Hattie’s Blog, Nov. 21 – Nov.

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November 21: Nebraska's Thanksgiving Day

~ Boyd County, Nebraska

November 21, 1921: Was a very cold day, cloudy but no snow. Will and I cleaned 11 ducks. Our 2 yr. old
Heifer gotten from Dave Schmartz died of cold in head from dehorning. We are tired. Mr. P. Wilson was
here for buggy as he went to Spencer.

November 21, 1922: A bright day and no wind to turn windmill. The Men husked corn and I got dinner
and in p.m. I went along to husk. Papa a little better this evening.

~ Hidden Timber, South Dakota

November 21, 1923: Cloudy and quite cold. S. E. wind, bright only awhile at noon and cloudy evening
until sundown bright. Will got up early and after breakfast went to Tom’s and went to Winner with him
on truck and back in evening. William got 2 big loads of corn. I washed clothes, put Alabastine and
Plaster of Paris in holes and cracks on kitchen walls and cut up pig. Jake came on way home from
Whitfords with hog. Frank Keller and Shaw came in evening to hunt coyotes and John Marty stayed last
night, but went away this a.m.

November 21, 1925, Saturday: Clouds passed and an awful north-west wind and dust-storm and late
p.m. turned cold, but wind went down. Will went to Roundy’s and got 26 bu. of George Smith’s corn,
and wind so strong, he then cleaned the coop and he and I took Graphone to schoolhouse before
sundown and nearly froze.

Louise and I dressed chicken, and then she washed her clothes and hung them out and they filled with
dust, had to wrinch over, she then put lining in coat and also cleaned front room. I made cake but it got
burned, but chicken and pie were alright. We fixed baskets and went to schoolhouse for program.

November 21, 1940, Thursday: Cloudy and some snow fell about 8 a.m. but it melted in afternoon, so
when Seth and Wm Abbott came for 14 posts in Abbotts’ pick-up (Dodge), Seth let the chickens out.
Frank Abbott came in this pick-up last p.m., got Wm Abbott’s vaccine machine, and told Will that Wm
was to move his upper half of the barn off the cement basement today, so Seth and Will went over
there to help. Roy Drey and Frank Abbott helped also.

Will and Seth got Frank Abbott, and saw the old baseburner that he got here, and it is polished up nice.
They got the barn ready to move or slide off the basement, and came home to chore and have supper in
the evening. I got 2 meals, lunched at noon, looked at catalogues, picked out what we need and played
solitaire, cooked some squash but never made pies. This is Nebraska’s Thanksgiving Day and 31 States in
U.S.’s also. South Dakota’s will be next Thursday.
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November 22: More Like Home

~ Hidden Timber, South Dakota

November 22, 1927, Tuesday: Snowed in early morning and real frosty, and sun shone rest of the day,
but cold. Will went to O'Kreek, had dinner there and brought home a load of corn. Dave fixed windows,
and he and Dave got 6 ducks, and Dave picked the small feathers after supper. Louise came home early
and made candy and had a time to pop corn, but made balls. I made a cake and got 2 chickens ready to
send to the girls on morrow, also got the meals.

November 22, 1945, Thursday: Was 4 above and never got above 30, but sun shone, so warm enough
for Harry, Louise, Dorothy, Billie, Harley and Mary Alice to come and bring a turkey and cream, and had
other eats ready, so was O.K. Will swept front-room, washed dishes, chored, then fed calves and bulls
and chickens and Alabama, got in water and coal from basement, also cut some wood. I baked pumpkin
and apple pies, cooked potatoes, made gravy and coffee. Harley has been sick and weak with flu but
better today.

November 22, 1949, Tuesday: Bright, nice warm day. Kenneth worked at fence N.E. of bullpen and
helped Will put new rug, linoleum edge and heavy paper in front room, as Will got it ready this
forenoon, that is cleaned and mopped the floor, took out furniture and got ready in general. Carpet a
brown and tan mixture, makes room look more like home. I just rested, got eats and not much else.

November 23, 1955, Wednesday: Bright, not so cold. Will and I went to Furreys, paid Harley and Bill for
corn, and Harley went to Mission to get Mary, Dorothy and Patty Larson at school. We took a turkey to
Louise's to roast in the morning, got skimmed milk. Will and Harry and Billie visited, and Louise baked
pies and rolls between talking to me at the car and caring for oven. Men had lunch.

November 22, 1956, Thursday: Bright day, and Clarence, Frankie, Roger, Billy and Chuck went to Ed
Whiting, Sr.'s for dinner. Leo, Ed, Rena and Ronnie are home. LeMoyne's to Joe Assman's, Edward is at
his Mitchell home on account of baby boy one year old or about, and Lily Mae, two others, sons, about
three and two, had to stay home on account baby has double pneumonia. Raymond had to truck cattle
from Mission to Winner today and have dinner at home. He works for Beuttner (Ernest). They had 4
apple pies and a big turkey hen and all the other eats.

Furreys came with 2 roast chickens, dressing (bread), 2 pumpkin pies, a lot of rolls. I got cream, 1/2
gallon separated milk. I roasted a young turkey hen, dressing (oyster with turkey giblets), sweet
potatoes, dressing with pork sausage, bread and seasoning, butter, cream, cranberries, mashed
potatoes, gravy of chicken and turkey juice. Harley, Billie, Louise, Harry and Mary were the ones here.
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November 23: Pulled the Car with Team and Hayrack

~ Hidden Timber, South Dakota

November 23, 1929, Saturday: A strong N.W. wind and a very cold day. Dave and Roy got a load of
snap-corn. Will finished the bathroom and put varnish on the woodwork where the furniture stands,
and they all put down linoleum and set up new cook-stove in the kitchen, and Dave went away after
supper. I made bread and got clothes on the line and the kitchen ready for moving into.

November 23, 1941, Sunday: Was 4 below when I got up at 7 o'clock, but sun was bright, so warmer in
forenoon, and in afternoon was nice. I got breakfast and early supper, and the men chored. Car gas lines
full of ice, so they pulled the car with team and hayrack, but no go, had to clean ice out of these places,
so I was late for 10:30 a.m. Mass.

November 24: Legion Meeting

~ Hidden Timber, South Dakota

November 24, 1931, Tuesday: Wind blew in night and snow drifted in places, especially Miss Kulhany’s
foot-bridge across Creek was deep on each side, and she went through snow and got all peppered with
it in morning, but Wm shoveled it in evening.

November 24, 1932, Thursday: Bright, nice Thanksgiving morning, but not so nice in day, for wind blew
from S.W. or westerly direction, but was warm until evening got chilly. I got 2 meals and sewed a little
on everyday clothes, and canned beets that were in open jar, and Mrs. Roy Hutchins and Clyde came
down in p.m., so I walked back with them to where Will was putting hay on wagon, and we got on load,
and he took them home. Roy was in from hay-field also, for he and Will put up 2 stacks for Roy. Wm
went to fix fence on his place and brought back a load of hay in evening to feed stock.

November 24, 1940, Sunday: Bright but cool south wind. I got meals and Will took me to 10:30 a.m.
church at St. Therese’s Chapel, Hidden Timber, and he got me before noon. In p.m. we went to J. H.
Tate’s to Legion Meeting (Special). The men talk about getting funds to help pay for an Iron Lung for this
territory. Ladies helped Mrs. Tate and Mrs. Jim Horton tie a small baby quilt, and Will and I joined the
Red Cross, for Mrs. Tate is soliciting. The Aid is having a bazaar Saturday, Nov. 30th.

November 25: The Eats Were so Plentiful

~ Hidden Timber, South Dakota

November 25, 1926, Thursday: Cloudy, cold Thanksgiving Day and snowed in p.m. and was quite a
storm, but bright before bed-time. Henry and Will worked at fence, and Will got rack at Lattimores, and
after William came in with load of corn he husked, he and Henry got hay, and Will did the chores. I
washed the clothes and didn’t hang them out on account of N.W. wind strong and snowy.

November 25, 1937, Thursday: Will dressed a turkey. I put it in the oven and we had a dinner with the
other trimmings, for Harry and Family, Louise, Harley, Dorothy and Billie brought pumpkin pies. The
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children had colds, but they enjoyed the day anyway. Furreys went home before sunset, so on this
Thanksgiving Day we had plenty to eat. This day is a Birthday Party for 1 year old Rita Marie Gehlsen, so
Elsie had a nice angel-food cake for her, and she and Wm V. E. went to Carl Gehlsen’s last evening.

November 25, 1945, Sunday: Will fed calves, then he and Hank got ready to go to Abbotts to a dinner of
roast turkey, duck and chicken, potatoes, gravy, corn, apple salad, beets, relish, dressing, apple,
pumpkin and plum pies with whipped cream, bread, butter, cream and coffee. This is 20th wedding
anniversary for Mr. and Mrs. Wm Abbott.

November 25, 1948, Thursday (Thanksgiving Day): Rained last evening, but not too muddy, for sun
shone most of this day to go to Wm Fronek’s to their Silver Wedding Anniversary Surprise, but Will and I
got there. Bess Adrian, sons Bob, Dean, Wm and Dick and their teacher Miss Dittner, Harry, Louise,
Harley, Dorothy, Billy and Mary were there. Wm J. and Julia, Bob and Ronnie were at home, and Donna
was at Aberdeen, S.D., for Teachers’ State Meeting.

The eats were so plentiful, Roast Chicken, Goose and Deer Meat, Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes,
Gravy, Dressing (several kinds), Cranberries (each family brought a dish of cranberries), Apple Salad,
Several kinds of Pickles, butter, Poppy Seed Rolls, Cake, Pumpkin, Carrot and Cherry Pies. A Silver Trim
White Cake, 3 tiers, for Anniversary. Julia baked this in memory of their anniversary. We had dinner and
supper, was it good. Wm Joseph and Harry played Will and I Pitch, five games. Will and I won, and the
Ladies washed dishes, visited, looked at nice embroidery and crochet work that Donna made. The young
men and Dorothy played cards in Bedroom, and Billie, Mary and Dick were outside with B.B. guns. We
came home after dark, and Lolleys were still at Thomas’s having a good a time as we.

November 25, 1954, Thursday: Bright, nice but chilly Thanksgiving Day. Harry, Harley, Billie, Dorothy
and Mary came, brought 2 pumpkin pies, 1 qt. cream, 2 qts. pickles, a glass of jell (plum), pan rolls, a nd
we had roast turkey, dressing and potatoes and gravy, bread and oyster dressing, 2 kinds, cranberries,
Jello, salad of bananas, grapes and apples, coffee, butter, milk. Eight of us ate at the long table in front
room. Men played cards and visited and read magazines. Mary and Louise put dishes in washer and
cleaned water out of basement caused from toilet flush, and mopped bathroom. Dorothy ironed shirts
and handkerchiefs, the men visited in front room with Bus McKee, and Patsy and Mary visited in Blue
room and played records and called square dances.

November 26: President of Altar Society

~ Hidden Timber, South Dakota

November 26, 1926, Friday: Bright, nice morning but cold, cloudy rest of day and towards evening a
south-east sleet storm for an hour or so. I hung out clothes to dry and brought them in frozen in
evening. William husked corn, and Bess and Louise came, so he went along to St. Francis. Henry went for
mail, then he and Will fixed fence. Father Gaul came in p.m.

November 26, 1933, Sunday: A nice, warm day, also last night was nice. I went to the kitchen in the
morning and then got ready for church, and Will took Narvin and I up to 10:30 church, and he went on
to J. H. Tate’s. After church we elected officers, and Abe Turgeon is Church Trustee, and me President of
Altar Society, then we cleaned Cozy Theater, put up curtains and paper curtains on windows, and
decorations with lots of help.
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After dinner, Will and I went up, and with Mary and Elsie Armbuster’s help, made sandwiches for the
night. Maggie went to practice in Tom’s car and on to Armbusters until the entertainment, and she
stayed for the dance. Will and I came back to chore, then went to entertainment, and Claude and Narvin
had a fight, so Claude went outside of the theater, in Ed’s car, and left in same, so Will took Rena and
Edward, Charlotte, Clarence and Yvonne home. On his return, he and I came home. Ed walked home
after entertainment for Will couldn’t find him.

November 27 and Harriet's Siblings

Note: Please see the next page for a list of the children of Edward & Mary Whiting. Thank you, Helen,
for the suggestion, and Harley, for the information.

~ Boyd County, Nebraska

November 27, 1920: Was a very frosty morning until 10 a.m. but sun shone bright so got more dry and
clouded over in the p.m. I baked bread and in between raises helped Will snap a load of corn. He took it
to feed-yard (Wood’s) in the p.m. and went up town to do some trading. I cleaned the kitchen.

~ Hidden Timber, South Dakota

November 27, 1927, Sunday: Sun shone only a little, cold south wind and a dark evening. Louise and
Dave got in at 3 o’clock from dance, so we had a late breakfast. We then got a dinner of chicken, etc.
and Louise put new oil cloth on some things in the kitchen.
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Children of Edward & Mary Whiting

Edward LeMoyne Whiting was born at West Bloomfield, NY, on August 29, 1848. When he was 15 years
old, he falsified his age and enlisted in the Union Army. He was discharged at the war’s end.

He later reenlisted and was stationed at Fort Randall, Dakota Territory. Here he met his future wife,
Mary Herman. Mary was born at Fort Laramie, Wyoming, in 1860. Edward and Mary were married on
July 22, 1880, at St. Ann’s church at Wheeler, Dakota Territory.

Their children were:

Harriet: Born July 24, 1881, in Dakota Territory, deceased July 5, 1958, married William J. Whitcher.

Nellie: Born September 22, 1883, in Dakota Territory. Married Fred Larmer on May 6, 1913. She passed
away on March 11, 1957.

Edward L., Jr.: Born August 13, 1885, in Boyd County, Nebraska. Died on August 14, 1974. He married
Rena Giroux on February 20, 1912.

David Blaine: Born September 8, 1887, in Boyd County. Died August 6, 1935. He married Phoebe
Bordeaux on November 24, 1909. After Phoebe’s death, he married Mable Shaw Valandra.

Jacob: Born April 12, 1890, in Boyd County. Passed away December 21, 1972. He married Cora Whetham
on January 15, 1913.

Thomas: Born May 24, 1892, in Boyd County. Died February 15, 1963. He married Sadie Plass on
December 13, 1913.

Mary Ellen: Born September 22, 1894, in Boyd County. Passed away on October 27, 1918. Never
married.

Mabel: Born June 6, 1897, in Boyd County. Passed away on August 16, 1899.

William: Born July 9, 1899, in Boyd County. Passed away on October 6, 1969. Never married.

Louisa: Born August 29, 1902, in Boyd County. Passed away on December 14, 1991. She married Harry
Furrey on September 2, 1929.

I believe the Whiting farm near Spencer, NE, was built on my grandmother’s Indian allotment. Also,
Hattie and Bill’s farm at Spencer was probably built on her allotment. The ranch in Todd County was
built on William Whiting’s allotment. My grandfather started this ranch in 1908.

~ by Harley Furrey