Durbin, Lovina, Harvey, William and Dora d. 1878

DURBIN

Posted By: Barbara Hug (email)
Date: 5/10/2005 at 17:47:57

Bereavement

It is not often that we are called upon to witness so sad a bereavement as that which befallen the family of S. H. Durbin, of Sherman Tp., in this county. On Sunday afternoon, September 8th, Willie, the oldest son, complained of sore throat and distress indicating diphtheria.

The parents, having had considerable experience in the treatment of that disease, and being prepared with remedies that had been effectual in staying and dispelling the same, lost no time in applying them. Finding these remedies ineffectual, the family physician was called in, and everything that medical skill, good care, and parental affection could accomplish, was done, but to no avail. Willie, just as he had passed the line, that divides childhood from youth, was marked a victim to this terrible scourge, and on Monday morning, Sept. 16th he passed away.

On the Friday previous the disease developed itself on Mrs. Durbin, Anna, the oldest daughter, and Dora, a bright bud of three summers. These cases all seemed to yield to medical treatment until Monday forenoon, when a mother's quick perception detected another hand reaching after her choicest flower.

The physician had been gone but an hour or so, and was recalled before he got out of the neighborhood, only to confirm their fears, --croup in its worst had taken hold of Dora. While friends were paying the last tribute of respect to Willie, and Mr. Durbin and Vonie were the only ones of the family to stand by the grave, the wrestle between the beautiful flower and the hideous fiend was going on in the home. After many hours of intense suffering, on Wednesday morning Sept. 18th, Dora, the beautiful, passed away.

Before we could scarcely realize that Dora was gone, intelligence came that Vonie, who had been taken by a kind neighbor and friend for care and safety, was attacked. Steps were immediately taken to bring her back to that home from which she had gone for safety. --Her case was of the most malignant type, never yielding for an instant to medical treatment, and on the afternoon of Saturday, Sept. 28th, Vonie passed away, in the tenth year of her age.

After thoroughly renovating and disinfecting the house and premises, it was thought safe for Harry , the youngest boy, six years of age to return home, which he did on the evening of Oct. 1st to take his bed in a few hours thereafter, where he was watched over by parents, physician and friends, until Sunday morning, Oct. 6th, when seeing "angels and flowers above him," he departed.

We saw the parents stand by three little mounds while the fourth was building. We saw them return to that desolate home, and the wail of grief that went up from the mother's heart as she entered the threshold, can only be assuaged by the love of him who said "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven." ~ The Journal, Oct. 10, 1878.