Death in 1910 

by Bob Brail

One of the consequences of experiencing the COVID pandemic is that people became aware of numbers relating to death, such as the total number of people who had died from the disease, the number who were predicted to die in the future, and the overall death rate for different regions. Even before COVID, however, death certificates meant that much information about death was always available. For examples, the leading causes of death in Missouri before COVID were heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, accidents, and stroke. What about death in Missouri one hundred years ago? The state of Missouri standardized death certificate requirements in 1910, so it is possible to take a look at the causes of death in Dardenne, Femme Osage, Callaway, and Charette Townships in 1910. Not surprisingly, the causes of death were different then.

One hundred twenty-five death certificates were completed in 1910 in the previously mentioned townships. The five leading causes of death recorded on these certificates were pneumonia (19 deaths); stillbirth (13); tuberculosis (12); kidney disease (10); and accidents, falls, and cancer (7 each). Other significant causes were infection and bronchitis (5 each); and stroke, meningitis, and premature birth (4 each). Remaining causes of death were typhoid, senility, gastritis, malnutrition, cirrhosis of liver, acute dilation of the breast, childbirth, paralysis, rheumatism, chronic intestinal catarrh, alcoholism, influenza, measles, brain disease, ilea colitis, tetanus, sudden infant death, septicemia, bowel inflammation, and gunshot.

One very noticeable aspect of these causes is the high percentage of deaths that occurred in children under the age of five, newborns, and stillbirths. Thirty-two of the 125 death certificates were for children in these groups; this represents over twenty-five percent of the total number of deaths in 1910. Included this total was little Alice Dierker, who was twelve days' old in August when she died of neonatal tetanus, most likely caused by the cutting of the umbilical cord with a knife that wasn't sterile. Also included in this total would be the premature birth that occurred because the mother, a farm wife, had lifted a heavy gate; the baby lived two hours.

Not included in this total would be two mothers. Henrietta Thoroughman of Femme Osage Township whose death certificate lists the cause of “pregnancy (placenta previa).” This condition, which can cause severe bleeding, is when the placenta grows over the cervix. Today a C-section would allow for a safe birth, but Henrietta Thompson did not have that option when she died on November 10 at the age of twenty-five. Also not included in the total of children would be Carrie Maschmeier of Femme Osage Township, who died on September 12 at the age of forty from puerperal infection, which is caused by lack of sterility during the birth of a stillborn child on August 16. One can only imagine the grief of William, husband and father.

Other deaths in the four townships in 1910 were equally tragic. Nine year-old Justus Meyer, sone of Richard and Louis of Femme Osage Township, was playing in his family's barn on New Year's Day when he fell from the hayloft and struck his head. He survived eight hours before succumbing to his injury on January 2. On August 21, seven year-old Harrison (Tate) Castlio, son of Jasper and Amanda of Dardenne Township, died two months after his doctors decided his retroperitoneal sarcoma was inoperable. This rare tumor, without known cause, grows at the back of the abdomen and not uncommonly reaches a weight of twenty to thirty pounds.

Sometimes the death certificates tell tragic stories of adults. Anna Elise Hildebrandt of Charette Township was riding near Marthasville on a wagon with her husband when the wagon overturned in a sinkhole, and Anna drowned. Alcohol caused the deaths of three men: one man in his forties died from alcoholism, and two men were intoxicated when struck by trains and killed.

For several decades the four Welp siblings had lived on their family farm in Charette Township. None of them had ever married. On April 29, fifty-seven year-old William died of kidney disease. However, even greater sadness occurred later that year in December. On December 9, sixty-five year-old Ernst died of pneumonia. His funeral was held on December 11. The next day fifty-nine year-old Lisette died of pneumonia. The following day, December 13, forty-eight year-old Wilhelmena died of pneumonia. A double funeral was held for the two sisters. In Dardenne Township farmer Daniel Lehman suffered a puncture wound that finally took his life ten days later on February 21 when septicemia killed him. Fritz Echelmeier, a seventy-six year-old resident of Femme Osage Township, accidentally fell down a flight of stairs in December and was killed.

One more interesting facet of these death certificates from 1910 is the ages of the deceased. Compared to today, people died earlier then. Only five of the 125 individuals who died were in their eighties; the oldest was eighty-three. Nineteen of the 125 were in their seventies, and eleven were in their sixties.

The Missouri Secretary of State's website that provides copies of all Missouri death certificates issued since 1910 is certainly an interesting source for exploring the causes of deaths over the past one hundred years. While it is true that each of us will one day be the subject of a death certificate, it is very possible that the cause of death listed will differ greatly from the causes listed in 1910.

Sources: Brookfield Gazette, April 30, 1910 (access-newspaperarchive.com); Federal Population Censuses; “Missouri Death Certificates, 1920-1972” (s1.sos.mo.gov/records/Archives); Troy Free Press, July 14 and 15, 1910 (access-newspaperarchive.com). Several medical websites were also consulted.