Belle/Bell Olson (ca. 1876-1890)

OLSON, JENSEN

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 1/12/2016 at 21:56:42

From Nevada Representative January 22, 1890

Huxley.

....Death has again entered our fold and plucked one of the bright and sweetest flowers in the person of Miss Belle Olson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. K. Olson. She died Friday morning at 2 o'clock. She died Friday morning at 2 o'clock. She had an attack of the la grippe and it settled on her lungs and took her away. She was a sweet, loving girl of 14 years and a constant Christian. She died happy in the faith she held of a home in heaven. Funeral services at the house at 10 o'clock a. m. by Rev. Peterson in the Norwegian language and at one o'clock in Cambridge by Rev. Elliott. The family have the sympathy of the entire community.

On the same page of this issue of the paper:

Cambridge.

Died--of lung fever, Saturday, Jan. 18th Belle, oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. K. Oleson age 16 years. No brighter, purer, sweeter soul ever inhabited a tenement of clay. She died just as she had lived quietly and peacefully. Funeral services at the residence and at the M. E. church. The sermon at the residence in Norwegian and at the church in American language. The bereaved family have the sympathy of the entire neighborhood, but words of sympathy and resolutions of condolence are almost a mockery; yet it is all a sorrowing community can offer to a bereaved family. Her death was caused by la grippe ending in lung fever.

On this subject and at this time words of criticisms or comments in regard to this disease or the manner in which not only the medical profession but the people in general regard it, may be out of place. But we wish to say this, the disease is not understood-- its gravity is not appreciated-- the medical profession and the press have not done right in leaving the impression that it is not dangerous disease. We regard it more dangerous than small pox--for when small pox is in the neighborhood every precaution is taken to prevent its spread and the victims are nursed and cared for as they should be. We believe more persons have already died from this disease and the lung troubles following it than have died from small pox in the last quarter of a century. A man exposed to small pox will diet, keep warm, in fact do all in his power to get his system in good condition, so if he does get the disease he may be able to survive it. But the victim of la grippe will when his bones are aching, when his lungs are "stopped up," when his head aches and he has a high fever go out in the cold and try to "wear out" what he calls a "bad cold." There is not a school in Union Twp. but what there are cases of la grippe in some stage. It is high time for doctors, school boards and parents to wake up. If we cannot prevent its spread we can warn parents of the danger. If parents realize the danger in time and take the same care of their children that they would in cases of scarlet fever the death rate will be much less....

SUBMITTER'S NOTE: Belle/Bell Olson was the daughter of Andrew K. Olson and Elsa/Elsie Jensen.