Friday, December 25, 1936

Cloudy with rain this eve-
Stuffed chicken with celery & onion dressing-
Fine dinner
Harry & Clara got a cedar tree and decorated it and took pictures of it with Mother & Aunty-
We exchanged presents this eve-
Gib & Vera spent the evening with us-
We served cake & tea & port wine-
Wonderfull day-
*Got $20.00 check from Clara paid to Dec 30, 1936

December 1936 edition of Home Arts Magazine

*This line was written vertically up the left hand side of the diary entry.

Thursday, December 24, 1936

plesant s wind
Made a layer cake with date filling and cherry pie and 2 shells and apple turn over for dinner-
Mopped the kitchen and dustedthrough the two living rooms & kitchen-
Clara & Harry came about four o'clock this afternoon-
Iliff came and took me over to the Searles' tree
Had a wonderfull evening-

My Christmas Tree from 2009

Wednesday, November 25, 1936

plesant & thawed
I made a pumpkin pie & a shell and a layer cake with lemon filling
Harry came for dinner & Mother & I went to Ithaca with him for supplies-
I got me some stockings-
I rec'd a nice letter from Iliff today-

Saturday, November 21, 1936

Cloudy but plesant & warm all day-
I made a plain cake and stewed apples-
Can not arrouse much pep and vigor today-
washed my hair this afternoon-
helped Aunty hang her curtains in dining room-
Mother did not go to bed all night-
but good today-

Monday, November 2, 1936

Rainy Monday-
Went with Harry to S. Lansing garage and to Mrs. Evans' to get water-
got the dinner and made oat flake cookies and a plain cake with chocolate icing this afternoon-
Had a plesant evening visiting-
Harry and I took out the screen sash and put in the glass this P.M.
Harry fitted weather strip to Aunty's North doors-

Saturday, October 24, 1936

plesant and cool
Made a jelly layer cake and mopped the kitchen and done general Saturday work-
Aunty canned the quinces with sweet apples-
I do not get strength and feel quite like myself.
Mother good today-
Rec'd nice letter from Iliff-

Quince By Pancrace Bessa (1772-1835)*

*Quince is a tree fruit similar to pears & apples. Because of fireblight, quince trees are no longer common in North America. < image attribution: Quince By Pancrace Bessa (1772-1835) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons >

Friday, October 16, 1936

Mothers birthday
I made a birthday cake and decorated it very pretty with Voguls decorations^-
I dug a pail of potatoes-
Clara and Lloyd sent a bouquet of crysianthemums beautiful things-
Mother was pleased and liked her cake & flowers
Aunty has had stomach trouble today-
vomited terribly-
feels better this eve-
Mother has been good today
*Harry did not come

Cake by Heather Dolton, Irene's great-granddaughter^

^I can't seem to find anything about Vogul's or Vogel's cake decorations, but I did find this site about birthday cakes. About half way down it mentions (children's) birthdays in 1936. Another site is The Food Timeline: cake history. <image by Heather Dolton, Pastry Chef. Check out her Facebook page >

*This line was written vertically up the left hand side of the diary entry.

Wednesday, September 30, 1936

cloudy & windy with rain this eve-
Made custard and a plain cake & macaroni & cheese and gathered swiss chard for dinner-
Harry & Iliff came this eve and I went over home for evening and picked up things I wanted-
Mother has been good-

Sunday, September 20, 1936

Sunday plesant & cool
Made a cake* this morning and took the canned corn down cellar-
Combed Mothers hair and washed her neck & ears and I took a bath this afternoon
Charles reports a baby girl born today about noon-
named Gertrude Carrol-
the mother Florence got along fine-
Just 15 months to the day of Charles Jr's birth June 20, 1935-



*I am embracing my inner Irene. Tonight I am baking cheddar herb biscuits, cranberry orange scones, & brownies for my best friend's baby shower tomorrow.

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."

Tuesday, September 1, 1936

plesant and cool
Made bread today had fresh biscuits for supper-
gave Aunty 3 cups of light bread dough to make bread cake*-
It all came out fine-
I ironed some of the flat pieces an hour and a quarter-
Clara & Mother went for a ride this eve-
Clara has had indegestion all day-
Mother got nervous this P.M.

Bread Cake from Quinn's Baking Diary blog*

*I had never heard of this before. Apparently, it is simply bread & cake baked together in a loaf pan. I wasn't able to find a lot of recipes online, but I did discover this one from Quinn's Baking Diary, though she made hers in a fluted pan. <Image from Quinn's Baking Diary blog>

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-

Friday, August 21, 1936

plesant all day
I made the brides cake and another for supper-
Harry and Iliff polished Mildreds car this forenoon and drawed water for Delbert and went to town-
Harry, Iliff, and I went to McGraw to get Christine-
I rec'd letter and check for $5.00 from Clara as a gift-

Front of postcard to Irene dated August 21, 1936

 c/o of Ella Howell. (Is this "Mother" or "Aunty"?)

Contents of postcard to Irene from Hannah

Dear Sister,                                                                         Aug 21
         I am at Florence's in Liberty having a good time, She drives her car so I have had a lot of nice rides.
Bob is at a boy scout camp for more than a week. He has a week more.
Florence is going to take me to Walton some day soon just for a day. We had our Eells reunion ^at Binghamton Park the 9th and I came home with Florence that day. So I've been here nearly two weeks. I will be home soon. Hope you dont go to see me while I am away ^but will come after I get back. love Hannah please write

Thursday, August 13, 1936

plesant all day Hot
I made corn starch custard & chocolate bar cake and moppd Iliff's bedroom, dining room & kitchen-
Iliff threshed and pressed straw all day for Alvord Baker-
Harry split some more wood and went up to see them thresh after dinner-
Harry & I went to a show "The Devil meets a Lady."*
Iliff spent the eve with Mildred.

*I think Irene means the 1936 film starring Bette Davis, "Satan Met a Lady."

Friday, August 7, 1936

foggy this morning early plesant all day-
Done the washing this forenoon
Shot a rabbit  in the garden this morning and dressed it and cooked it for dinner-
Ella Miller and Leroy Lobdell came this afternoon and brought a quart of ice cream^ and ice cubes and tomatoes for supper-
I made a cake and baking pow-biscuits for supper and made a platter of cold rabbit fine time
*Iliff called this eve-

^The ability to buy ice cream in a variety of flavors to enjoy at home we owe to confectioner & inventor Augusts Jackson. Jackson was a chef at the White House during the Madison Administration. After her returned to Philadelphia he opened a candy shop & began experimenting with ice cream recipes, like chocolate & strawberry. Eventually he came up with an improved method for manufacturing ice cream & began selling it in tins for home consumption, becoming one of the richest African Americans in that city. <Above is singer/songwriter Ellis Paul's song about Augustus Jackson from his album "The Hero In You" recorded February 23, 2014 at KDHX St. Louis.>

*This line is written vertically up the left hand side of the diary entry.

Saturday, August 1, 1936

plesant and cool
Made a layer cake with the center layer chocolate this morning-
Aunty and I rec'd a letter from Clara in Montana-
They are having a wonderfull time-
Been sore and lame today for the weeks cleaning-
Aunty has been fine- but lonesome

Saturday, July 18, 1936

plesant but had a sunshiny sprinkle this afternoon about a dozen drops
Made elderberry pie and layer cake and worked in garden this afternoon
hoed tomatoes, cabbages and onions.
Mrs. Evans & Elnora called this eve-
A skunk ate Aunty's setting eggs-
A dog got in Leroy's sheep killed one bit 2-
*Rec'd telegram from Clara of safe arrival-


*This was written vertically up the left hand side of the diary entry.

Saturday, July 4, 1936

plesant all day
Harry came this morning
I made a jelly layer cake and strawberry short cake and macaroni & cheese and green peas for dinner-
Had deviled eggs for supper-
Harry took us for a ride this afternoon to Geo. Junior Republic* and called on Maggie King Dedrich and also Iliff-
Mother very nervous


*The George Junior Republic was founded in Freeville, NY around 1890 by William Reuben George which, eventually, turned into a colony to assist wayward children to become better citizens. The organization was revamped, & in 2006 became The William George Agency for Children's Services.

Tuesday, June 30, 1936

plesant but cool
I made oatflake cookies & a sour cream cake*-
Harry came 1-30 and went with Clara to Syracuse^ to get tickets and drawing room reservations for the trip to Montana
Mother upset all day because Clara fixed brackets for Aunty's shelf and also going to Syracuse and leaving her home-
They returned about 8- P.M-

Google map showing current routes from Ludlowville to Syracuse^

* I was getting worried. Looks like Irene got a cool day & got right to baking!

^I wonder who is going to Montana & when. We'll have to wait & see.

Saturday, June 20, 1936

plesant all day
Made a cake and stewed a little rubarb-
took a bath this afternoon-
Hannah with Ann & Matty and Dick & Joann called a little while before supper-
Hannah is so thin & seems so weak.
Harry came before supper.
Mother has been uneasy and nervous all day-
she called on Susie Haring before supper