April 3, 1942 Diary

Friday, 93rd Day - 272 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot, Niwot, CO

A very nice day.

Dad harrowed the garden.

Dad and Don to Longmont to sign a birth certificate for Mrs. Deetor.

Carol Jane and Darold here this P.M. while Florence went to Boulder.

A heifer calf arrived today.  

I had a card from Dorothy today.  Robert is not very well.

And Leslie's folks are not well.

the farmers in this area did their part

April 2, 1942

Thursday, 92nd Days - 273 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot, Niwot, CO

A south wind today and not very warm.

Aunt Ione and I spent over an hour curling her hair.

We went to club this afternoon at Mrs. Bakers.

Had a very nice meeting.

Dad went to Niwot this P.M.

Chanaldene Burke reported quite sick.

Fire truck out to Mr. Swerengin's this P.M.

The Batchelder's Neighbor's Club meeting as reported by Helen Anderson.

Hostess:  Elsie Baker

Roll call:  My favorite recipe 

Discussion:  Sunday night supper

Oh how I wish I could know what the ladies said that their favorite recipe was as their names were called.

Taste of Home has 43 vintage recipes from the 1940's that are worth trying today.

April 1, 1942 Diary

Wednesday, 91st Day - 274 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot, Niwot, CO

It has been cloudy most of today.

Dad plowed some garden this P.M.

Aunt Ione and I did some painting this A.M.

And sewed rags for a rug this P.M.

Grandma's rug making book.

A page from the inside of Grandma's book.

Another old rug making book.

The tools of rug making.

March 31, 1942 Diary

Tuesday, 90th Day - 275 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot, Niwot, CO

Very nice day.
Finished the ironing.
Worked on the rug and mended this P.M.
Also made a new cover for the couch.
Dad finished drilling the wheat this P.M. 

Drilling Wheat

March 30, 1942 Diary

Monday, 89th Day - 276 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot, Niwot, CO

A very nice day.  We washed this A.M.

Dad drilled wheat, Don worked on the Erickson farm.

He was not down until this evening.

The old cat had five kittens today.

Don Arbuthnot with the "old cat".

March 29 1942 Diary

Sunday, 88th Day - 277 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Real nice day.  We went to Marjorie's for dinner.  In the P.M. we went to the S & C Greenhouse and enjoyed a ride through Boulder.  I called on Aunt Kate then Marjorie brote me home.  Una was not feeling very good today.  We had a very good dinner and a very good day.

Don and family here for a little while this evening.

Wrote to Dorothy and Robert tonight.

There have been three generations of Arbuthnot's who have shopped at the Sturtz and Copeland Greenhouse in Boulder.  This is the business that Grandma is referring to in her diary today.  It was founded in 1928 and has been serving the community with the most wonderful flower arrangements, plants and landscaping products.  

When I was in High School, the greenhouses were located next to Boulder High School.  We would wonder through the pallets of flowers when ever we needed to destress, it always smelled wonderful!  The business is still open today, but has moved across town.  Click here to visit the Sturtz and Copeland Greenhouses.

March 28, 1942 Diary

Saturday, 87th Day - 278 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Another nice day, but rather cold.

Don drilled wheat in on Erickson place [where he and his wife live].

Doris and Mr. Woods came after the cows and pigs.

Took a calf to Longmont for Don to sell.

Loren H[ornbacker] here most of the day playing with Donnie.

Letter from Mass. and Nora saying that Bob Ereckson was in the hospital in Cheyenne.

Don and family here for supper so Don could harrow.  He worked until 9:30.

Another fresh heifer today.  Aunt Ione and I made more jelly.

Nora wrote that Nora was in the hospital.  

A tank of water delivered today at $1.50.

Click here to see International Harvester Disk Harrower in action.  What does it mean to harrow?  It means to break up the hard soil to prepare the land to be planted.

March 27, 1942, Diary

Friday, 86th Day - 279 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Rather nice day, but windy and cold.

Dad to Ni Wot this P.M. to have grain ground.

Doris Allen and Mr. Woods here to buy two of Marjorie's cows for $90. a piece.

And also bought Don's pigs.

A load of coal today, $9.54.

Niwot Tribune advertising.
Margie's coal delivery may have been delivered by Mr. Lee Forsyth.

March 26, 1942 Diary

Thursday, 85th Day - 280 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Cold and some cloudy today. Don plowed here today.

The girls came out from Boulder - here for dinner.

Aunt Ione and I made more jelly today.

Donnie went to Altona Grange Hall with the Hornbackers tonight to a 4H club picture show.

I am writing a letter to Nora tonight.

Click here for a 1940's film on farming and the new products for the future.  I don't know what the film was that Donnie saw at the grange, but this is the kind of thing that was shown to the 4H kids.

March 25, 1942 Diary

Wednesday, 84th Day - 281 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

More rain and snow last night.

Cloudy part of today.

Florence, Aunt Ione and myself went to Boulder and had lunch with the girls.  Don kept the children and Dad home alone.  We got back at Don's at 3.  He brought us down then and he and Dad went to Longmont.  Have had a cold N.E. wind this P.M.  Am writing a letter to Jessie tonight.

Four Generations.
Arletta (Misner) Coe, Don Arbuthnot holding Darold and Carol Jane
and Margie (Coe) Arbuthnot.
Littleton, CO

March 24, 1942 Diary

Tuesday, 83rd Day - 282 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

I washed today and I scrubbed the east porch, the first since last Dec since it's been too cold.

Don disked [plowed] then went home and got his plower.  The family came down with him and had supper here.  Don plowed until 10 o'clock.  Dad cleaned barley today.  

The men folk went to Niwot, we had 10 doz eggs and got $.24 a doz for them.

Cloudy and stormy looking tonight.

Click here to see a disk plow breaking up the land.

And Click here to see how a plow cuts the furrows, this is a film from the 1940's.

Click here for information on why seed needs to be cleaned.

Click here for another cartoon - Not as charming as the one we watched yesterday, this one is of World War II propaganda which was shown in theaters in 1942.

March 23, 1942 Diary

Monday, 82nd Day - 283 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

I didn't wash today.  Don brought wash water today, then he disked [plowed].

Dad cleaned some barley this P.M.

Aunt Ione and I made 13 glasses of apple jelly today.

It has been cloudy most of today.

I worked some on out rug today.

Carol Jane here all day.

I tried to find a photo of a machine used to help clean the wheat and barley.  It was called a "Dutch Mill" as well as some other names.  Instead I found an interesting 1934 cartoon, called "The Dutch Mill".  It has an interesting outcome.   Click here and you can watch it.

March 22, 1942 Diary

Sunday, 81st Day - 284 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Girls here for dinner today, Don and family here this evening and disked (talked) until 10 o'clock.

This has been a lovely day.

I got another bottle of medicine.  85 cents

Eighty five cents for medicine doesn't seem like a lot.

But when you consider that the minimum wage in 1942 was thirty cents an hour, then it puts it into perspective that this was expensive.  In today's dollars, the minimum wage is equivalent to $4.77 an hour.

March 21, 1942

Saturday, 80th Day - 285 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

I didn't do much today.

Made cookies and usual - sat around.

The men folks cleaned grain this P.M.

Darline went home with Uncle Will.

I pig tailed her hair for her.

Aunt Ione sewing rag rugs tonight and I will crochet some.

"I got pincked this evening."  And how!

Hum, I wonder what it meant to "get pincked"?

I wonder if she meant pinched?

Oh how I wish I could ask her.

March 20, 1942 Diary

Friday - 79th Day - 286 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Cold and cloudy today.

We went to Don's for dinner.

Dad and Don back here this P.M.

John and Johnny Knaus here to clean seed wheat this P.M.

Aunt Ione and I came home with Don at 6 o'clock.

I called Mr. Fentress to see how Pierce was [doing].

He reported him as very sick.  Mrs Fentress and Sylvia have gone to see him.

He is at Chanute, Illinois.

In 1942, the Fentress family lived on the first homestead established by Margie's father-in-law, William Arbuthnot.  The Niwot Road headed west dead ends and turns north on N. 45th.  William didn't want the road to go through his property so this is why the road turns north.  The Fentress home was at the corner of N. 45th and Neva Rd.

March 19, 1942

Thursday, 78th Day - 287 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Cold and Stormy today.  Dad and Don to Niwot this A.M. to sign up on this crops business.

Aunt Ione and I to club this P.M. at Burkes.  Darline at Florence's this P.M.  

Had a letter today.  

From the book by Helen Anderson of the Batchelder Neighbor's Club:

March 19, 1942

Hostess:  Ethelda Burke

Roll Call: Song of Ireland

Paper:  Irish superstitions and folklore.

Reading: "On Maggie O'Brien on being clinicked"

Who was Maggie O'Brien?  She was a young film actress.

I wonder what it meant to be clinicked - (Helen probably meant to write clinked.)

Click here for more on Maggie O'Brien.

March 18, 1942 Diary

Wednesday, 77th Day - 288 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Cold and some wind today.  I ironed and made mince pie filling - 5 quarts.

Don's were here for dinner.  Florence run the tractor while Don and Dad went to Longmont this P.M.

Darline went to school at Batchelder this P.M.

Cloudy most of this P.M. Wind in the N.E.

One wonders what Florence did when she ran the tractor.

It was most likely the new tractor that Don had purchased.

I'm sure she couldn't wait to drive it as she was adventurous in that way.

But gasoline was rationed during this time at three gallons a week.

In 1942, gas sold for $.15 a gallon.

White Texaco Service Station
Broadway and Arapahoe, Boulder, CO

March 17, 1942 Diary

Tuesday, 76th Day - 289 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Marjorie - Una - Darline - Duane and myself went to Littleton today.

All were well there.  Aunt Ione came home with us.

We kept Carol Jane and Darold.  Don and Florence went to Altona Hall to a party.

Darline stayed here.

Cold and windy today.

Margie's parents and her brothers ended up settling just outside of Littleton, Colorado.  Littleton was south west of Denver and could easily be reached by train as well as by car.  

Today Littleton is a thriving community and Margie's great-grandson, Sean lives and works in Littleton, not far from where his Great-Great-grandparents are buried.  It was a lovely community to visit back in 1942, just as it is today.

Click here to visit Littleton, CO

March 16, 1942 Diary

Monday, 75th Day - 290 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

More snow last nite, but all gone to nite.

I washed to day and baked bread.

Am rather tired to nite.

March 15, 1942 Diary

Sunday, 74th Day - 291 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

The Boulder folks out today for dinner.

Don's family here this evening.

Stormy looking this evening.

The Brown family moved from out District today to the Moffit Ranch.

I got another 100 vitamin B1 tablets.  $5.00

I'm not sure where the Moffit Ranch was located.  There is a Moffat, Colorado, but I don't think that is where Grandma is referring to.

If any one knows, please contact me or leave a message here on this blog.  Thank you.

March 14, 1942 Diary

Saturday, 73rd Day - 292 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Regular round of saturday work to day.

Heard of Mr. ? mother's death.

Wallace came out from Boulder with Don. 

The rest of the folks came out this evening & all went to the 

Batchelder program.

Home at 11:30.

Happy Anniversary to William & Mary Arbuthnot

While Margie doesn't mention it, this was the anniversary of Fred's parents on March 14, 1869.  William Carson Arbuthnot (Sr) and Mary Elizabeth Bader lived west of Haystack Mountain.  William had come to the western gold fields that are now apart of Boulder County, arriving on June 20, 1859.  He arrived with his three brothers, a brother-in-law and his father.   Together they mined in the mountains west of Boulder.  After the gold rush, all of the men claimed land around Haystack Mountain, William on the south and southwest side, and the others on the north side and up along Table Mountain.

The Bader family arrived in 1866, after the Civil war when J. George Bader came looking for his brother Nicholas.  He found Nicholas in the Jamestown area where he was mining.  Nicholas settled a year later north west of the town of Niwot, Colorado.

William and Marry were married after they drove to the town of Valmont where the Justice of the Peace lived.  Mr. Allen married the couple and gifted them a piece of cheese that he had made.  I call this the first Haystack Mountain Cheese.  William and Mary made their home along the bank of Left Hand Creek on the south side of Haystack Mountain.  You can get an idea of where they lived by visiting the Haystack Mountain Golf Course, as this is where their first 160 acres was established.  Mary later purchased the mountain.

Mary Elizabeth Bader Arbuthnot
circa 1870
Handp ainted large tintype.

William Carson Arbuthnot, Sr
circa 1870
Hand painted large tin type.

Rocky Mountain News
Marriage announcement of Mary and William Arbuthnot 

March 13, 1942 Diary

Friday, 72nd Day - 293 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Didn't do much today, just the usual round of work.

The Hills were here a while this P.M.

Don, Florence & children were here for supper.

Read in Altona news that Helen Gould Wallace has a baby boy.

Congratulations to the Wallace family on the birth of their son!

Maybe his family can forward today's blog post and share this day with him.

The Hills - Guy and Ethel Hill are the parents of Florence who married Don Arbuthnot.

The Arbuthnot's and Hills became very good friends.

In January, I wrote about Ethel (Jackson) Hill's family and how she and Guy met.

The Hill Family - before they moved to Colorado
Guy, Florence (Don's future wife), Marjorie (Johnny Knaus Jr's future wife),
 Ethel, Francis (who stayed in Oklahoma)
1926 - Oklahoma

Ethel and Guy Hill

March 12, 1942 Diary

Thursday, 71st Day - 294 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Nothing much doing today.

Men folks haul in hay.

I shortened pants for Donnie and worked on a rug.

It has been cloudy on a part of today.

Clear to nite.

Besides woolen strips, Grandma would use the stockings that had ran or were worn out.  With two daughters and a daughter-in-law, she had a steady supply of stockings.

Silk stockings, held in place by girdle clips.

March 11, 1942 Diary

Wednesday, 70th Day - 295 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Don, Florence & Children, Dad and myself went to Boulder.

I to Dr. Don to dentist - all had lunch with the girls.

Got the milk check.  It has been cloudy a part of

the day and looks rather stormy tonite.

I got a bottle of medicine $.85

1933 Ariel view of Boulder, Colorado.
Pearl Street was the mail street then and now the downtown area is the pedestrian mall.

March 10, 1942 Diary

Tuesday, 69th Day - 296 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

More wind today and snow mostly gone.  They dehorned the bull today.

Dad to Niwot to pay interest.  Carol Jane here this P.M.

Don worked here this P.M.

Donnie got package from Mass. today.

And we got a picture of Roy and Jim.

Sent in Grange dues $2,20.

Also Federal loan insurance.

Milk check day.

Bills, they never end.

An old receipt of Grandpa Fred Arbuthnot's.
1900

March 9, 1942 Diary

Monday, 68th Day - 297 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Wind blew terribly hard last nite.

I washed today but the wind blew so hard this A.M.

I didn't have them until this P.M. but all got dried.

And I got the ironing done.

A cave in at the brick plant at Valmont - one man killed and five injured.

What a sad day for the Goddard family as their 21 year old son was killed in this accident.
  
The Valmont brick plant was located at the base of Valmont Butte.  There were several kilns there that baked the bricks.  When five men were loading the brick oven, two other men were on top of the oven, on the roof.  When the roof of the oven gave in, the men inside were crushed by the bricks, killing one young man who was a fairly new employee at the plant.  A devastating accident that rocked not only Valmont but all of Boulder County.  Not surprising that Grandma mentions the event in her diary.  

Thanks to Marti at the Carnegie Branch Library for Local History, Boulder Public Library for helping me to learn more about this event.  Here are the photos and newspaper article that she found for us to learn from.  For more information about this and other events, please visit this library - they are a treasure trove of our local people and history.

Kiln at the Valmont Brick Plant
Photo courtesy of the Carnegie Branch Library for Local History,
Boulder Public Library

Boulder Daily Camera
March 9, 1942

Valmont Butte and Valmont Brick Plant
Photo courtesy of the Carnegie Branch Library for Local History,
Boulder Public Library

More photos can be seen here.

March 8, 1942 Dairy

Sunday, 67th Day - 298 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

A nice day - snow melted fast and water running every where and so muddy.

Donnie went to see Leo this P.M.

Dad and I home alone all day.

Since this was a Sunday on Grandma's diary, let's take a moment today to remember that while she and her husband are comfortable in their home, there were many in other parts of the world who were not safe in their homes.  Genocide, concentration camps and slave labor were all taking place in Europe on this day in 1942.  And sadly, there are places in the world today were acts just as horrific are still taking place.  So today, let's take a moment of silence to remember those who suffered and died, both then and now.  

Timeline of World War II in 1942

March 7, 1942 Diary

Saturday, 66th Day - 299 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Another nice day.

It thawed a lot this P.M.

Donnie went to Ni Wot and got a hair cut.

Went to see Leo L. but he was not at home.

Dad and Don took grain to Ni wot and had ground.

The Jain and Arbuthnot family...

Yesterday, I shared about Miles and Mary (Case) Jain and their family.  Today, I will continue their story.

Another Jain daughter of Miles and Mary Jain was Clara Jain, born at Haystack Mt on October 2, 1879.  She attended the Bader School No. 13.  It was probably there and at the Grange meetings where she met a son of Samuel C. Arbuthnot, William.  

Samuel and Fred's father were brothers.  Fred had a cousin named Will and a brother named Will.  Fred's brother was called "Long Will" because he was so tall, and their cousin was known as "Short Will"  in order to keep it clear which Will you were referring to.  "Short" Will married Clara Jain on and the two families were joined.  Will and Clara Arbuthnot were a young couple who were leaders in breaking off from the Left Hand Grange No. 9 in Niwot (where they had grown up) to start a new grange, the Altona Grange No. 127.

"Short" Will Arbuthnot farmed there near Haystack Mountain his entire live, living on the land that his father had first acquired.  They were long standing members in the Grange.

Clara Jain and William H. Arbuthnot
Wedding photo - 1879

Clara (Jain) Arbuthnot

Obituary of Cara (Jain) Arbuthnot
Boulder Daily Camera May 21, 1956

March 6, 1942 Diary

Friday, 65th Day - 300 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

This has been a very disagreeable day.

A north east wind and snow flurrys.

Don helped Johnny and Marjorie move today.

Cloudy tonight.

20 degrees above tonight.

The Jain and Bruning Family...

In one of Grandma's past entries, she mentions two women that I have not discussed.  Since there is not much to comment on here in Grandma's entry, I'll share with you about these women Lottie B. and G. Jain.  

Lottie Bruning and Grandma Jain were long time friends and neighbors who lived west on Haystack Mountain.  The Jain pioneer family began with the Swiss born Jules Francois Emil "Miles" Jain (pronounced Jane), born in 1839.  Miles Jain had come out to the gold fields in the early days and was friends of Fred's grandfather and his sons.  When roomers in 1864 were running wild that the Indians were on the attack (roomers which were not true), the Boulder Sheriff signed up men to serve in the military for 100 days.  Miles singed up and served as a Corporal with Company B of the Colorado Third.  (More about this company and their part in the massacre of Native Americans to be coming in a later post, not connected to Grandma's diary).  While Miles was not a Major in the military, he acquired the nickname by his family and friends as Major Miles.

On December 26, 1869, Miles married Mary Case in Georgetown, Colorado.  Miles and Mary settled west of Haystack Mountain after Miles had filed for 320 acres.  He had gone to the Denver Land Office and paid $200 cash plus the filling fees for 160 acres as well as paying the $16 filing fee for homesteading another 160 acres.  Their family grew with nine children - Benjamin, Lewis, Clyde, Roy, Ethan, Florence and Lottie.  These children attended school at the Bader Schoolhouse, the school that Fred Arbuthnot's Grandfather had built.  As the boys grew, they needed to have a business. Along with their father Ben, Lewis and Clyde started the Jain Brother's Stagecoach.  With their stage, they too passengers from Boulder, into the mountains up to Ward, then to Gold Hill, down Lick Skillet Road back home to Haystack Mr.  

When the Grange system began in Colorado in 1873, the Jain family was involved and remained involved for many generations.  The Jain's youngest daughter married a son from a family who lived in the mountains up Left Hand Canyon.  Oh June 15, 1913 Lottie Jain married Francis "Frank" Bruning.  And together, they had three sons whom they raised on the original Jain homestead.  No doubt, there was a big celebration at the Altona Grange where they were married.  As a young girl, I remember visiting old man Frank Bruning in his home that was once the stage stop of the Jain Brothers.  It was always a fun adventure to go see him, sitting in his rocking chair on the porch.  

The Jain family and the Bruning family all were leaders in the grange and served in many capacities in this community.   Clyde Jain was the third "Master" or President of Altona Grange No. 127 and his sister also served as the Master at a later date.  She was a role model to all of the young girls and women who grew up in this community.  By 1910, Major Jain had passed on, and his wife, whom was knows by Margie as Grandma Jain, lived one more year, passing in 1943.  Lottie and her husband Boyd lived the remaining of their lives on the Jain's land and their son's continued the legacy for another generation.

Final Homestead Patent for Miles Jain

Cash purchase for 160 acres by Miles Jain

Advertisement for the Stage, Ward and Boulder, Jain Brothers

Jain Brother's and their Stage Coach near Ward CO
Photo thank to the Boulder Public Library, Carnegie Branch for Local History, Boulder, CO

Altona Grange No. 127 Leaders,
Phoebe (Steele) Green & Lottie (Jain) Bruning
Photo thanks to the Jay Gould family.

March 5, 1942 Diary

Thursday, 64th Day - 301 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Another nice day with the snow melting fast.

Club met here today.

Marjorie attended the funeral of Mr. Lydia.

Then came out and Una and Duane went back [to Boulder] with her.

Una and Duane went back with her.

This was the birthday of Jennie Keuter.

Got our radio's battery today.

Batchelder's Neighbors Club

Click here for an earlier post about the Batchelder's Neighbors Club.

One of the neighbor young ladies, Helen Anderson, made up a little book for the BNC, dated 1942-1943.  It begins with the role of the officers, but does not list who is in these positions.  The club has a President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Publications Chairman, and a Program Chairman.  The meetings are held on alternate Thursdays.  The order of business is the following:

• Flag Salute
• Patriotic Song
• Roll Call
• Minutes
• Unfinished Business
• Bills and Communications
• Adjournment

No doubt to enjoy some refreshments upon adjournment.

On this day, Helen recorded that the Hostess was Margie Arbuthnot, with the roll call is song quotations. (Not sure what that really means as a roll call is usually those who were in attendance of the meeting.)  Discussion of the meeting included "bulbs, plants and early spring flowers".  No other details of the discussion is given.  The next meeting will be March 19th.

Batchelder's Neighbors Club
Booklet made by Helen Anderson,
recording the meetings for the years 1942-43.

Last page in Helen's BNC book is a list of the members.

March 4, 1942 Diary

Wednesday, 63rd Day - 302 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Real pleasant day.

Don and children here - Florence took her mother to Boulder to the dentist.

Una came out with her to help entertain club tomorrow.

Got a tank of water today.

Not much to add her today.  Tomorrow, I will share what happened at the club meeting that Grandma hosted.  Good thing that her daughter Una was there to help her get ready.  

March 3, 1942 Diary Entry

Tuesday, 62nd Day - 303 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Warmer today.  The men took grain to Niwot to have ground.

Marjorie phoned to Don's that Mr. Lydia had passed away.

Will and Kate here this P.M.

Temp at 8 P.M. 24 degrees above.

Cooler tonight - a north wind is blowing.

Will and Kate in Grandma's entry is Fred's brother Will and his wife Kate (Doolittle).  They met in Montana when Will had gone north to establish a homestead there.  They returned and lived in Boulder while farming on land next to Fred's, along 63rd and Niwot Rd.  Click here for an earlier post about Will and Kate.

Yesterday's Anniversary, Don and Florence (Hill) Arbuthnot

Yesterday, I wrote about the family who had sent a letter home, Margie and Fred's son Ken.  Neither nor  I  mentioned that this was Margie and Fred's youngest son's 5th wedding anniversary.  

On March 2, 1937, Donald and his parents left their home on Niwot Rd and traveled to the home of Guy and Ethel (Jackson) Hill.  There Don found his bride, Florence.  The parents stayed at the Hill's home while Don's and Florence's sisters along with their husbands traveled with Don and Florence into Boulder to the parsonage of the First Methodist Church.  In the parsonage home (now a law office), they were married by the Methodist minister.  The three couples then went back to the Jay Rd farm and picked up their parents.  They all went back to the Niwot Rd farm at Fred and Margie's and enjoyed a fried chicken dinner that Margie prepared.  We know this because Florence wrote home about this day to her grandmother in Oklahoma, describing the day and their meal.

Before they were married, Florence had two bridal showers.  One at the Altona Grange and one at the home of the Dehn family.  Florence typed up a list of all of the gifts she received and who she received them from.  In her letter to her grandmother, she wrote that she and Don got everything that they needed to set up home at the old Erickson place, west of Fred and Margie's home, except for two things.  With the funds sent from her Aunt and Grandmother, Florence and Don went into Boulder and purchased these two items... a coal bucket and an ironing board.  

Newlyweds, Florence & Don Arbuthnot, Lois & Marjorie Campion
March 2, 1937 at the home of Fred & Margie Arbuthnot.
Rolling pin wedding gifts from Uncle Will,
(Louis Campion and Margie Arbuthnot had been married earlier in the year.)

Shower gifts for Florence (Hill) and Don Arbuthnot
1937 Altona and Niwot, CO

Florence and Don's wedding photo.
The bride wore a blue store bought dress,
the groom had a matching tie and kerchief in the same blue color.

March 2, 1942 Diary

61st Day - 304 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

Down to Zero this morning at 6 A. M.

Warmer today.  I had some cold today so didn't wash.

Had a letter from the Mass. folks today.

Also a picture of Jim's cub scout pack.

The family from Mass. that Grandma refers to is her eldest son, Kenneth, his wife Mildred [Davies] and their two sons, Jim and Roy.  Ken had attended what is now Colorado State University in Fort Collins and graduated with an entomology degree. It was known as the Agricultural College or Aggie College when he was there.  He worked for M.I.T. assisting with the research there.  We are very proud of our Uncle Ken as he was one of the very first to suggest that DDT was not a good pesticide to use on crops, that it could cause illness and even death in humans.  It was difficult on the family to have Ken and Mildred living so far away.  In the summers, the grandsons Roy and Jim would come to visit.  They had many stories that they shared with their families of their time with their cousins.  I don't have the photo that Grandma received of Jim's cub scout troop.  But I do have a baseball photo that Jim had shared with me.

Children of Fred and Margie Arbuthnot.
L to R - Marjorie, Kenneth, Una, Donald
Photo taken when Ken graduated from College in the 1925.

Ken, Mildred, Roy and Ken at Brainard Lake, Colorado

Eldest son of Margie and Fred.
Ken and Mildred (Davies) Arbuthnot with sons
Roy and Jim

Jim Arbuthnot's baseball team.
Grandpa must have been very proud as he loved the baseball games.

March 1, 1942, Diary

Sunday, 60th Day - 305 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

2 degrees below at 7 A.M.

This has been a nice day.

The Boulder folks here - out this P.M.

Wallace still has a bad cold and cough.

Recipe for Sore Throat Relief from the 1940's

Mix ½ teaspoon of baking soda with juice of one lemon.

(be careful as it will fizz up)

To a glass of warm water, add ½ to 1 teaspoon of the above mixture.

Gargle until the glass is empty.

Gargle using this mixture several times a day to bring sore throat relief.