The Spanish Influenza and World War I - seen through the eyes of the Freeman Family
At this time I have been thinking a lot about my great-grandparents, George Richard Freeman and Euphemia Jane Carter Freeman. At the time of this writing, our schools and many other events have been canceled during a pandemic....something the Freeman family also experienced a little over a hundred years ago. It was a time before many modern medical treatments were available. In addition to living with the Spanish Influenza, they also had to worry about two of their sons who were serving in the military.
They must have been resilient people to carry on in those uncertain times. May we take courage from their example as we undergo our own uncertain times.
These excerpts were taken from letters written by members of the Freeman family, mostly to one of the sons, Ernest, who was in France at the time and some of his responses to them.
Ernest Freeman
25 October 1918 - France
I suppose you will be able to smell the gas in this letter because it is so strong. It is the kind that makes you want to cry, too. We are still in quarantine, but hope to be out soon. - Ern
2 Novembre 1918 - France
We are still in quarantine. We are all OK here. Hope the “Spanish Influenza” has passed over your section of the country by now. It seems to be quite deadly over there, in many cases. I’m glad I didn’t get it. - Ern
5 November 1918 - Brigham City, Utah
For almost a month past, we have had no school in this part of the county on account of the Flu (Spanish Influenza) It sure has been going some here and is going yet, but so far all is well with the family as far as Flu is concerned. We haven’t much doing now everything is closed on account of the Flu. Haven’t been to church for seems to me an age. - Wilford - brother
7 November 1918 - Camp de Rouge, France
It seems like the “Spanish Influenza” has made quite a complete trip around the world and it isn’t hard to see where it has been. Needless to say, it was here, but has completely gone now. Our quarantine for the “Influenza” was lifted last night, after about 5 weeks had passed. We have learned to stay “home”, now. Just like chickens, lock them up for a while and they will “hang around.” - Ern
11 November 1918 - Brigham City, Utah
They talk of opening the schools a week from now, all going as it is at the present time. I hope that you will not get a taste of the flue, although they say it is all over the world. - George Richard Freeman - father
11 Nov 1918 - Brigham City
Albert Anderson’s step mother is dead…died of the flue. - EJ Freeman - mother
16 November 1918 - France
A few days ago, my cousin in England wrote that her husband had just been killed in action. (October 29). You know her younger brother was also killed a couple of years ago. - Ern
17 November - Brigham City, Utah
I let W. Bott read your letter. Him and his folks have all had the flue. Places are still closed They talk of opening up about 25 November if all goes well. Earl W. is home on furlough to get his strength normal as the flue leaves them so weak. We surely had a time here last Monday beginning at 3:50 AM in the Sugar Factory and Cement Plant and fire whistles were blowing for nearly an hour, then Mayor Peters gave a speech at 4:30 AM. They had a big parade…cars of all kinds, the new truck, and quite a bunch walking with the town band. It was decided to erect a monument west of the Court House in honor of the boys of Box Elder Co. - George Richard Freeman - father
17 November 1918 - Brigham City, Utah
This being Sunday and all church gatherings prohibited on account of the influenza, I thought I could spend my time no better than by dropping you a few lines. It seems very peculiar not to be able to go to a meeting of any kind, but it gives one plenty of time to read the newspapers and keep posted on what you fellows are doing over there. Last Monday at 4 AM the shriek of the fire siren and the ringing of the fire and Presbyterian bells announced the signing of the armistice. Immediately the streets were filled with people and a bonfire was built on Main Street where Mayor Peters explained to the people the terms of the armistice. As this was too early to have a real celebration, 9:30 was fixed as the hour. At this time, the people came out and celebrated in grand style. All business was suspended and everybody declared it was the most glorious day of their lives. - M.L. Nichols - friend
18 November 1918 - Brigham City Utah
The Flu has been and is very bad here. The schools and public places of all kinds have been closed for 5 weeks at this writing and no hopes for anything to open before December 1st anyway and it certainly has taken toll. Nobody knows who’s next, but I don’t care for my turn. We have 4 Docs in town and 3 of them were down at once, leaving the town and surrounding country for 1 Doc and had it not been for Dr. Weymuller getting his discharge from the army about a week or 10 days before they took down, we would have been doctorless. - Harry F. - brother
23 November 1918 - Camp de Rouge, France
You were wondering if I got the “Spanish Flu.” Decidedly not. I haven’t time for such things. I would be in the best of condition when most of the boys were on their backs. If you have had the disease there for six weeks, you should be about thru with it by now. I think you are all out of luck for turkey this year. It looks like nearly all of the turkeys will be sent over here and the ducks, geese and chickens will be left for you folks. - Ern
24 November 1918 - Brigham City
We started your box (Christmas box) off last Friday. Hope you will get it ok. I wish it had been twice the size but we did the best we could with all public places closed and everyone has to wear a mask to go in a store or clerk in one. It is quite amusing to see people around with a piece of gauze over their mouth and nose, but they have to do something as lots of people are sick and quite a few dying around and some in Brigham. Sister S. lost her boy last Friday with the flue. He was about 8 years old. It is surely a terrible thing. We have escaped so far but cannot tell who will be the next one. I hope that it is not so bad in France. I see by the paper that several of the boys in the band were down with it. Hope they are all well by this time. Everybody is glad the 145th are coming home again. - George Richard Freeman - father
2 December 1918 - Brigham City, Utah
We see an account in the paper about the flue, but among the troops over there and I often thought about you boys. Today’s paper tells us how to treat it if it should come our way. It was written by a soldier from Salt Lake who belongs to the 145 F.A. (145th field artillery). I am very thankful to say we haven’t had it - up to this writing, but it has been very bad in many places. The people here have to wear masks when they go in any of the stores. It sure seems funny not to go to Sunday School or meeting for about 6 weeks. We don’t know what to do with ourselves. - mother
2 December 1918 - Brigham City
Ida (Ernest’s sister) was up to nurse Leonora R. She died at 10 0’clock this morning. She came home to wait upon her father who had the flue. They are all down with it now. There is surely lots of sickness this fall. They talk of opening school on Monday December 9. It has been closed since October 20. Quite a long recess. Everyone is compelled to wear a mask who goes to work in a store or any public place. It surely looks funny to see people around with their mouth and nose covered up but it is alright if it will do any good. It’s surely a terrible thing if people are not careful. We hope and trust that you will not come down with it. - George Richard Freeman- father
9 December 1918 - Brigham City, UT
We are all ok at present for which I am very thankful as there is so much sickness around us all the time. Sister Kotter had all of them down with the flue, but I think they are getting along ok now, so Henry told me the other day. Will told me that Homer had got it up north. It seems to be all over now. There has been over 350,000 die in America since it started. I am still doing mail as schools are still closed. They opened churches and places of amusement in Salt Lake this week to see how they could make it, although they have quite a lot of the flue there at present. People want to know when you are coming home. We tell them we do not know. Mrs. North has not heard any news from her boy since July.
-George Richard Freeman -father
9 December 1918 Brigham City
I did hope you boys would not come back ’til the flue had gone, but we must hope it will be gone by then. It sure has been terrible. It has took Jerry Shaw, the conductor on the O.L. and I. I have a good time nowadays. School has been shut up for the last 8 weeks and it don’t look like they will open this side of Christmas. Meetings, pictures shows and everything is shut up on account of the flue. We have to stay home nowadays so I am making plum puddings and mince pies ready by the time you get here. Ida has been very busy in Salt Lake with the flue patients. She was here in Brigham looking after Leona Reeder. It is Dave Reeder’s daughter, but she died so Ida went back to Salt Lake. Leona was a nurse like Ida…took her training at the LDS. Leona took care of Joseph F. Smith. After he died she came home to Brigham to take care of her father with the flue and she took it and died. - mother
12 December- Camp de Genicart, France
We are not rushed with work because we are now in quarantine and the weather is very wet, with plenty of mud to go with it. - Ern
15 December 1918 - Brigham City, Utah
I have started a fire at the school today. They expect to open this coming week. It has now been two months since we quit. It is surely a great thing to go around these days when there has been so much sickness, but I think the worst is about over now. They are sure discharging (the soldiers) quite fast now. They want to bring the 145th to Salt Lake before they disband. - Geo. R. Freeman - father
18 December 1918 - Camp de Genicart, France
During the past few days a big fence has been placed around the camp and we have been placed in quarantine.We have also had our physical inspection and there is nothing holding us now, only lack of transportation. Tomorrow we have an inspection and make our packs, and get ready to go, so I guess we will sure get out in a few days. This will be my last letter written from France. - Ern
1 January 1919 - on the ocean
We left Bordeaux the day before Christmas. You should have seen our happy faces the morning we left. It hardly seems possible that we are on our way home. I suppose we will be there in a few weeks. - Ern
7 January 1919 - Camp Merritt, New Jersey
We arrived here after spending about 13 days on the ocean and landed in Hoboken, NJ on January 5. - Ern
We have no date for Ernest's exact return home.
26 March 1919 - Cheyenne, Wyoming
I had to leave home (Brigham City) in a hurry. I didn’t know about it until just before noon and had to get out on the 3:30 car. The train traveled very slow, but I got here just before noon and went right up to the fort where I got to see Bert (Ern’s brother who was in the army at Ft. Russell). He looks quite sick and he is very sick. He has pneumonia, an after-development of the “Flu” but he is much better now than he was a day or two ago, so he must have been ‘some sick’. He is getting pretty good treatment and at present they are trying to break up his cold. There is nothing I can do, only go and see him, and they will only let me stay about 30 minutes. I can see him twice a day. I think he will be out of bed in a few days, or probably a week. - Ern
27 March 1919 - Fort Russell, Wyoming
Today Bert took somewhat of a back set and he isn’t in as good condition today as yesterday. However, he has a good fighting chance. His heart is very good and his fever not high, but his pulse is a little high and his lungs are affected. I don’t know when I shall come back, but I cannot come for some time. - Ern
28 March 1919 - Fort Russell, Wyoming
Bert died today. Ern (Ernest accompanied Bert’s body back home to his family in Brigham City. When the family got the telegram about Bert’s illness, they chose Ernest to go be with Bert.)
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