By Bob Oliphant
Originally published in the Westford Eagle, October 2018 for the 100th anniversary of the pandemic
Laura Spinney, author of Pale Rider, The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How it Changed the World, p. 4, estimates that the influenza pandemic of 1918 “infected one in three people on earth, or 500 million human beings. Between the first case recorded on 4 March 1918, and the last sometime in March 1920, it killed 50-100 million people, or between 2.5 and 5 per cent of the global population – a range that reflects the uncertainty that still surrounds it. In terms of single events causing major loss of life, it surpassed the First World War (17 million dead), the Second World War (60 million dead) and possibly both put together. It was the greatest tidal wave of death since the Black Death, perhaps in the whole of human history.”
Westford was not spared. Deaths recorded in Westford for 1917 totaled 45; in 1919 the total was 44. In 1918 total deaths spiked to 68, with 25 dying in September and October during the peak of the influenza epidemic. Of these 25 deaths, 15 were young men, mostly in their 20s and 30s, as was typical throughout the world.
While the specific cause of influenza, also called la grippe, was not known in 1918, it was clearly a contagious disease spread through human contact. Local and state officials responded by closing public meeting places. In Westford schools were closed, church services were cancelled, Grange meetings were cancelled, the first meeting of the new season of the Tadmuck Club was cancelled as were numerous other meetings, the weekly drills of Co. L, Massachusetts State Guard (M. S. G.), were cancelled, the library was closed, and public funerals were cancelled.
Two deaths exemplify the feeling in the local community as expressed in the Westford Wardsman newspaper of October 12, 1918, those of Charles D. Colburn, 42, and Dr. Orion V. Wells, 37. Both died October 4 of influenza and lobar pneumonia after only four days of illness. The “Center” section of these Wardsman extracts was written by Mrs. Leonard W. Wheeler (nee Mary H. Williams); the “About Town” section by Samuel Law Taylor.
“Center. Deaths. Westford mourns the loss this week of one of her good citizens, Charles Day Colburn, which took place after a few days’ illness from pneumonia, following an attack of influenza. So short was his illness that the first many heard of it was his death early Friday morning of last week. Mr. Colburn was a practical and successful farmer, carrying on the large Colburn farm. Quiet and unassuming, but faithful and sincere in his home, in the church and in his duties as a citizen, in all of which he will be sincerely missed.
“He was born in Westford 42 years and 5 months ago, the oldest son of Jonathan T. and Elizabeth Day Colburn. He received his education in the schools of Westford and later graduated from Amherst Agricultural college. He has served the town eight years on the board of assessors. He was a member of the Union Congregational church; also, a member of the men’s bible class and of the church board of trustees.
“The deceased is survived by his wife, Nora Stearns Colburn; a daughter, Eleanor, and a son, Charles, and to this little family circle, which always seemed so complete in itself, the sincerest sympathy of the community is extended.
“Private funeral services were held from his late home on last Sunday afternoon at two o’clock. In the absence of his own pastor, Rev. H. A. Lincoln, who was confined to his home with illness, Rev. F. W. Lambertson of Littleton Congregational church was the officiating clergyman. There were many beautiful floral tributes. The bearers were Houghton G. Osgood, Arthur E. Day, Otis L. Day and Leonard W. Wheeler, and burial was in Fairview cemetery.
“The wide circle of Dr. O. V. Wells’ patients and friends are trying to adjust themselves to his sudden death this last week, going out from among them in the prime of his manhood, and of his usefulness. Dr. Wells was taken sick on Monday of last week with influenza, which developed into pneumonia, and he died late the following Friday evening after a sharp, suffering struggle with this disease, although everything possible was done to save his life. He had worked heroically to help others during the epidemic, going night and day to answer the many calls, and his illness was brought on from overwork in the profession that he was so devoted to. He was a good soldier—he died in the service. He stood high in his profession and his loss will be felt not only in Westford, where he practiced extensively, but in the surrounding towns and in Lowell, where he had an office.
“He was often sought as a consulting physician in towns throughout Middlesex county. He was one of the examining physicians connected with district [draft] board 15, located in Ayer. He was also a member of Company L, M. S. G., when the company was first organized, and was later made a first lieutenant in the medical corps of the 19th [Regiment] M. S. G. Since his death his appointment as captain has been received. In August he attended the encampment in Framingham in the capacity of first lieutenant of the medical corps. Dr. Wells had applied for enlistment in the medical corps of the regular army and was making his preparations for duty overseas while awaiting the call.
“Orion Vassar Wells was born in Bakersfield, Vt., November 8, 1880, the son of Lucian L. and Katherine E. Wells. He received his early education in his native town and later attended Brigham academy, from which he was graduated in 1898, and later spent one year at Wesleyan university in Middletown, Conn. He then went to Boston university, graduating in 1902, after which he went to Harvard medical school, completing his course in 1906. It was shortly after this that he commenced practice in Westford.
“He was a member of the American Medical association, the Massachusetts Medical society, Beta Theta Pi fraternity, William North lodge of masons, A.F. of A.M., and of Spalding Light Cavalry association.
“On February 17, 1909, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Alice Morrill, of Pond Hills, Amesbury. He is survived by his wife, a daughter Elizabeth and two sons, Huntington Larned and Richard Orion, his mother, six brothers and a sister.
“Dr. Wells was devoted to his home and family and the sincerest sympathy goes out to this bereaved family circle.
“Private funeral services were held from his late home Tuesday forenoon at 10:30 o’clock. Rev. Louis H. Buckshorn was the officiating clergyman and the bearers of the flag-draped casket were Harwood L. Wright, representing the Masonic fraternity, and three brothers of the deceased. Interment was in Fairview cemetery. A platoon of members of Company L, M. S. G., did military honors at the grave. As the company returned from the cemetery the bugle was sounded at intervals, making an impressive tribute in the perfect beauty of the autumn day.
“About Town. We feel impelled by personal acquaintance to hash to silence our little world of little business and say a word over the memories of Dr. Orion V. Wells and Charles D. Colburn. With Dr. Wells the writer has had many a friendly frolic of words. He had the edifying reciprocity of give and take. A real New England individuality which emphasized the law of common sense and the law of cause and effect. He came from a family of fine principles and high ideals. At one time there were four brothers in college. He had made a name for himself in his profession. We regret his early death. Mr. Colburn was one of the young, successful, noiseless farmers, clean of mouth and clean of conduct. He was a wholesome, genial fellow to meet, whether on the farm, in the church and Sunday school or the more heterogeneous public gatherings of social life.”
Tributes were continued the following week, October 19, 1918”
“About Town…. In one week Westford has lost four of its influential young men—Inglis Wetmore, Charles Colburn, Dr. Wells and William Sargent.
“Dr. Wells. Your correspondent and Rev. Louis H. Buckshorn were speaking of the death of Dr. Wells the other day. As near as I can remember the conversation it was about as follows:
‘Westford has been very fortunate in the physicians who have come to her in these past years,’ said Mr. Buckshorn. ‘They have been men of training and intelligence—men who made their homes here and became a vital part of the community. Dr. Wells served us in the double capacity—a skillful, intelligent medical servant, and a willing worker in all of the best interests of our town. He was a man, who, by gift of body, stood far above the average man—unusually tall. People everywhere took note when he appeared among them. But it was not only in physical height, but in attributes of mind, of will, of heart, that he was tall. In carriage, he was a gentleman; in demeanor, gentle and sympathetic.’
“His death does not seem real. None of us but momentarily expects to see him turning the curve in his machine, responding to the crowding calls in this epidemic-stricken time. He carried a Massachusetts state commission in our state guard, with a recent promotion. He was daily awaiting a federal government commission for medical service in France. Indeed, his last arrangements were to be relieved here that he might sail overseas. And the commission finally came from Washington.
“But he was not to go. What he had helped so many to combat worsted him—tired and spent like so many of his noble profession.”
He has done the work of a true man,–
Crown him, honor him, love him,
Weep over him, tears of woman,
Stoop, manliest brows, above him!
For the warmest of hearts is frozen,
The freest of hands is still;
And the gap in our picked and chosen
The long years may not fill.
No duty could overtask him,
No need his will outrun;
Or ever our lips could ask him,
His hands the work had done.
He forgot his own soul for others,
Himself to his neighbor lending;
He found the Lord in his suffering brothers,
And not in the clouds descending.
Ah well, the world is discreet;
There are plenty to pause and wait,
But here was a man who set his feet
Sometimes in advance of fate.
Never rode to the wrong’s redressing
A worthier paladin;
Shall he not hear the blessing,
‘Good and faithful, enter in!’
[John Greenleaf] Whittier [extract from “George L. Stearns”].
Finally, in the Westford Wardsman of October 26, 1918, we find:
“Center. Oscar R. Spalding, Charles O. Prescott and Leonard W. Wheeler, who were appointed appraisers of the farm, stock and tools of the late Charles D. Colburn, attended to their duties on Wednesday afternoon preparatory to the auction sale that Mrs. Colburn plans to hold in the near future. Mrs. Colburn, with her daughter Eleanor and son Charles, are planning to move to the village, occupying Miss Ella F. Hildreth’s vacant house on Hildreth street.
“About Town. We quote the following from the Zion’s Herald [a Methodist newspaper published by the Boston Wesleyan Assn. since 1823], October 16: Orion V. Wells, M.D., younger brother of Rev. O. B. Wells of the Vermont conference and Rev. G. F. Wells of the New York conference, died October 4, at Westford, of pneumonia, after four days’ illness. He was converted in 1898 upon entering Wesleyan, at Middletown, Conn., and was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church in his native town, Bakersfield, Vt. He had been first lieutenant in the Medical corps of the M. S. G., was a member of the examining board of Ayer, and as a volunteer had passed examinations and daily expected his commission in the Medical Reserve of the United States and expected soon to be serving his country in France.”
What is not mentioned in the Wardsman is the massive outbreak of the deadly influenza virus at nearby Camp Devens, the first army camp in the U.S. struck by the disease; it would soon spread throughout the entire army, here and overseas. In September 1918 Devens was overcrowded with 45,000 soldiers. About 14,000 soldiers contracted influenza at Devens and some 770 died of it, sometimes as many as 90 per day. John M. Barry, in his book The Great Influenza, The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History, p. 188, describes what happened:
“In the overcrowded barracks and mess halls, the men mixed. A day went by. Two days. Then, suddenly, noted an army report, ‘Stated briefly, the influenza … occurred as an explosion.’
“It exploded indeed. In a single day, 1,534 Camp Devens soldiers reported ill with influenza. On September 22, 19.6% of the entire camp was on sick report, and almost 75% of those on sick report had been hospitalized. By then the pneumonias, and the deaths, had begun.
“On September 24 alone, 342 men were diagnosed with pneumonia. Devens normally had twenty-five physicians. Now, as army and civilian medical staff poured into the camp, more than two hundred and fifty physicians were treating patients. The doctors, the nurses, the orderlies went to work at 5:30 a.m. and worked steadily until 9:30 p.m., slept, then went at it again. Yet on September 26 the medical staff was so overwhelmed, with doctors and nurses not only ill but dying they decided to admit no more patients to the hospital, no matter how ill.
“The Red Cross, itself by then overwhelmed by the spread of the disease to the civilian population, managed to find twelve more nurses to help and sent them. They were of little help. Eight of the twelve collapsed with influenza; two died.”
In later years the 1918 influenza epidemic, really a pandemic, was little spoken of. It was a personal and a public nightmare that all wished to forget. The J. V. Fletcher Library has several new and well-written books on the influenza pandemic. They are well worth reading.
Boston Red Cross volunteers assemble gauze influenza masks for use at hard-hit Camp Devens, Massachusetts.