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OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS
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Gallia County, Ohio |
Cholera Epidemic of 1849
Source: History of Gallia County
Publ: 1882 - H. H. Hardesty & Co., Publishers, Chicago & Toledo
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OF HISTORY OF GALLIA COUNTY, OHIO >
As a matter of
historical interest, it is proper to give an account of the
terrible visitation of cholera which occurred in 1849.
In the summer of that year, William Martt, of Walnut
township, assisted in moving a family in Lawrence county, and
returning home was taken sic early in July. He lingered
in his illness for over a week, and his friends and neighbors
kindly assisted in the care of him. It was not until it
had spread to the families of all those who had been exposed,
that the disease was discovered to be cholera of the most
malignant type. The first victim to the dread disease
was William Clark, who died after an illness of about
four hours. The death of his wife and daughter quickly
followed. The local physicians were inexperienced and
unable to cope with the fearful epidemic, which spread
rapidly.
To Mr. Middleswarth, a farmer in Clay township,
is due the credit of checking and finally subduing the
terrible scourge. Although unskilled in medicine, he had
previously obtained a recipe for the cure of the cholera from
a physician at New Orleans, and being a skillful nurse, he
volunteered and did good service among the sick.
At one time, eight of Mr. Martt's family,
including himself, were lying dead in the house, and five of
them were buried in one grave, as assistance could not be
obtained to dig a sufficient number. Owing to the
inability to obtain coffins, many were buried without them.
An excitement such as is seldom witnessed in any community for
a time prevailed, and all who had been exposed expected to
die. During the space of two weeks there were about one
hundred cases in Walnut and the adjoining township of
Harrison, thirty-seven of which were fatal, and the agonizing
anxiety for the safety of the lives of dear ones in the minds
of the people of the little community can be better imagined
than described.
The epidemic was confined to a radius of about four
miles. There is nothing in the locality that should have
caused its appearance, only in the manner described, as it is
exceedingly healthy, and nothing of the kind had ever occurred
before or has been experienced since.
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