I have in my possession a soft cover book entitled Lehigh Valley, Pa. Deaths, Vol. 3: 1883-1885, 1896 by Robert G. Fray. It is a reprint of deaths as reported in The Catasaqua Dispatch 1883-1885, and the Morning Call, July 1896-Dec. 1896 issues. I don’t know the provenance--I found it in the shed two days ago.
The first thing I noticed was how many deaths were railroad-related. The second thing I noticed was how young many of the deceased were. Finally, this was before the days of OSHA and labor unions. Work-related accidents were common.
Here’s a selection:
1883/01/13, Kessler, George, age 32, cause: broke through ice, drowned.
1883/01/13, Graff, Mrs. Bernhardt, cause: boiler explosion at Bethlehem Steel
1883/01 13, Crade, George, cause: boiler explosion at Bethlehem Steel
1883/01/13, Bright, Jesse, cause: boiler explosion at Bethlehem Steel
1883/01/20, Buck, son of Henry, age 10, cause: froze to death
1883/01/27, Humphries, Joseph, age 35, cause: horses and carriage hit freight train
1883/02/02, Woodruff, Charles, age about 40, cause: run over by passenger train
1883/02/10, Petre, Philip, cause: hit on head with hatchet by Alex Sebastian
1883/02/10, Warner, William, age 70, cause: apoplexy, fell dead walking to barn
1883/02/10, Bachman, Infant child of Ammon, cause: sleeping with father, smothered
1883/02/13, Graffin, Irene (Lee), cause: scarlet fever after giving birth
1883/06/02, Rhoads, Samuel, cause: cinder bank cave-in at Crane Iron Works
1883/06/23, Ginnard, John, cause: fell from box car, head crushed by wheels
1883/06/23, Wilson, William, age 16, cause: hit by a train playing tag on the tracks
1883/06/23, Parsons, John K, cause: premature quarry blast, thrown 50 feet
Each of these deaths has a story behind it. Two boys drowning the same day in the Lehigh Canal. Deaths from consumption. Deaths from appendicitis. From falling down stairs. From mine cave-ins. Many of those people would have lived far longer with modern medicine, but reflect on this--in the end we all are mortal. Memorial Day is not only a day to have fun. It is also a day to reflect and remember.
It is sad that many people have forgotten the true meaning of Memorial day. In the old days it was called Decoration day.
ReplyDeleteI know of the book that you found. When I was actively doing genealogy I learned about it. It is one of books that genealogists use. A real treasure trove of information.
If one were to take the time. the Slatington Library has newspapers from the mid 1860's on CD's. In the papers are many stories relating to numerous railroad deaths and accidents. Not to forget the stories about kids working in factories at a young age. Most kids only got an 8th grade education at best.
Also some of the ads that said--Irish need not apply. Hatred is still among us. Some things don't seem to change.
I for one would not want to turn back the clock to those times, like some politicians want to do.