Buck, Harvey, 1889-1908

BUCK, FITCH

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:33

From the Alton Democrat, November 28, 1908:

Harvey Buck died at the home of his parents in Garden City Minnesota last week. He was bedfast with paralysis and nervous prostration since July fourth. He had been in Canada and came home ill. Two years ago he was roustabout at the Omaha depot in Hospers this county.

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Minnesota death certificate 1908-MN-001098 shows him, as Harvey E. Buck, actually dying in Mankato, Blue Earth County, 122 S. Front (up stairs), although he was buried at Garden City. Born August 20, 1889, in Minnesota; age 19 years 2 months 28 days. Parents John Buck, born in Ohio, and Mary C. Fitch, born in Iowa. Former residence, Garden City, Minn., been at place of death 16 days. A farmer. Cause of death “Unknown. Dr. Grimes of Lake Crystal, Minn. said this was probably a [illegible] paralysis of specific origin. Was a degenerate.”

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From the Mankato Daily Free Press, November 19, 1908:

WAS A VICTIM OF PARALYSIS
Harry Buck, Garden City Young Man, Died Last Evening

Harry Buck, a young man from Garden City, nineteen years old, died in this city at 8 o’clock last evening, from the results of paralysis. He had been on his back since July 4, and his case was given up by physicians two months ago. He came to Mankato two weeks ago for treatment, as a last chance.

He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. John Buck of Garden City. His brother, Jesse Buck of Vernon Center, came to Mankato yesterday afternoon but too late to find his brother conscious. His parents returned to Garden City this morning to make arrangements for the funeral, which will take place at two o’clock tomorrow afternoon at the Baptist church of Garden City.

The deceased was well liked by all, and his death causes regret among all who knew him.

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RESEARCH NOTES

The circumstances of his death, or of his medical treatment, apparently caused some consternation among the medical community.

This poorly handwritten memo from A. O. Bjelland to Dr. H. M. Bracken, secretary of the State Board of Health, accompanied the death certificate: “The death certificate of Harvey Buck was first given by the osteopath Catlin as Primary uraemic poisoning, secondary nephritis with [illegible] and paralysis of bowels. This was rejected by me under your instructions. Mr. Kenedy the coroner was summoned, who under the instructions of the county attorney Plymatt[?] refused to act on orders postmortem. The osteopath then revised his death certificate to acute nephritis primary secondary paralysis which under your instructions I again refused to issue a burial permit and made out the certificate as, [illegible] upon which a burial permit was issued. Dr. Grimes of Lake Crystal treated Harvey Buck preceding Nov. 10, 1908 and believes that it was a Bulbor[?] paralysis due to a specific cause.”

Articles in the Mankato Daily Free Press, November 19-21, report that Dr. Bjelland, the local health officer, acting on instructions from the State Board of Health, refused to accept Dr. D. B. Catlin’s death certificate because Catlin was an osteopath. Dr. Catlin contacted the president of his association and was told that death certificates of osteopaths, under two state laws, must be accepted. The funeral was postponed, while Dr. Catlin and Buck’s father and brother planned to apply to the court for a writ of mandamus requiring Dr. Bjelland to show cause why he should not issue the burial permit. The funeral took place on November 21, after Dr. Bjelland decided to issue the permit.

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The Minnesota Births and Christenings Index on Ancestry.com shows Harvey Buck, born 20 Aug 1889 in Blue Earth [County], Minnesota, parents John Buck and Mary Buck. The 1900 U.S. census says he was born August 1888. FiindaGrave.com has a photo of his headstone giving his birth date as August 20; the year is weathered and unclear, but seems to be 1889.