Tuberculosis (TB)

At one time, tuberculosis was rampant. According to American Experience on PBS, “by the dawn of the 19th century, tuberculosis…had killed one in seven of all people that had ever lived.” In my family tree the disease was prevalent in my ancestors who lived in cities.

Smallpox

My 6th great-grandfather Lemuel Barnes enlisted in the Continental Army during the American Revolution in 1777 for a three-year term. According to an article appearing on the National Park Service website, 1777 was the year George Washington mandated innoculation against smallpox for all soldiers in the Continental Army. According to Revolutionary War pension records available on fold3.com, Lemuel applied for an invalid pension after contracting smallpox during the army’s retreat from Canada. It’s unclear if he developed the disease naturally, or if it was a side effect of innoculation, but the disease affected his eyesight and he was awarded $3.33 1/3 per month.

Diphtheria

Diphtheria is caused by a bacteria which attacks the respiratory system, making it difficult for sufferers to breathe, according to the CDC. While searching for records at my grandmother’s house, I found notes written about my 2nd great-grandparents, Judd Kennedy and Grace Riffle, which were likely written by my great-grandmother. She wrote that when her father was young his family was hit hard by smallpox, which killed three of his siblings. Although the note didn’t identify the children by name, I identified them using census records. I found entries for the children on FindAGrave.com. They died within the span of eight days.

1. Cynthia, 11 years old, died on 18 March 1882
2. Charles, 7 years old, died on 21 March 1882
3. Frederick, 8 years old, died on 25 March 1882

The website identified their cause of death as diphtheria, not smallpox. The cause of death was confirmed by their death notices appearing in the 9 May 1882 issue of the Wellsboro Agitator newspaper.

Dysentery

Dysentery is an inflammation of the intestines, usually caused by bacteria. It was very common for soldiers to contract dysentery in camps.

The National Archives holds a collection of soldiers’ medical records called, Carded Medical Records for Soldiers in the US Army, 1821-1912. Researchers can request a search of this record collection by emailing archives1reference@nara.gov.

My ancestor James Loughridge enlisted in the Union Army three times during the Civil War. When I requested a search for records of my ancestor James Loughridge, I learned he was hospitalized multiple times between August and November 1864. Two of these hospitalizations were because of dysentery.

Influenza

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, the grippe is an antiquated word for “an acute febrile contagious virus disease,” especially influenza. According to the 25 February 1901 issue of the Chester Times, my third great-grandmother, Catherine Breckenridge Morgan, was “confined to her home with an attack of the grip.”

Typhoid Pneumonia

Typhoid is caused by bacteria and can be contracted by contaminated food and water, or coming in contact with someone already infected with the disease. It can cause a fever, headache, and stomach pains, among other symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. Pneumonia can also be a complication caused by typhoid. When my 4th great-grandmother Alma Beckwith Oldroyd died in 1870, her death notice in the local newspaper reported her cause of death as typhoid pneumonia.

Rheumatism

My 4th great-grandfather Charles Henry Ball, a Civil War Veteran, reported on the 1890 Veteran’s Census that he suffered from chronic rheumatism, a form of arthritis. His pension application from the National Archives provided details about how he contracted the disease.

“[I]n the winter of 1864…We made a raid from what was known as Muddy Camp near Winchester, Va. It was a heavy fall of snow at the time. I caught a bad cold, and when I got back…I was very sick, pains in my limbs back and shoulders, and was five days that I was perfectly helpless…After that I suffered from rheumatism all the rest of my service in my back and shoulders, tho I did duty after I was so I got round. It was about 3 weeks that I was off duty.”

Charles H. Ball

Cancer

Pennsylvania counties recorded births and deaths between 1893-1905, before statewide registration began in 1906. These records were kept by the Clerk of Orphans’ Court in each county. Many of these records are also now available on FamilySearch.

From these records, you can learn the date, location and cause of death. My ancestor Gibbons Baker’s cause of death was listed as cancer, which he suffered from for two years. His wife preceded him in death by only a few months. Her death notice in the 3 July 1895 issue of the Wellsboro Agitator gave more details about his battle with cancer:

“The husband is about 82 years old and is only waiting for death to end his suffering. He had a cancer which was removed about a year ago only to have it start again in nearly the same place. It has eaten away the greater part of his chin and is now disturbing his teeth.”

Whooping Cough

In my family’s collection of letters from World War II, I found references to my aunts having whooping cough. Whooping cough is caused by bacteria, and can last for weeks or months. Young children are most susceptible.

My grandmother’s diary entries provided a timeline for their weeks-long illness:

• 2 March 1943: She wrote that one of her daughters had whooping cough.
• 6 March 1943: She called the doctor.
• 14 March 1943: Someone brought them an alcohol lamp and medicine, and their doctor gave both of her dauthers the whooping cough shot.
• 15-18 March 1943: She continued to note almost each day that the girls were sick.
• 19 March 1943: The Dr. gave the girls another shot.
• 21 March 1943: Her last diary entry mentioning that the girls were sick.

Do you know about other sources that include ancestors’ diseases and health issues? Share what you’ve found in the comments below.

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