Journal entries from the early 1900s have provided good reading of late for Ivan Powell. 1912 MABEL POWELL’S journal entries continued for another 55 years.
Powell’s mother, Mabel Powell, kept a diary from 1912 to her death on Sept. 14, 1974. She was 83.
“Her last entry was the day before she died,” Powell said, as he leafed through those for the year.
The Powells lived on a farm south of Carlyle — that’s where Ivan was raised — and the journals document what farm life was like.
Late Thursday morning Ivan, 86, lounging in a favorite chair in his and wife Jan’s nicely appointed home in north Iola, talked at length about his mother’s writings, as well as four years he spent in the Navy during the Korean War.
“I landed at just about every major port in the Orient,” Ivan said. “All of those in Japan large enough for bigger ships, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Midway (Island). I’ve seen a lot of them.”
His ship, a destroyer, was involved in hostilities a few times, but the time that had Ivan and his shipmates were most ill at ease was during one of several typhoons.
The destroyer was an escort for an aircraft carrier and during a violent storm its mission was to deflect huge waves bearing down on the floating airstrip. That put the smaller ship broadside to gigantic swells.
“One time we went over 47 degrees,” he recalled, far enough that the ship was so askew Ivan feared it was going to roll over.
Ivan has relished reading through his mother’s journals.
In addition to daily entries, she noted whenever produce was sold and what it fetched.
He thinks others will find her observations interesting. Here are some:
Oct. 8: Cut kaffir corn all day.
Oct. 12: Papa went down to Jones’ to gather walnuts.
Nov. 9: We all went to Iola. I got my wedding dress.
Dec. 10: Pa went to Iola and got me a fine coat and a pair of shoes.
1915
Jan. 27: Jim (her husband) helped his father haul hay to Geneva. Cold, snowed some.
Feb. 12: Jim plowed all day.
April 16: I put in peas, lettuce, radishes and onions.
June 7: We went to the creek afishing. Caught about 12.
July 26: Jim cultivating late corn. I washed and planted late cabbage.
Sept. 22: Made my plaid gingham dress and (son) Earl’s shirting dress.
Nov. 15: Jim took buggy down to Geneva to get it fixed.
1917.
March 17: Jim awfully sick. (Neighbors helped out, several entries note; she became ill a week later.)
April 17: Sold 17 dozen eggs at 29 cent a dozen.
April 21: Jim hauling manure.
May 12: Sold Jennie (donkey) and took her to Iola in p.m. I got Earl sandals and got about 30 tomato plants.
June 25: Helped Jim harrow and I planted some beans. Jim sowed his millet.
1918:
Jan. 11: Very cold. 18 degrees below zero.
Feb. 8: Beautiful day. Jim hauled corn for George Kettle.
March 28: Jim finished buggy shed.
April 11: Rover (their dog) got killed by a car.
May 24: Replanted corn that pigs dug up.
June 15: Went to Iola and got muslin for nightgowns.
Aug. 4: Very hot and windy. Early corn burning up.
Aug. 13: We have to feed our cattle fodder and haul water.
Oct. 19: All public places closed because of influenza.
Nov. 11: War over. Went to Iola in eve to parade.
1919.
April 14: Jim working on roads; hauling gravel.
June 16: Sow had 10 pigs.
June 28: Jim cut 4 acres of wheat.
Aug. 18-22: Jim helped neighbors with threshing.
Sept. 4: We all went to (Allen County) fair. We drove car south of track and watched races.
Most are similar to those above, and often refer to other families living in the Carlyle area and friends living elsewhere in the area.
Journals spark memories
