I hate to disagree, but it could have been cholera. In mid to late summer of 1834, a cholera epidemic killed a number of people in Beaver Co. Ann John Southard Hogg wrote: > > I can't say what happened in this case but probably not an epidemic. I > have looked at a number death records in Virginia from 1853 to 1896. I > have seen many cases of entire families dying over a short period of > time because of infectious diseases. Smallpox, Typhiod Fever, > Bronchitis and Pneumonia are common reasons. > > John > > DMarTaylor@aol.com wrote: > > > > In recent research on my WHITEHILL family, I found many of them died around > > the same time in 1815. The first death was my gggg-granduncle John Whitehill > > on August 1, 1815. Then, my gggg-grandfather, James Whitehill, and four of his > > young sons died within weeks. They were buried in Old Millcreek Cemetery near > > Hookstown. > > > > John Whitehill - August 21, 1815 > > James Whitehill - August 22, 1815 > > Robert Whitehill - August 31, 1815 > > David Whitehill - August 31, 1815 > > Isaac Whitehill - September 1, 1815 > > > > I assume there must have been some kind of epidemic. Does anyone know what it > > was? > > > > Diane