The Billious Fever and Martha Furnace.

[Ariadne]

Sooo. I was just searching some obituaries for something unrelated, and came across one that reads as follows:

July 8, 1852
On Thursday, the 17th ult.(June, 1852), at Martha Furnace, ANN ELIZA ADAMS, daughter of Zephaniah and Eleanor Adams, in the 21st year of her age. This is the first fatal case of the prevailing Billious Fever at this place(Martha Furnace). Miss Adams was justly beloved for her many amiable qualities. In her career, she happily exhibited all of the merry cheerfulness of the lark, softened by the gentle spirit of the dove. Her death, sudden and unlooked for, has spread a deep gloom over her wide circel of relatives and friends. M.

Does anyone know anything about the "Billious Fever" at Martha? Was it an epidemic like the Yellow Fever? (To clarify, I mean, was there an epidemic at Martha? I realize billious fever is catch-all term that included the Yellow Fever)

I'd be interested to read more about it.

 

[BEHR655]

Does anyone know anything about the "Billious Fever" at Martha? Was it an epidemic like the Yellow Fever? (To clarify, I mean, was there an epidemic at Martha? I realize billious fever is catch-all term that included the Yellow Fever)

I'd be interested to read more about it.

Never heard of it. I was just checking the Martha Furnace diaries but they only cover from 1808 to 1813. I also did a search on Ann Eliza Adams. Was surprised to find so many and all from that era but none that matched her. I did find one who's husband, at least, lived in Martha's Vineyard. What a co-inky-dink.

Steve

 

[Ariadne]

Yes, what a coincidence! I want to find out if there was an epidemic, because then my next question is where are they all buried?

 

[Ben Ruset]

Probably on their homesteads, or perhaps at one point in time there was a plot at Martha. Figure that they used wooden tombstones which would have burned away in various fires...

My guess that any remains that are left - and I doubt there are - would be around the Ellis Adams farmhouse site.

 

[Ariadne]

I looked at some more obituaries, and it seems there was indeed an isolated outbreak that killed a lot of people.

You are probably right though, Ben, that no grave markers remain. Rats.

 

[Ben Ruset]

You are probably right though, Ben, that no grave markers remain. Rats.

2 for 2 today.

 

[gagliarchives]

Very sad.

 

[Oriental]

1852 sounded like a very late date for an iron furnace to still be operating in the pines so I checked. One source I said that Martha ceased operations in 1844. Certainly there were families that stayed in the area after the furnace went out of blast for good but it couldn't have been a very busy place in 1852. Usually we hear how quickly these towns disappear after the industry disappears. I wonder what would keep people around. It was a little too early for the cranberry craze, however, Barclay White was growing them at Sim Place around then. Charcoal and timber maybe? There must have been some limited farming at Martha too.

The fever at Martha reminds me of the Stephen Meader book "Shadow in the Pines". Has anyone ever read that book?

 

[Ariadne]

I don't particularly know a lot about Martha, but even after the furnace shut down, there'd still be a lingering economy of mills, charcoal kilns, farming, etc. Which is why I hesitate to use the word "epidemic," because I can't imagaine a population much bigger than 100 there in 1852. I know that people were still living there (under what circumstances I'm not sure) through 1860.

Hanover was in operation until July of 1854, but was one of the last bog iron furnaces still operating at that time.

 

[Gerania]

I don't particularly know a lot about Martha, but even after the furnace shut down, there'd still be a lingering economy of mills, charcoal kilns, farming, etc. Which is why I hesitate to use the word "epidemic," because I can't imagaine a population much bigger than 100 there in 1852. I know that people were still living there (under what circumstances I'm not sure) through 1860

Did you get the Epidemics page that I sent to you? There was a nationwide Yellow Fever epidemic in 1852. Even though there may not have been a lot of people living in the Martha area at that time, it's probable that a hefty percentage were affected.

Gillian

 

[Ben Ruset]

1852 sounded like a very late date for an iron furnace to still be operating in the pines so I checked. One source I said that Martha ceased operations in 1844. Certainly there were families that stayed in the area after the furnace went out of blast for good but it couldn't have been a very busy place in 1852. Usually we hear how quickly these towns disappear after the industry disappears. I wonder what would keep people around. It was a little too early for the cranberry craze, however, Barclay White was growing them at Sim Place around then. Charcoal and timber maybe? There must have been some limited farming at Martha too.

There was farming at Calico and Harrisville was in full swing. Plenty going on in that area.

 

[jokerman]

Yes, charcoal production was big at Martha after the furnace ceased and the people would have certainly sought jobs at Harrisville. The church at Martha was functioning in 1852. There were a couple of later attempts to revive Martha into the late 1800's. I think when they rerouted the proposed Central RXR to not include Martha, people stopped trying to start anew at Martha Furnace area. However, there can be little doubt that there were families living there during the time that Harrisville operated (up until late 1800's). In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the fire that destroyed Harrisville may have taken out the remaining dwellings that may have still existed at the time, although I have found nothing to say that there were any buildings at Martha at that time (1914?).

The town of Calico was the result of the cranberry bog that was eventually established at the location of Calico on the map.

 

[BEHR655]

The town of Calico was the result of the cranberry bog that was eventually established at the location of Calico on the map.

Good info. Do you know when the bog began operation?

Steve

 

[Ben Ruset]

But wait a second -- Calico existed during the time that Martha was in operation. Was cranberrying going on at the same time?

When you look at the historic maps and compare them with topos today you can see that the bogs are newer than the town, and actually have obliterated where the town looks like it was located.

 

[BEHR655]

But wait a second -- Calico existed during the time that Martha was in operation. Was cranberrying going on at the same time?

When you look at the historic maps and compare them with topos today you can see that the bogs are newer than the town, and actually have obliterated where the town looks like it was located.

That is what I thought. The cellar holes and corrigated metal by the bogs are to modern to be Calico.

Steve

 

[Ariadne]

Did you get the Epidemics page that I sent to you? There was a nationwide Yellow Fever epidemic in 1852. Even though there may not have been a lot of people living in the Martha area at that time, it's probable that a hefty percentage were affected.

Gillian

No I didn't get it, but I have come across a number of references for it. I was researching the Yellow Fever in Philadelphia in the 1790's earlier this year for something, and would love to read more about the Yellow Fever in 1852. I am wondering if there are parallels...

Could you send it again?

 

[BEHR655]

"Officially uninivited since 1999. "

?????

 

[jokerman]

But wait a second -- Calico existed during the time that Martha was in operation. Was cranberrying going on at the same time?

When you look at the historic maps and compare them with topos today you can see that the bogs are newer than the town, and actually have obliterated where the town looks like it was located.

I'm not sure that Calico was in existence as a town when the Martha Furnace operated. I think the workers lived in the immediate vicinity of the furnace as in most other furnace towns. I think Beck confuses the reality of this in his book as he indicates that Calico was a "suburb" of Martha. I also remember him interviewing people who indicated this probable mistake. One woman I think said that she remembered them carting iron out of there or something. But if that was the 1930's and even if that person was say...80 years old, that would only put that person back to 1850's, and I'm almost positive Martha was done as an iron manufacturer by then. Who knows though, it may have been doing some small scale operation, but no furnace is indicated for 1859.

The town of Calico seems to have been it's own distinct town, probably started later on by some of those who originated from Marth Furnace. It also does not seem logical that all of the workers would have lived this far away, and coincidental, that a cranberry industry is indicated there in the later 1800's. Also, the 1830's map does not show a road leading north or northeast from Martha Furnace to the area where Calico was located. It only shows a short road leading slightly east, which most likely was the Main Street of the town and held workers homes. In addition, no houses or other indications of development are indicated in an 1859 map near Calico, but Martha contains approximately 9 buildings (presumed dwellings), a sawmill, and church at that time.

Anyway, does anyone have information that really connects Calico to the early Martha Furnace days? I don't think the Diary mentions a satellite village...or does it? I think the Calico area is a separate place that was formed specifically around a later cranberry operation, probably an attempt to earn a living after the loss of Martha Furnace. These people probably came from, and therefore had a connection with Martha Furnace. Therefore, the historical information they provided gets confused concerning the two towns. I'd love to hear any input/arguments to this since there may be in fact some literature that does connect the two, and is more reliable than Beck's accounts.