• Genealogy & Local History Services  Kokomo-Howard County Public Library
•  Cemeteries of Howard County Indiana 

• Kokomo Tribune Obituary Index

• Howard County Historical Society

• Howard County Memory Project
• 
  
• Official Website for Howard County, Indiana.
• City of Kokomo website
• Kokomo/Howard County Chamber of Commerce

The City’s Death Roll for the Year 1889.

Source: [Kokomo Dispatch, Thursday,January 2, 1890, Page 2, Columns 5 & 6]

THE SILENT MAJORITY -- The City’s Death Roll for the Year 1889.

The Rate of Mortality But Three-Quarters of One Per Cent.

Never within the history of the city of Kokomo has her rate of mortality been so low as it was during the year just passed.

In 1888 there were but 101 resident deaths and the rate of mortality was only one per cent.  Considering that the average death rate of the United States is 1.28 per cent and about 1.33 per cent for Indiana, Kokomo had reason for congratulation on her exceeding low rate for 1888.

But now with a population of 12,000 we have but 92 resident deaths for 1889, or a trifle over 76 per cent.  This is indeed a mortuary low-water mark, and it places Kokomo at the very head of all Indiana cities and towns for general healthfulness.  Our superior system of perfect sewage and the effort of the authorities to keep the city in a good sanitary condition during the warm months have doubtless done much to bring about this much-desired result.  Furthermore, we have had no contagious diseases of epidemic character, for which all hearts are thankful.  All in all, the city has never enjoyed such good health nor has her rate of mortality ever been so low as during the old year.  The roster of the dead for 1889 is as follows:

CROWN POINT.

 2.  Lutie TANNER, colored, 3 months, lung fever
Rawson VAILE, 76 years, disease of bladder.

 7. Mrs. J. C. LEACH, 31 years, 6months, consumption.

24.  Julia GEORGE, 2 years, 7 months, laringitis [sic].

26.  Clay GRIFFITH, colored, 18 months, inflammation of the bowels.

29.  Mrs. Seth LINDSEY, 28 years, puerpal fever;
       Infant daughter of Seth LINDSEY, still-born.

31.  Marmaduke WINBURN, colored, 55 years, neuralgia of the stomach.

10.  Annie G. SMITH, 7 years diphtheria.

14.  John HALE, 35 years, consumption, Center township.

16.  Clifford FREEMAN, 17 months, brain fever.

17.  Rachael BROWN, 63 years, pneumonia;
       Helen SIMMONS, 1 year, 10 months, laringitis [sic].

21.  Infant daughter of Wm. KEYTON, 3 days, croup, Liberty township.

24.  Wm. YOUNG, 16 years, typhoid fever.

27.  Infant son of Geo. GERARD, 1 month, measles;
       Mary ALLEN, 54 years, dropsy.

 2.  Mrs. Howard BULL, 32 years, diabetes.

 4.  Lilie L. SHOLTY, 2 months, whooping-cough.

 9.  Mary REED, 6 months, whooping-cough, Union township.

10.  George E. BERRY, colored, 3 months, lung fever.

14.  Infant daughter of Daniel LARTY, still-born.

18.  David MARTIN, 63 years, chronic diarrhea, Russiaville.

19.  Norville BEESON, 28 years, typhoid pneumonia.

23.  George C. KELLY, 51 years, consumption.

 1.  Rose JACKSON, 18 months, lung fever.

 8.  Infant daughter of Edmund De RYKE, premature birth.

11.  Linnie SHOCKLEY, 5 years, 11 months, typhoid fever.

12.  James LONG, 20 years, consumption.

15.  Mrs. Frank HILL, sr., 52 years, heart disease.

18.  Wm. F. KNOX, 64 years, dropsy of heart
       Belle WILSON, colored, 7 years, consumption.

20.  Thos. LEE, 44 years, consumption, Center township
       Annie BERRY, colored, 22 years, consumption.

25.  Milton AIKMAN, 27 years, consumption.

26.  Belle FOUCHE, 10 years, rheumatism of the heart.

 2.  Joseph COX, 35 years, consumption, Center township.

 3.  James B. TOOLE, 30 years, 3 months, typhoid fever, Richmond.

 4.  Charles SPENCER, 41 years, rheumatism, Young America.

 7.  Ellie KAYTON, 23 years, inflammation of the bowels, Liberty township
      Belle KELLY, 20 years, consumption, Alto.

15.  James F. GRAY, 24 years, Bright’s disease.

16.  Jacob SWISHER, 82 years, old age, Center township.

21.  Wm. PENNINGTON, 27 years, consumption.

22.  Paul A. PRICE, 18 months, measles, Greentown.

24.  W. S. WINFIELD, 76 years, heart troubles.

 7.  Two infant sons of Geo. THRASHER, still-born.

 9.  Alice C. DRUARD, 3 months, erysipelas.

12.  Infant son of Frank CRAYCRAFT, colored.

20.  Mable MECK, 6 weeks, cholera infantum, Indianapolis.

23.  Ozark JENNINGS, 11 years, drowned, Center township.

27.  John D. SMITH, 1 month, thrush.

30.  Richard WILSON, 70 years, 7 months, softening of the brain.

 2.  Lilian MARTIN, 31 years, congestion of the brain.

 4.  Tina HAIR, 30 years, 7 months, consumption
      Infant son of Charles WAGGAMAN, still-born.

 6.  W. M. CONNELL, 11 months, whooping-cough.

 8.  Infant son of Samuel SHAFER, still-born.

10.  C. S. BURTON, 1 year, summer complaint.

14.  Mary L. VARNES, 50 years, abscess of liver.

20.  Armenia ELLIS, 43 years, septemia, Anderson.

21.  John ROSENWAGG, 7 years, 9 months, brain fever
       Infant son of Jerome THOMPSON, 1 day.

22.  Irvin V. BANTA, 11 months, cholera infantum.

23.  L. TARKINGTON, 21 years, consumption.

24.  Willie KABBLE, 2 months, congestion of stomach.

25.  W. L. FOREHAND, 3 months, cholera infantum
Paul JACKSON, 10 months, cholera infantum, Center township.

27.  Lucy Belle OILER, 8 months, indigestion.

28.  Hazel STAM, 1 year, cholera infantum.

29.  Mary E. TERRELL, 42 years, heart disease.

31.  John T. PARKER, 69 years, typhoid fever, Center township.

 2.  Robert ELLIOTT, colored, 53 years, consumption, Center township
      Carroll PREBLE, 20 months, cholera infantum, Clay township
      Chas. DRINKWATER, 16 months, cholera infantum.

 4.  Jessie BALL, 9 years, 9 months, typhoid fever.

 6. Cynthia GOSSAM, 39 years, consumption.

 8.  Flossy WILSON, 1 year, cholera infantum.

11.  Hazel HANNA, 9 years, 9 months, throat trouble, Center township.

17.  Florence CRUMELY, 9 months, flux, [unreadable] township
       Infant son of Wm. BOWMAN, still-born.

21.  Daisy M. FAIRFIELD, 2 months, 15 days, summer complaint, Center township
       James A. MURRY, 56 years, heart trouble, Greentown.

 4.  Infant son of Allie SMITH, still-born, Center township.

 8.  Bessie SEIFERT, 5 years, 8 months, diphtheria.

 9.  James SANDS, 7 years, typhoid fever.

12.  Infant daughter of Octore DuBOIS, still-born.

14.  Infant daughter of Richard PARISH, still-born.

18.  Mary A. FLEMING, 75 years, heart disease.

19.  Lucy WINTRINGER, 1 month 7 days, cholera infantum.

22.  Gracie TOUBY, 3 years, 6 months, scarletina, Howard township.

26.  Maggie LEACH, 11 months, whooping-cough.

28.  Cora JONES, 22 years, consumption.

 6.  Christina HOOPER, 61 years, lock-jaw.

11.  Popp BURKETT, 60 years, dropsy, Center township.

12.  Sophilis MITCHUM, colored, 34 years, typhoid fever.

27.  Infant son of Hugh SHORT, still-born.

29.  Charles L. REDMOND, 19 years, 9 months, consumption.

 1.  Mary M. GILLEN, 28 years, 6 months, heart trouble
      Clarence REED, 1 year, 9 months, brain fever.

 2.  Mariah HUNT, 48 years, typhoid fever.

 3. Charles EGGLESTON, 32 years,typhoid fever.

 4.  Leslie E. LEEDS, 7 months, lung fever.

 5.  C.A. WILLIS, 38 years abscess of lungs.

10.  Eva WILSON, 16 years, 3 months, consumption.

13.  Monroe KAYTON, 22 years, blood poisoning, Howard township.

19.  Thos. E. FAULKE, 69 years, 9 months, lung fever, Taylor township.

22.  Levina STRAIN, 30 years, 11 months, Bright’s disease, Union township.

26.  Robert CHAMP, 60 years, dropsy, Center township.

 7.  Wardie PURVIS, 9 years, 5 months, diphtheria.

12.  Thos. J. McGRATH, 25 years, killed by locomotive.

13.  Mary E. PIERCE, 2 years, 5 months, brain fever
       Infant son of J. Frank HAWKINS, still-born
       Infant son of J. W. SHAW, still-born.

22.  Lena E. TANNER, colored, 5 months, pneumonia.

25.  Mary A. THATCHER, 5 months, scrofula.

26.  Marsh M. DUVAL, 4 years, 6 months, laringitis [sic].

27.  Charles JACKSON, 16 years, 9 months, brain fever
       Freddie BEAL, 7 months, brain fever, Center township.

29.  Hannah JENNINGS, 42 years, pneumonia, Center township.

OLD CEMETERY.

JANUARY.

 2.  Miner BURNS, 26 years, brain fever.

 9.  Charles BURNS, 2 years, lung fever.

21.  Ruben H. PORTER, 60 years, lung fever, [unreadable] township.

SEPTEMBER.

 4.  Charles MESSERSMITH, 27 years, erysipelas, Center township.
      Infant daughter of Chas. PAR[unreadable], bowel complaint.

CAUSES OF DEATH.

MISCELLANEOUS.

   The month of the least deaths was October, when but 5 occurred, while July recorded 19 — the highest death rate of the year.

   To physicians especially will the causes of death be instructive.  Consumption heads the list, closely followed by premature births, lung fever, and cholera infantum.  This has been the ratio for years, and it shows that in this climate the lungs are the chiefest objective point for attack of disease.

Search this Site.

This site is not affiliated with or part of any official Howard County or Kokomo civic website.

The material on this website is is made available for free to the public for non-commercial purposes.