1935 - A Pivotal Year for the Young Kellogg Family

Pictured are Kenny (3) and John on Thanksgiving, 1933 on the Meredith's front porch in the Austin section of Chicago.

1935 was a difficult year for the country and also for the extra stress The Great Depression was putting on young families like the Kelloggs.

I went through Ruth's diaries for the early months of 1935.  The more I read, the more Ruth's anger and depression seeped through the pages.  She didn't understand how desperate the economic situation was, so blamed John for working too much - 6 and 7 days every week, denying her of his company and simple social events with friends.  He was in business for himself - like being way out at the end of a limb.

John had seen his family knocked from well-off to barely hanging on when his father died suddenly in 1913.  He was probably terrified in the early 1930s, knowing how easy it would be to plummet again in this situation, with families all around him doing just that.  He would never have told Ruth that he was afraid, but would have nagged at her not to spend even on things they needed.  She was not a big spender during my life time, even when money was ample.

Friday, January 4, 1935  -  "Mama stayed here with Kenny (afternoon while he was sleeping) & again tonite when I went to Club.  John worked all night.  I'm mad.  Mama is too, as she had to stay until I arrived at midnight from Cecile's."

Saturday, February 5, 1935 - "As John phoned he wouldn't be home in time for show, I asked Mama to go with Kenny and me."

Ruth's life was built around 4-year-old Kenny, but her role models were her parents.  Her father worked long hours at Western Electric, taking a Sunday shift as well when money was tight.  But he never had to worry about the business itself collapsing as John did.