Wilhelm: Widow's diary includes details of hard times from Great Depression
The Great Depression was a worldwide financial and human disaster with people struggling to survive and millions reportedly dying. Thousands of banks closed, long lines for assistance were common, businesses and individuals went bankrupt and people did what they could to survive.
People who lived through the Depression, which began in October of 1929 and lasted just about 10 years, have some incredible stories to tell.
Fremonter Lee Bowden has shared years of diaries of his widowed grandmother Florence Bowden who went from sharing a successful Ottawa County fruit orchard with her husband to struggling from day to day as a widow in the Depression.
Some of her entries, which undoubtedly sound familiar to many, will be shared in the next couple of columns.
I must point out here that while her stories demonstrate how difficult the times were, she also wrote how her sons — Dwight, Gaylord and Harold, who were living away from home — were regular visitors, helping her and bringing things to eat. And her fourth son Hugh was apparently a hard worker. “My boys sure were all good to me.” She said on Mother’s Day of 1935.
Through the diaries, you quickly learned some basic facts. Florence Bowden was a hard working and determined woman who didn’t sit around lamenting her troubles; she dealt with them. And the number of people who interacted with her, helping her and being helped by her, was an indication that there were many real neighbors and real family working their way through the tough times.
1935
• Feb 10 — Dwight (a son) came today but he went back to-night. It made our day a little brighter to have him here and he brought us things to eat too and we sure did need them for such a terrible time as we do have to get enough to eat this winter.
• Feb. 14 — Hugh (teenage son at home) and I went down to Aid room to supper.
• March 12 — Hugh started to work today on relief. He don’t get much but it is lots better than nothing. He has been digging a ditch and he is rather tired tonight.
• April 12 — Signed deed to let my farm go. Sorry but cant help it.
• Dec.15 — Dwight came and the man he is working for in Oberlin sold out so Dwight is out of a job
• Dec.17 — Got first old age pension today of 12 dollars.
Some entries tell us much about how life in general has changed. Here are a few scattered examples:
Oct. 21, 1929 — “Dwight (one of her sons) … took us up to his house to hear the Lights Golden Jubilee over radio. The 50 anniversary of the electric light. The program was in honor of Edison. We heard Hoover, Edison, a speaker from Berlin Germany and many stories.”
Dec. 12, 1930 — “Men came to finish wiring and got done about four o’clock so now we have electric lights and they are fine. I feel as if I was in some fairy land. Can’t yet believe it is real. I feel so thankful.”
Jan. 3, 1932 —“Bob got another enclosed car while in Cleveland at a bargain and it looks much better than the other one.”
March 16, 1932 — “Darned socks all evening.”
Roy Wilhelm started a 40-year career at The News-Messenger in 1965 as a reporter. Now retired, he writes a column for both The News-Messenger and News Herald.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Wilhelm: Widow's diary details some hard times during Great Depression
