1745 — “Throat Distemper” (Diphtheria), Hampton and especially Kensington/16, NH– 21
—>5 Hampton.[1]
–16 Kensington. Merchant. “History…Diphtheria epidemic.” Seacoastonline. 6-27-2008.
Narrative Information
Caulfield on Hampton: “….in New Hampshire, Stratham and Greenland were revisited in 1742, Newmarket in 1743, Kingston and Exeter in 1744, and Hampton in 1745.”[2] (Caulfield 1942, p. 18.)
Merchant on Kensington: “….Sawyer notes statistics of…years when ‘throat distemper’ ravaged the town — 1745 — 16 children died….”[3] (Merchant, Dean. “History in focus: Diphtheria epidemic.” Seacoastonline. 6-27-2008.)
Sources
Caulfield, Ernest. “Some Common Diseases of Colonial Children.” Transactions of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, Vol. 35, April 1942, pp. 4-65. Accessed 1-17-2018 at: https://www.colonialsociety.org/node/865
Merchant, Dean. “History in focus: Diphtheria epidemic.” Seacoastonline. 6-27-2008. Accessed 2-17-2013: http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080627/LIFE/806270310 Also accessed 1-18-2018 at: http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/history/diphtheriaepidemicHU20080627.htm
[1] As can be seen below, Caulfield notes “numerous deaths…” Since we are attempting a tally we either ignore (having been unsuccessful in attempts to locate another source on numbers of deaths), or create our own number. We make assumption that “numerous deaths” would most probably be at least five, if not more, given the numbers of children who died after coming into contact with dipherthia elsewhere in colonial New England.
[2] In footnote 41, Caulfield writes: “There were numerous deaths from the ‘awful throat distemper in Hampton.” Cites: New England Genealogical Register, LVIII, pp. 29-36.
[3] The Sawyer reference is, we think, a reference to: Roland Douglas Sawyer. The History of Kensington, New Hampshire, 1663 to 1945 (282 Years) With a Family and Homestead Register of the Pioneer Families, Early Settlers and Permanent Citizens of the Town. Kensington, NH: Woodbury Press, 1946, 404 pages.