Browse Items (1041 total)
Sort by:
The Money Kenneth and Margaret Earned
Brad was amazed at how Kenneth and Margaret had made a living. He was especially amazed at what Kenneth was doing as professor of philosophy, then when he entered the government, and when Margaret soldAnna and the money began to flow in. He couldn't…
The Money Kenneth and Margaret Saved
Kenneth discusses with Margaret about the use of their money and the money they had saved. They had disagreements over this, which Kenneth saw as a classic example of misunderstandings over finances.
The Mortenson Summer Vacation
Margaret's family made a summer trip to Stony Lake and from there to Minnesota to visit relatives. She remembers how difficult the roads were and all the troubles that this caused. They arrived in Duluth but had to make it back to Racine because of…
The Mortensons Bought Two Lots in Wheaton
The Mortensons moved to Wheaton and bought two lots with the intention to build. The house ended up costing much more than initially planned, and following the death of A.D., Adelle struggled financially with the expenses on the house. She eventually…
The Mortensons Moved to Wheaton
Margaret's mother had planned to move to Wheaton long before they actually did. They eventually moved there in September 1923. Wheaton was provincial compared to Evanston, but Margaret was impressed by the quality of people that lived there, which…
The Origin of Kenneth Landon's Middle Name
Kenneth explains the origin of his middle name, "Perry", which he got from a "collateral" relative, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry. he sings a song about the Commodore and recalls how, at age thirteen, his father took him to see the great picture on…
The Significance of Names in Margaret's Family
Margaret was born very early in the morning, and her parents were choosing names for their meaning. Her name, Margaret, means pearl. Dorothea means "a gift of God." Julia (which means "soft hair") was named after the girl's grandmother and her…
The Souvenirs, Recreations and Employment of Adelle Estburg
Adelle liked keeping little souvenirs, like a ball of homespun yarn kept in a little bag and a note that said it was a yarn spun by her mother. She also kept souvenirs of her recreational moments, like the program of one of her quartet's song…
The Story of Kenneth's Birth
Kenneth tells about his birth, how his father and a friend were negligent in letting his mother struggle alone upstairs giving birth to him, and how she expressed her anger to get the men's attention.
The Stout Story
Mae became sick and the doctor asked that she take stout to fortify her blood. Kenneth was asked to receive the keg from the brewer when it came. The keg was delivered but Kenneth lost control of it while trying to bring it down to the basement.…
The Summer at the Hutchinson's in Bordentown
Margaret and Kenneth tell about their summer in Bordentown, NJ, staying again at the Hutchisons' home. Kenneth was busy with church ministry, and Margaret was busy keeping the very big house of the Hutchisons. She reads letters giving a detailed…
The Summer of 1914
In the summer of 1914 Adelle took the girls to Michigan to stay at a cottage near Green Lake. A.D. joined them later and they had a nice time. Margaret recalls hunting for Petoskey stones and, still that summer, eating so many blueberry muffins that…
The Summer the Cottage was Built
The Mortensons' cottage in Stony Lake was built in the summer of 1922. Margaret reads a letter from her father about the building of the cottage and his hope to get back to work after his first stroke.
The Sunday School Play at the Columbus Church
Kenneth reads a journal entry about a Sunday school play he participated in. He comments on Wiley Young, a dramatic and powerful preacher who came to the church the summer before, competing with Kenneth for the position of pastor of the church.…
The Thanksgiving Basket and Miss Abbie Farwell
A cornucopia of fruits and vegetables appeared on the alter at Thanksgiving. It was from the church to the Landons. Miss Abbie Farwell had superintended the present. She was a delightful old woman that Kenneth had become friends with in his church…
The Trip to Siam: A Summary with Dates
Margaret rehearses the dates of the Landons' journey to Siam. They left Wheaton May 16, 1927, and arrived in Bangkok July 4, 1927. She gave dates, times, and places they traveled through between Wheaton and Bangkok.
The Trip to Siam: Honolulu
Margaret and Kenneth tell about their time in Honolulu, where they had only one day break. A fellow traveler, Mr. Kennedy, rented a big Packard car and they all rode in it, touring the city and the countryside. The Landons recall Kenneth becoming the…
The Trip to Siam: Kobe, Japan
The ship arrived in Kobe, Japan, for one day, and the Landons spent the time with their usual group, visiting the town and the countryside. Everything looked small, and the area seemed overpopulated. Margaret talks about Japanese quarantine officers…
The Trip to Siam: Shanghai
Kenneth talks about their encounter with Mr. and Mrs. Vincent, who were missionaries in Siam and were now serving in China. The Landons arrived in Shanghai, where they celebrated their first anniversary. They met the Thomases who had also gone to…
The Trip to Siam: Singapore
The Landons arrived in Singapore, where they met Mrs. Dorothy Richard Starling, from Meadville, PA. She had married a man who worked for an oil company in Singapore, and her mother had specially asked the Landons to look her up when they reached the…
The Trip to Siam: The Ship to Honolulu
Kenneth and Margaret describe their sea trip to Honolulu. They read letters from that trip about their daily schedules, the food they ate, the activities they had, and the many people they met. Margaret remembers an elderly lady, the gayest person on…
The Trip to Siam: The Train
Kenneth and Margaret describe their train ride from Chicago to San Francisco. Many people came to the Wheaton train station to say goodbye, bringing flowers and other things that Margaret liked. They tell how they felt about leaving home, describe…
The Trip to Siam: The Trip and Arrival at Bangkok
The Landons boarded an English ship for Bangkok. It was very clean and comfortable. They talk about the journey to Bangkok and the food they ate on the ship, and the people they met.
The Work of Robert Dick Wilson
Kenneth recalls Dick Wilson's work on the Old Testament, his reputation worldwide in philology, and how he felt he would be ready to die after he had finished an article he was writing: his work would have been done.
The Wright Family Lived Next to the Mortensons in Wheaton
Margaret remembers the Wright family who lived next to the Mortensons. The two families were not friends but good neighbors, She remembers the Wrights' house as often dirty. Mr. Wright became a fine professor of chemistry at Wheaton.