By Annita Zalenski
In 1849, when the second wave of cholera swept through the United States and England, the cause of the illness was still unknown. Many thought that the disease was atmospheric in origin. Dr. John Snow, an English physician, was determined to find why cholera seemed to affect mainly the poor neighborhoods of London. By mapping the location of each death and the water source for each household he discovered that many of the victims obtained their water from one particular pump. Realizing that the water was related to the illness, Dr. Snow removed the pump handle and stopped the London epidemic. It took years before his theory was accepted.
A Board of Health had been formed in Paterson during the epidemic of 1832; however, it was not active in 1849, when cholera reappeared in the city. At the township committee meeting on May 21, 1849, it was “Resolved, That Doct Frederick S. Weller Town Physician, John Avison overseer of the poor, John K. Flood, Town Clerk, Henry Close, superintendent of streets, and Charles H. May, President of the Town Committee, be requested to act as a Committee in reference to the general health of the Town, and to draw up a report and address to the inhabitants of the Township on the subject and relative to the apprehended appearance of the Cholera among us.”
Throughout the epidemic, the local newspaper often published symptoms of the illness and encouraged residents to seek medical help at the first signs of the disease. The newspaper tried not to alarm the citizens but kept them well informed about the progress of the epidemic. The following newspaper articles and death lists were extracted from Records of the Township of Paterson, New Jersey, 1831-1851: With the Laws Relating to the Township: Extracts from Contemporary Newspapers, and Notes, Compiled and Edited by William Nelson, 1895.
Paterson Intelligencer, June 6, 1849:
Cholera
We learn from the physicians of the Town, that a few cases of malignant cholera have occurred – but nothing to justify fear or create alarm. Only two fatal cases have occurred; one, Mr. Adams, was a person of temperate and good habits, but of feeble constitution and precarious health, and whose death would not be unexpected at any time. The other was a person of extremely intemperate habits, who would probably have fallen a victim to any disease with which he was attacked. The other cases have readily been managed and relieved by proper medical treatment.
By this time, every man, woman, and child, who can read, hear, or understand, must know that the first state of the disease is characterized by a looseness of the bowels, generally unattended by pain. In this state the disease is most readily curable; but if allowed to run on unchecked, it soon becomes unmanageable, and death follows. In all the sudden cases we heard of, on inquiry, we find that the first state of the disease, characterized by the looseness of the bowels, had been present for some days, but been neglected, as there was no pain. Let everyone know that life or death may depend upon stopping this looseness as soon as it appears.
At any of the regular drug stores may be found the proper remedies, the basis of all which is some form of opium. Let no family be without some laudanum or morphine ready at hand in the case of need. We again repeat that there is at present no cause for alarm – that the disease appears to be mild, and if not neglected in its early stages, its as easily relieved as most other epidemics. That the disease is in our community, and that the mysterious choleraic poison is diffusing itself in this locality, cannot be denied – the cases may probably increase, but this disease is more amenable to treatment that formerly – its nature and stages are better understood by the medical profession – and all authority proves that in its early stages it is curable – but let the first symptoms be checked. Life or death depends on this.
By the end of July cholera was rampant throughout the United States. President Zachary Taylor declared August 3, 1849, as a nationwide day of “Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer.” The following proclamation by New Jersey Governor Daniel Haines was published in the Paterson Intelligencer, August l, 1849.
PROCLAMATION
By the Governor of New Jersey.
WHEREAS the President of the United States, in consideration of the prevailing pestilence, has set apart FRIDAY, the third day of August next, and recommended that it be observed throughout the United States, as a day of Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer; and whereas I believe that the people of this State recognize the obligations of a Christian nation publicly to acknowledge their dependence upon Almighty God, and humbly to bow beneath the strokes of his afflictive providence, and fervently to supplicate his mercy; I do therefore hereby cordially respond to the sentiments expressed by the Chief Magistrate of the Union, and unite with him, in recommending to all the citizens of the State, the due and proper observance of the day named; and that abstaining from their worldly pursuits, they assemble themselves in their respective places of public worship, there with humble confession of sin and thankful acknowledgment of past mercies, unitedly and fervently to implore the Almighty Ruler of the Universe, to remove from us the scourge with which we are afflicted and speedily to restore to us the inestimable blessing of health.
Given under my hand at the city of Trenton, the twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and forty-nine.
DAN’L HAINES
One hundred and ten Patersonians died during the epidemic. On September 26, 1849, The Paterson Intelligencer published “a list of the names of all the persons who died of cholera in this town, from the 30th of May last up to the 10th inst.”
1849 Cholera Death List
(The names have been arranged alphabetically. The “Number” column refers to the order in which the entry was published by the newspaper.)
NUMBER NAME AGE
1 Adams, Thomas 41
18 Allen, Edward 52
64 Barrow, Alice 30
27 Bradley, Eliza 25
109 Brandt, Edward 24
6 Brown, Thomas 24
61 Cadmus, Henry T. 43
17 Campbell, Jacob 1
15 Campbell, Margaret 3
16 Campbell, Rebecca 30
14 Campbell, William 45
80 Canas, Patrick 6
79 Candell, John 32
30 Carnton, Michael 39
75 Carnton, Michael 28
7 Clark, William 13
10 Close, Catherine 18
11 Cronow, Barbara 33
103 Cutley, Jane 71
36 Delangle, Thomas 27
101 Doherty, Martha 50
108 Doremus, Ralph G. 40
98 Douglass, Archibald 2
52 Drake, Albert T. 37
49 Feltman, Jacobus 16
45 Female, name not furnished 30
82 Franklin, Mary 1
19 Garabrant, John 19
104 Garrabrant, Garret Unknown
69 Gedney, Mary 49
73 Gillen, Catharine 52
29 Gillespie, John 50
77 Haden, Francis 3
96 Harrison, Betty 12
70 Harrison, John 58
94 Harrison, Samuel 4
78 Heney, Bernard 25
37 Hickett, Joseph 50
43 Jackson, Betsy 50
44 Jackson, Frank 51
89 Johnson, Wm. H. 42
40 Jones, John 31
26 Keane, Jane 6
4 Kelly, Bridget 25
72 Kelly, Edward 54
106 Kenneday, Mary 36
105 Kenneday, William 45
68 Kentworth, Sarah 37
66 Kentworthy, Sarah A. Unknown
84 Kerns, William 2
46 Laird, John 41
91 Lamb, Mrs. 50
67 Lee, Thomas 41
76 Lodge, William 45
85 Mackling, Catherine 32
107 Mager, William 19
32 Maloy, Bridget 13
20 Marrian, Thomas 24
39 Marsh, Agnes 46
83 McCann, Bridget 30
21 McCardle, Susan 24
53 McCoy, James 6
35 McFey, John 34
25 McGinnis, Patrick 81
54 McGrotty, Nancy 33
51 McKivar, James 13
24 McManis, John 28
23 McManis, William 2
31 Mellory, Peter 31
5 Merrian, Thomas Unknown
65 Metcalf, Martha Unknown
57 M’Grechan, Margaret 59
42 Miller, Rachel 14
41 Millhaw, Ellen 49
93 Moss, James 48
74 Mulholland, Catharine Infant
32 Norman, James 6
59 Orr, James 28
99 Palmer, Mary 12
100 Palmer, William 6
90 Patterson, Thomas 39
56 Plates, Henry 37
55 Porter, Thomas 39
102 Post, John 23
28 Rafferty, Hugh 66
3 Redmond, John 34
38 Richardson, Wm. Infant
12 Ricker, Cath. Jane 19
22 Ripple, William Infant
34 Riseley, Philip 27
63 Robertson, Sarah 2
87 Ryan, Patrick 39
95 Schuyler, Benj. 1-1/2
92 Scofield, Mary Ann 46
33 Semidt, Jacob S. 49
2 Shorrock, Ann 29
13 Sindle, Eliza Ann 25
81 Skelly, Thomas 23
9 Skinner, Mary 30
71 Smith, Felix 70
110 Stimson, Ephriam I. 45
62 Stott, Lucy 4
58 Stubert, Hester 13
97 Thompson, Thomas 3
8 Turner, William 48
60 Van Emburg, H’y. 31
50 Vosger, Martin 39
88 Vreeland, John 50
47 Wilden, Sophia 47
48 Wilhelm, John 29
Also published were the names of sixteen people who died in Manchester.
NUMBER NAME AGE
14 Baker, Harman 45
3 Bamper, Lodiwick 67
1 Bannar, Samuel 63
2 Berry, John 45
12 Conover, Samuel 29
5 Demarest, Garret H. 46
6 Demarest, Kesiah 78
11 Dykman, Richard 32
16 Eskie, Sarah 32
10 McCall, Sarah Jane 32
4 Messenger, John 45
9 Stagg, Cornelia 35
7 Van Voorhis, Abraham 55
8 Van Voorhis, Kesiah 39
13 Weymer, Catherine 42
15 Weymer, George 47