In light of recent pandemic news, please join me in exploring a little history. Sometimes this is the best way to research and preserve your family history. Taking a “world event” and asking “where was my family at this time?” and what records were available to learn about them.
Starting with the current Seattle Time news headline: March 12, 2020 “Governor Inslee orders all private, public K-12 schools to close through April due to coronavirus concerns.” Hundreds of cases of COVID-19 in our state. More than 40 deaths. Warnings to wash hands, not touch your face, stay home if you are in a high-risk situation. NBA, NCAA tournament canceled and even Disneyland/Disneyworld is closed down. Eventually a shelter in place statewide affects many states.
This is a national emergency, a pandemic, an unseen threat that has killed nearly 6,000 around the world (as of 3.15.2020).
As I got to thinking about my own families experience with previous pandemics. I remember the Hong-Kong Flu in December 1968. I was a young child, but remember our entire family was very, very ill. The worst fever, cough, aches and pains ever. We all survived. My mother remembers the Asian Flu in the spring of 1957. She recalls many of her classmates were very ill, missing several weeks of school. There was high fever, terrible aches and pains. They all survived. My kids were in high school and college when the big N1H1 flu scare affected so many. Thankfully we were spared. But thinking back to a much larger threat, it was the Spanish Influenza of 1918 I wondered did my family survive this? And how?
My Grandfather was 8 years old in 1918. Likely in school, likely aware of the pandemic from the newspaper. As he stood on the street corner and sold newspapers every day. He and his family reported no flu.
Sidenote: What have we learned from history? The 1918 Seattle newspaper led with a warning: “Do not trifle with Spanish influenza symptoms. The situation is positively dangerous here. You are warned to keep away from ALL crowds, in the open air as well as indoors. Do not waste time in restaurants. KEEP CLEAN! Wash your hands before eating. Don’t use towels or napkins used by others. Keep the air circulating well in home and office. Do not breathe in other people’s faces. Sneeze and cough into your handkerchief. If you catch cold, STAY AT HOME and bar visitors. If you do not recover promptly, call a physician. The city health doctors are preparing a vaccine against influenza. It will probably be ready for distribution late today or tomorrow. It cannot harm you, and if your doctor prescribes it, take it. If you are spending your vacation here, leave at once. Help relieve the congestion.” [Seattle Star, Tuesday, October 8, 1918] In the 2 weeks ending October 26, 1918 there were 40,782 deaths in the United States.
I question are there really no more safety barriers to virus in 2020 than there was in 1918? Many American’s have surgical masks but there is a shortage. People are hoarding food (and toilet paper). But social isolation is such a cold cure, I wonder how can we better prepare for pandemic.
My great grandfather lived in Washington state. He was a business man. Often driving folks around in his car selling real estate. He was an independent sort who likely ignored recommendations to stay in. Most states of death indexes available on line. Here is a good place to start looking https://www.deathindexes.com/washington/index.html .
His hometown reported 6,000 influenza cases including 120 fatalities, which accounted for 32 percent of all deaths in town in 1918.
I found newspaper articles on Newspaper.com. Local residents were required to wear masks while at the following venues: public transportation, buildings, stores, restaurants, offices, places where food was to be prepared, barber shops, cleaning establishments, public gatherings, and pool and card rooms. A violation could result in fine of $5 to $100.
His wife, my great grandmother, was a dressmaker caring for her four children (ages 6 to 20). They had cousins and relatives scattered all over the area. There are no known reported deaths in this family group.
Another great grandmother lived in a rural farmhouse in South Dakota. At age 71 her husband had died 20+ years earlier. She had limited social interaction outside of family and church activities but she did have her 12 children scattered across the county and she must have worried. Her youngest son and family, lived with her, thankfully there is no evidence of the flu in this family.
According to SD State Archives, https://history.sd.gov/archives/docs/Statistics.pdf statewide there were 1,847 deaths. Even the Governor of SD became ill, but did survive. State Archives often have fantastic genealogical resources.
Another great grandparent couple were in their 70’s and did not get the flu. They had celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a big party at the Evangelical church in 1917. He was a retired Fruit Grower and no doubt they had a large garden to sustain them.
My grandmother was 6 years old, living in rural Montana. She remembers wearing a cloth around her neck with a bad smelling root herb sewn in. She was not sure if it kept the virus away or if it stunk so bad that others stayed away from her.
Her father was a farmer. There was no city directory for this small community but the 1920 census listed a population of 547 (142 families.) City directories are available in a variety of places – public library, Ancestry.com.
His wife, my great grandmother, was busy as a mother of four. A nearby newspaper posted “Any and all persons having experience as NURSES are required to report at once.” It is known that she has nursing-skills. She told her daughter that she helped many with the flu, but did not suffer herself.
My great grandfather was a businessman in California, having recently moved from North Dakota. He worked as a farmer. He was untouched by the flu.
Seattle news reports on December 11, 1918 reported “Influenza Has Run Its Course.” Yet in the two weeks ending October 26, 1918 there were 40,782 deaths in the US. It is staggering to look at newspaper obituaries and death certificates with the cause of death: Spanish Influenza. In 15 months it killed 50 million people. It got its nickname “Spanish Flu” due to the attention given to the King of Spain getting sick and dying from it. There are several theories of its origin. Perhaps it was brought back to the US by Military Men and Women fighting WWI. You can learn a lot about a topic by looking at Google, or Wikipedia.
Fast forward to 2020 and we are frantically looking for a cure, a vaccine. One 1918 advertisement recommended the Oil of Hyomel for the prevention of Spanish influenza. I wonder if this was legit or snake oil?
In the weeks of my drafting this post the infected and deceased numbers have risen to more than 1,500 deaths in the US.
May God be with us all as we face this COVID-19 pandemic.
Thankfully my family did survive the flu. Did yours? I wish they had written a journal for me saying “how” they survived. For now, I’ll try to write a few things for future generations, I hope you will too.
Geneographer 