|
www.txland.com
|
Features |
|
|
Services |
|
Classified |
|
Advertising |
|
Subscribe
WebUpdat
Renewal |
|
Staff |
Monte D. West,
Publisher
Megan P. West, Assistant Editor
Kim S. West Bookkeeping
Regina Ducharme,
Office Manager
Melanie Hall, Staff Reporter
Brett Bowen, Staff Reporter
936-449-NEWS (6397)
|
|
Contributing
Writers |
|
JJB,
April Sound Upbeat
Sissy Boulware,
I've Been Thinking
Sharon Faison,
Travel
Doc Fennessy,
Walden Happenings
Marty Sanford,
Crusin' Cape Conroe
|
|
Who
We Are |
| |
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
I've Been Thinking, Historical Account of the Montgomery Area
by Narcissa Martin Boulware
Terror in Navasota
Part II
Chapter II
An excerpt taken from Minister Parks' diary at Anderson, Grimes County dated August 14, 1866 as follows:
Tuesday, August 14, attended preaching of Howard, agent of the Domestic Board, Miller dying of cholera; Sat. Aug. 18 Negro Nelms Potter dies with cholera this morning taken last night; Sunday Aug. 19 Samuels Jerry taken yesterday and died this evening. Aug. 14, Ms. White taken sick, before day. Aug. 25 Ms. White still sick. Aug. 30, Rev. Parks himself sick all day. Sept. 2 worse, sent for Dr. Quiney, Sept. 7 Mrs. Truney very sick, others better. Sept. 10 Floyd quite sick sent for Dr. Terrell, Thurs. Sept. 13, went to burial of Edmundson child, Sept. 16 Parks went over to town to see all the sick.
Although Rev. Parks was not specific about the sickness at Anderson, the County Seat of Grimes County with much greater social and legal activity, he only lists the burials he was called for and maybe the epidemic was mild in that town. The years matched the horror that happened in Navasota to a certain extent. I have not found an account of Yellow Fever in Montgomery for those years, only a slight mention and not of that time. The account of the Yellow Fever epidemic in Navasota is so unique because the doctor listed the deaths daily and named the poor people who died. I found many names of people who have survivors living in Navasota today. I don't think people placed the blame on mosquitoes at that time, and Navasota, being so close to the Brazos and Navasota Rivers, may have played a role in the deaths. The horror stories that I've listened to in my family were of the wiping out of whole families from the "Flu". That illness was not caused by the bite of a mosquito, and when a member of the family got sick with influenza, the family would rally around to care for them, and one by one each person got infected -even the visitors who came to help.
It seemed to me that the women and children were the first to die, because at that time there was no medical relief. Today there is help and medication for the flu.
Conclusion next week |
Anniversary
announcement
April Sound
Classified
Events
Crusin' Cape
Dobbin Texas
Editorial
Happy
Birthday
History
of Montgomery I've Been Thinking
Entertainment
Legal
Notice
People Focus
Obits
Schools
Sports
Travel
Walden
Happenings
Wedding/Engagement Announcements