Ruth, John & Kenny Surviving the Great Depression

The photo shows Kenny Kellogg at age 3 (9/ 6/34),  on the front steps of the stucco Iowa Street 2-flat where he and his parents, Ruth and John, lived. You can see his 3rd birthday cake to the right on the ledge.   He's sporting a beret. Neither the picture nor diary entry were in Pieces of a Life.

The Great Depression was still going on, with money tight and jobs hard to find.  John was working a 7-day week and often nights as well, trying to make a go of the Sealtex business that he took over, debts and all, in July of 1934.  He fired the factory workers and his secretary, explaining that he would re-hire them in the Fall when he had the money from bandage orders. He also moved Sealtex into a much cheaper, smaller basement space.  Part of  the money coming in he set aside to pay off the bills run up by the previous owners.  He also negotiated with some of the creditors, who quickly realized that half of the money owed them  by the previous owners was a lot better than none!

Ruth's diary (age 28) reveals that she was depressed about being alone so much and, of course, the restrictions of being on so small a budget. Occasionally, she had friends in or went out, but everyone was cutting back, trying to provide a meal on a shoestring.  She and Kenny were together every day while Ruth did the housework, with Lottie babysitting maybe once a week for an hour.  It surprised me to see how little structure there was to Kenny's schedule.  He really didn't have any!  At one point, Ruth mentioned that  it was the 6th of the month and John was late with the rent. Fortunately, the landlord was Ruth's father, Jim Meredith, who knew all too well about the Depression and how much John was working.

Friday, March 22, 1935
"Spent the day cleaning & preparing for Cecile & Ted's visit tonite for supper.  She & baby came about 5.  They stayed until 9:30.

Spent most of time arguing with John to go with class Sat. to Swedish restaurant and Lawson Y.M.C.A.   No Sale with him!  Darn it.

I took Dorothy down to show her to folks -- they think she's a little doll."

Cecile and Ted Duncan were close friends of Ruth's through the Austin Baptist Church.    Their baby girl was "Dorothy."  Evidentally Ruth couldn't persuade John to go to the restaurant and YMCA with the Yomarco (Baptist adult Sunday School) class because of his working much of Saturday and also not wanting to spent any extra money.

Ruth Meredith and John Kellogg Marry

Ruth and John married in the Meredith's flat at 5458 W. Iowa St. in the Austin neighborhood on the far west side of Chicago.  I don't know how they managed it - must have moved much of their furniture into the 3 bedrooms in order to have room for 24 guests, who also had dinner there.

Saturday, June 1, 1929 - My Wedding Day!!!
"Up early.  Lady upstairs washed and set my hair.  Gifts arriving all day.  Pressed my wedding veil -- some job
   Had 24 at ceremony & dinner.  I was excited when I was repeating after Dr. Gardiner, but John seemed very natural.  Mr. Brenken drove us to the photographer's & back.  Tin cans on our car.  During dinner they tried to get us flustered.  I cut wedding cake.  Florence caught my bouquet from front porch.  Sausen stole me after that.  Finally at Hotel Morrison.  Forgot dresses.  Folks brought them down."

From there Ruth and John went to Detroit for their wedding trip, an area John was familiar with, having lived there as a teen.  After a week, they went on to Ann Arbor where John's mother and step-father lived.  Most of this is in Pieces of a Life.