Madison
County Genealogical Society
Minutes of the Meeting - September 10, 2015
The September 2015 meeting of the Madison
County Genealogical Society was held at the Edwardsville Public Library on
Thursday, September 10, at 7:00 pm.
President, Robert Ridenour, called the meeting to order.
GIFT
MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE
Do you have a family member that is interested
in (or even obsessed with) genealogy? A membership in the Madison County
Genealogical Society would be a very thoughtful gift. A gift card will be sent
to the recipient of any gift membership.
The following memberships are available:
Individual/Family Annual Membership $20.00
Patron Annual Membership $30.00
Life Membership $250.00
Contact our Secretary, Petie Hunter, at petie8135@att.net,
about a gift membership.
September
Meeting
On September 10, 2015, Cindy Reinhardt, local
historian, member of Edwardsville's Historic Preservation Commission, and
member of the Madison County Historical Society's Board, presented a program on
the Influenza
Pandemic of 1918-19.
The 1918 influenza epidemic was the deadliest
health crisis in recorded history. The first cases appeared in Haskell, Kansas,
in January 1918. It spread to Fort Riley (Camp Funston 300 miles away) and then
to other U. S. Military camps. It traveled to Europe with the American soldiers
during World War I. The results were an estimated 50 million deaths world-wide
(with a world population of 1.8 billion). There were an estimated 675,000
deaths in the U. S. More Americans died of influenza than in battle during WW
I; half of the soldier fatalities in Europe were caused by influenza/pneumonia.
The following are quotes from "The Great
Influenza" by John Barry:
"Although the influenza pandemic stretched over two years, perhaps
two-thirds of the deaths occurred in a period of twenty-four weeks, and more
than half of those deaths occurred in even less time - from mid-September to
early December 1918."
"In 1918, Influenza killed more people in a year than the Black Death of
the Middle Ages killed in a century; it killed more people in 24 weeks than
AIDS has killed in twenty-four years."
The 1918 influenza was a deadly mutated strain of what is now known as H1N1. It
was highly contagious and passed most quickly through dense populations, i.e.,
crowded military camps, hospitals, industries, and urban communities. Delayed
symptoms factored in the spread of the disease. Many of today's influenza
strains have the greatest effect on the old and the very young. The 1918 strain
hit men and women in their prime in greater numbers. It often resulted in a
quick death. There was no cure or vaccine. The pandemic generated fear
throughout the world.
Madison
County's Response:
Quarantines were enacted for households with patients. Alton, Granite City, and
Wood River established emergency hospitals for influenza patients. Flu bans
shut down many Madison County towns where public gatherings were forbidden on
numerous occasions. Red Cross volunteers were trained to visit the sick due to
a shortage of doctors. Thousands of flu masks were made by volunteers and
soldiers; but they were of little value.
Newspaper
Warnings
William and Clara
Rathert Feldmann
Clara died of influenza November
2, 1918; William later married Ida Sanders Stahlhut whose husband Henry died of
influenza on December 6, 1918.
George Lewis
Werner
George Lewis Werner was one of 13 Madison County residents who died on November
13, 1918 of influenza complicated by pneumonia. A resident of Madison,
Illinois, the 32year-old machinist was the father of five young children. After
his death his wife, Nora Spears Werner, and their children moved in with her
parents.
August and
Henry Hellmann
The Hellmann brothers, Heinrich
and August, two American soldiers, both died from the influenza on the same
day, but one in America, the other in Europe.
Hardships Caused by the Epidemic
Nearly 500 residents died in Madison County during the epidemic; others died at
military camps or in Europe. Thousands became ill. In Granite City, a day care
was founded so women widowed in the epidemic could work. Granite City lost 98
patients (population 9,903 in 1910). In Alton, the orphanage was expanded to
accommodate the children left without parents by the epidemic. The family
breadwinner was unable to work if his household was under quarantine. Many
businesses had to close due to employee shortages. Several "Flu Bans"
closed theaters, churches, lodges, schools, and other non-essential businesses.
Students lost 10-12 weeks of school. Weddings were postponed. Funerals were
private.
Sources
Local newspapers Sept 1918-Jan 1919
Alton
Collinsville
Edwardsville
Granite City
Highland
Troy
Madison County Death Certificates Sept 1918-Jan 1919
Illinois Medical Journals 1918-1919
Government and Educational web sites
Interviews with Madison County families
Numerous books and journals
This presentation was very well received and provoked many questions and
comments.