OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Cholera epidemic of 1849 (Newspaper Article) *************************************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. *************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Lexi MWestphals@aol.com June 30, 1998 *************************************************************************** Hi, A number of people are interested in what the Cholera epidemic article says. So I am writing the main part. Sidney Daily News Thursday May 16 1985 A facility established to assist children orphanned by the 1849 cholera epidemic in the MiamiValley is continuing to serve the area today. A widespread plague swept through the area, leaving hundreds of children homeless and without families. Local care for these children was not always available, nor was there any means of providing homes for each one of them. During the months of July and August the people died so rapidly that the bodies were collected twice each day and buried in four tiers in two trenches each seven feet wide in the west portion of the cemetery. There was no time for funeral arrangements, no religious services. pieces of white cloth were placed outside the houses to notify the authorities of a death, or deaths. The bodies were wrapped in sheets of other make shift shrouds and buried without a box. The neighbors would burn personal effects of the deceased. The illness was brief. A person could be eating a meal and just drop over. Records show Minster appeared to be very hard hit in the area, there were also 44 people who died in McLean Township in Shelby county. In New Bremen there were also deaths from Cholera. In German township which contains New Bremen there were 150 deaths in the village of 700 people. A group of public-spirited Miami Valley citizens recognized the tragedy, and met the needs of the children by forming an Orphan's Soceity and arranging foster homes. The Orphan' Society which existed on membership dues and donation from the townspeople, was soon incorporated as the German Roman Catholic St Joseph Orphan Society. Located in a five room frame dwelling in Dayton. The rest of the article tells about the Orphan Society. Picture of a tall detailed carved monument is included with the article. Says THIS MONUMENT, a symbol of life with limbs and branches gone, marks the mass burial site in St. Augustine Cemetery in Minster of the cholera victims of 1849. I looked forever and finally found family members of this epidemic through a hastily written death list at a area church. Hope this helps someone else. Cheers, Lexi