1918 Spanish Flu in Kittson County

Kittson County residents who died during the 1918 Spanish Influenza epidemic, included:

-  Gust A. Leonard Norberg: Died of Spanish Flu at U.S. Army Jefferson Barracks during WWI on January 19, 1918

-  Ida Swan, only 18 years old.

-  Henry Marius Hanson, son of Herman Hanson and junior member of the firm of Hanson & Son Cement Workers, was called to his eternal rest Thursday October 31, 1918. Death was caused by pneumonia following an attack of Spanish Influenza. (Source: Karlstad Advocate Newspaper/Nov. 15, 1918)

In 1918, Kittson County closed schools in November and they were not reopened until early spring 1919, because of the "Spanish Flu" epidemic (sources include:  Tri-County School History) 

Working on the St. Vincent Extension

Recently, I came across an online post by someone who mentioned that his grandfather had worked on the St. Vincent Extension line.  While the original line was finished in 1878, there were modifications to, as well as major maintenance of, thereafter.  It was a few years later, that his grandfather worked in our area.  I asked him if he had any stories or photographs of that time period, and he shared this with me...

This is my paternal grandparent's family -- Charles & Mary [Hendrickson] Torrin, Hilma the oldest, My father, Oscar in the back, with Maybelle behind Mary. The little girl in front, Luella, helps us date the picture; she was born in Roseau County, on the newly purchased farm, in 1901. She died of diphtheria in 1908, just weeks after her little sister was born. Charles was functionally blind from railroad work accidents, and was about 46 when he moved north and purchased the farm near Fox, between Badger and Roseau MN. 

St. Paul Daily Globe, November 29, 1893

My grandfather, Charles Torrin, was a line foreman laying track. In 1891, a sliver of steel flew up into his eye. A year later, he was back at work, and a similar event pierced his other eye, leaving him functionally blind. The family returned to Alexandria to recover. The event was noted in a St Paul paper at the time. 

The story only just begins here. After several years in Douglas county, at the age of 46 and blind, he bought a farm in Roseau Co, in 1901, and raised his family there until his death in 1929. 

His father, Oscar Torrin was born in St. Vincent in 1891 while his grandfather was working on the St. Vincent Extension.

St. Vincent Girl Driven to Suicide

Recently I was contacted by a descendant of Dr. Alexander Campbell, St. Vincent's first doctor.  She said that another relative had just discovered an old newspaper article about Dr. Campbell's daughter, Agnes.

It was a very sad story:  one of ill health; a vague, terminal prognosis; and inevitable despair that pushed Agnes - a young, promising medical professional - to take her own life.