The Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918-1919: Liddle Family

The Great Flu Pandemic of 1918-1919 was first traced to March of 1918 and spread across the
country through the Spring of 1919. Iowa began to see a marked increase in cases in October of 1918. Most of the state's 2.4 million residents were living in rural areas, slowing the spread, but leaving devastation in its wake due to a lack of information, preventive measures, medical staff and hospitals. The toll in the US at the end of the pandemic was 675,000 dead. Worldwide, that number, difficult to gauge, was estimated at 21.5 million dead.

The pandemic hit the state on October 5, 1918, with cases in Des Moines, Dodge City, and Onawa. Camp Dodge, the military encampment, was put on lockdown. By October 9, 1918, Dr. Guilford Sumner, the state health commissioner, banned all indoor funerals for influenza victims. From that date forward, only outdoor funerals were permitted. People were encouraged to clean their mouths and noses at least twice per day.

Little did the Frank Liddle family know in the early days of December 1918, that their lives would be changed dramatically before Christmas. Frank and Letitia farmed outside of Horton in Bremer County, Iowa. Additionally, Frank and son Floyd operated a milk route for the Mohawk Condensed Milk Company. In all likelihood, their travels most likely brought them into contact with the flu.

Chronological Map of the Influenza Epidemic of 1918 indicating the approximate dates on which the disease
reached an epidemic stage.

Frank and his wife Letitia Ogbin Liddle had nine children. Little Arthur Liddle, born in 1887, had died at just over a year old. The remaining eight children resided with their parents on the family farm or were married with families of their own. The eldest son residing at home, Floyd, fell ill with the influenza that was sweeping the state. Then, Letitia fell ill along with little Hazel. Finally, Frank, who had done all he could to hold things together fell ill along with Gynith and Irving. On December 5, 1918, Floyd died. His mother died on the 10th, unaware of her son's passing. Hazel, a particularly cheerful child referred to as her father's favorite followed on December 13th and finally, father Frank succumbed on December 15th. Somehow, Gynith and Irving survived, but were left orphans along with their adult siblings Guy, Grace, and Florence.

Sunnycrest Sanitarium

Irving ended up living to see his 89th birthday and died in 1991. Gynith, who had struggled so valiantly through her brush with death in 1918 ended up being a successful teacher in the Bremer County rural schools, began to notice her health declining in 1929. She was diagnosed with tuberculosis, spent time in at the Sunnycrest Sanitarium in Dubuque, Iowa and saw her health improve.  Weeks later, however, her health again declined, and she died at the age of 26 just after the new year in 1931.


http://www.flu.gov/pandemic/history/