This Day in History: 1875-11-06
Horace Edwards who lived in a farmhouse on the estate of ex-Governor Price, clung to life after a long bout with diphtheria, but not before the dreaded disease had devastated his family. On October 16th he received word that his son Horace, 10, who lived in Ramsey was ill. He proved to be in the last stages of diphtheria and only lived a few hours. The body was brought home for burial and in quick succession Rosanna, 5, Abbie Jane, 9 and Governeur, 7, all died within a few hours of each other. The latter two being buried in a single coffin. An infant of 18 months and three year-old George died a few days later. Horace’s brother came to help tend to the sick members of the family and himself sickened and died on October 24th, leaving a wife and nine dependent children. Two of the family women caught a mild form of the disease and survived. Terror struck the neighborhood and few people were brave enough to visit the sick home and offer comfort. There was general agreement that the disease would not have been so devastating if Mrs. Edwards had not disregarded the doctor’s orders and kept the windows tightly sealed and discontinued giving the prescribed medicines because the children’s throats were so sore. (Bristow)