17 – Put up 636 bales hay today equal to 40 loads. Rained again and we stacked about 200 more out in the pasture and put a fence around it. Will let the stock in to it in the winter. Struck water today in gravel 81 ‘ deep. Water within 12’ of top. Nice & Clear. How glad I am they have it. Water has been a problem there a long while
June 19 – sudden cold change feels good to me. Down to 49 in Chicago record for the time of year. Holt & Sons commenced drilling well at Paul’s.
June 21 – Mildred came from Lafayette & was here over night. Both he and Mildred looking well. Glad to see them. Have their home paid for now and if the war would only stop how much better we would all feel.
June 29 – Had blood pressure taken today 208. Still too high but better. Very nervous & weak yet have to keep on “doing nothing.”
July 25 – Lucille Moore operated on this am. For ovarian tumors. Operation 2 hrs. long.
Aug 10 – Lewis bought new wheat drill 256.60 (war prices).
Aug 27 – John & Elsie Brough who live on Lewis’ place joined church today. Harold Baker joined a few evenings ago. Ralph Larick has been preaching for 2 weeks. At the last Gene Everhart & Patty Horseley joined.
Sept 13 – John came home. So glad to see him. Hadn’t been here for two years. Had to come on train. Gas & tire situation so bad on acct of war. Couldn’t come in car and bring the family. Sorry we couldn’t see them all. Johnny must be quite a big boy now. John was here 4 days.
Notes: The Lula Goshorn (that her granddaughter, Judy let me borrow to type for this site) diaries begin in April 1930 a few days after her husband, Ezra passed away. He had kept a diary of his farming accounts for a long time and she continued. She had written for her church magazine and the county paper, but had evidently not been keeping a journal until this time frame.
Lula was born near Ladoga the last day of August in 1876, the daughter of Henry Mede and Lavinia Peffley Harshbarger. Also in August (23rd in 1899) she married Ezra Nicholas Goshorn (born in Clay County, Indiana 6 Jan 1866 and died April 15, 1930 in Ladoga). He was a minister and farmer in the Ladoga area. She went to Culver Hospital for a couple of months before passing away there three days after Christmas at 8:30 in the evening of her cardio-vascular problems that she had mentioned several times in her diaries. She lived to be 68 years 3 months and 28 days and they were mainly very happy ones! Lula, thank you so much for sharing your own life through these diaries and those of so many of your Ladoga and Montgomery County friends, neighbors and acquaintances! RIP
The above Ezra Goshorn family portrait was taken before Ruth's birth about 1918.
Ruth is in the inset in the lower left corner.
Ezra, Lewis & Lulu are in the front row.
Irene, Roland, John are standing behind in the second.
Thank's to Lewis's daughter Judy for the above photos!