We are in the midst of a worldwide pandemic but it is relatively mild compared to the granddaddy of pandemics. Little more than 100 years ago, the world, our nation and even our Delhi Township suffered from the scourges of the 1918 Influenza epidemic.
Few people are left alive from that time, but many can name relatives who died from the flu. We don’t know the true number since there was no testing like there is now, but it’s estimated more than 60 million people died worldwide – 675,000 of them in the U.S.- about 6 times the number who have died from this year’s Covid 19. According to an Enquirer article printed January 20, 1919, Ohio reported more than 22,000 deaths from the Influenza the previous three months (Oct-Dec 1918). On one day alone, Oct. 27, 52 people died at Cincinnati General Hospital of the flu.
The flu hit pockets of Delhi. We are able only to analyze from death records as official numbers were never reliable since Hamilton County didn’t require communities to report cases, and many were treated and died at home. The outbreak near Mount Alverno started in late November 1918, when 15-year-old John Schroder, only child of Fred and Lizzie Hehe Schroder, got sick. He died Dec. 7. A week later, Magdalena Ihle, a neighbor of the Schroder family also died leaving behind eight children, four of them under the age of 10. Her next door neighbor 20-year-old Aloysius Fox died December 18, 1918, following a six-day battle with the flu. Four days later, his mother Agatha Fox died. They were both buried the day after Christmas. In addition to her husband, Agatha left behind a 17-year old daughter, and three sons 15, 12 and 6.
Another flu pocket was on Cleves Warsaw west of Prout’s Corner. Joe Witsken, owner/operator of Witsken Dairy died Dec. 8, 1918. One of his dairy hands,Charles Metzger, died a week later, leaving a widowand 6 children under the age of 10. His death certificatelists “la Grippe” a name often used for the Spanish Flu.
Death records show that the Sisters of Charity suffered at least 3 deaths. Thirty-two year old Sister Anna Marie Finn’s death in November 1918 was listed as “pneumonia - probably influenza” on her death certificate. Sister Mary Felix Creedon, age 75, died in February 1918 from lobar pneu- monia—influenza.
Other Delhi deaths include Magdalena Pessler – 28 – Hillside Avenue, Loretta Rosella Fischesser, age 2, of Martini Road, and her aunt Sophia Fischesser 37, who died enroute to General Hospital. Sophia left behind a young daughter who suffered from another scourge of the time, infantile paralysis, better known as polio.
To learn more about the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandenic and how it relates to the Covid-19 Pandemic of this year, view a slide presentation created by member Matt Maley.
Fred and Lizze Schroder, around 1910, lost their only child to the Spanish flu.
Joe Witsken, left with his dog, died in December 1918 of the Spanish Flu. He is shown here at his dairy on Cleves Warsaw near what is now Covedale about 1907 with his son Henry, wife Mary holding Lawrence, and farmhand Henry Messick.
