Alton Strickland, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Carl Strickland, Mar. 2002

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Family tradition gives these dates for Alton Strickland: 
  born May 13 1898, died June 18, 1899.
 
My notes about Alton are as follows and include a very sad note by his brother Dempsey:
 
My notes:
 
Died from TB of bones and joints. Suffered his whole life.  His older brother Dempsey visited 
his grave all of his life.   His job had been to rock Alton's cradle.
 
His brother Dempsey wrote in 1978:
 
"He had TB of bones and joints.  He was sick all his life.  His little fingers would swell at 
the joints- turn red and white.  They would send for Dr.  Hammond at Tangipahoa.  He would 
come out and lance two or three at a time.  Dr. did  not give him anything to lessen the pain.  
Finally his hip joint swelled to a huge size, the doctor was called, he came out and when he 
saw it he shook his head.   After a minute or so, he said, " if we lance it he will die, if we 
don't lance it he will die.  If we lance it,  that may relieve his suffering some."  He dropped his
head and sat still for a moment, then said, "Let's lance it".  He lanced it and he died.  I was 
seven years old at the time and would stand off at a distance and watch all this.  Of course 
they did not let me watch when they lanced his hip.  I know I must have suffered for him.  The 
little boys life was a life of suffering.  Why?  An unanswerable question.  Before he got so bad 
sick, I was his keeper while the older folks had work to do.  My father had made a baby bed 
with rockers just like a rocking chair.  They would put him in that bed and I would rock him 
for hours.  I would peep between the posts in the bed and make him laugh.   I really loved him.  
As I write this my eyes are dim.   He was buried in Spring Creek Cemetary and a little stone 
marks his grave with his name and birth and death dates on it.  I visit it every chance I get.  I 
hope to see  him again.  Alton was my little brother."
 
end of notes
  
Carl Strickland
New Braunfels TX