Iowa Old Press

Dubuque Democratic Herald
Dubuque, Dubuque County, Iowa
March 2, 1864

DIED-
In this city on the 1st inst., at half past two o’clock p.m., Julia
Jennings, wife of Hon. John D. Jennings, aged 38 years.

This sad event has carried deep grief to many fond hearts and shrouded the
entire community in gloom. Mrs. Jennings was the daughter of Felix St.
Brain, who at an early age was an agent for the Sac and Foxes at Rock Island
and was killed in the Black Hawk War near Buffalo Grove, Illinois. When
quite young she was adopted into the family of Gen. Jones of this city and
was married in August, 1851. She was a woman of fine accomplishments and
many and rare virtues, a cherished member of society, an affectionate wife,
an attentive and devoted mother and an exemplary and devoted, earnest
Christian. On Saturday morning last she was seemingly out of danger, and Mr.
Jennings, who had been at home attending upon her illness, upon pressure of
public duty and solicitous lest the want of his vote in the Senate should
imperil our railroad interests, returned to Des Moines. She was suddenly
taken with a relapse and, notwithstanding that every means that medical
skill and attentive friends could suggest were used for her recovery, she
gradually kept sinking and, having received at the hands of Bishop Smyth the
sacraments of the Catholic Church and rejoicing in the sublimity of the
Christian faith, passed gently away into the realization of the Christian’s
hope. A family of six children, one an infant of a few days old, is left to
share the loneliness and sorrow of the husband, whose heart is now crushed
and stricken, and whose home is so suddenly made desolate. A dispatch has
borne to Mr. Jennings the sad intelligence of his great bereavement, and he
is expected this evening or tomorrow morning. A sorrowing community tender
to him and his family their heartfelt sympathies.

Dubuque Democratic Herald
Dubuque, Dubuque County, Iowa
March 3, 1864


The Late Case of Small Pox
The funeral of Mr. D. Dobler took place yesterday afternoon from his late
residence on Eighth street. The community are unsettled in opinion as to the
disease of which he died. Physicians say it was a violent case of bilious
fever, while those living in the vicinity say it was the small pox. He had
been sick but a short time and was taken with the usual symptoms of the
disease. Blood pimples covered the skin and the general impression is he had
the small pox. Being a man of intemperate habits he sank rapidly under its
effects. His body was followed to the grave by a solitary one horse wagon
containing the members of his family. Persons shied around the building all
day and went in any direction but directly past it. Ladies in passing held
handkerchiefs to their faces to prevent inhaling the infected air, and the
sidewalk across the street was liberally patronized.

Galena Items
Mr. Reuben Dye, a miner, was taken sick recently with congestive chills at
the New California Diggings and was unable to return home. His son George,
orderly in the 45th (Lead Mine) Illinois Regiment, went to visit him last
Sunday. When crossing Small Pox Bridge, six miles out, his horse became
frightened and threw him, and one of his feet being caught in the stirrup,
dragged him several rods on the frozen ground, fracturing the skull so that
he lived but a few minutes. His father died on Monday last. Both were the
only support of a large family.





transcribed by K.W., Aug. 2009