Matagorda Yellow Fever Victims

Matagorda Yellow Fever Victims, 1862

(From the minutes of the city council of Matagorda, entered March 3, 1862)

Upon the request of His Honor, the Mayor (D. E. E. Braman) the following was ordered to be entered in the minutes:

Matagorda City has been much celebrated for the salubrity of its climate and the uninterrupted good health of its inhabitants (with few exceptions) ever since its first settlement in 1827. But in the autumn of 1862, the yellow fever appeared among us and before its departure desolated many homes and brought sadness to the hearts of all. As the prevalence of this scourge is a sorrowful epoch in our history we have caused the mournful results to be recorded herein for the information of future generations.

A list of persons who died of yellow fever in the City of Matagorda between the 21st day of September and the 27th day of November, 1862.

About 150 white inhabitants of both sexes and all ages were in the city during the continuance of the disease. Of these 83 were attacked, 45 died and 43 recovered.

Name Age Died Where Born

Baxter, Mrs. Wm. A. 22 Sept. 25 Texas

Burkhart, Miss Rebecca E. 16 Oct. 5 Texas

Burkhart, Mrs. Catherine 57 Oct. 8 Bavaria

Burkhart, Miss Louisa 27 Oct. 13 Philadelphia
(Of one family, mother and daughters)

Barbour, Mrs. Wm. D. 27 Oct. 6 Ireland

Bates, Mrs. T. F. 27 Nov. 18 Illinois

Carter, Miss Mary 18 Sept. 26 Texas

Dreyling, Mrs. Gus 21 Oct. 24 Germany

Dietrich, Antoine 14 Oct. 30 Texas

Dietrich, Sebastian, Sr. 67 Oct. 18 Germany

Dietrich, Mrs. S. 69 Oct. 13 Germany
(Husband and wife)

Fisher, Mrs. Ann 67 Oct. 20 Philadelphia
(Widow of Sec. of Navy under old Republic)

Freeman, Miss 10 Nov. 11 Germany

Frazier, Daniel 30 Oct. 18 Georgia

Giles, Silvester (Postmaster) 40 Oct. 31 Massachusetts

Haden, Jas. F. 49 Oct. 8 Alabama

Haden, Mrs. Jas. F. 37 Oct. 12 Mississippi

Haden, Miss Mary F. 18 Oct. 12 Mississippi

Haden, Miss Sally 16 Oct. 14 Mississippi

Haden, Miss Anna 11 Oct. 17 Mississippi

Haden, Nora (a child) 8 Nov. 27 Mississippi
(Sheriff of County, father, mother and daughters)

Hillard, Mrs. Wm. (teacher) 40 Oct. 23 England

Hillard, Thos. S. (Son of Mrs. Wm.) 17 Oct. 30 Texas

Johnson, Mrs. Peter 25 Sept. 22 Germany

Layton , William 68 Oct. 18 New Jersey

McDonald, Alex 40 Oct. 16 Scotland

McDonald, Mrs. Alex 45 Oct. 25 Massachusetts (Husband and wife)

Mackey, Mrs. Ruth 70 Oct. 30 Maryland

Owen, Tremoine 15 Oct. 10 Maryland

Perry, Mrs. Rebecca 29 Sept. 28
(Widow late Dr. J. C. Perry)

Robertson, Jacob 49 Nov. 22 Georgia

Selkirk, Jas. H. ( County Clerk ) 48 Oct. 13 Germany

Shultz, Mrs. Ford 35 Oct. 13 Germany

Stanley, Miss Susan 24 Oct. 15 Ireland

Stanley , Mrs. Lydia 64 Oct. 16 Ireland
(Mother and daughter, Mrs. S., mother of W. D. Barbour)

Schmerber, Mrs. M. 25 Oct. 16 Germany

Vanslyke, Robt. 6 Oct. 6 Texas

Vanslyke, Miss Lucy 17 Oct. 12 Texas

(Brother and sister)

Wadsworth , Mrs. A. 45 Oct. 13 North Carolina

Wadsworth , Albert 50 Nov. 4 North Carolina (Husband and wife)

Yeamans, Mary 12 Oct. 10 Texas

Also an infant child of S. W. Fisher, two children of Abner Reeves and a child of Adam J. Miller died of yellow fever during same time. making in all 45 deaths.

There were about 50 slaves in the city. Many of them took the fever and some were very sick but none died.

William D. Barbour, Secretary

Reprinted in The Daily Tribune, August 23, 1945

Additional Notes Page 2 Page 3 Family Groups

Copyright 2004 - Present by Carol Sue Gibbs All rights reserved
This page was created Jan. 13, 2005	This page was updated Feb. 24, 2008

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