Perhaps it was tuberculosis--called consumption at that time. I think the 1880 census has a column where it tells if people were sick what was wrong with them. Carolyn > As I was inputting some new data on one of my family tree branches from > Bedford County, I noticed that in just 4 related families living in > Bedford > Co. in the early 1880's, there were 11 deaths in October and November of > 1882. All 11 deaths were in children ages 2-9, with 4 of those deaths in > just 1 family. Looking further into my Bedford Co. families, in just a > quick look-see, I find at least 22 deaths of children in that same age > group > in the October-December 1882 time frame. > > Does anyone know if there was an epidemic or widespread serious illness in > Bedford County during that time frame? > > Thanks in advance :) > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > TNBEDFOR-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

That's always a possibility, naturally. But the reason I'm wondering particularly if it was some type of epidemic, such as influenza, smallpox, cholera, etc., is because whatever it was seemed to come on fairly quickly and kill just as quickly, and seemed particularly lethal to smaller children, which is usually not indicative of tuberculosis/consumption. I have notations and indications on most of the children I mentioned in my original post that showed they were healthy and normal enough up to at least the end of the summer of 1882, but then they were dead by the end of the year (notations found in family letters of the time which referred to a family event during that summer). Also, 3 of these families had physicians in the family (the fathers and 1 uncle), so I would assume their general health was maintained well enough. So it just seems that whatever killed all these children during October/November/December 1882 must have come on quickly and was not lethal to the adults in the families. That's why I'm wondering about a possible epidemic in the area. It's very curious. Dawn -----Original Message----- From: tnbedfor-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:tnbedfor-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of cosgenealogy@united.net Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 9:14 PM To: tnbedfor@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [TNBEDFOR] 1882 - Was there an epidemic or widespread illness in Bedford Co? Perhaps it was tuberculosis--called consumption at that time. I think the 1880 census has a column where it tells if people were sick what was wrong with them. Carolyn > As I was inputting some new data on one of my family tree branches from > Bedford County, I noticed that in just 4 related families living in > Bedford > Co. in the early 1880's, there were 11 deaths in October and November of > 1882. All 11 deaths were in children ages 2-9, with 4 of those deaths in > just 1 family. Looking further into my Bedford Co. families, in just a > quick look-see, I find at least 22 deaths of children in that same age > group > in the October-December 1882 time frame. > > Does anyone know if there was an epidemic or widespread serious illness in > Bedford County during that time frame? > > Thanks in advance :) > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > TNBEDFOR-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 TNBEDFOR-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Dawn, Here's an interesting website with a list of many Tennessee disasters listed by the year/years in which they occurred. http://www.geocities.com/mcminncountytennessee/sometndisaster.html There was a smallpox epidemic in eastern TN during the winter of 1882-83. It could have been more widespread than east TN though. A google search for epidemics in TN in 1882 leads to many references of people dying within a few years before and after 1882 from the yellow fever epidemic of 1878. Google books shows a history of Alfred Greeley Alexander, whose children were born between 1868 and 1885. Three of his children were said to have died in "a yellow fever epidemic in Bedford Co., TN." It doesn't say what year his children died, but it would be have to be within a few years of 1882--and within range of the yellow fever epidemic of 1878! Hope this helps! Carolyn -----Original Message----- From: tnbedfor-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:tnbedfor-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of S. D. Gopalan Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 11:58 PM To: tnbedfor@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [TNBEDFOR] 1882 - Was there an epidemic or widespread illnessin Bedford Co? That's always a possibility, naturally. But the reason I'm wondering particularly if it was some type of epidemic, such as influenza, smallpox, cholera, etc., is because whatever it was seemed to come on fairly quickly and kill just as quickly, and seemed particularly lethal to smaller children, which is usually not indicative of tuberculosis/consumption. I have notations and indications on most of the children I mentioned in my original post that showed they were healthy and normal enough up to at least the end of the summer of 1882, but then they were dead by the end of the year (notations found in family letters of the time which referred to a family event during that summer). Also, 3 of these families had physicians in the family (the fathers and 1 uncle), so I would assume their general health was maintained well enough. So it just seems that whatever killed all these children during October/November/December 1882 must have come on quickly and was not lethal to the adults in the families. That's why I'm wondering about a possible epidemic in the area. It's very curious. Dawn -----Original Message----- From: tnbedfor-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:tnbedfor-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of cosgenealogy@united.net Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 9:14 PM To: tnbedfor@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [TNBEDFOR] 1882 - Was there an epidemic or widespread illness in Bedford Co? Perhaps it was tuberculosis--called consumption at that time. I think the 1880 census has a column where it tells if people were sick what was wrong with them. Carolyn > As I was inputting some new data on one of my family tree branches from > Bedford County, I noticed that in just 4 related families living in > Bedford > Co. in the early 1880's, there were 11 deaths in October and November of > 1882. All 11 deaths were in children ages 2-9, with 4 of those deaths in > just 1 family. Looking further into my Bedford Co. families, in just a > quick look-see, I find at least 22 deaths of children in that same age > group > in the October-December 1882 time frame. > > Does anyone know if there was an epidemic or widespread serious illness in > Bedford County during that time frame? > > Thanks in advance :) > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > TNBEDFOR-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 TNBEDFOR-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 TNBEDFOR-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Carolyn, thanks so much for that link, it did indeed provide me with great information. It does indeed show a smallpox epidemic in the winter of 1882-1883 in the area, which is one of 2 epidemics I had suspected. After checking further on that information found there, it does appear that there were hundreds of child deaths from Smallpox in Bedford Co. during the last 3 months of 1882 especially, with a few more dozen in January 1883. I'd say I've found my answer. Thanks again :) Dawn -----Original Message----- From: tnbedfor-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:tnbedfor-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of Carolyn Whittenburg Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 8:10 AM To: tnbedfor@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [TNBEDFOR] 1882 - Was there an epidemic or widespread illnessinBedford Co? Dawn, Here's an interesting website with a list of many Tennessee disasters listed by the year/years in which they occurred. http://www.geocities.com/mcminncountytennessee/sometndisaster.html There was a smallpox epidemic in eastern TN during the winter of 1882-83. It could have been more widespread than east TN though. A google search for epidemics in TN in 1882 leads to many references of people dying within a few years before and after 1882 from the yellow fever epidemic of 1878. Google books shows a history of Alfred Greeley Alexander, whose children were born between 1868 and 1885. Three of his children were said to have died in "a yellow fever epidemic in Bedford Co., TN." It doesn't say what year his children died, but it would be have to be within a few years of 1882--and within range of the yellow fever epidemic of 1878! Hope this helps! Carolyn -----Original Message----- From: tnbedfor-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:tnbedfor-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of S. D. Gopalan Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 11:58 PM To: tnbedfor@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [TNBEDFOR] 1882 - Was there an epidemic or widespread illnessin Bedford Co? That's always a possibility, naturally. But the reason I'm wondering particularly if it was some type of epidemic, such as influenza, smallpox, cholera, etc., is because whatever it was seemed to come on fairly quickly and kill just as quickly, and seemed particularly lethal to smaller children, which is usually not indicative of tuberculosis/consumption. I have notations and indications on most of the children I mentioned in my original post that showed they were healthy and normal enough up to at least the end of the summer of 1882, but then they were dead by the end of the year (notations found in family letters of the time which referred to a family event during that summer). Also, 3 of these families had physicians in the family (the fathers and 1 uncle), so I would assume their general health was maintained well enough. So it just seems that whatever killed all these children during October/November/December 1882 must have come on quickly and was not lethal to the adults in the families. That's why I'm wondering about a possible epidemic in the area. It's very curious. Dawn -----Original Message----- From: tnbedfor-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:tnbedfor-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of cosgenealogy@united.net Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 9:14 PM To: tnbedfor@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [TNBEDFOR] 1882 - Was there an epidemic or widespread illness in Bedford Co? Perhaps it was tuberculosis--called consumption at that time. I think the 1880 census has a column where it tells if people were sick what was wrong with them. Carolyn > As I was inputting some new data on one of my family tree branches from > Bedford County, I noticed that in just 4 related families living in > Bedford > Co. in the early 1880's, there were 11 deaths in October and November of > 1882. All 11 deaths were in children ages 2-9, with 4 of those deaths in > just 1 family. Looking further into my Bedford Co. families, in just a > quick look-see, I find at least 22 deaths of children in that same age > group > in the October-December 1882 time frame. > > Does anyone know if there was an epidemic or widespread serious illness in > Bedford County during that time frame? > > Thanks in advance :) > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > TNBEDFOR-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 TNBEDFOR-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 TNBEDFOR-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 TNBEDFOR-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message