Everything Old is New Again
It's March 16, 2020, and our nation - our world - is experiencing a global pandemic of a disease called, COVID-19, or "Coronavirus." As we are all dealing with the "new normal" of living under restricted conditions and closed schools and businesses, I couldn't help but wonder what things were like, just over 100 years ago, when many of our ancestors lived (or died) under a similar threat - the "Spanish Flu" epidemic of 1918-1919. As I've read up on it, I've learned that not much is different now, than it was a century ago. Lack of preparedness, attempts at and orders for social distancing, and an overwhelmed healthcare system have been facets of both outbreaks.
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| Photo source: https://www.wunc.org/post/what-have-we-learned-flu-pandemic-1918 |
This flu, also referred to as "the grippe" or "The Spanish Lady" struck the United States in multiple waves, at the exact same time as the height of World War One. Also, people were being hit with other diseases, such as typhoid fever and tuberculosis (which devastated my family), at the same time. (Several of my family members also died of a disease called pellagra, during this time. You can read more about that by clicking here.) The disease, though having gone down in history mostly known by the "Spanish Flu," moniker, actually first broke out in the United States, and was officially named, "Group A Influenza." Within months, it would spread worldwide, and eventually infect almost one-half of the earth's population. In North Carolina, where the bulk of my ancestors lived, over 13,000 souls were lost, including at least 17 physicians.
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| Detail of cartoon featured in October 1919 issue of the Health Bulletin. |
A Blessing in Disguise
Another result of this deadly pandemic was that it brought about an explosion in community activism and volunteerism, another aspect that seems to be shared with our current crisis. Today, like in 1918-1919, neighbors are checking on one another, communities are banding together to be sure children and the elderly are fed and cared for, and various random acts of kindness are taking place, all over our cities. "People helping people" seems to one of our most patriotic and community-building acts, brought about in troubled times, but always showing the heart of our nation.
Though tragic in it's effect on the state, this influenza pandemic actually led to some positive and lasting outcomes in North Carolina. After exposing the inadequacies in the state's medical systems and lack of preparedness for an event such as this, this deadly influenza outbreak instigated organizational and structural changes in the immediate years that followed it. New hospitals were built, more specialized and comprehensive health institutions were created and/or former ones, like County Health Departments, were strengthened and given improved focus - especially on rural areas. And, perhaps most impactfully, it solidified the role of WOMEN in the field of medicine.
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| This Red Cross veil, from Wilmington, NC, was worn in 1918 during the WW1 flu pandemic that killed over 600,000 Americans. |
I've searched my entire family tree (4610 people) and haven't found a soul for whom I have a death certificate whose cause of death was given as or caused by Influenza, in either 1918 or 1919. However, I do have at least 15 who died of pneumonia or, specifically, lobar pneumonia, during that period and, although the flu was not given as a contributory cause in any case, I imagine it could have been a possible instigator, in some. As mentioned above, my family members were stricken, severely, by pulmonary tuberculosis and pellagra. These two diseases caused no less than 25 deaths in my family, between 1912 and 1929, including that of my grandfather. But, that's a story for another post.
How did the Influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 affect your family and/or the state or community in which they lived? Please share in the comment section, below.
Thanks for reading, and please stay healthy and safe!
Renate
Addendum: I remembered, after posting this, that my paternal grandparents, Anna/Annie GREEN and Calvin YARBOROUGH had gotten married in 1919, so I took a look back to see what date that had occured on. Sure enough, their nuptials took place on February 23, 1919, right in the middle of the influenza pandemic. Interesting. Perhaps that accounts for why they were married at the home of the Baptist minister, instead of at the church, although that was not an uncommon thing to do at the time. But, maybe, just maybe it was because of the pandemic.
Addendum: I remembered, after posting this, that my paternal grandparents, Anna/Annie GREEN and Calvin YARBOROUGH had gotten married in 1919, so I took a look back to see what date that had occured on. Sure enough, their nuptials took place on February 23, 1919, right in the middle of the influenza pandemic. Interesting. Perhaps that accounts for why they were married at the home of the Baptist minister, instead of at the church, although that was not an uncommon thing to do at the time. But, maybe, just maybe it was because of the pandemic.
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| Bottom of marriage record for Annie Green and Calvin Yarborough, showing that they were married at the home of M.S. Stamps (I think), the Baptist minister, at his home near Louisburg, on February 23, 1919. Three witnesses were present: Joe Leonard, JS Wiggins, and Mary Bell Davis. |
Permalink to this post: https://justthinking130.blogspot.com/2020/03/north-carolina-and-spanish-flu-pandemic.html
Sources:
Burns, Kevin, Flu Pandemic of World War I, North Carolina Museum of History, Digital Article. Accessed Mary 16, 2020 at 7:15 p.m.
Chase, Steven, "The Influenza Outbreak of 1918-1919," Revised by Lisa Gregory, NC Government and Heritage Library online article, accessed March 16, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. https://www.ncpedia.org/history/health/influenza
Cockrell, David L. ""A Blessing in Disguise": The Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and North Carolina's Medical and Public Health Communities." The North Carolina Historical Review 73, no. 3 (1996): 309-27. Accessed March 16, 2020. www.jstor.org/stable/23521395.
Live Science, website, https://www.livescience.com/topics/live/coronavirus-live-updates. Accessed March 16, 2020 at 7:47 p.m.
McKown, Harry, "October 1918 -- North Carolina and the 'Blue Death'," This Month in North Carolina History, October 2008.
Stasio, Frank and Magnus, Amanda, "What Have We Learned from the Flu Pandemic of 1918?, " WUNC, North Carolina Public Radio Program, "The State of Things," accessed online March 16, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. https://www.wunc.org/post/what-have-we-learned-flu-pandemic-1918
McKown, Harry, "October 1918 -- North Carolina and the 'Blue Death'," This Month in North Carolina History, October 2008.
Stasio, Frank and Magnus, Amanda, "What Have We Learned from the Flu Pandemic of 1918?, " WUNC, North Carolina Public Radio Program, "The State of Things," accessed online March 16, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. https://www.wunc.org/post/what-have-we-learned-flu-pandemic-1918
Just checked the death certificate for my grandfather's first wife who died in Feb. 1918 at age 19. Listed as pneumonia. He always said it was the Spanish Flu.
ReplyDeleteThat's great information. If you have the family lore that it was Spanish flu, I'll bet that's exactly what it was.
DeleteThanks for commenting!
Renate
Thanks for all the great background information! As I noted before, my grandmother, Elinora Phillips Lee, died in the pandemic on 11 Nov 1918, Armistice Day, in Greensboro. Her brother was deployed to the Front in France, at the time. As noted there were no public gatherings. So she was laid out at home and the funeral was at home. My mother was 4 yrs old. Her sister just 9 mos. In medical school they told us it could turn to pneumonia in as few as 3 days. They did note also that many death certificates that read pneumonia should have also said influenza thus epidemiologist believe the mortality rate was even higher than the 650k. Great post. I’m going to share on my page. So timely.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow. Well, that makes me believe my "theory" is correct, then. I'm sure the flu was responsible for at least some of those "pneumonia" deaths in my family. I'll just never have the proof.
DeleteThanks for sharing your story!
Renate
My great aunt died 1/3/19 of bronchopneumonia due to influenza and left behind 2 little boys. My grandson has one of the boys’ names.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing, here on the blog. I was sure I responded to you, already, but I don’t see my comment. It’s a blessing that your family has honored your ancestor’s memory in the naming of your grandson.
DeleteThanks for reading!
Renate
I had two first cousins once removed who were sisters and died in 1918. One was Clara May Higgerson (1888-1918), and she had six children, the youngest only about a year old. The other was Nevada Olga Higgerson (1892-1918), and she had two daughters born in 1913 and 1915. They were young, healthy Missouri women who succumbed to the Spanish flu epidemic. It affected their children, spouses, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins. They haven't been forgotten. Even today, when their names are spoken, it is with sadness by folks who never knew them but knew the shock the family experienced.
ReplyDeleteWow, how sad for your family. I can imagine how tragic this was for them. It’s great that Clara and Nevada haven’t been forgotten.
ReplyDeleteThanks, so much, for commenting here. And, thank you for reading my blog!
Renate
Grandfather from small town (Irvington, AL) went overseas to France in WWI in the fall of 1918. He got the Spanish Flu with complications of pneumonia/mumps. Ironically although he almost died, it may have saved his life, since he was sent to a French hospital for months and eventually home. I've been told that the day after he was sent to the hospital many of his fellow troops were killed going "over the top". Back home in Irvington and Mobile, AL his mother and sisters dealt with the death of friends and neighbors.
ReplyDeleteE.B., I've attempted to respond to you, twice. I'm not sure why those didn't go through, but hopefully the third time will be the charm. I'm happy for your family that your grandfather survived the pandemic. In at least one of the resources I used for research, there was mention of the care given to soldiers in Brest, France. Do you know if that's the part of France your grandfather was in? I don't recall which source it was, but try clicking on the source links under my post or maybe just google it. You might find more info about your grandfather's experience!
DeleteThanks for reading and commenting. :)
Renate
I was researching my family and the flu when I had to put it on hold to do my annual a to z challenge. My grandparents also got married at my grandmother's home in 1919. I did find newspaper items (a cousin published the paper) of my great grandmother recovering from an unmentioned ailment at the height of the flu in Montgomery. Also articles of college students returning home, schools closing etc. I will finish my post in May!
ReplyDeleteThere you are! I didn't realize how much I count on your commenting, until you missed a couple! Glad you're back!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading your post in May. :)
Renate