Jump to Content

Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Smith, (Emma Lena) Diaries
SPC.2017.005  
View entire collection guide What's This?
Search this collection
 
 
Table of contents What's This?

box 1, folder 1

Daily Diary April 1935-December 1935

Scope and Contents

Emma Lena Smith's home, which she shared with her husband, Andrew, burned down. They stayed with her daughter and son-in-law until they were able to rent a house on Garrison Ave. They moved multiple times in 1935. Their neighbors and friends provided many items to help replace what was destroyed in the fire. Andrew at this point in time was employed at the plant in town. He also did odd jobs for others in the community.
box 1, folder 2

Daily Diary January 1936-September 1936

Scope and Contents

Emma and Andrew moved to a place near Ceres, California. Andrew made improvements around the home including fixing the fence and putting up shelves in the kitchen. Emma and Andrew are involved in many different organizations within the community, such as the Veterans Camp, their church and the WCTU. They begin to produce fruits and vegetables on their parcel of land (i.e., oranges, rhubarb, melons, squash, cucumbers, beets, and alfalfa). They were also able to purchase a washing machine and an electric refrigerator.
box 1, folder 3

Daily Diary September 1936-October 1937

Scope and Contents

Emma and Andrew attend church services on various days of the week and sometimes even twice a day in the morning and in the evening. Emma's sister, Bertha, visits from a neighboring town. Along with planting various crops, including peas and potatoes, they have cows and chickens to tend to. Although their days often follow a somewhat regular routine, every once in a while there will be a salesman that stops by to sell their goods or they are able to go see a moving picture in town.
box 1, folder 4

Daily Diary November 1937-August 1938

Scope and Contents

Emma keeps busy by attending meetings and events, such as the Home Dept. Christmas party, the Ladies Aid covered dish dinner and quilting parties. Emma makes candy and nut breads and shares the olives and almonds that they've grown with their neighbors. Emma spends a day with her parents who came for a visit and they take a day trip to Sacrament, Sutter's Fort and the College of the Pacific. Mildred and Mitchell adopted a baby boy. Andrew was laid off from his job.
box 1, folder 5

Daily Diary August 1938-March 1939

Scope and Contents

Andrew continues to look for work. He spends his time helping out at other farms, grinding feed, picking peaches, and carpentry work. He also does some occasional construction work on the church. Emma spends much of her time canning the fruit that they have grown or received from neighbors. Their car and tractor both had mechanical issues.
box 1, folder 6

Daily Diary March 1939-April 1941

Scope and Contents

Andrew works long hours irrigating and cultivating the pasture and garden, sometimes watering during the middle of the night. Emma's days are filled with household chores, making jams, visiting neighbors and attending church events. The war in Europe begins to affect the prices of some goods. Andrew has rented some land from a Japanese American family and also helps them once in a while with their crops.
box 1, folder 7

Daily Diary April 1941-March 1943

Scope and Contents

There are many weddings and funerals that Emma and Andrew attend. They have purchased a different place to live and spend time fixing it up. Emma writes about the Japan raiding Pearl Harbor and President Roosevelt declaring war against the Axis forces. Andrew belongs to the Veterans Camp and he was made a corporal to help organize items. There is no mention of the Japanese American family between October 1941 and September 1945.
box 1, folder 8

Daily Diary April 1943-February 1944

Scope and Contents

Andrew received medical shots to help with his arthritis. Emma and Mildred sewed dresses and helped at the church Bazaar. Emma and Andrew sell their place and move in with Mildred and her family. Mildred's husband decides to build a new house with Andrew's help. They continue to farm and can fruits and vegetables.
box 1, folder 9

Daily Diary February 1944-January 1946

Scope and Contents

Emma travels to Chowchilla to visit the doctor and is told she has high blood pressure. She spends some time helping at the Red Cross. Emma and Andrew have been having some disagreements. On February 15, they decide to separate. Andrew persuades Emma to reconsider. The Japanese American family returns from WWII Incarceration Camp and Andrew helps them get settled.
box 1, folder 10

Daily Diary January 1946-December 1946

Scope and Contents

Andrew works construction on the Parsonage. Their grandson, Dickie, has the measles, which are passed on to Mildred. Emma and Andrew move at least twice in this year. They take a vacation and ride the train to San Diego and have an excursion to Tijuana, Mexico.
box 1, folder 11

Daily Diary December 1946-October 1948

Scope and Contents

Multiple family members are sick off and on with the flu. Plumbing problems are dealt with for the house. Emma has several long talks with Andrew, which he does not agree with. Their daily activities include farming, gardening and taking care of the home. They attend the Sacrament Fair.
box 1, folder 12

Daily Diary November 1948-March 1950

Scope and Contents

Emma and Andrew's relationship continues to be strained. They buy a radio and are able to listen to President Harry Truman's inauguration. A welfare worker comes out to see Emma multiple times. Andrew needed to have an operation and takes over a month to recuperate. Emma and Bertha take care of a lot of the farm work.
box 1, folder 13

Daily Diary March 1950-June 1951

Scope and Contents

Andrew spent multiple visits in the hospital in San Francisco. Emma went on a two day trip with Mildred's family and Bertha to San Jose and Monterey, California. Emma turned 80 years old. Emma and Andrew needed to get a loan for $3,000 and an extra $200 to buy a 1951 Plymouth.
box 1, folder 14

Daily Diary July 1951-September 1952

Scope and Contents

Andrew continues to have health issues. Emma asks a woman named Nellie to stay with her and help her around the house. Nellie lives in a trailer on their land. Emma mentions that Andrew has his own room. She posts in multiple entries how grouchy Andrew is behaving. They have more disagreements and Andrew told her to get out of the house. Emma then tells him to sell the place. She moves into an apartment and then goes to live with Mildred and her family. Andrew confronts Emma and her family members on multiple occasions with the sheriff having to be called at least once.
box 1, folder 15

Daily Diary October 1951-September 1953

Scope and Contents

Many people in the family are ill with different sicknesses. Andrew makes several attempts to talk to Emma. Andrew moves into a rest home on McHenry Ave. Emma resigns from her post on the WCTU. Mildred buys Emma's half of the property. Emma makes note of important current events throughout her diaries, including June 1953 when Queen Elizabeth is crowned and a large A-bomb was set off. Mildred was able to buy the rest of the property from Andrew in August 1953. Andrew moves to the Veterans' Home in Yountville, but still continues to be a nuisance to Emma and her family.
box 1, folder 16

Daily Diary October 1955-May 1957

Scope and Contents

Emma helps plan Henry and Kitty's golden wedding anniversary. Andrew is in Stockton and is not doing well. His health is deteriorating and he has been deemed as "dangerous", especially towards Mildred. Emma's grandson, who is now referred to as Dick, is in his second year of high school and works part-time at the library. Mildred is teaching again with only a few students in her class. The sheriff's deputies came to tell Emma that Andrew has escaped from the Stockton State Hospital. He is found and is brought to the Veterans' Home.
box 1, folder 17

Daily Diary June 1957-July 1958

Scope and Contents

Andrew attempts to contact Emma occasionally. Emma's health continues to be up and down. Her life revolves around Mildred and her family and a few close friends. She still attends church, but is not involved in many other outside activities or events.
box 2, folder 1

Daily Diary July 1958-January 1960

Scope and Contents

Mitchell, Emma's son-in-law, had a mild heart attack. Andrew passes away. Emma tapes Andrew's obituary onto one of her diary pages. It stated that he was 75 years old. He was born in Denmark and was a veteran of the Spanish-American war. Emma and her family attended the funeral on January 21, 1959. Emma notes twice in her writings that she is having some confusion.
box 2, folder 2

Daily Diary January 1960-August 1960

Scope and Contents

Emma spends some time visiting her sister Bertha and also her friend Nellie. Bertha is hospitalized and then recuperates in a convalescent home.
box 2, folder 3

Daily Diary September 1960-October 1962

Scope and Contents

Emma celebrates her 90th birthday. Twelve people attend her birthday dinner. She is feeling in better health and spends more time taking short day trips to Turlock and Modesto.
box 2, folder 4

Daily Diary November 1962-June 1964

Scope and Contents

Emma continues to keep up on current events. She mentions that Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt died in November 1962 and the Asian flu epidemic was going on in the Eastern and Midwestern states during February 1963.
box 2, folder 5

Daily Diary July 1964-February 1965

Scope and Contents

If Mildred or Dick were not going to be home for long hours or at night, then Emma goes over to her sister's place. Her daily entries are usually focused on her daughter and grandson.
box 2, folder 6

Daily Diary March 1965-August 1967

Scope and Contents

In the month of August 1967, Emma mentions that she is not feeling well and receives shots from her doctor on at least two different visits. Emma's last entry that is found in this collection is on August 31, 1967. The year of Emma's death was determined to be in 1968.