FRANKLIN COUNTY OHIO - HISTORY of Madison Township:  CHOLERA in 1833
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Louise Schlaff 
lschlaff@htonline.com
December 4, 1998
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December 4, 1998, Brief summary of Chapter 9 from the book entitled, History of
Madison Township including Groveport and Canal Winchester, Franklin County,
Ohio" by George F. Bareis. (Summary  by Louise Keller Schlaff)

                              CHOLERA IN 1833

In the latter part of June, 1833, a man traveling by canal boat from Cleveland,
stopped off at the road crossing the canal about a mile and one-half west of
Winchester, and went to the residence of a Mr. Woodcock--who lived near where
the toll gate used to be kept on the Columbus and Winichester pike, now owned
by Mr. Judy--and at his request Mrs. Woodcock did some washing for him, and it
supposed that the clothes were infected with cholera. Mr. Woodcock went to
George's cree to fish while his wife did the washing: he soon after returned
and drank freely of buttermilk. In a very short time afterwards he took
violently sick, his family and near neighbors thinking from the effect of the
buttermilk. At that time this was one of the most thickly settled neighborhoods
in the township, and of course everybody was alway ready to lend a helping hand
when theyhad to depend on each other. It was not long until nearly the whol
neighborhood had gathered to lend what assistance they might, none dreaming of
the dread pestilence so soon to enter their homes. Mr. Woodcock soon died, and
only a few hours afterwards his wife died also. Dr. Wiley, who lived in the
Wheeler houose, now owned by J. M. Lehman, expressed the opinion that they had
died of cholera. Nearly all present thought it precautionary to leave at once,
and suited their actions to their feelings. But it was too late. Within the
next few weeks some 30 or more persons died in this neighborhood alone. Nearly
all died in a few hours after being attacked. Among those who died are the
following:Wm. Woodcock, a cooper by trade, and his wife; Walter Hughes, and his
son Walter, who lived in a log house just south of the road and opposite the
residence of Geo. Keichle; Henry Schoonover and son Perry aged 7 years, who
lived in a log house on the bank of Walnut creek, just back of Chaney's tract.
now occupied by Mr. Bitler; John Schoonover, who lived 200 or 300 yards south
of his brother Henry; Wm. Davis and wife, Geo. W. Drain, Benj. Boyd and his
wife Polly and two children, I h of Union Grove Cemetery, which house was
afterwards removed to the first lock west of Winchester, where it stood many
years and was finally consumed by fire. Mrs. Isaac McCormack, Evans McCormack,
Thompson Cross, wife and son, who lived in a log cabin that stood near where
D.H. Tallman now lives; a Mr. Cox, who lived in a log house on the Amos Painter
farm: a Mr. Gale, who lived about one hundred yards south of the canal, on the
east side of the Oregon road, and Mrs. WM. Smith, who lived in the old brick
house on the Jerry Alspach farm. She was the last victin. Mr. Martin, in his
history referring to this epidemic, writes: "In the summer of 1833 the cholera
made its first appearance in Franklin county. It first broke out in the early
part of the summer, in a neighborhood on the canal, in Madison Township, where
it proved very fatal, but was confined to the space of a few miles only. On the
14th of July it made its first appearance in Columbus, and continued until
about October....

In the latter part of August, 1854, there were three deaths in Winchester
supposed to have been by cholera. Two strangers came on a boat; one of them
died the next morning and the other soon after; the third one was Dutch Philip
(Philip Bourne); he lived in the house now occupied by Mrs. McFadden; it was
then plastered on the outside and painted to represent variegated marble, and
in consequence was called the "calico house.: The two strangers died in the old
Bartlit store building near the canal bridge, in which Jacob Direling then kept
a tavern.

(Writer's Note: Copy this. It is first in a series of articles about Madison
Township. Louise Keller Schlaff)


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