The following article was written about the family of my great-grandmother and great-grandfather: "SPANISH INFLUENZA IS FATAL HERE Five deaths recorded here of victims of the dread disease of complications. Hundreds ill. Some Serious. The ravages of Spanish Influenza are being felt in this place with increasing rigor and sadness. Several hundred have been reported here and in this vicinity, some of which have developed until the patients are at this time in a critical condition. The greatest bereavement and the greatest sadness has no doubt come to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Beasom of South Front Street, their son Frazier Arthur Beasom having died Saturday at 3 a.m. and their daughter, Sarah Ruth Beasom, having died Sunday at 10:00 p.m. and there remain three other members of the family ill of the dread disease in various stages of seriousness, altho all give hopes of ultimate recovery. These are Mr. and Mrs. Beasom and their daughter, Miss Ellen Beasom. The only well members of their family are Mrs. R. M. Baskins of Bucks Valley and Chas. Beasom, member of Co. G, 145th U.S. infantry, now in France. Both of the deceased young people were born in Duncannon removing to this place with their parents when babies. Frazier was born September 7, 1898 and Sarah was born May 26, 1896. Frazier had been working at Enola and became ill the Saturday previous and the other members of the family at home became ill this week." According to what I was told, my great-grandparents were too ill to attend the funerals of their children. From my great-grandfather's obituary: "Mr. Beasom had not been so well since an attack of the flu three years ago and his physician had warned him not to overtax his heart, altho he was able to work right along." (He suffered a heart attack after running to catch a train.) "In the fall of 1918, practically the whole Beasom family were taken down with the influenza epidemic prevalent at that time. Frazier Beasom died Oct. 19, 1918, and his sister, Sarah Beasom died the next day." Elaine Ebersole Long ------------------------------------- Ron & Elaine Long 1105 S. Stockton Ada, OK 74820-8107 ronglong@chickasaw.com http://www.chickasaw.com/~ronglong -------------------------------------