My grandfather, Dr. Mark Beach of Clinton KS (Douglas Co.) was called to military service as a doctor in May of 1917. He was first stationed at Ft. Riley (which is the location where the flu epidemic began, I have read.) At some point he was sent to Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. He worked long hours there, mostly taking care of flu patients. It was there where he contracted the flu, and died on Feb. 15, 1918. My father was 8 years old, and his brother was 12. Obviously, I never met my grandfather, but even typing this makes me weep. Jane Beach Soder -----Original Message----- From: ksshawne-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:ksshawne-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Dorothy Urbaitis Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 10:30 AM To: ksshawne@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [KSSHAWNE] Deaths and Funerals: Topeka; October 19, 1918 Good grief, Jim, surely if October wasn't the height of the influenza, it must have been approaching it. There's so much history to analyze in these last several papers. The listing for the Artzer couple below reminds me of a story told to me by my own great-aunt Olga Strimple, who lived in Omaha at this time (wife of Cecil Strimple). She knew a nurse in her church who, as a very young woman, had been called in during the night to take care of a wealthy family with three small children. The mother and father knew they were dying, and they could see that the nurse took loving good care of the little ones, so they turned over everything they had for the promise that she would raise the children as if they were her own. She did that, and later also cherished their children as her grandchildren. These last several listings have involved so many men at the military bases, so many children and young people. The thing that surprises me is that so many folks were taken somewhere else to be buried -- far more than I would have expected in a general population. I'm guessing that it had to do with finding family to take care of them, but even that doesn't seem logical. I'm also reminded of the Strimple family members who died in the smallpox epidemic of 1902. I'm unaware of anyone in my more immediate family who contracted influenza, however. By that time, they had mostly moved to Omaha. Again, I'd be surprised if it was any safer there than it was in Kansas, with a less concentrated population. Although the first cases diagnosed in the U.S. were at a military base in Kansas, weren't they? I find that seeing your listings is a somewhat different kind of learning from reading out of a textbook. I really appreciate your efforts in making these records available to us. Dorothy Urbaitis djurbaitis@ameritech.net P.S. I just Googled up the great influenza, and found a graph of deaths in Kansas during October of 1918. Sure enough, there was an enormous spike in the middle of the month. Interestingly, this spike included deaths from other causes as well as the flu. It's my guess that the reason was that the flu had caused such a shortage of medical- related personnel and supplies, there was little left for other causes. http://virus.stanford.edu/uda/flustat.html On Mar 9, 2008, at 11:59 AM, Jim Laird wrote: > The Topeka Daily State Journal > Saturday > October 19, 1918 > > Deaths and Funerals. > > Samuel POTTENGER, died in the base hospital at Camp Cody. He was the > son of George Pottenger, who lives west of Topeka. The funeral was > held this afternoon at Burlingame. Burial in Burlingame cemetery. > > John BRIER, age 92, died Friday evening at this home, 415 West Sixth > street. The funeral will be held Sunday morning at 10 o'clock from > the First Presbyterian church. The services will be private. No > flowers. Burial in Topeka cemetery. > > Harvey A. SEBOLT, age 12, died this morning at the home of his > parents, 1533 North Quincy street. The body will be taken to St. > Joseph, Mo., for burial tomorrow. > > Roy COOPER, age 33, died this morning at his home, 1013 Quincy > street. Funeral announcement later. > > Lewis TAYLOR of Grantville died this morning at his home. Funeral > announcements later. > > Lorena BURGHART, age 2, died Friday evening at the home of her > parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alex Burghart, 446 Wilson avenue. Funeral > announcement later. > > Peter PFIFER, age 33, died at a local hospital Friday night. His > home wa a t 228 North Chandler street. Funeral announcement later. > > Peter J. ARTZER, age 28, and his wife, Mary ARTZER, age 27, died > Friday night. They lived at 129 Jackson street, and are survived by > four little children. Funeral announcement later. > > Word was received in Topeka of the death of C.Clyde MEYERS, at > Mankato, Kan. Meyers graduated from Washburn law school about six > years ago, and was county attorney of Jewell county. While in Topeka > he was active in the work of the First Methodist church. > > The funeral of Mrs. Elizabeth YOUNG, wife of M.J. Young, who died in > Kansas City while visiting her sister, was held this afternoon at 2 > o'clock from Perry, Kan. > > Joseph DERA, age 1 year, died at the home of his parents, Mr. and > Mrs. Albert Dera, 511 East First street, Friday evening. The funeral > was held this afternoon at 4 o'clock from the residence. Burial in > Mt. Calvary cemetery. > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to KSSHAWNE-request@rootsweb.com > with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and > the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to KSSHAWNE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

I have read that doctors during the epidemic were in very grave circumstances, and some refused to be present where there was influenza. I'm betting that they were in as much danger at a military hospital as they were on the front lines. I've often felt sorry for those who didn't know their grandparents -- it's a special relationship. At least you have some proof of his dedication. I wonder if he, and other doctors who performed under the conditions which took his life, received official recognition? Dorothy Strimple Urbaitis On Mar 10, 2008, at 10:19 PM, Jane Soder wrote: > My grandfather, Dr. Mark Beach of Clinton KS (Douglas Co.) was > called to > military service as a doctor in May of 1917. He was first stationed > at Ft. > Riley (which is the location where the flu epidemic began, I have > read.) At > some point he was sent to Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. He worked long hours > there, > mostly taking care of flu patients. It was there where he > contracted the > flu, and died on Feb. 15, 1918. My father was 8 years old, and his > brother > was 12. > > Obviously, I never met my grandfather, but even typing this makes me > weep. > > Jane Beach Soder > > > -----Original Message----- > From: ksshawne-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:ksshawne-bounces@rootsweb.com > ] > On Behalf Of Dorothy Urbaitis > Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 10:30 AM > To: ksshawne@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [KSSHAWNE] Deaths and Funerals: Topeka; October 19, 1918 > > Good grief, Jim, surely if October wasn't the height of the influenza, > it must have been approaching it. There's so much history to analyze > in these last several papers. The listing for the Artzer couple below > reminds me of a story told to me by my own great-aunt Olga Strimple, > who lived in Omaha at this time (wife of Cecil Strimple). She knew a > nurse in her church who, as a very young woman, had been called in > during the night to take care of a wealthy family with three small > children. The mother and father knew they were dying, and they could > see that the nurse took loving good care of the little ones, so they > turned over everything they had for the promise that she would raise > the children as if they were her own. She did that, and later also > cherished their children as her grandchildren. > > These last several listings have involved so many men at the military > bases, so many children and young people. The thing that surprises me > is that so many folks were taken somewhere else to be buried -- far > more than I would have expected in a general population. I'm guessing > that it had to do with finding family to take care of them, but even > that doesn't seem logical. > > I'm also reminded of the Strimple family members who died in the > smallpox epidemic of 1902. I'm unaware of anyone in my more immediate > family who contracted influenza, however. By that time, they had > mostly moved to Omaha. Again, I'd be surprised if it was any safer > there than it was in Kansas, with a less concentrated population. > Although the first cases diagnosed in the U.S. were at a military base > in Kansas, weren't they? > > I find that seeing your listings is a somewhat different kind of > learning from reading out of a textbook. I really appreciate your > efforts in making these records available to us. > > Dorothy Urbaitis > djurbaitis@ameritech.net > > P.S. I just Googled up the great influenza, and found a graph of > deaths in Kansas during October of 1918. Sure enough, there was an > enormous spike in the middle of the month. Interestingly, this spike > included deaths from other causes as well as the flu. It's my guess > that the reason was that the flu had caused such a shortage of > medical- > related personnel and supplies, there was little left for other > causes. > http://virus.stanford.edu/uda/flustat.html > > > > > > > > > > On Mar 9, 2008, at 11:59 AM, Jim Laird wrote: > >> The Topeka Daily State Journal >> Saturday >> October 19, 1918 >> >> Deaths and Funerals. >> >> Samuel POTTENGER, died in the base hospital at Camp Cody. He was the >> son of George Pottenger, who lives west of Topeka. The funeral was >> held this afternoon at Burlingame. Burial in Burlingame cemetery. >> >> John BRIER, age 92, died Friday evening at this home, 415 West Sixth >> street. The funeral will be held Sunday morning at 10 o'clock from >> the First Presbyterian church. The services will be private. No >> flowers. Burial in Topeka cemetery. >> >> Harvey A. SEBOLT, age 12, died this morning at the home of his >> parents, 1533 North Quincy street. The body will be taken to St. >> Joseph, Mo., for burial tomorrow. >> >> Roy COOPER, age 33, died this morning at his home, 1013 Quincy >> street. Funeral announcement later. >> >> Lewis TAYLOR of Grantville died this morning at his home. Funeral >> announcements later. >> >> Lorena BURGHART, age 2, died Friday evening at the home of her >> parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alex Burghart, 446 Wilson avenue. Funeral >> announcement later. >> >> Peter PFIFER, age 33, died at a local hospital Friday night. His >> home wa a t 228 North Chandler street. Funeral announcement later. >> >> Peter J. ARTZER, age 28, and his wife, Mary ARTZER, age 27, died >> Friday night. They lived at 129 Jackson street, and are survived by >> four little children. Funeral announcement later. >> >> Word was received in Topeka of the death of C.Clyde MEYERS, at >> Mankato, Kan. Meyers graduated from Washburn law school about six >> years ago, and was county attorney of Jewell county. While in Topeka >> he was active in the work of the First Methodist church. >> >> The funeral of Mrs. Elizabeth YOUNG, wife of M.J. Young, who died in >> Kansas City while visiting her sister, was held this afternoon at 2 >> o'clock from Perry, Kan. >> >> Joseph DERA, age 1 year, died at the home of his parents, Mr. and >> Mrs. Albert Dera, 511 East First street, Friday evening. The funeral >> was held this afternoon at 4 o'clock from the residence. Burial in >> Mt. Calvary cemetery. >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > KSSHAWNE-request@rootsweb.com >> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and >> the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > KSSHAWNE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to KSSHAWNE-request@rootsweb.com > with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and > the body of the message