What was the saddest death in your Tree ?

[Erato]

Our family, as far as I have been able to determine, has been noncriminal with the exception of a husband and wife team of blasphemers in early New England.  Joane Andrews was "convented" before authority in 1666 in Saco (Maine) for "abusing of Mrs. Lockwood" and her punishment was 10 lashes at the whipping post.  Her husband John Andrews was convicted for "swearing by the blood of Christ that he was above the heavens and stars, at which time said Andrews did seem to have drunke too much and did call the witnesses doggs, toads, and foul birds."

[the happy granny]

The saddest death in my tree was my G x 3 grandmother who died of "childbed" shortly after giving birth to an illegitimate daughter ( my Gx2 grandmother...............even sadder is the fact that not only does "illegitimate" appear on my Gx2 grandmothers birth certificate but also on her marriage and her death certificate.

I think this fact was "buried" until the family started to trace the tree and obtained BD&M certificates a few years ago.

They were unforgiving in the 1800's............!

Sue

[c w]

probably find worse as I go along, but for now - my gt.uncle who was unfortunate to live at a time when 'special needs' was called by the most offensive of terms, died a few months after his mother's death, apparently of "broken heart" - dont think that will be on his death cert. though!!!!!!!

caroline  

[Willow 4873]

Our family, as far as I have been able to determine, has been noncriminal with the exception of a husband and wife team of blasphemers in early New England.  Joane Andrews was "convented" before authority in 1666 in Saco (Maine) for "abusing of Mrs. Lockwood" and her punishment was 10 lashes at the whipping post.  Her husband John Andrews was convicted for "swearing by the blood of Christ that he was above the heavens and stars, at which time said Andrews did seem to have drunke too much and did call the witnesses doggs, toads, and foul birds."

Lol just shows how far swear words have developed - or was the court clerk being diplomatic?

Willow x

[kizmiaz]

I can't pin down a single "saddest" death, but I think the person on my tree who had the most tragic time was my great-grandmother.

She had two daughters die before their fifth birthdays within the space of a few months of each other, and then less than a year later her husband died, leaving her with two toddlers and my newborn grandmother. Before my grandmother had celebrated her first birthday, both of her sisters were also dead, one in a fire which my grandmother thinks she can remember.

To lose a husband or a daughter would be bad enough, but to lose 4 daughters AND her husband within the space of two years must have driven her into a breakdown.  We have an undated letter which is from nurses who cared for her and had a collection for her, and the only reason I could think for this collection was to help her recover after this.

Surprisingly, my grandmother was such a sickly child that she too was not expected to survive, but has managed to make it to 91 without too much effort!

[casliber]

..not quite in my tree but I just came over it - while looking through Canongate Burials (which have age, cause of death and rellos) for my ancestor Robert NELSON/NEILSON I found 2 twin brothers NEILSON who died of Scarlet fever aged ~5 within a month or tewo of each other.
Cas

[stevefoote]

The saddest two deaths in my tree were two of my great x 3 grandparents who died within 3 years of each other. One, Jean Henri Batiste, a builder, died when an arch he was demolishing collapsed on him in 1860 - the other, Pierre Falla, a quarryman, was crushed under a landslide at the quarry where he worked in 1863.

Really nasty coincidence !!

[Shropshire Lass]

Not an individual's death but feel very sad about this family - my husband's  3x great uncle.

Edward was the first child to die, age 1, in July 1856.
Henry, age 7, died in April 1858 and was put in the same grave as Edward.
Emily, age 8, died in Feb 1861.
Harry, age 4, and Emma, the mother, age 40, died in Nov 1863 and were buried together.
The family's father, James, died in Dec 1865 (of a broken heart, I should think).
In nine years the whole family, except for one daughter, Eliza, was gone.  She was eight when orphaned and was taken in by a childless aunt and uncle.

Monica

[dhowse]

I think mine would have to be the families who lost children to poisoning in outback Australia.
One who lost two children under 5 when they ate fermented watermelon juice ( their father was a publican) and another who died after drinking the saddle dressing, aged 2 her father was a saddler , the same family lost a son when a tree fell on him.