Names of some who died in yellow fever epidemic in Hale County, Alabama

YELLOW FEVER IN GREENSBORO, HALE COUNTY, ALABAMA¹

(Published in 1908)

Once in its history of nearly a century, Greensboro has been visited by yellow fever. It was in the year 1897, and the disease was in the town several months before the physicians officially declared it to be such. There were possibly some fifty cases from the middle of August till the 18th of November, and about a dozen deaths from that cause during the period.

Trains did not run

The trains were taken off the railroad the latter part of October and were not run for a week or two. Provisions became scarce, and the inhabitants, many of them, were on scant rations when traffic was resumed. Even before the existence of the fever was announced by Dr. Elisha Young, there was a panic among the people, and many endeavored to leave for other points, but found that they were hemmed in on all sides,—all places having quarantined against Greensboro.

Many went to the country and remained until after the disease was stamped out by the frost on the 18th day of November. Those who remained did what they could to alleviate the sufferings of the afflicted, attended the sick and buried the dead. Business was almost at a complete standstill during the months of October and November.

Names of some of those who died from yellow fever in 1897

Many excellent citizens died during that year, and it will long remain a memorable period in the history of the town. In January, J. P. Lieser, Dr. J. M. Pickett and Mrs. Jane Buchanan died. In February, Miss Eliza Smaw and Charles A. Sheldon. In March, Alfred Drake and Wilkes Hanna. In April, Mrs. Katherine Randolph and J. Pick Moore (near Greensboro.) In May, Capt. James M. Jack. In June, Mrs. John M. Martin. In August, little Mary Quitman Seed. In September, J. C. Dew. In October, John H. Young, James W. McCrary, Syd Johnson, little Elizabeth Ward, little Margaret Jones and Miss Ida Dorman. In November, Thomas Q. Smith, Shelby W. Chadwick, little Annie Parrish, little Lizzie Lawson, Dr. Thomas R. Ward, Mrs. Maria Williams and Frank Chadwick. In December, D. J. Castleman.

The death rate among the negroes was also unusually high during 1897.

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About Donna R Causey

Donna R. Causey, resident of Alabama, was a teacher in the public school system for twenty years. When she retired, Donna found time to focus on her lifetime passion for historical writing. She developed the websites www.alabamapioneers and www.daysgoneby.me All her books can be purchased at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. She has authored numerous genealogy books. RIBBON OF LOVE: A Novel Of Colonial America (TAPESTRY OF LOVE) is her first novel in the Tapestry of Love about her family where she uses actual characters, facts, dates and places to create a story about life as it might have happened in colonial Virginia. Faith and Courage: Tapestry of Love (Volume 2) is the second book and the third FreeHearts: A Novel of Colonial America (Book 3 in the Tapestry of Love Series) Discordance: The Cottinghams (Volume 1) is the continuation of the story. . For a complete list of books, visit Donna R Causey

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