This file of the Letter re Cholera from Robert Boak (1789-1867), Pennsylvania, USA to Charles Boak, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland 1833 forms part of the vast archive of 3,000+ pages of genealogical records relating to COUNTIES TYRONE, DONEGAL, LONDONDERRY & FERMANAGH provided without charge or subscription by CoTyroneIreland Welcome to the Premier Website & Research Tool for Cos. Tyrone, Donegal, Londonderry & Fermanagh Genealogy (cotyroneireland.com) A complete list of records pertaining to County Tyrone, Northern Ireland on this website can be found at the foot of this file.
Robert Boak (Jr) (abt 1789-2Mar1867) was born in Co. Tyrone. He lost his first spouse to cholera in 1833 in Pennsylvania, USA. She was Elizabeth Calderwood, (bef.1816-12Aug1833), daughter of John Calderwood and Isabella Hansen, also from Co Tyrone.
Here is the transcribed portion of a handwritten letter dated 17Aug1833 Robert Boak wrote to his brother Charles about Elizabeth's death.17 August 1833
My Dear BrotherYour forebodings have been awfully realized by the writing of this letter. That desolating disease the colera visited me and in a few hours deprived me of a loving
and affectionate wife the 12 day of August on the Sabbath morning. She rose as usual to prepare the breakfast and was buried that Evening. She had been complaining for a few days before and we had made arrangements to remove to her Father's the following Monday as the disease was raging with great virulence in the part of the city in which we lived. On Saturday night she rested well all night and when she saw the Sabbath morning stated that she felt better than she had been for some time past. When in a moment she was struck with the shake of death. Oh what a tryal My Dear Brother to see the beloved of your bosom cut off in a moment and all my relatives trembling to come near the house. Her own wish was that none should come near her lest they catch the contagion. In less than five minutes I had the assistance of two doctors who never left her until She breathed her last then orders that she should be immediately buried and the house deserted all their demands as orders were complied with. From the first moment the blood ceased to circulate through the head it was as cold as a piece of
marble she suffered severely with the cramps which wrought from the extremities up to her body this disease the Drs removed by external applications. But all means failed to circulate the blood a complete stagnation took place the moment she was taken after a few hours of severe suffering she was removed to the joys of her Lord.
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