THE DIARIES OF MARIAM DAVIS SIDEBOTTOM HOUCHENS VOLUME 1 June 13, 1927- December 30, 1928 October 26, 1936-December 25, 1937 Copyright 2007 © David P. Houchens Bound by Beck and Orr, Inc. 3097 West Broad Street Columbus, Ohio 43204 PREFACE Mariam Davis Sidebottom was born on March 26, 1904 to Manlaus and Kate Sidebottom in Owen County, Kentucky. She graduated from Owenton High School and went to Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky where she received a Bachelor’s degree in 1926. Later she received a Master’s degree from the University of Louisville. She taught high school in several Kentucky towns for two years and on August 29, 1928, she married John Marston Houchens who was also from Owen County and had been in the same high school class and graduated the same year as she did at Georgetown College. They lived in Louisville for their entire married life where they raised their children, Beverly Jane (Jane) Houchens and David Paul Houchens and had four grandchildren, Amy Marie Tuten (daughter of Jane and her husband Richard Tuten) and Paul Andrew, Janet Elaine and Karen Elizabeth Houchens (children of David and his wife Kathie Anderson). In addition to raising a family, she served as a substitute teacher, a free lance writer for the Louisville Courier-Journal Magazine and as an interviewer for the Survey Research Center of the University of Michigan. She was also active in her church and many school and community organizations. She died on July 19, 1986 in Louisville. John, after early jobs at the Louisville Gas & Electric Company and Ahrens Trade School, spent 44 years at the University of Louisville as a teacher of physics, the Veterans Coordinator during World War II and the Registrar and Director of Admissions and Director of Academic Services. Much of their daily lives and friendships were with the University community. He died on October 1, 1993 in Louisville. Both Mariam and John were buried at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Owenton, Kentucky. The volumes that make up this series are from 113 diaries that Mariam kept faithfully and include three from 1927-1929 and 110 from late 1936 through mid-1957. The first three follow her life as a single young school teacher and her early marriage and the later diaries describe daily life as a family in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s including family and friends’ visits, school, vacations, illnesses, births, marriages and deaths. This spans the time of the Great Depression, the 1937 Ohio River flood, the Second World War and the post-war years. Daily life was much different from today as public transportation (bus, train) was more available and families, if they had a car, only had one. Antibiotics which are used to treat infectious diseases were not available until the mid-1940s and so minor infections sometimes became serious and doctors frequently made house calls on short notice. The diaries were extracted, as written, by her son, David, using voice recognition software. Each volume of this series includes several of the books and the inclusive dates are listed for each book. At the beginning of each book, a scan of the first page of the respective diary is included. Some representative pictures are also included with each volume. Volume 1 also includes the ancestral lineage of Mariam ( to the mid-late 1500s) and the descent line from John and her through great-grandchildren, Trevor Michael Houchens and Lauren Nicole Houchens (children of Paul Houchens and his wife Cheryl Potter), Meredith Putnam Kyle Darrah and John William Ellis Darrah (children of Amy Tuten and her husband Scott Darrah) and Zoe Mariam Sise (child of Karen Houchens and her husband Paul Sise). i This volume and the succeeding volumes of the diaries of Mariam Davis Sidebottom Houchens are dedicated to her children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren and to those generations yet to be born. David P. Houchens Columbus, Ohio December 2007 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME 1 Page Preface i Dedication ii Table of Contents iii Single years and teaching Book 1- Monday, June 13, 1927-Thursday, November 3, 1927 1 Book 2-Friday, November 4, 1927-Monday, January 9, 1928 37 Teaching, marriage and move to Louisville Book 3- Tuesday, January 10, 1928-Sunday, December 30, 1928 53 Children, Jane’s early life, 1937 flood, David’s birth, family life Book 4-Monday, October 26, 1936-Saturday, May 8, 1937 136 Book 5- Sunday, May 9, 1937-Sunday, September 5, 1937 212 Book 6- Monday, September 6, 1937-Saturday, December 25, 1937 260 Appendices Appendix A- Ancestral line of Mariam Davis Sidebottom A-1 Appendix B- Descendants of Mariam Davis Sidebottom and John Marston Houchens B-1 Appendix C- Photographs C-1 iii Book # 1- June 13, 1927-November 3, 1927 1 Monday, June 13, 1927 Diary, ole dear, you are the continuation of my other diary in another book. This morning I drove to Long Ridge to meet Aunt Mary, who came from Louisville. It started raining before I got there. Mr. Edmondson keeps the store – father of Gaston and Luke who were seniors when I taught at Glencoe. I talked to him and his wife until Aunt Mary came on bus. It rained very, very hard, but we got home all right. That road is hectic, if you know what I mean – second time I‘ve been over it since I came home. We spent the afternoon and evening conversing. I embroidered some on my luncheon set. Tuesday, June 14, 1927 Talk about days – well, I‘ve been blue, and no kiddin‘. We intended to go to Corinth today to see Paul and Ermine, but it rained and rained and Mother called Paul and told him that we couldn‘t come, but would come tomorrow if it is pretty. I got a letter from Johnnie and answered it this afternoon. Mother made me quit talking about being blue – said that Aunt Mary would think that I was down in the dumps, but I know what the matter is- it‘s the weather!! I haven‘t heard a word from Ludlow yet. Wednesday, June 15, 1927 I awoke to a world upon which the sun did shine this morning and consequently felt better. We got an early start to Corinth –Mother, Aunt Mary and I. Since they were working on the Dixie Highway grade we went by Crossroads across to Keefer over a stretch of road entirely new to me – good too; although narrow, and came out on the Dixie near Blanchett. I went over to see Cousin Mary Simon a minute. She was telling me some gossip about Elbert and Phyllis. Ermine had a good dinner. I wrote to Mrs. Doere at Ludlow. Coming back I saw Julian at work and waved at him. Thursday, June 16, 1927 Ruby Dean invited me to spend tonight with her, so Aunt Mary decided to go to Aunt Dink‘s and spend the night. We started about four o‘clock this afternoon. I left Aunt Mary at Aunt Dink‘s then when to Dean‘s. We had dinner at the Clark Hotel. Ate with Mrs. Perry and T. R. Afterwards, no before dinner, I took Dean and Adeline driving down the Gratz Road. After dinner Ruby Dean and I went to prayer meeting. Mark called Ruby Dean to go driving, but we didn‘t go. Instead went up to Dean‘s room and talked and talked all about Gladys and Bradford, ―love‖, Harry R. and Mac (R. D‘s men), Johnnie and other things. Friday, June 17, 1927 We got up about eight and Martha and Ruby Dean fixed breakfast – a very nice one, too. S. T. went to the post office to get my mail and came back with a letter from Johnnie. The latter had been to a party for a bride-elect – boys and girls, too, of course. Ruby Dean went with me to the barber shop and I had my hair cut. I got the car out of the garage and took Dean home, then 2 went down after Aunt Mary to go home (about ten o‘clock) but Aunt Dink had dinner most ready and we stayed for dinner, got home about 2:20. I made an ―up-side-down cake‖ for supper – good. Saturday, June 18, 1927 One thing I failed to note yesterday. I went down to Mrs. Ingram‘s to see Lois Jane and the former told me that Phyllis and Elbert have gone together – are living in Maysville. I can‘t get over it –especially considering what Phyllis said and the terrible way that Elbert treated her. I have been very busy all day. I wrote some applications this morning (What‘s the use?) and have cleaned the house. Since noon I have made some gelatin salad for supper and am preparing to fry cheese balls in deep fat. I wrote J.M.H. from town yesterday. Tomorrow – reunion. Sunday, June 19, 1927 It is over – the annual reunion at Mussel Shoals. Mother fell in the kitchen last night, up on a chair looking at ants on the light cord, and hurt her side, but was able to go today. Mother, Aunt Mary and I all piled into the coupe with Papa, (after making sandwiches and preparing lunch). We were rather crowded, but got to the church safely. Paul and Ermine came, Dr. Prather and family, Gladys and Bradford, all of Mrs. Sarah Alexander‘s family, and lots of people. Beautiful day - first one that it hasn‘t rained for a week. Talks by Cousin Hollie, Dr.