17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Saturday, August 31, 1912: The Lutherans had their S.S. picnic down at the park today. I got down there sometime after eleven. On the whole I had quite a nice time. Met three or four girls, four it was. Didn’t have to do the milking when I came home, as it was already done.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Was Grandma’s future husband (and my grandfather), Raymond Swartz, also at the picnic?
My grandparents were members of Messiah Lutheran Church in McEwensville when I was a child. I assume that Raymond was raised Lutheran, and that Grandma converted from Baptist to Lutheran when she got married.
Raymond lived on a farm just south of McEwensville and also attended McEwensville High School. He was three and a half years younger than Grandma—and did not seem to be on her radar screen when she was writing the diary.
When Grandma wrote this diary entry she was17—Raymond was 13.
Farm Chores
Did Grandma’s sister Ruth do Grandma’s share of the milking? Numerous diary entries mention times when Ruth got home late –and Grandma got stuck with the milking. For example, on June 12, 1912, she wrote.
I’m mad at that Ruth tonight. She goes away and leaves me with the milking.
I think this is the first time a diary entry suggests that maybe Ruth also got stuck with all the milking sometimes.
Love these post. What a fun blog idea.
How old was your Grandma when she got married?
They got married on her 26th birthday. He was 22.
My mother used to show me the meadows and the big oaks not too far from the farm where the Lutheran churches had their church picnics. Thanks for the memory. Cheryl
Interesting, your grandpa fell for ‘The Older Women’, so did Mr B. worked out pretty well for me, and I imagine your dear grandma too. If they did meet at that picnic that’s a bit of a coincidence too since friends brought Mr B to a BBQ….who knew my romance was so old fashioned..ha
It worked out well for her, too. 🙂
I wanted to let you know that I nominated you for a Blogger Award. You can find it here: http://thoughtsfromanamericanwoman.wordpress.com/2012/08/31/blog-awards/
Thank you, I am honored that you think it is worthy of this award.
Interesting to speculate on whether your grandfather was at the picnic. I enjoy those mysteries in family history….