Johnston Historical Society Historical Notes
Vol. VIII, #1, April 1998
Louis H. McGowan, President and Editor
Pat Macari, Vice President
Smallpox Scare
by Steve Merolla
Among the many hardships facing our forbears in the early history of the town was the threat of disease. One of the worst was smallpox, once one of the most contagious of diseases. During severe epidemics as many as 30 out of 100 people afflicted with the disease would die; during mild epidemics as few as 1 in 100 would succumb. Smallpox was caused by a virus and could be transmitted by coughing, sneezing, or even talking. It could also be passed along indirectly through infected clothing, utensils, and bedding.1
Among the symptoms were red spots that appeared on the skin about 3 or 4 days after the disease took hold. These spots became raised and in a few days developed into blisters that filled with pus. Fevers also accompanied the disease. If the patient survived, the blisters eventually dried up, the fever dropped, and the patient improved. Scales formed where the blisters fell off, but in severe cases pockmarks remained in the skin.2
The seriousness of smallpox to the community was reflected in the fact that reports of its outbreak merited action by town authorities. There are several references to it in the Town Council records of 200 years ago. At a Town Council Meeting on September 30, 1776, we can read the following minutes—"Whereas it is represented unto this Council that Mrs. Hope Hawkings is now sick with Small Pox at her house in this Town—It is therefore voted and resolved that the said Hope Hawkins remain in the House where she now is and that such parts of the family as have not had the Small Pox be removed Immediately into the new house of Job Smith which is taken by this council for that purpose..."3
On October 1, the vote to remove Mr. Hawkins' family was rescinded, but there was another resolution passed. "Resolved that Richard Eddy Esq., Joshua Greene, Josiah King Esq., Richard Thornton, Joseph Harris Esq., and Nehemiah Sheldon be and they are hereby appointed a Committee to set proper guards Round the House of Mrs. Hope Hawkins who is infected with the Small Pox And that the said Richard Eddy be and is hereby directed to go to the said House to examine and Inspect the rest of the Family and see if they or any other of them have taken the Infection by Inoculation or otherwise and further to inform them (if they have not taken the Infection) that they or either of them may remove Tomorrow by nine o'clock of the forenoon after which time the said committee are not to suffer any Persons to pass or repass to and from said House without an order of two or more of the Committee and that the said Committee be further directed to block up the Road by Nehemiah Sheldon's and also above Ephraim Pearce's House and at such other Places as they or the major part of them shall think necessary."4 The house in question would seem to be the one located in the vicinity of the Killingly Street-Greenville Avenue intersection. On October 6, 1776, there was one final action regarding this case—"Resolved that no Person be Inoculated in the House of Mr. Hawkins without Leave from this Council or from this Town."5 Mrs. Hawkins survived her bout with smallpox, for she died some 27 years later, on July 20, 1803 at 86 years of age. (As a note of interest, Hope Hawkins was the sister of Stephen Hopkins, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence).
The Town Council resolution of October 6, 1776 is quite interesting and directly relates to a similar account almost a year later. It seems that Mr. Benjamin Carpenter's house was infected with smallpox. The usual precautions were taken to prevent spread of the disease, such as setting guards to prevent anyone from entering or leaving the premises. But on August 8, 1777 there is the following entry in the Town Council records—"Resolved that Ebenezer Sprague Esq. be permitted to Carry into the House of Benjamin Carpenter Esq. his youngest Child to have the Small Pox in Lieu of his Eldest Daughter who was permitted to go in by this Council."6 It was common knowledge that a person could catch smallpox only once during their life. A widespread practice at the time was for individuals to attempt to inoculate themselves or their family by taking pus from a pox-infected person's blister and inserting it into an open wound or cut in an uninfected person. Presumably, this was done during a mild outbreak of the disease. If the recipient was successfully infected and overcame the smallpox, he or she would now be immune. However, this method, introduced in England in 1718, could still be highly dangerous.7
We can see from the records that this method of inoculation was being practiced in Johnston and may have been quite common. On account of the dangers of a widespread outbreak, these inoculations, however, were well-regulated by the Town Council.
Soon, however, there was to be a better answer. It was noted that milkmaids rarely, if ever, contracted the smallpox if they had been previously infected with the cowpox, which was a minor disease that rarely caused death or disfigurement. In 1796, Edward Jenner, a British physician, took matter from the hands of a milkmaid infected with cowpox. He then inserted the matter into two cuts made on the arm of a healthy 8-year-old boy. The boy caught cowpox. Six weeks later, Jenner inserted smallpox matter into the arm of the same boy, but the boy remained unaffected by the deadly disease. The experiment proved successful. This was the first vaccination ever given. After 1800, vaccinations became accepted as a means to prevent smallpox.8
The new method, however, took time to travel across the Atlantic Ocean, for a smallpox outbreak in 1800 in Johnston also saw the risky old method of inoculation still being practiced. At a Town Council Meeting on June 29, 1800, a committee of three citizens was appointed "...to visit Ruth Spears, wife to Capt. William Spears who is suspected of being sick at Jeremiah Manton's with the Small Pox..." The committee, along with a Doctor Wheaton visited Mrs. Spears and determined she was in fact infected, and that the families of Jeremiah Manton and part of the family of Valentine Sweet were greatly exposed to the disease. The Council, determining that it was impractical to move Manton's family out of their house, voted "...the said Ruth Spears be removed to the aforesaid Jeremiah Manton's Cyder House or Barn Immediately and that the said Jeremiah Manton and Valentine Sweet have liberty to Innoculate their families and also that the aforesaid Building be made use of for the aforesaid purpose and no others—It is further voted and resolved that the Highway be fenced up at the Westernmost corner of Col. Daniel Manton's Pasture and also at the East corner of the same, the Passing be through said Pasture in the Convenientest and most safe Way." Another committee was formed "...to establish the lines and to report such regulations as they shall think necessary for the Hospital and also to prevent the Spreading of the said Infection."9
The Town Council reconvened the next day, June 30, 1800. "Whereas Abraham Belknap jun., Major Valentine Sweet and Col. Edward Manton who were appointed a Committee to report such Regulation respecting the Small Pox at the new Hospital as to them Shall Seem Necessary—Report that they have visited the same and Agreeable to the Resolve of this Council have fenced out the ground and removed the said Ruth Spears into the said Hospital and it is their Opinion that there ought to be some measures taken to Stop the passing and repassing of persons to and from the aforesaid place without liberty."10
What is rather strange here is the concept or meaning of the word "hospital." A hospital at that time seemed to have been merely any place to quarantine infected people and to inoculate others who had yet to contract the disease. Presumably those who had previously survived a bout of smallpox and were thus now immune, would have cared for the sick patient in the "hospital."
The fear of smallpox no longer troubles us for through the advances of modern medicine the disease has been totally eradicated worldwide.
Footnotes:
A Small Brook and a Large Oak Tree
by Louis Ullucci I
Following the brook that divides the Leroy White property to the right and behind the Sarah Dyer Barnes School on Barnes Avenue, about ten or twelve years ago I walked up to one of the largest oak trees that I have ever seen. It definitely is comparable to a large one I had seen in Smithfield. With my two grandsons, a cat, and a dog in tow, we were mesmerized by the immense size of the giant tree. There was no way we could measure the girth of the trunk as none of us came prepared for a surprise such as this. The terrain is quite rough and skirting the slow running brook with its numerous rocks and dead wood was a chore in itself. The tree is probably the better part of a mile from home, and it took about three hours to return to the departure point at the large conduit drain under Barnes Avenue. Remains of about a half dozen stone walls, mostly tumbled over, remain deep in the woods, and many small mounds of stone dart the area. The stacks of piled rock, about two feet around, are a mystery to myself and the children. We have discussed them in great length since our walk, but no ready answers came to mind.
The incline that feeds the stream starts at the athletic complex behind the high school at the corner of Cherry Hill Road and Atwood Avenue. About one-third of the way down Cherry Hill Road another flow joins in that has its beginning somewhere at Stamp's Pond. The brook gradually flows under Greenville Avenue at the intersection with and running alongside Newman Avenue. Entering the Woonasquatucket River beyond Springfield Avenue, where the railroad trestle is now just a memory, the brook loses its identity.
The brook also sports a small stone enclosure of some kind that has been there for a number of years and is a complete puzzle to all who see it. Covering an area of four feet, it is a square that rises three or four feet out of the ground. The stones are mortared in place and nearby are two foundation-like openings, not as large as dwelling bases and very baffling. As a child, I recall playing in the tiny square many times in my walks along the small stream. Some of the cement is now flaking off and one side has caved in, but the site is still very discernible and perplexing as usual. A watering hole is probably the most logical reason for it being there. I talked to a neighbor from down the street, a little older than myself. He can look back to about 1920 and can remember noticing then the strange stone enclosure.
Society Doings
In December we held our annual Christmas Party, and it was a rousing success. About 40 members and guests attended and the house was rocking. As always the food and decorations were wonderful and the socializing was great. If you did not attend, make sure that you are here next December.
At our January meeting Louis McGowan presented a slide show on Johnston. We had a lot of fun reminiscing about the old days in town.
In February, Joe Coduri of the R.I. Post Card Club made us all very jealous by showing us slides of cards from his extensive collection. He spoke about the hobby of postcard collecting, illustrating the important points with views of his vintage cards. Joe is very generous with his collection, and he graciously made us copies of his Johnston postcards.
Walter Thierfelder of the North Providence Rangers was guest speaker at our March meeting. He once again instructed and entertained us with tales of the life of Revolutionary War soldiers.
Grant Activity
We recently purchased a Gateway 2000 computer with money from our Champlin Grant. It is a wonderful tool and should help us greatly with our historical work. With our own money we bought a printer and a scanner to assist our efforts in newsletter production and such.
We received our plaquing money from Senator Polisena in April 1998 and have started narrowing down our list of houses to be plaqued. We will soon be sending out letters to owners of outstanding houses to see if they are interested in participating in the program.
History Fair
Steve Merolla and Louis McGowan represented our society at the 1998 History Fair at the High School in March. As always the students did a good job. We gave out rewards for best display in show and to best local history display.
Acquisitions
Thanks to the following individuals for their generous donations:
We also purchased a number of items from Thomas E. Greene. These included: two 19th century maps of the Merino Mill site, formerly in Johnston; a number of school related items; a petition for the 1898 annexation of the western Olneyville area; and two original tax lists.
We also thank the following individuals for loaning us their photos to copy for our second book: Jim Shaw, Mabel Sprague, Ralph and Tina aRusso, Paul and Betty Russo, Sam Coupe, Lawrence Pezza, Jimmy Geary, Bob Whitaker, Joe Coduri, Mrs. Tommy Florie, Louis Ullucci, Fred Iafrate, Vin LaFazia, Herb Newman, Dot Baxter, Ray McGowan, Millicent Newsham, Susie Brown, Bob Russo, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Travelyn, Henry Armstrong, Thomas E. Greene, Al Morro, R.I.D.O.T., and Alan Iemma.
Tea Party
We had a tea social this past March, 1998. Everyone dressed in jackets, ties, and hats. It was a lot of fun. Thanks to Bel Peters, Dan and Nancy Brown, and Louis McGowan for putting the event together and thanks for all who attended and who brought food items.
Meeting Attendance
Attendance at our monthly meetings has been quite good, averaging between 15 and 20 members.
Cemetery Cleanup Day
On April 18, 1998, the Parks and Recreation Department, under Vin LaFazia's direction, and the Johnston Historical Society headed up the third annual town-wide cemetery cleanup. Town groups cleaned 24 cemeteries. This very successful event shows the wonderful spirit of co-operation, hard work, and remembrance of our past that many town residents exhibit. Thanks to all who participated.
Fred Brown
Our society mourns the passing of Fred Brown on April 29, 1998. Fred was the father of our Treasurer, Dan Brown, and lived in Johnston much of his life. He was an Army veteran of World War II and a past president of the Greystone Social Club. He is remembered as having a great sense of humor and was well-known in the village of Graniteville, where he coached Little League Baseball in the 1950s. He was also a fine baseball player and a good swimmer. Our thoughts are with his family.
Pasta Dinner
On May 2 our society held our second annual Pasta Dinner with the Graniteville Baptist Church. It was another big success. We sold out again, as we did last year. Everyone seemed to have a good time, and all said they enjoyed the food. We would like to thank all those who worked so hard in the kitchen and in the Church hall waiting and cleaning up. Both organizations earned $270 each.
Headquarters Yard Work
Thanks to Dan Mernier, we had a lot of work done in our yard at no cost. Dan set up a yard cleanup day at our headquarters, volunteered his time, and donated some good-sized trees to replace one designated to be cut down. On April 25, Dan, Steve Merolla, Everett Cogswell, and Louis McGowan spent the morning planting trees, cutting down junk wood, and raking. Dan and a friend came back another day to take down a few of the big trees that we could not manage that day.
Johnston—Images of America
Our book has been well-received. We have heard many good things about it and we feel that we are contributing to a more positive image of our town. Johnston is a good place to live—we should be proud of our history.
A second Johnston book in the same series is in the works. We are gathering photos all the time. Please keep us in mind. If your family has lived here for a couple of generations, they probably have photos that we could use. They do not have to be 100 years old. Let's make this second book a real team effort!
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Johnston Historical Society, 101 Putnam Pike, Johnston, RI 02919, (401) 231-3380, info@johnstonhistorical.org
Unless otherwise noted, all content is © 2006 Johnston Historical Society.
Posted April 2006