The Chesaning Argus, November 28, 1877

Another quiet week, with no new tales of murder, although we do learn of one recent tragic death and the effect it may have had on the local business community.

The death in question is that of thirteen year old Mary Johnstone (1864-1877), who had died from diphtheria back on September 26.

This week’s issue of The Chesaning Argus features a belated tribute to Mary in the form of poem written by local farmer William Blakeslee (1834-1916).

Our Mary is dead and our hearts beat with pain,
To think that our loved one we'll not meet again.
'Til our life here below, like her's, has and end.
When we hope to with her, an eternity spend.

Is our Mary dead? Oh no! It can't be.
Our dear one still lives, her soul is set free;
Her spirit has flown to the Mansions of Rest.
And our Mary is happy, she dwells with the blest.

How sad were our hearts, how shrouded in gloom.
As we laid her away in the dark narrow tomb;
But faith lights up the darkness, on God's promise we stand.
Our darling dwells safely at her Savior's right hand.

May this thought be our comfort, while we tarry below.
If we trust in her Saviour, unto her we we shall go;
When life's toils are ended - earth's scenes left behind,
A home with our Mary, in heaven we'll find.

A happy home in heaven, for Jesus sake I know,
The Lord will give unto us if we do his will below;
And there we'll meet with her who has only gone before,
And dwell with her forever, and part with her no more.

That a tribute meant to bring comfort to loved ones was published a full two months after Mary’s death is perhaps an indication of how difficult the grieving process had been for the family.

Her parents were James Johnstone (1837-1897), a local attorney, and his wife Euphemia Johnstone (1843-1914), who operated a local bakery. The 1877 map of Chesaning locates her bakery in what is today the 200 block of Broad Street, just east of the Chapman Street intersection.

However, in the very first issue of The Chesaning Argus we have an announcement of a new business occupying the same location.

Lodbell & Card has opened a new meat market, one door west of J.W. Manning’s store.

The Chesaning Argus, October 31, 1877.

I believe this new firm consisted of local farmer Ammon Lobdell (1828-1909) and a man named Joseph Card, about whom I can find no additional information.

I also believe that the appearance of this new business so soon after the death of Mary Johnstone was no coincidence.

Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that had become increasingly common throughout the 1800s, and our region of Michigan was experiencing an outbreak of the disease during this time.

The city of Flint is sorely afflicted with diphtheria. Children enjoying good health retire to rest at night to arrise in the morning with a feeling of languor and stupidity, and pain in the tonsils, a gradual and painful swelling of the lymphatic glands follow, and in a few hours the patient is in a dangerous state. A fungus growth of a cankerous nature appears which entirely covers the interior of the throat. This soon becomes putrid and sloughs off in pieces, which if not attended to at once, often finds its way to the stomach. It emits an odor so sickening that it is difficult for even the physician to work over the patient. Over a hundred cases have been reported, a majority of which have proved fatal, and the disease is still spreading.

The Chesaning Argus, December 5, 1877.

The victim of a fatal case of diphtheria can linger for a week or two before dying from the infection, and in the days before hospitals this meant that Mary was likely being cared for by her family the entire time.

It’s reasonable to suppose that Euphemia was neglecting the bakery while Mary was on her death bed, and might have been in no condition to return to running her store after having just lost her eldest child.

It might have been necessary to close up shop, at which point Lobdell & Card took advantage of the opportunity to start a new business. They may have even been friends of the Johnstone’s who stepped in to help take over running the shop as a favor to the family.

Regardless of the exact circumstances by which Lobdell & Card came to occupy this location, there is evidence to suggest that this new venture was hastily organized.

The local newspaper had announced the arrival of the new Lobdell & Card meat market on October 31st, but a little over a month later, the December 5th edition carried a notice that the partnership had been dissolved and Joseph Card would be carrying on alone.

Curiously, the following advertisement also appeared around the same time:

No further mention is made of Joseph Card running a meat market, so it appears that he too exited the business shortly after the end of his partnership with Lobdell, and the store reverted to original proprietors.

Did the pair discover that they just weren’t up to the task of running a business on their own, making it necessary for James to step in and take over? Or had the Johnstone family sufficiently recovered from their sudden loss so that they were once again able to oversee the store?

We have one more change to the local commercial lineup this week, as it appears that the grocery store owned by Charley B. Lockwood (1843-1900) has closed, and the space is now occupied by a new tenant.

Mrs. H. W. Bradley respectfully calls the attention of the ladies of Chesaning and vicinity to the full line of millinery and fancy goods which she will open today in the building formerly occupied by Mr. Lockwood, one door west of the postoffice.

The store in question was located on the south side of Broad Street, just west of the Front Street intersection. There doesn’t appear to be any story behind the change in ownership beyond the normal turnover one sees in retail establishments.

Although it was listed as a dry goods and grocery store, Lockwood’s market was also described as selling boots, shoes, and ready made clothing (and possibly sewing supplies), so the transition to a millinery shop would not have been that drastic of a change.

Perhaps the new owner was a former employee or partner who had been responsible for handling the clothing portion of the business?

Happenings

Chesaning Rock is nearly covered with hieroglyphics.

"Nip," the prairie dog belonging to Prof. I. W. La Munyon, has become thoroughly acclimated, and seems proud of his adopted state.

BRADY TOWNSHIP - Mud! mud!! mud!!! We are just at this time having plenty of what the school boy said, composed the earth surface, when land and water were united; so much so, that we are under the necessity of recalling our announcement of the thanksgiving doings at the school house, but we are happy to say that each family can have the pleasure of eating their own roast pigs, and turkies, and enjoying thanksgiving under their own vine and fig tree, so non need be disappointed.

The Chesaning Argonaut

The Chesaning Argus, November 28, 1877

Happenings

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