Journal of Miss Lottie M. Davis - July and August 1933

Journal of Miss Lottie M. Davis

Miss Lottie M. Davis

As we read Miss Lottie’s Journal, there are two major events which we need to take a brief look at in order to more fully appreciate the protection that our beautiful mountains have given to the families who have chosen to live in our Shenandoah Valley.

The first is the Great Depression [1929-1939] which was both the deepest and the longest-lasting downturn in the economic history of the Western industrialized world.   In the United States, The Great Depression started soon after the stock market crashed in October 1929.  This crash wiped out millions of investors sending Wall Street into a major panic, resulting in severe unemployment as failing companies all over America laid off workers. By 1933, some thirteen to fifteen million Americans were unemployed.  Almost one-half of all the banks in the United States failed and were forced to close their doors as they were unable to repay folk, like us, who had deposited money in their banks. In her unassuming manner, Miss Lottie mentions this in her entry for the 4^th of March 1933. She followed with the reopening on the 15^th of March which means banks in the Elkton area were closed for only eleven days while many banks in the rest of the United States were never able to reopen.  The American economy did not recover until after 1939, when the demands of WWII forced industry to produce the needed products.

The second is the Dust Bowl which was the name given to the Great Plains region [one hundred fifty thousand square miles encompassing Oklahoma, the Texas panhandles, neighboring sections of Colorado, Kansas, and New Mexico] which was devastated by a severe drought during the 1930’s.  Many members of Valley families had settled in these areas immediately following the War Between the States.  Massive dust clouds [one rose to ten thousand feet and reached as far as New York City] caused by high winds and poor agricultural practices proved to be a very destructive combination.   Cattle choked on the dust, dirt penetrated everything including homes.  The moaning winds caused many folk to lose everything including their sanity. The recurrence of these storms [commonly called black blizzards] wreaked havoc, resulting in driving sixty per cent of the population from the area.  Most folk in other parts of the United States were unable to help their own families which had settled this region due to the foreclosure of many banks during the Depression.  

The Elkton-McGaheysville area is located between the Peaked Mountain [blue
 and near the clouds in the background] and the Blue Ridge in the foreground.

We’ve all heard stories about the lack of jobs and of the many other problems which occurred during the 1930’s; but, Shenandoah Valley residents have normally always had enough food to live, clothing to wear and some form of shelter which provided protection. They have endured many difficulties including a war fought on their own property [military records of most Confederate POW’s cite,” to protect their own property/land” as the reason they joined the Confederate States Army] and living through a period of Marshall Law; however, few ever experienced the horror of starvation faced by many people including immigrants living in our nation’s major cities during the Great Depression.

[Note: New car purchased by Mr. Kyger and trips taken by both Mr. McGuire and Elmore Eula Leap.]

July 1933 – August 1933

July 1933

Page 89

     Jul 1933 – Mrs. John Hooks died age ninety-nine years.

     Jul 1933 – Mr. McCoy died.

16 Jul 1933 –Came home.

  8 Jul 1933 – Mable moved back to Elkton, Va.

17 Jul 1933 – Mrs. Williams died age twenty-one years.  Ruby [Mom] Cole.

17 Jul 1933 – Mr. Kyger new car.

16 Jul 1933 – William Eaton killed.

19 Jul 1933 – Mrs. M.V. Leap died age eighty-nine years.

21 Jul 1933 – Mrs. Leaps funeral at McGaheysville.

11 Jul 1933 – Mrs. Clinton Shifflett new baby.

     Jul 1933 – Pearl Ware new baby.

21 Jul 1933 – Mr. McGuire starts on trip.

14 Jul 1933 – Mrs. Grace Lam operated [on?].

  8 Jul 1933 – Mrs. Bane shot at Shenandoah, Va.

  9 Jul 1933 – Dr. Wright hurt.

22 Jul 1933 – Helen Shifflett and Sanford Winegard married on Saturday.

27 Jul 1933 – Mrs. C. Downs died.

Page 90

23 Jul 1933 – Mr. A. J. Koontz died fifty-seven years old.

18 Jul 1933 – Chus F. began to take lessons. Harmond. [Questions: 1. Was Chus written for Chas – meaning Charles? 2. Was this the same Mr. Harmon who was giving music lessons in the Elkton - McGaheysville area during the early 1950’s?]

24 Jul 1933 – Mr. Jinkins [Jenkins] died age eighty-six years.

26 Jul 1933 – Austin Downey lost job.

28 Jul 1933 – Got coal for winter. $22.98.

18 Jul 1933 – Lee Opal and Gale went over to Lelias. Tuesday.

10,11,12,13 Jul 1933 - Mrs. F.H. Leap visited us.

30 Jul 1933 – Mr. Sam Bontz died at hospital Eighty-two years old.

August 1933

  2 Aug 1933 – Knight girl died.

19 Aug 1933 – Fields Day.

20 Aug 1933 – Elmore Eula Leap take trip.

30 Aug 1933 – Mr. M.H. Harrison divorced.

30 Aug 1933 – Mr. Bernard Lam in hospital.

27 Aug 1933 – Mr. George Lam funeral.