1864 Yellow Fever Epidemic in Craven and Surrounding Counties
“From the Elizabeth Moore Papers, Collection No. 322, East Carolina Manuscript Collection,
J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, N. C. For research and study only;
not for deposit in other repositories. Most manuscripts are protected by copyright laws;
permission to publish must be requested.” Note: Permission for Florence F. Moore to publish
these materials to the InterNet has been received.
………………………………..
Elizabeth Moore published a lengthy article in “The Daily Mirror,” August 8, 1970, that
spanned a two-week time period relative to the Yellow Fever epidemic in 1864. To share
the crux of her information, I have abstracted the names of those persons who were known
to have died during the epidemic. If possible, I will list information relative to the person if
it is included in the article for descendants’ use. Otherwise, it will be only the individual’s
name. She also used information on this epidemic from “The Great Epidemic in New Berne
and Vicinity, September and October, 1864, by one who passed through it (“). W. S.
Benjamin. New Berne, N. C.: Printed and Published by George Mills Joy, 1865.
Many of these names listed were men who had left the service for the Union after the War
and who had returned to New Bern to set up businesses, bringing their wives and children.
John A. Taylor and W. Vanderbeek, who was a sutler,158th NY Volunteers
Lt. Johnson, of the Ambulance Corps
Capt. William Holden, A. Q. M. (Assistant Quarter Master)
Charles Hopkins, of the Chief Provost Marshal’s office
[These men were associated with the (Union) Commissary Department. The order came
from the Medical Director Dr. D. W. Hand to the Chief Provost Marshal to destroy the
wooden buildings on Craven Street Wharf, which concealed their cellars and the
stand(ing) pools, … the torch was applied.”]
Major H. T. Lawson, Chief Provost Marshal
Joseph Boetzkes, boot and shoe dealer, of New Berne
J. Breen, merchant, tailor, and cipher, on Pollock St.
James W. Bryan, Esq., Lawyer – d. Sep. 28, 1864
Mrs. James W. Bryan (wife of the above) – d. Sep. 30, 1864
William L. Poalk, Henry S. Mandeville, John Jones, Curtis Peckford, William P. Moore,
Jr. (all of New Berne)
Mr. James Hervey, formerly Capt. in the 1st NC Regt., purser of the steamer, Massoit.
Capt. Crane, the 15th Regt. Conn. Inf. (stationed in the city as provost guards)
Capt. Septimus S. Smith
Capt. Franklin Beecher
Lt. M. C. Gugur, Q. M. (Quarter Master)
Sgts. Mason Rogers, Amos J. Pratt, Rothius Pettee, Chas. A. Benjamin, Charles A.
Boyle, J. Henrie Burwell,… George Dean, Luke Boylan, Christian Miller.
Lt. Hathaway (on staff of Gen. Palmer, commanding the district of NC)
Dead in Beaufort: John P. C. Davis, Capt. Samuel Howland, Robert Handcock, William
Marshal, Henry C. Jones, Chapman Pierce, Dr. Babbitt, Col. Emory, Mrs. Emory, Mrs.
Noland, Mrs. B. C. Lowenburgh, Mrs. E. E. Bateman, Ruth Hatsel, Mrs. S. Waid, Miss
Ella Duncan, Martha Morse, Anna Gibbs, Charles Sabiston, Miss Veana Dill, Col.
Scammon…(Mr. James Osgood furnished the list…).
New Berne deaths in the fall of 1864:
September:
Mrs. Narcissa Cherry
Miss Elinor Marshall
John Carrow
Mrs. Susan Willis
B. Oxley
Miss Elizabeth Dunn
D. Y. Fisher
October:
Mr. George Miller
Miss Sarah Friese
Miss Polly Sandy
Mrs. Eliza Allen
John Frederick Jones
Alonzo Green
Alex Meadows, Sr.
Mrs. James Stanly
Mrs. James A. Suydam
William Jones
L. B. Herritage
Mrs. Elizabeth Lee
Gideon Carraway
Mrs. Gideon Carraway
Strat’s child (probably child of a former slave)
Mrs. Barth. Oliver
Child of Mrs. Cherry
Capt. Edw. Dudley
Becton Grant
Mrs. John Osgood
November
Cicero Davis
Child of Jacob Scott
Mrs. Lt. (Lieutenant) Pearce
Mr. Robert Kehoe
Fay Hamilton
George W. Wrigley
John H. Peck
And others…
The following list published in the NC Times, Nov. 26, 1864:
Col. T. J. C. Amory/Emory (of 17th Mass. Volunteers), John E. Bryant, Luke Boylan,
Mary Brinkley, Francis Coats, Robert D. Dunn, George Dean, W. A. Easterly, Mrs.
Perry, Isabella Fortescue, James G. Gardner, H. D. C. Griswold, Michael Holland,
Abner Haskell, Mrs. K. Hewitt, John F. Jones, Vincent Jackson, John Kilpatrick,
Charles A. Lawrence, William P. Moore, Mrs. Mary Ann Moore, Thomas Nixon,
Benjamin D. Perry, Henry Patterson, H. S. Rice, Wm. Riel (Rev.), Miss Polly Sandy,
Mrs. James Stanly, Mrs. Ann Shipp, Miss Mary Stanly, L. Searles, John W. Taylor,
John Tolson, Alexr. Tolson, John A. Wadkins, Mrs. Wm. A. Bryan, Samuel White,
and others. Total number during the epidemic estimated at 1300.
Dr. Wilson of the Navy…
Mr. Silas Covill, conductor – of the railroad
Mr. Wheeler, conductor – of the railroad
Andy Kane, connected with the railroad, died in Beaufort
John S. Mateer, formerly of the Govt. Sa(s)h & Blind Factory
Luther W. Holmes, w/44th Mass. Volunteers
Dr. Sitler’s patients numbered more than 400.
Beaufort NC, Oct. 1864
Col. David Heaton, Supervising Spec. Agt. Of the Treas. Dept.
Mr. Conklin, a corporal in 81st Regt. NY
Mr. Blakeslee (son of Charles T. Blakeslee, Esq., Asst. and Spec. Agt. Of the Treas. Dept.)
Capt. Charles A. Lyons
Dr. Bellangee (died in Morehead City)
Dr. Brannigan, Asst. Surgeon of 995h NY Vol. on duty in New Bern
New Bern:
Charles A. S. Perkins, merchant (store at corner of Broad and Middle), and his brother
Lucien Perkins (Adjutant of the 3rd Mass. Inf.)
William Perkins
Mr. Bryant (general delivery clerk, post office)
Robert (unknown) also of the post office
Leaving New Bern and placed in quarantine at Fort Monroe:
C. W. Giddings, form. Ofcs. Blagge and Co.
John Elkins, of Carver and Elkins
John M. Thompson, Esq. of firm of Thompson and Hayden
Mrs. B. F. Wright, wife of Dr. B. F. Wright
Archie Duncan
Mrs. (Netty) Charles Bellois, wife of Lt. Chas. Bellois, Qtr. 132 NY Inf.
Algernon S. Sawyer, born in Hollis, Maine, came to New Berne in Feb. 1862
Charles C. Lawrence, formerly of the 34th Mass.
Mr. W. W. Smith (died latter part of Oct.)
“The Dead Corps”
Henry S. Mandeville
Wm. P. Moore, Jr.
Curtis Peckford
Note: survivors of “The Dead Corps”
Wm. L. Poalk
James P. Allen
C. H. Alexander
W. P. Ketcham
Geo. G. Manning
Simon Kahn
NOTE: There may be repetition of names in these lists since two separate articles from
the Elizabeth Moore Collection were combined. Florence Fulford Moore, September 9, 2008
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