The Finale

Happy New Year! This is the final entry of the 1936 Diary of Irene Smith Dolton blog. Thank you to all who have stepped back in time with me; the devotees, & casual observers alike. I appreciate everyone who has taken time out of their crazy modern lives to read a little about a 55 year old widow trying to make it through the Great Depression. She baked like crazy. Maybe that's where me & my sister's get it from. It's in our genes!

Irene Smith Dolton lived to see her only grandchild, my father (Iliff W. Dolton, Jr.), get married & have 2 children of his own. Unfortunately, she died on January 28, 1969, & never got to meet me & my younger sister. She lived with my father & his parents, Iliff Sr. & Mildred for a time. When she didn't live with them, Dad would visit her in the summer for weeks, & she would bake him oat flake cookies! Iliff Sr. always called his mother "sauerkraut", because she was always ready. She just took off her apron, and grabbed her cardigan & purse.

For those of you who find your way to this blog in the future, feel free to comment. I will keep this active & will respond to all comments. To start at the beginning, click HERE.

Irene Smith Dolton c. 1945

Thank you for coming along on this journey.

Saturday, December 26, 1936

plesant day-
Made lemon pie and got dinner
Harry, Clara & Mother went to Ithaca-
Clara talked on phone to Dr. Moore-
about Mother's condition-
She may not recover-
must be kept quiet as much as possible-
Iliff and Mildred spent the evening with us-
Gave Iliff $15.00 for Mr. Booth-

Saturday, December 19, 1936

Cold south wind all day with snow flurries changing to rain this eve-
Harry brought a spare rib and I made dressing and baked it today-
was it good-
Harry went back to Half Acre this afternoon-
Mildred called for me to go to town but I did not need to go-
Mother good all day-
Finished two pair pillow cases-

Sunday, December 13, 1936

Sunday-
freezing & cool-
Made a banana cream pie-
Combed Mothers hair & washed her neck-
and got the dinner and cleared it away and Aunty washed the dishes for me-
Iliff and Mildred came for me to spend the afternoon at Searles'
Charles and Marcia was there also-
Iliff left for Buffalo 5-15 P.M. and Mildred and Florence brought me back-
Had a wonderfull time-

Saturday, December 12, 1936

Cloudy but plesant day
Mildred, Florence & Delbert came for me at 11 A.M.-
to go to Ithaca to Xmas shop-
Went to Victoria Hotel for dinner-
Met Howard & Ida Ammack in Hotel too
Iliff did not get home as he had Saturday work-
Telegraphed to Mildred
Had a nice afternoon-
but what a crowd-

Saturday, November 14, 1936

Cloudy with Misty rain this afternoon-
Finished the ironing
Combed Mothers hair etc-
Mother very difficult this afternoon-
did not like the ironing and would not come to eat her supper-
Iliff and Mildred called this eve-

Sunday, October 25, 1936

windy and cold
Made corn starch custard and combed Mothers hair and washed her neck and ears-
Harry Baker came for dinner and stay all night-
Mildred and Florence & Delbert called this late afternoon on the way to Francis-
I wrote letter to Iliff this eve-

Sunday, October 18, 1936

Cloudy, windy, & cool-
Made a lemon pie-
Combed Mothers hair etc-
Leroy Hall came and had dinner and sawed wood about 2 hours this afternoon-
Harry Baker came for dinner-
Iliff came for me after dinner and I spent the afternoon at Searles'
Mildred brought me back for supper
Iliff left for Buffalo 4-30 P.M.
Harry left for Auburn 7-45 P.M-

Saturday, October 17, 1936

Rainy day-
Rec'd a letter from Aunt Sarah
Felt badly all day and went to Dr. Trabell in Groton this eve-
He says I have Intestinal Grippe*-
Took my bath this afternoon and went over to Susie Harings for a pail of water-
Iliff and Mildred came this eve and took me to Groton-
get me pair of rubbers-
Mother has been good today.

From the Eagle-Bulletin Fayetteville, NY 04/23/1936*

*I am not sure what "intestinal grippe" is, but it made the local paper when someone came down with it. The above clipping is from a paper not too far from where Irene was living in 1936. See the paper HERE.

Sunday, October 4, 1936

Beautifull day-
Harry and I went over to Florence and Delberts to spend the day-
Had chicken dinner and a wonderfull time-
Helped get the canned fruit down to Searles-
Went over to Will Fenners to enquire about pears-
None
Iliff left for Buffalo^ about 7 o'clock-
Mildred for school*-



^Iliff was an iron worker.

*Mildred was a school teacher. She graduated from Cortland Normal School which became SUNY Cortland. My brother graduated from there about 70 years after Mildred.

Monday, September 28, 1936

plesant and cool
Made Butterscotch pudding for dinner-
and combed Mothers hair-
Mother has been very good today after her all night prowl-
Iliff came this forenoon and stayed to dinner with us.
Delivered a message of good will from Mildred-
Had a wonderfull visit-
I had a bad headache all day-

Saturday, September 12, 1936

rainy by spells all day but not hard-
Made lemon pie for dinner & a molasses cake and finished canning the pears-
Combed Mothers hair etc
rec'd letter & check for $10.00 from Clara paying  fron Aug 26 to Sept. 9.
Leroy Bower brought us tea & coffee tonight.

Notice in the newspaper regarding Mildred's variety shower

"Mrs. Donald Sharpsteen gave a variety shower Saturday afternoon for her sister, Mrs. Mildred Dolton, at the home of Mrs. Dolton's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Delbert Searles. There were over 20 persons present. Mrs. Dolton was the recipient of many gifts. Ice cream and cake were served."

Wednesday, September 9, 1936

plesant all day
Mother rec'd letter from Clara telling us of her safe arrival
I picked and canned two cans of plums and made oatflake cookies^-
Iliff, Florence & Delbert called this morning-
There is to be a variety shower* for Mildred Saturday afternoon at Florences
I eec'd invitation from Frances today
Harry called this eve on his way to Iliffs

Invitation to Mildred's variety shower

Envelop for the invitation above showing postmark

*A "variety shower" appears to be very similar to our current bridal shower, but it is done after the bride returns from the honeymoon. Games, gifts, & food were common themes, as they are now.

^It must be cooler, Irene is back to making oatflake cookies!  

Sunday, September 6, 1936

Sunday, plesant
Harry came and went to Iliffs for dinner and Iliff & Mildred came with Iliff and got me and we went to Auburn to spend the afternoonmand evening-
Called on the the Ockendens and see through the creamery and then went to the Park-
Had a wonderfull time 10-30 when we came in-

Sunday, August 30, 1936

Cloudy & cool-
I roasted beef and made Banana cream pie and steamed acorn squash & swiss chard for dinner
Harry came this forenoon-
brought us a half bushel of peas-
He and I went for a ride over to see Iliff & Mildred-
Had a wonderfull time
Mother terribly upset this afternoon-
but better by bedtime-

Thursday, August 27, 1936

plesant all day
I mowed the lawn today and stayed alone with Mother-
Clara & Aunty went to Ithaca-
I sent a card to Iliff & Mildred and a note to Harry-
Everything has run smoothly and Mother was very good-

Wednesday, August 26, 1936

plesant & cool all day
Harry brought me back to the Howell home* and everyone welcomed me
Harry went back to Half Acre before supper-
I am missing my good times of the past two weeks-
Rec'd a card from Hannah today-
I called on Florence to say goodbye
She feels pretty lonesome without Mildred-
M- cleaned cupboard and cabinet today-


*Irene is now back with Mother & Aunty after a fortnight away.

Tuesday, August 25, 1936

plesant all day with a little shower this eve-
Christine done the ironing of my clothes and Harrys' _
I made an elderberry pie and a shell and Harry, Christine, & I went to Ithaca for afternoon-
Harry bought a tire-
Iliff, Mildred, Harry & I took Christine home to McGraw for supper and spent the eve-
The Fowler family & Harry Messenger gave us a concert-
wonderfull time
*Iliff and Mildred home to stay


*This statement is written up the inner left hand side of the diary entry.

Monday, August 24, 1936

plesant all day
Done the washing today
Christine made a chocolate cake fine-
Harry carried the water for me-
Harry, christine, and I went to Taughannock Falls^ and T'Burg,* & Mecklenburg back to Ithaca-
Iliff and Mildred came home-
reporting a fine time at Thousand Islands-

Map showing potential route for the trip stated above in 1936

^Taughannock Falls is a NY Sate Park named after the waterfall. It is located on the western side of Cayuga Lake. See above map.

*This is Irene's abbreviation for Trumansburg, NY. See above map.

Post card Iliff sent his mother while on honeymoon 1936

Contents of the post card Iliff sent Irene on Aug. 24, 1936

Dear Mother,
We have arrived to our first stopping place near Sacketts Harbor, 12 miles from Watertown.
Had a nice trip. Enjoyed every second of it.
        Love,
                  Iliff & Mildred-

Saturday, August 22, 1936

Iliffs' & Mildreds' wedding day-
plesant all day-
Rev. Flaxington performed the ceremony with Lewis Hyers as best man and Francis^ as bridesmaid-
Francis & Christine decorated the car-
Fourteen guests for dinner
Mildreds' dress was white and her going away attire was a suit
They left amid showers of rice for Thousand Islands-
Harry took Christine & I to a show this eve "Kelly the 2nd"*

Rev. Flaxington, Mildred Searles & Iliff Dolton's wedding day Aug. 22, 1936

Guest list for the wedding

Marriage announcement in the local paper

Irene's diary of the wedding & announcement pasted in

^"Francis" should be spelled Frances. Frances Sharpsteen was Mildred's younger sister. As Frances was already married & a mother, she would have been Mildred's Matron of Honor, not her bridesmaid.

*Kelly the Second was a movie starring Patricia Kelly & Cecil Callahan.