February 1958

February 1

Saturday.  Did baking for Sunday.

February 2

Sunday.  S.S. and church.  Then long rest and to Grandma’s.  Letty & Cy came and all had supper there.  Mr. Barney went to hospital very sick.  

Mr. Barney must have been a church friend.

February 3

Monday.  Took care of Grandma.  Went to see Clara Barney.

February 4

Tuesday.  Attended Group meeting at Eva Chitwoods.

February 5 - 8

 Wrote in the day of the week only

February 9

Sunday.  All church dinner, honoring new members.  About 125 present.

February 10

Monday. 

February 11

Tuesday.  CWF Meeting at church 2:30 P.M.  I presided for Jessie.  P.M. Drove to Springdale.

February 12

Wednesday.  Spent night at K.M.’s.

February 13

Thursday.  Stayed with K.M. and LaVonne’s children till noon.  Ken having to stay in bed.  Glandular fever.  P.M. went to Fayetteville, had visit with Letty.

Mono - don't really know why it was called "glandular fever" then, but it was.

February 14

Friday.  Baby sat at K.M.’s while LaVonne got her hair done.  Then to JoEllen’s for JoAnn’s birthday party.

And I'll just bet the cake was in the shape of a Valentine.  My had both cupcake pans and regular layer cake pans just for the occasion.  I always thought this was the best birthday for a little girl!

February 15

Saturday.  11 A.M. went to Mary Ann’s shop for permanent.  K.M. picked me up.  Spent night at K.M.’s

February 16

Sunday.  Cooked dinner for K.M. and LaVonne while they went to church.  Kids had colds.  P.M. drove to Prairie Grove for visit at Guy Skeltons.  Then home night.  Sold home.

So the house in Van Buren is sold.  I can't help but wonder if her silence this month reflects her sadness at leaving all their friends, especially at church.  I was a teenager - totally consumed with self - and I never thought about anything except they would be thrilled to be living near us.  Also I'm sure she was already packing up.

February 17

Monday.  Took care of Grandma while Maude worked.

February 18 - 21  Blank

February 22

Arthur’s Birthday    Her brother.

February 23 – 27  Blank

February 28

Friday.  Moved to Springdale.  Stored furniture Washington Trans. Co.

Honestly do not remember where they stayed while they renovated the house in Springdale.  I don't remember that they rented anything - maybe they just stayed with us or K.M.'s family when it wasn't possible to stay in the house.  I was engaged on Christmas Eve just past, and was busy with all the Senior events and applying to the University - seems very selfish now!

January 1958

A new year begins - 1858 will bring many changes in my grandmother's life.  I graduated from high school in May of 1858 and remember many of the events with great clarity.

January 1

Wednesday.  New Years.  A.M. grocery shopped.  Had supper with Grandma and Maude.

January 2

Thursday

January 3

Friday.  Went to beauty shop and shopped a little.

January 4

Saturday.  Nora’s birthday.  Ten A.M.  Letty and Cy came by and we took off for Longview, Texas.  Dinner with Ada and Charley Riddle.  14 of us.

Nora Comstock Rainwater's birthday was the same day as mine - she was born 1889, so was 69 this year.

January 5

Sunday.  Ada and Charley’s golden wedding Anniversary.  The coffee at Ruth’s was one of the nicest things we have attended.

Ada and Charles Riddle lived in Longview, Texas.  Ada was Grandma Comstock's niece, therefore a first cousin to my granddad and his siblings.  They were married in Crawford Co, January 5, 1908. Ada always came home for Grandma's birthday party in April - and many other special family occasions.

January 6

Monday.  All of us had a great breakfast with Ruth & Mack.  Left for home ten A.M.  Arrived home 5 P.M.  A wonderful week end.  Learned as we arrived home that Stella Prichard had died.  Minnie and I went to her home.

I'm sure Ruth was the daughter of Ada and Charles Riddle.  She married Mack Jackson and they also lived in Longview.  Stella Prichard was Stella Hays,  Stella was my grandmother's first cousin, daughter of her dad's older brother William Richard Hays & his wife Ollie Wheeler.  Stella was age 73 at her death.

January 7

Tuesday.  A.M.  Baked two pumpkin pies and took to Prichards.  2 P.M. attended Funeral at Mrs. Ockers.  Went from cemetery to Prichard home for two hours.  Lots of Hays family there.  Went calling with church group at night.

Stella was buried Fairview Cemetery in Van Buren - Stella's parents are also in that cemetery, as were John & Josie Hays, my grandmother's parents.

January 8

Wednesday.  Grocery shopped with Nora and Maude.

January 9

Thursday

January 10

Friday.  Roasted pecans for golden anniversary.  Night – Ada came.

Now this would be my grandparents' 50th anniversary.  They were married January 12th, 1908.  I never thought to ask where - possibly at her home where most weddings were held then.

January 11

Saturday.  Baked 13 lb Ham, Cake and other things for Sunday.  Served hamburgers and pie to Minnie & Ira – Paul & Neva.  They worked so hard.

This is HER anniversary and she's working just as hard as anyone else - probably harder!

  

January 12

Sunday.  A.M. Church.  21 came forward.

The big day for us.  Fed about 25 people at noon – 11 night.  Open house at Minnie & Ira’s 2 to 5.  More than 100 signed guest book.

I have the book in its white box.  My grandmother wrote on the cover "Our Golden Wedding Anniversary  Jan 12th 1958"  Inside the box with book is a napkin, some of the newspaper articles, a ribbon with "50th Anniversary" that probably came from a flower arrangement, the church bulletin inviting members of the congregation of the First Christian Church in Fayetteville where they belonged when I was small.  I counted and 125 had signed the book to include Kay McKim and Don Haden.  My little sisters were there - Mom had signed for them.  All of my uncle K.M.'s family was present - my cousins Kenney, Gary & Mary Jane, also young.  Graydon & Clare were there from Tulsa - they didn't list their children.  Ike and Becky had come from Kansas City.  Jay - in California - did not make the trip home.   The book also lists those who gave gifts - I wish she had written down the gifts, too!

January 13

Monday.  Had lunch with Nora, Ada, Grandma, Maude and Paul. 

Helped get church ready for CWF Tues.

Back to the usual routine!

January 14

Tuesday.  Washed.  CWF at church 2 P.M.  Margaret Garner speaker.  Hostesses:  Leola, Wilma, Etta, Minnie, and myself.

January 15

Wednesday.  Washed and ironed.

January 16

Thursday.  Baked a 16 lb roast and helped serve Christian Men’s Fellowship, 7 P.M.                    

January 17      

Friday.  Went to clinic.  Got good reports.  Wrote thank you notes.

January 18

Saturday.  Made plans for Nora’s & my birthday dinner.

Of course Nora Rainwater's birthday was past - my grandmother's was January 26th. Those were the only January birthdays until I came along.  As far as I know, I'm the only January birthday now.

January 19

Sunday.  We were called away from church.  Grandma had a fall.  Proved to be not serious.  15 went into Church A.M. – at Night Ten baptized.

January 20

Monday.  Wrote thank you notes.  Took food and had supper ready when Maude came from work.  Nora & Ada were there too.

January 21

Tuesday.  Had Group meeting.  15 present.  Showed our display of anniversary gifts.

January 22

Wednesday.  Caught up with my thank you notes.  Ada had chili supper at Grandma’s.

January 23

Thursday.  Fixed baked potatoes in the half shell for Eastern Star banquet and helped serve.

  

January 24

Friday.  We went to Springdale.  Spent night and till noon Sat. with K.M., LaVonne & Children.  Saw Films.

January 25

Saturday.  P.M. at JoEllen’s.  Baked cake & made grandmother pudding.  Joe showed films.

I'm guessing they were watching the Christmas "movies" - movie cameras were a really big deal about this time.  Grandmother pudding is a dark, dense, bread pudding that Mom found in a recipe book - was one of my Dad's favorite desserts (mine too).

January 26

Sunday.  My birthday.  S.S. & church.  K.M.’s folk at dinner with us at JoEllen’s.  P.M. all of us went to our house and made plans for remodeling.

They had bought the Pleasant Street house in anticipation of moving to Springdale, but planned to add on and the house needed extensive remodeling.  

January 27

Monday.  Came home from Springdale – found birthday scarf from Jay and Scotty.  Cream pitcher & sugar bowl from Mary and Lee Byrum.  K.M. working store.  Went to Grandma’s for evening.

I believe K.M. was selling to Aunt Minnie & Uncle Ira's "Comstock, Inc.".  Similar job to that of his Dad years earlier.

January 28

Tuesday.

January 29

Wednesday.  Sat with Grandma.  Mr. Barney had stroke.

January 30

Thursday.  Sat with Grandma.

January 31

Friday.  Eastern Star chili supper at school cafeteria.  Then went to play pitch with Farmers.

Aunt Minnie was always very involved in Eastern Star - Uncle Ira in the Masons.  My great great grandfather, Tom Comstock, was one of the charter members of the first Masonic lodge in Crawford County.   Both Minnie & Ira held state offices.  My grandparents never seemed interested - or maybe just never had the time or money.  

They spent so much time with their friends Doc and Grace Farmer - I suspect they hated to move away from Van Buren and friends and family, but I think they realized my granddad's health was not the best and they needed to be closer to their children.

December 1957

My grandparents were visiting in Tulsa with Graydon's family.

December 1

Sunday.  Everyone went to S.S. and Church and then to a cafeteria for dinner.  Alvis Smith, Manager of Borauts Cafeteria

December 2

Monday.  Left for house nine A.M.  Had good lunch at Doc Beens.  Home at 1:30.  Then went to Berry’s to get electric blanket.

I'm sure this is a reference to Berry Dry Goods - the wholesale business that my grandfather worked for until his retirement.  As a retire employee he was able to continue to purchase at wholesale price.

December 3

Tuesday.  Attended Group 1 meeting at Allyne Rownak’s 2 P.M.

December 4

Wednesday.  Nora, Kenney and I ate supper with Grandma and Maude.

December 5

Thursday.  Played pitch with Doc and Grace at their home – evening.

 Doc & Grace Farmer - their back door neighbors that have been mentioned many times.

December 6

Friday

December 7

Saturday.  Got Christmas package off to Jay and Scotty.

Annual package which always included Christmas cookies, candy, breads.  After Mammaw passed away my mother continued to bake and send Jay a box every Christmas.

December 8

Sunday.  S. S. and church.  Ira real sick with flu.  P.M. Hostess from 4 to 6 at Paul & Neva’s holiday house.  Twin City garden clubs.

December 9

Monday.  Put out washing and Got Birthday package off to Becky and Ike.  Wrote letter to JoEllen.

Ikey's birthday was December 13th - his wife Becky's on Dec 18th.

December 10

Tuesday.  Night.  CWF Christmas party  - stockings turned in.  Also packages for Jacksonville, Ill. Old Peoples Home.

December 11

Wednesday.  Helped Jessie and Jack get packages ready to express to Jacksonville Home.

December 12

Thursday P.M.  Attended Garden club Christmas party at Miss Rebecca Bryan's interesting old home.  Got pretty package from Mrs. Matt Wallace – containing pillow cases.

December 13

Friday.  Washed quilt for Minnie.  Finished wrapping packages.  Made Christmas decorations.

December 14

Saturday.  Watched the Van Buren Christmas Parade.

December 15

Sunday.  S. S. and Church.  The Christmas dinner and tree at Nora’s.  Evening – Ft. Smith Jr. College Choir.

December 16

Monday.  Got our new side walk finished.  We took Grandma and Nora to see Aunt Ola.  She has a broken ankle.

Aunt Ola was Grandma Comstock's sister Ola (Wood) Haggard.  She died in 1969 at the age of 88. Aunt Ola had twelve children.

December 17

Tuesday.  Group 1 Christmas party luncheon at Ruth’s.  Box of soap from Daisy Bruns.

December 18

Wednesday.  Went to Springdale.  Spent night at K.M.’s alone.  They left for California on Monday.

It seems my grandparents were house-sitting for K.M. and LaVonne - or at least making use of a quiet retreat!

December 19

Thursday.  Stayed at K.M.’s all morning.  Then went to town and shopped a little – then took JoEllen to lunch at the Hitching Post.  P.M. went thro our house.

No clue to "P.M." but I'm assuming this was the house they bought in Springdale on Pleasant Street.

December 20

Friday.  Baby sat with JoAnn and Laurie.  Becky and Ike came about 10:30 P.M. – we had gone to K.M.’s for the night.

December 21

Saturday.  Our big day.  Graydon and family came in time for lunch.  We had buffet supper, sang carols and had our Christmas tree.  Electric blanket from Jay and Scotty.

Obviously the family Christmas.  Oh those Christmas carols around the piano - usually Mom played while the rest of us sang.  

Jay would not have known they had just bought a blanket earlier in the month.  And likely he never did know!

December 22

Sunday.  I went to church with Becky and Ike.  JoEllen had gone early for the Choir.  Kay did a solo – “Oh Holy Night”  Jo and Joe were entertaining young people that night – we went to K.M.’s.

December 23

Monday.  Went to McKims for breakfast and to wash up LaVonne’s bedding.  Loaded our things and came home.  Stopped and got Grandma.  Maude gone to Bristow.

They would be keeping Grandma while Maude spent time with her daughter and grandchildren.

December 24

Tuesday.  Checked on Grandma’s house & mail.  Grocery shopped at Market Basket.  Christmas Eve.

December 25

Grandma still with us.  Ira & Minnie here for dinner.

December 26

Thursday.  Washed for Maude.

December 27

Friday.  Rainy day.  Minnie’s clothes wouldn’t dry.  Evening ironed and watched TV.

My grandmother never had a clothes dryer.  She thought an "automatic" washing machine a true wonder of the world.  She had an old wringer washer when I lived with her in Fayetteville and even made her own lye soap for the laundry.  Dad made sure she had one of the first automatic washers from Maytag and she used it for many years - I think it was replaced only once.

December 28

Saturday.  Washed for myself.  2 machines.

December 29

Sunday.  I went to S.S. and church.  Kenney stayed with Grandma.  Ira & Minnie came for dinner.  P.M. Letty and Cy were here for Supper – Minnie and I brewed up a good one.

December 30

Monday.  Maude Called.  Faustine & kids brought her home.  They had lunch with us.  Then Kenney moved Grandma and Maude home – with all their Christmas junk.

December 31

Tuesday.  P.M. Went calling on Hgwy 59 with Lola Clark.  Made 5 calls.

November 1957

November 1

Friday.  Ladies luncheon at church.  Some did calling.  Susan and I went to World Community Day program Midland Heights Methodist Church – Mrs. Kyle Engler speaker.

November 2

Saturday.  Kenney took flu – vomited Sat night – very dizzy headed – not able to play pitch.

November 3

Sunday.  Didn’t go to S.S. and Church.  Stayed home and nursed flu.  Vomiting again.

November 4

Monday.  Had to phone Clare.  We couldn’t make it for Graydon’s birthday.

Graydon's birthday was November 5 - he was 59 this year.

November 5

Tuesday.  Graydon’s birthday.  Missed group meeting at Etta Hayman’s

November 6

Wednesday.  Grocery day.  Paid bills – my first time in V. B.

 My Granddad must have paying the bills - I know she had never written a check until after he died.  He must have really been quite ill.

November 7

Thursday.  Garden Club met in Alma.  I stayed with Kenney.  My!  What a rainy day.

November 8

Friday.  Stripped bed and washed up everything.  Trying to get rid of flu germs.

November 9

Saturday.  Baked cake and took lunch out to Grandma’s.  Had everything ready when Maude came home from beauty shop.

November 10

Sunday.  Roll call day at church.  What a crowd!  Fellowship dinner after the service – more fun! And more food!  Had to set up more tables.

November 11

Monday.  Wilma, Jessie, Edith Parr, Lola and I made CWF year books.

November 12

Tuesday.  Missed CWF Meeting and went to Springdale.  Stayed at JoEllen’s and K.M.’s over week end.  Baby sat at K.M.’s while he and LaVonne went to Dallas to ball game.  SMU beat Ark. 27 to 22.

November 13

Met Mr. Barker at our Springdale house and arranged to have trees topped.

November 14

Thursday.  Baby sat at JoEllen’s and went to K.M.’s next day.  Got lots of mending and altering done.

November 15

Friday.  K.M. and LaVonne left for Dallas at one P.M.

November 16

Saturday.  Windy day but sun shining.  Kids played out nearly all day.  Watched TV at night.

November 17

Sunday.   We took the children to S.S. and Church.  Rainy day.  Joe taught the S.S. lesson.  We were proud of him.  K.M. and LaVonne came in about 9:30.

November 18

Monday.  We went to Springdale bank to pick up abstract and deed and to make deposit.  Left for home a little before ten a.m.  Lots of rain and drove slowly.  Home at 2.

November 19

Tuesday.  Lunch at Nora’s.  Ada & Ruth were there.  Group meeting at Grace’s 2:30 P.M.

 Ada was Grandma Comstock's niec - would have been Aunt Nora's first cousins - Ruth her daughter.

November 20

Wednesday.  All went to Grandma’s for supper.  A.M. grocery shopped.

November 21 - 23   Just wrote the days of the week.

November 24

Sunday.  Ira & Minnie had lunch with us.  The whole family had supper at Grandma’s.  Letty & Cy came.

These Sundays with everyone would not take place so much once they moved to Springdale.

November 25

Monday

November 26

Tuesday.  Pretty good prospect on our place.

November 27

Wednesday.  We drove to Tulsa by way of Tahlequah.  Had lunch with Mattie.  Tulsa four P.M.

Mammaw's sister, Mattie...

November 28

Thursday.  Thanksgiving dinner with Graydon’s family – also McKims were there.  Attended service 10 A.M. at East Side Christian Church.

November 29

Friday.  Put in a good part of the day working on a quilt for Clare.

November 30

Saturday.  Graydon took us to the bank to see how it had been remodeled.  Beautiful – opened acct.

What they would do with account in Tulsa, I've no idea, but I'm sure it pleased Graydon.

October 1957

October 1

Tuesday.  Went to Group meeting at Minnie’s.

October 2

Wednesday.  Made preparations for District Convention.

October 3

Thursday.  Dist Convention at our church.

October 4

Friday.  P.M.  We went to Springdale.  Found JoAnn broken out with chicken pox.

JoAnn was in Kindergarten - she caught several of the childhood diseases and brought them home to share with Laurie.  Of course I had them all years earlier, but my experiences in taking care of them were very helpful when my own children went through this phase.

October 5

Saturday

October 6

Sunday.  Springdale.  Graydon’s folk took us to the Chicken house to eat.

A-Q Chicken House - still right there in Springdale.

October 7

Monday.  Baby sitting at JoEllen’s and waiting for Laurie to take chicken pox.

And of course she did....

October 8

Tuesday.  Spent night at K.M.’s

October 9

Wednesday

October 10

Thursday.  Closed the deal on our Springdale place.

So now it's official - they would be moving into the neighborhood quite near Mom & Dad and K. M.'s family.

October 11

Friday

October 12

Saturday.  Came home from Springdale.

October 13

Sunday.  S.S. and Church.  Chaplain preached.  Bob & Wilma at international convention.  Supper at Grandma’s.  Maude, Nora, Letty & Cy, Kenney & myself there.

October 14

Monday – rainy

October 15

Tuesday.  Met with group one at Lola Clarks

October 16

Wednesday.  Wash day for Minnie and me.

October 17

Thursday.  Did some sewing on things for Christmas.  Wrote letter to Jay.  Spent evening with Grace while Doc and Kenney went CMF dinner.  Paul Wallace speaker.

October 18

Friday

October 19

Saturday

October 20

Sunday.  Robert Cox had heart attack at the church.  No sermon.  Ira and Minnie’s Anniversary.  Grace and I had a six o’clock dinner for them.

Aunt Minnie and Uncle Ira were married October 20th, 1918 - so this was their 39th Anniversary.

October 21

Monday.  1 P.M. met with Jessie and some of the ladies to work on year book.  Grace and I took flowers to hospital.

October 22

Tuesday.  Rainy, gloomy day.

October 23

Wednesday.  Went to Springdale.  Got A.D. started on Makepeace deal.

No clues here, either - don't know who A. D. was ...or Mr. Makepeace.  Doesn't seem to be the house in Springdale and they sold the house they left in Van Buren to my granddad's youngest brother, Paul Comstock.

October 24

Thursday.  Waited around to see the newly acquired house till too late to come home.  Finally got in.

October 25

Friday.  Left for home just as the house was being vacated.  Arrived home at noon and learned Bob Cox had died.  Went to funeral at City Heights.

October 26

Saturday.  Nora and us and Grandma & Maude over for lunch

October 27

Sunday.  A.M.  S. S. & church.  Called and talked with Jay.  Birthday party at Paul & Neva’s – Minnie & Paul, Pauline, Aura & Lester.

The late October or early November birthdays would have been Minnie & Paul's, both on November 4th - she was 68, he was 51.  Pauline's birthday was October 2nd - she was 52.  Her husband, Aura Clark, would be 63 on November 22nd.  Uncle Lester Delzell was 63 on October 6th.

October 28

Monday.

October 29

Tuesday.  Farmer Jones luncheon at Church – made $66.

October 30

Wednesday.  Springdale again.  Met with W.C. Rogers concerning our new home.  Got a man to help put out bulbs.

W. C. Rogers was a building contractor in Springdale - he did some major renovations to the home before they moved in.  He had built two homes for Mom & Dad - on Crouch Street and Wayland Drive.  He sold Don and I our first home on Shipley Street that he had built as a starter home for his daughter, but she had divorced and left the house empty.  The winter of 1962/63 was very cold and we had a lot of sub-zero temps.  Donnie and I were living in one of Joe Steele's rent houses that was build up on piers with no insulation in the floors and we had only a big Siegler space heater in the living room for heat.  We drug our mattress in front of it and slept with Steve between us to keep warm at night.  W. C. offered us his daughter's house if we'd just take up the payments - nothing down.  He and Don went to the savings & loan and transferred the mortgage that day on a handshake deal and with the help of one of the young men who worked with Don at L-P Gas & Equipment and their respective pickups, we moved into the little house that night.  Central heat. Blessed!  We paid about $11,000 for that house - our monthly payments about $75.  Of course at that point in time, we thought we'd be rich if Don's salary ever reached $100 per week.

October 31

Thursday.  Came home.  Halloween.  No damage.

I think there was more damage done at Halloween back then - especially to a darkened house where it appeared no one was home.  Soaping windows or window screens was a favorite "trick" - even to the store windows downtown - but throwing eggs was fairly common place, too.  Trash often dumped on porches.  In the rural areas, mailboxes were knocked down & outhouses tipped over. Usually someone put something or other on the flat roof of Springdale High School - motorcycle, or bicycles - one year a Volkswagen bug.  

Treats were often homemade - candied apples or a bag of popcorn, homemade cookies.  Times have changed.

September 1957

September 1

Sunday.  A.M.  Sunday School & Church.  Had Grandma, Maude and Ira & Minnie for dinner and supper.

September 2

Monday.  Mostly did yard work.

September 3

Tuesday.  Two P.M.  Conducted Executive Board meeting for Ruby.  Made plans for feeding people at District Meeting at our church.  Took Maude to High school to see Mr. Kelley about work.  K.M.’s birthday.

My uncle K. M. was 43 that year.

September 4

Wednesday.  Grocery shopped with Nora and Maude.  Mr. Hall started work on front porch.  Maude starts her job at High school.

As I recall, Aunt Maude worked in the high school cafeteria.

September 5 - 7  She wrote down the day of the week but made no comment.

September 8-16  [blank]

September 17

Tuesday.  Saw our doctor.  I had dropped 10 gr sugar – First in ten yrs.  Otherwise a good report.

September 18

Wednesday.  Went to Springdale.  Stopped in Alma for a little visit with Mrs. Clarence Johnson.

September 19

Thursday.  Spending a few days looking at homes.

I'm not sure what was going on this month, but this about the time they were making the decision to move to Springdale to live near K. M. and JoEllen - two of their children.  She must have been preoccupied with this decision.  She would be leaving many friends and relatives and her church work behind - I wonder if she was concerned about my Granddad's health.  I didn't realize this at the time, after all I was teen-ager totally occupied with "self", but I suspect this decision and move was very difficult for my grandmother.

September 20-21

September 22

Sunday.  Went to church with JoEllen.  Bill Cloud preached a good sermon on “Tomorrow”

September 23

Monday.  Bought property in Springdale.  Came home and found back yard in mess.  Pecan tree damaged by storm.  Got permanent at Rita’s.

That would be house on Pleasant Street in Springdale.

September 24

Tuesday.  Came home from Springdale but not in time to help with CMF.  Found pecan limbs all over the place.

September 25

September 26

Thursday.  Put in the day cooking and getting ready to serve banquet to B & PW (Business & Professional Women) Bosses night.  Letter from Mr. Makepeace.

September 27

Friday.  We went to Fayetteville to take Makepeace papers to lawyer.  Drove on to Springdale for a little while.

I have no clue - unless Mr. Makepeace was selling the house in Springdale to them.

September 28

Saturday.  Nora, Kenney and I took food and ate with Grandma and Maude.

September 29

Sunday.  The usual S.S. & Church.  Minnie and Ira ate lunch with us.

September 30

Monday.

August 1957

August 1

Thursday

August 2

Friday.  Nora, Ada, and Ruth came to Van Buren.

August 3

Saturday.  The bunch had lunch at Nora’s.  Ada and Ruth left for their home in Longview, Tex.

Ada was Ada Birchfield Riddle, first cousin of my grandfather's.  Ada was the daughter of Grandma Comstock's sister Antoinette (Ettie).  She always came from Texas for Grandma Comstock's birthday parties.  Ruth was Ada's daughter.

August 4

Sunday.  A.M.  Sunday School and Church.  Stayed home rest of the day.  Ira & Minnie came in the evening to watch TV with us.

August 5

Monday.  Papa’s birthday.  Mattie called.  Wants us to visit with her family in Tahlequah Tuesday.  JoEllen and girls came.

My grandmother's father was born 5 August 1856 - he had died in 1950.

August 6

Tuesday.  JoEllen had wreck on the way to BDGCo.  All taken to hospital but no one seriously hurt.  We didn’t get to go to Mattie’s family gathering.

BDGCo – Berry Dry Goods Co. where my grandfather worked for many years.  This was the wreck when the 1957 almost new blue Plymouth was totaled.  My right eyebrow split open, glasses broken, knee badly bruised, jaw walloped when I was flung over to the driver's side and hit either Mom's head or the steering wheel  (it's bothered me ever since).  My sisters both had holes in their dresses from the battery acid that splashed through the windows.  We were hit by a young girl driving her boyfriend’s car – she ran a stop sign, never even slowing down, and hit us broadside pushing us across the street into a sturdy light pole at the corner of a car lot.  The engine of our car was practically squeezed to the ground.  Laurie was about two and believed that Mom had caused the wreck and would cry whenever a car got close from the side or rear for months after.

August 7

Wednesday.  Graydon and family came for two days and nights.  Played shuffleboard at Paul’s.

August 8

Thursday.  Graydon, Don & Kenney went thro Ft. Smith’s new City National bank.  Hamburgers for dinner.

August 9

Friday.  Took picnic lunch and went with Graydon’s folk to Natural Dam to swim.  They went on to Fayetteville and we came home.

August 10

Saturday.  JoEllen called they would come Sunday on way to L.R.

August 11

Sunday.  A.M.  SS & Church.  For Sunday dinner we had Ira & Minnie, McKims and Kay’s boy friend.

That would be Don Haden….

August 12

Monday.  Joe and JoEllen spent all day getting settled on insurance and new Plymouth.  Left 7:30 P.M. to drive to L.R.

My sisters were left behind in Van Buren.

August 13

Tuesday.  Didn’t take JoAnn and Laurie to CWF breakfast, but did go to nine o’clock meeting.  Kids enjoyed the nursery.  Put out washing.

August 14

Wednesday.  Babysat with JoAnn and Laurie.  JoEllen and Joe came in time for dinner.  Picked up girls and went on home.

August 15

Thursday.  A.M. Cleaned house.  Went to Nora’s and brought Grandma here for a few days.

After taking care of two of granddaughters for several days - now she has her mother-in-law.  The lack of notes would suggest Grandma Comstock required more supervision than the little girs!

August 16 - 17

August 18

Sunday.  S.S. & Church.  Stayed home with Grandma all day.

August 19

Monday

August 20

Tuesday.  Took Grandma & Nora to see Uncle Bob.  A.M.   P.M. drove to Springdale.

Uncle Bob was surelyAndrew Bartholamew Christopher Wood - Grandma Comstock's brother.  He was about two years younger than Grandma and died the next year.  I believe he was a barber in Uniontown.

August 21

Wednesday.  Spent day at JoEllen’s.  P.M. Becky & Ike came.

August 22

Thursday

August 23

Friday.  Everyone except Kay went to Ginger Blue for dinner

I’m sure I had a date on a Friday night.

August 24

Saturday.  P.M. we came home.

August 25

Sunday.  A.M.  S.S. & Church.  Then to Rena with Ira & Minnie for the Hays reunion.  P.M. went to Grandma’s for supper.

The children and grandchildren of my Mammaw's oldest brother Will Hays, had annual reunions and then semi-annual reunions.  I took Mom to one in the late 1990's.  Will had 15 children - only one died in infancy and Will had died when his youngest was only a year old.  Some of Will's family still live near Van Buren.  Part of their gathering was always to clean up the cemeteries and attend church together out at Rena on Sunday morning.

August 26

Monday.  Did a lot of cleaning in Garage & Storage.

August 27

Tuesday.  Attended group 1 meeting at Wilma’s.  9:30 A.M.  Evening – went to a meeting in Paris (Paris, Arkansas) with Preacher Bob and Mrs. York.  Making plans for district Convention – Oct. 3^rd.

August 28

Wednesday.  Washing machine broke down with Minnie’s washing in it.

August 29

Thursday.  Washed & cleaned house all day.  Washed house out side.

August 30

Friday.

August 31

Saturday.  Called on Ruby about board meeting.