Sunday, July 11, 2010

A bit of history: York Fair auction

I found this piece of yellowed paper in a box of things from my in-laws, the late Harold and Ethel Gross. The top reads: List of baby beeves to be sold at public auction at the York Fair Grounds, Friday, October. 7, 1932. Sale begins at 2:00 P.M.
From left, the columns are: Sale place, Club member, Address, Tag No. of calf, Weight, Price per Lb., Total value, Buyer.
Here are some of the club members listed: Harold Gross (my father-n-law), Nellie Gross (my husband's aunt), Dwight Kohr, Roy Rentzel, Clara Krone, Esther Brillhart, Linden Garber, Luther Garber, Clair Deisinger, Crist Musser, Paul Altland, Dorothy Martin, Verda Adams, George Shenberger, John King, Clair Stambaugh, Raymond Adams, Janet Kohr, Howard Shenberger, Crist Lamparter, Morgan Spahr, Ruth Lauer, Grayson Decker.




The price per pound and the buyer were written in pencil. Some of the buyers appear to be meat markets. They include: Fisher, L.M.M., Yost, Myers N.Y., Seachrist, M R Meat M, Winegar, May Brothers, H. Bros, etc.
I wonder if any of these club members are still living?

In October 1932,  gas cost 10 cents a gallon, a loaf of bread cost 7 cents and a pound of hamburger meat cost 10 cents.
Also in 1932:
  • In United States Presidential Election, Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democratic) Defeats Herbert Hoover (Republican) and Norman Thomas (Socialist)
  • New York Radio City Music Hall opens
  • Charles Lindbergh son is kidnapped
  • 13 million Americans are unemployed
  • World War I vets march to Washington D.C. demanding early payments of cash bonuses to help survive the Great Depression.
Another blast from the past, don't miss these two posts:   Autograph books part 1 and  Autograph books part 2

5 comments:

  1. Dianne, it refers to young steer, as in baby beef. For example, Dwight Kohr's steer weighed 940 pounds and brought 28.5 cents per pound while Verda Adams steer weighed 1005 pounds and brought 11.75 cents per pound. These would have been steer that were raised to butcher. In most cases, it looks like meat markets bought the steer to butcher and sell. Hope this helps.

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  2. Very cool find, Buffy! My grandad sent me his dad's national identification card and his Home Guard Manual from WWII last year. I love little bits of history, especially when they are your families...

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  3. Fascinating to find personal pieces of history and learn about daily life from times gone by!

    Been away at kiddy camp as a camp leader Buffy and was without TV and internet for a few weeks - BLISS! Looking forward to catching up on your other posts!

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