Cold War Era: Part 2

Cold War Era: 1956

 Decided to take a break from my Dad's ledger to spend some time on the Cold War. 1956 was definitely a tense time in American History. President Eisenhower was dealing with Southeast Asia, planning an interstate highway system, and the potential atomic or nuclear holocaust that could occur at any moment. I was an innocent toddler at the time this booklet was published. We were racing to stay ahead of the Soviet Union but Eisenhower always told people what they were going to have to pay to enjoy some sense of security. The middle class had grown, industry was booming, and if you would like to see our debt compared to GDP check out this link.  https://www.thebalance.com/national-debt-by-year-compared-to-gdp-and-major-events-3306287

Now, take a look at the tax brackets. https://www.tax-brackets.org/federaltaxtable/1956

This begins to explain how the middle class was so large and even if the wealthy had great accountants to reduce their taxable income Uncle Sam was still going to get a healthy percentage of your income.

Schurter History 1939: Henry Schurter Ledger Posts part 5

 I believe the "Rd." means rod or 5.5 yards.

 As I read these entries I'm amazed at the acres being worked. Different era, many small farms and there was still a turnover to power equipment going on.

Mt. Moriah, Deadwood, SD

 Sunday afternoon we decided to drive over to Deadwood and visit Mt. Moriah Cemetery. The amount of history is simply too much to absorb in one trip so we will definitely return. $2 per person to enter and that goes into the ongoing history research of who is buried there.

 Walking up the main road you come to the grave of Wild Bill Hickok. Legends abound but the fact that he was shot at age 39 is what struck me the most.

 Google this character. I've seen the mining equipment he used but this man was a true "character" of the old west.

  A better picture of the Wild Bill gravesite. Born in Troy Grove, IL.

 View to the northwest from Mt. Moriah.

 This speaks for itself.

Schurter History 1939: Henry Schurter Ledger Posts part 4

 $2.12 per acre for Dad, his D4 and picker. I don't know where Alley Davis lived but Dad told me about picking the field just east (along the Mackinaw River) of where the Cullinan yard was located along Rt. 9 heading to Mackinaw the first year that the farmer planted hybrid corn. Dad said the farmer didn't have near enough wagons to keep up with how fast Dad could pick and how high the yield was. I'm probably not exact but I believe widespread use of hybrids (corn) began in the mid-1930s so it would have taken a few years to gain popularity.

 Per bushel threshing for wheat and oats at the Joe Eicher farm.

 First entry under Ben Getz (relative of my mother-in-law) is from 1938. $1.50 for a half day of labor seems impossible today.

Schurter History 1939: Henry Schurter Ledger Posts part 3

 I believe the payments to Dan at the top of this page were for the loan to buy the CAT D 4 that Dad operated. $308.25 was paid in May alone which was pretty good money for 1939 and this was just on a loan. I hope that some of Dan's children may read this and be able to "comment" on the "6 hours digging cellar." Dan lived southwest of the John Schurter farm and I'm not sure what cellar unless Dan put in a root cellar on his property. Help? I also found it interest that Dad often wrote "paided in full" instead of paid in full, 

 Not sure where the Frank Albert farm was located but he must have had hilly land that needed work to reduce erosion.

 I noticed that Dan collected the "working on road 3 days" money. This was probably another tractor payment.

Schurter History 1939: Henry Schurter Ledger Book part 2

 I'm beginning to suspect this might be total hours worked for the year. I'll try to clarify in my next post but it appears that these were men who worked for Dad during 1939.