“New Year’s Day.” Monday Jan. 1, 1912.

Was at Elva Stine’s from last Thursday eve until yesterday evening. Elsie and I washed this morning. Edith Ditto came yesterday and this afternoon she and Gusty went over to Joe’s. He will take charge of his store today. Carrie and Mamma helped Ola to butcher. Mr. Joe Eshelman was here to see Daddy today.

Bert was 21 when she wrote this entry in her diary. Elva Stine was her cousin, daughter of Jacob Stine (1861-1926) and Ada Gordon (1864-1940). Elva was about 19 at the time. Elva married Charles Koons that same year, on 28 Nov. 1912. Charles is Naomi Doll’s brother. I grew up knowing Charles and Naomi and their family. I’m just now realizing how many people I knew in childhood were actually kin. I’m sure my parents told me this, but as a young child words like, he’s your great-grandmother’s sister’s grandson made no sense! I vaguely knew the kids I played with were cousins, just not exactly how we were connected.

Elsie is Bertha’s sister, 4 years younger. Gusty (1873-1962) is Bertha’s older half-brother. Gusty married Edith Ditto in 1913. According to the 1910 U.S. Census, he was a public school teacher, living on the Leitersburg Road at the farm with his father and step-mother, and younger sisters Emma, Carrie, Bertha, Elsie, and one boarder named Albert Troup. Bertha is writing the diary 2 years later. I’m not sure where Gusty was living at that time. By 1920 (according to the census that year), Gusty and Edith were married and living in Smithsburg. Gusty was then a salesman at the hardware store and Edith was teaching in a public school. Gusty went on to be a mayor of Smithsburg, to serve on the Board of Ed, and to become of the first scoutmasters of the Washington County Maryland Boy Scouts.