Godfrey von Platen Journal of 1921

July 1- Frog Legs 3.00 "        6 ???? Pearl 15.00 "         6 Wettee? Boas 15.00 "         8 Mrs. Morton 9.08 "          8 Cash 100. for Ms. Safasseen? 40- for Hotel - 47 Ulee? Pearl?- 5 July - 8 - Mrs. Haaee? 9.60 "          "  Maggie Washin 16.00 "          "  Maeils?- 14.00 Ju??- Butter & Eggs- 12.55 "       Walle? - 10.40 "       Charles? Traeckla 44.00 "       Murp????- and May 75.30                                _____                               321.93

Cash July- on hand  716.93 321.93 _______ 395.00

June account- 1416.45 June coal or coat?- Sliel? Hsp?- 98.50                                                  1514.95 Before June 217.57 Paid by check                1732.52

Clearly the dates do not match and Mr. von Platen started this diary in July, of what year I am uncertain. Reads: Pd. June- 1 Cash- 1000. June Fritz Cash- 249.45 July Cash- Widdicomb- 1200.00                                          ________                                           2449.45                                            1732.52                                             _______                                                716.93

The diary has his name gold embossed on the front cover. The inner cover has a 1921 calendar. Opposite opening page says "Compliments of Hart Mirror Plate Co. Mirrors Grand Rapids, Mich." A few pages are torn out. The first page then is: Friday January 7 July. 1 Frogs Legs- 3.00 July 6. Thirs.(?) Pearl 15.00 "        " Uelter Boas(?) 15.00 I'm hoping I'll be better able to understand his handwriting as I continue.

I stumbled upon the personalized, handwritten journal of G. von Platen, at the Corvallis, Oregon Heartland Humane Society Thrift Store in February of 2021. Upon perusing through its pages I found references to Petoskey and Grand Rapids, Michigan. My heart skipped a beat as I was raised in Grand Rapids and lived near Petoskey. I was curious as to who this individual was and how did a journal referencing GR end up in my new adopted city of Corvallis? I did a quick online search and found a Godfrey von Platen, lumber baron, mill owner from Michigan.  Godfrey was born April 11, 1867 in Germany, emigrating here when he was two years old with his parents. The family first lived in Chicago, then Emmett Michigan where his father built a flour mill at Advance near Petoskey.