During the first year Hilda and Louis were married (1930) Louis's Dad (George Fredrich) started building a house on acres he had. (The place, near George's farm, had a barn, windmill and granary on it, but no house.) The following are from Hilda Hellbusch's notes:

"When we could, we would go over there and help. I helped his Dad stain and varnish wood work and Louis did some of the carpenter work as we were to live there. Frank Breasler was the carpenter. In March, 1931 we moved into the new little house. Four rooms down and upstairs not finished, not even a floor. Our first davenport was made from a car seat on a wooden frame Louis made. Put a cover on it and looked real nice. Our dining room set seemed pretty big for the size of the rooms, but worked out o.k. Had a pantry, too. Somebody said it looked like a little doll house. We were pretty happy in it and on September 19, 1931 our first son was born in that house. How proud we were. Big 10 lb. Louis Donley."

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