This blogpost is the transcription of some email messages shared between James and Edna Groves' 5 children in November 2021. It started with Linda sharing some entries from the diary of her mother, Edna, which had been written as James and Edna and their 4 children moved from Viroqua, WI to Fountain City, WI in November 1948. These memories are shared in the hopes that future generations will find some information about earlier generations, who they were, how they lived and what their lives were like.
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Linda Groves Worden begins the email she sent to her four siblings and their families.
Nov. 1, 2021
I want to remind us about the day our parents moved
themselves and four of us from the farm in Viroqua which was owned by
Minnie B. Cox Groves to the farm Dad and Mom bought and that we remember
the most about near Fountain City.
While I was
visiting the Berndts in La Crosse in June, we got out some boxes the
Berndts are storing that have items which belonged to Dad and Mom. We
went through things and disposed of items in a few different ways. As I
prepared to leave, I asked Marge if it would be OK if I took Mom's
diary that covers the years 1946-1950. I had never read any of Mom's
diaries and wanted to read about 2 major things - the 1948 move to
Fountain City and the Jan. 1949 car accident when I had 6 baby teeth
knocked out.
Today I am going to share about 2 weeks of entries made from Oct. 26, 1948 - Nov. 7, 1948 + a few extras...
Oct.
26 Tues 1948 A memorable day! Nellie & I dressed 12 chickens. Put
10 in deep freeze. Paul & James picked up corn. All men &
Uncle Harvey came & we settled with Gram. She owed us $832.38.
Oct.
27 Wed 1948 Went to town in a.m. & tended to business matters.
James went to Foun. City. Took inlaid linoleum up. Hazel Morrison had a
party for Gram.
Oct 28 Thurs 1948 Scott,
Thelma, Henry (or Harvey) & Iiva McClung & I went to Foun. City
& laid inlaid linoleum. Scott had been very ill yesterday with v.b.
nose bleed. Got home about 9. James took a truck load up.
Oct
29 Fri 1948 I got our clothes in order to go to Halloween party &
farewell for us at the School house. Nellie helped pack. Party
collection $18.69. ($18.69 in 1948 is worth $212.73 today.)
Oct
30 Sat 1948 Helen & kids came down & Gen, Norma & John
also. All packed Gram's things & James took them out to Gen's.
Rainy dreary day !
Oct. 31
Sun 1948 Had to work all day in order to get ready to move. Washed
clothes & did quite a bit of packing. Fuel pump went bad on
Pick-up. Had to get a new one & put on.
Nov
1 Mon. 1948 Got up at 4:10 a.m. Got all our things packed & were
ready to leave about 11:30. Jas & I had dinner at Tryggestad's.
Zube's took children to F.C.
Nov 2 Tues 1948
Tried to straighten up the kitchen a bit. Gas man came & installed
the stove in afternoon. I took Jimmy to meet his new teacher.
Nov
3 Wed 1948 I was exhausted! Felt terribly dizzy & weary so slept 2
hrs. when kiddies did. James went to Viroqua & divided the
cattle. Olaf Walby & Uncle Harvey
helped.
Nov. 4 Thurs 1948 Semi brought 27
head of cattle. Had fuel pump trouble. Bad rainy day. Half died on the
way. Others were down & almost died but revived when they got air.
Jas. brought a load of hogs.
Nov 5 Fri. 1948
Bad, rainy day. James had to leave the Ford truck in Winona last night
so I took, him down today to get it. Put linoleum on table top &
ledge in pantry.
