~ Hidden Timber, South Dakota
November 9, 1923: Cold, Cloudy N. W. wind in morning but day nice and warm as towards evening. The Men unloaded with Sandy Hood’s help. Will Whiting brought cows to Carter this evening. I was out on the truck with hogs, all hogs and chickens were here this evening. Norman Winner, Geo. Smith of Hidden Timer, Smith of O’Kreek and Emery and Bossingham of Mission brought hogs here to Hidden Timber Ranch. I went to Jake’s for the night, all in as usual. Will got his finger mashed and nail torn off Wednesday while loading car at Spencer.
November 9, 1928, Friday: Was real foggy and damp until about 11 o’clock a.m., but the fog rose and was real nice and warm, until towards evening when clouded a little, but sun set bright. Ben and Dave stayed indoors until noon. Ben husked his corn and Dave did up the work, washed dishes, and swept floors, then went to the store for the mail and gas, and got Louise in Ben’s car, and got home just as Will and I came from Valentine at dusk, where we went this a.m.
I got shoes and overshoes and goods for a black dress, and we paid leases to Rosebud and stopped at Ed’s going and coming back, and had pie on the return, also paid Merle Couser the balance on vegetables. The roads weren’t so bad via John Neiss, Sr.’s old place, only mud in places.
November 9, 1934, Friday: A few clouds early morning and again in p.m., but rest of day bright, and nice towards evening, N.W. clouds and looked like snow, but it cleared at sunset. I made 2 sheets out of outing flannel, washed them, also rinsed the sacks and meat rags in the grocery cupboard that mice gnawed into and Maggie fixed. she also ironed and did the other work, cleaned upstairs. I slept in p.m. and hemmed wash-rags and gathered nails, played solitaire. Elmer, Will and Thomas went to H. Smith’s, Dallas, got 28 sacks flour, corn and cake at Winner, home for supper.
November 9, 1942, Monday: Cloudy, chilly, strong northwest wind, dusty at times and sun shone towards evening, but still the wind blew and was chilly. I picked up things off the cupboards in the kitchen, for Henry painted the furniture after he finished the woodwork white panels. Will and Mr. Bachman went horseback to Wm Abbott’s, told him to come and butcher a beef, but they were going to Winner and cannot come until tomorrow, so Will and Bachman got Bachman’s cattle to our winter pasture and came home to eat a bite, then went in V8 car to mail letters and fix some fence on the east side of winter pasture. I am so glad to have the kitchen painted.
Oh my goodness I’m so glad to have found this!!! Thomas; Sr and Sadie Whiting were my mother’s aunt and uncle. I have been to Hidden Timber several times and I remember well the general store that Aunt Sadie ran. She was also the postmaster there. I loved their ranch. I was there last visiting their son and daughter in law, Harold and Evelyn Whiting in 1990 about the time Operation Desert Shield started.
Susan McCaskill
Fort Worth, TX