This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/wg.2ADE/1643.1 Message Board Post: Kay, The Spanish flu was around in 1918, and a tremendous number of people died. It was a flu/pneumonia combination. The three children of Michael Sorem all died in the Emergency Flu Hospital in Morris: Gladys age 11, Arnold, age 14 & Louis, age 19. They are buried in Evergreen Cem, Morris, IL. Apparently, the entire family had been in the hospital with the flu, but by Nov. 18, all had returned home except the above three and an unnamed sister. "Morris Daily Herald", Morris, IL Mon, Feb 21, 1955 Michael N. Sorem, 88, died Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in his home at 1024 Lisbon St. The body is at the Davis Funeral home where friends may call until time for services. In lieu of flowers the family has asked that contributions be made to the Heart Fund. Services will be at 2 p.m., Tuesday in the Davis chapel. The Rev. B. C. Qually wil officiate. Interment will be in Evergreen cemetery. Mr. Sorem was born in Saratoga township, Feb 3, 1877, a son of the late Andrew and Karie Sorem. He married Julia Thorson here on March 17, 1898 and they soon would have observed their 57th aniversary. Except for a few years spent farming they had resided in Morris. Surviving are his wife, three daughters, Mrs. Gordon (Amanda) Leach, Mazon; Mrs. Joseph (Kathryn) Viano Channahon; Mrs. Julia Viano, Morris; four sons, Clifford, John and Michael Jr., all of Morris and Peter of Chico, Califl; 18 grandchildren, six step-grandchildren and four great-grandsons. There are also four sisters, Mrs. Dan (Betsy) Iverson, Plattville; Mrs. John (Belle) Olson, Mrs. Andrew (Emma) Anderson and Mrs. Chris (Carrie) Johnson, all of Morris. He was preceded in death by a daughter Gladys, two sons, Louis and Arnold, a sister Mrs. Ed Anderson and two brothers, Nels and Andrew. Mons N. Sorem was buried in the Norwegian cemetery west of Ransom church in MN. Do you have his obituary? It is rather lengthy. I'll check next week at the Courthouse for a probate for him, but he left the area in 1886 when they sold their farm & went to MN. Stayed there except for 3 years when they lived in Jewell, Iowa (having sold the farm in MN). Returned to MN in 1913 where his wife died in 1916. He then lived with his children. After reading his obituary, I don't think that there will be a probate here or anywhere else. He sold his property as he moved. There might be naturalization, but it won't say anything except that he renounced the King of Norway and the date of naturalization. The newspaper says that the family left from Etna, Norway, on April 23, 1867, for America, & arrived in Morris on June 18, 1867. Brother Andrew came with them. Lea