–111 Blanchard tally of Massachusetts breakouts below.[1]

Connecticut. ( ?)

–? Mystic. “There is not a child three years old left in Mystic.”[2]

–1 Lisbon, Sep 4. Simon Perkins, from dysentery contracted while in the army.[3]

–? Plainfield. One branch of the Mordock family was “destroyed.” Caulfield 1942, pp. 63-64.

Massachusetts (111)

— 1 Arlington, Aug 21, Gregory Hill, 54. History of the Town of Arlington Mass., p. 258

— ? Carlisle. “less severe” outbreak. Caulfield 1942, pp. 62-63.

— >9 Chelmsford. Waters. History of Chelmsford, 721 and Vital Records of Chelmsford.[4]

–2 Burge family. Vital Records of Chelmsford, p. 370 (in Caulfield 1942, fn 194.)

–2 Chamberlain family. Vital Records of Chelmsford, p. 376 (in Caulfield 1942, fn 194.)

–5 Fletcher family. Vital Records of Chelmsford, p.389-393, in Caulfield 1942, fn 194.

—>16 Dunstable. Vital Records of Dunstable, cited in Caulfield 1942, footnote 194.[5]

–2 Jonathan Fletcher family. Vital Records of Dunstable, pp. 215-216.

–2 Robert Fletcher family. Vital Records of Dunstable, pp. 215-216.

–2 Kendall family. Vital Records of Dunstable, pp. 220-221.

–2 Read family. Vital Records of Dunstable, p. 227.

–5 Woodward family. Vital Records of Dunstable, pp. 237-238.

–3 Wright family. Vital Records of Dunstable, p. 238.

— 5 East Bridgewater, Aug 3-28. Vital Records of East Bridgewater, Massachusetts to…1850. –James Harris, Aug 3, age 18. Vital Records of East Bridgewater, p. 355.

–Child of Amos Whitman, Aug 8, age 4. Vital Records of East Bridgewater, p. 402.

–Child of Amos Whitman, Aug 19, 16-months. Vital Records of East Bridgewater, p402.

–Child of Benjamin Whitman, Aug 23, age 3. Vital Records of East Bridgewater, p. 402.

–Wife of Robert Woodward, Aug 28, age 63. Vital Records of East Bridgewater, p. 369.

— ? Harvard. Caulfield cites Nourse. History of Harvard, pp. 530-531.[6]

— 6 Ipswich. Vital Records of Ipswich; Caulfield 1942, pp. 62-63.[7]

–David Haskell, Aug 25, about 18. Vital Records of Ipswich, p. 580.

–Naomi Haskell, Aug 25, 22-months. Vital Records of Ipswich, p. 581.

–Hepsey Dodge Patch, Oct 2, 15 months. Vital Records of Ipswich, p. 641.

–Susan Patch, Sep 20, about 49. Vital Records of Ipswich, p. 642.

–Bethiah Poland, Sep 4, 34. Vital Records of Ipswich, p. 650.

–Thomas Zaccheus Jr., Sep 8, about 14-months old. Vital Records of Ipswich, p. 509.

— 4 Lancaster. Larkin family. Caulfield 1942, pp. 63-64.

—>12 Lexington. Lexington, Mass., Record of Births, Marriages and Deaths; in Caulfield fn 194.[8]

–3 Bridge family. Lexington, Mass., Record of Births, Marriages and Deaths, p. 167.

–6 Childs family. Lexington, Mass., Record of Births, Marriages and Deaths, p. 170.

–Abigail Childs, Aug 29, age 7. Hopkins. Vast Public Indifference. 7-10-2008.

–Abijah Childs, Sep 6, age 11. Hopkins. Vast Public Indifference. 7-10-2008.

–Benjamin Childs, Aug 24, age 4. Hopkins. Vast Public Indifference. 7-10-2008.

–Eunice Childs, Aug 23, age 12. Hopkins. Vast Public Indifference. 7-10-2008.

–Moses Childs, Aug 19, age 2. Hopkins. Vast Public Indifference. 7-10-2008.

–Sarah Childs, Aug 28, age 13. Hopkins. Vast Public Indifference. 7-10-2008.

–3 Smith family. Lexington, Mass., Record of Births, Marriages and Deaths, p. 200-202

— ? Lynn. Caulfield 1942, pp. 62-63.[9]

— 18 Medford. Brooks. History of the Town of Medford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.[10]

— 4 Methuen. Merrill family. Caulfield 1942, pp. 63-64.

— 4 Milford. Newton family. Caulfield 1942, pp. 63-64.

— ? Sherborn. Caulfield 1942, pp. 63-64. (less severe epidemic)

—>10 Spencer. Draper. History of Spencer, Massachusetts… to the Year 1860 (2^nd Ed.), p.128.[11] –2 Aug 24 and 27. Children of Capt. John Draper. Draper. History of Spencer, MA, 128.

–2 Sep 14-15. Children of James Draper. Draper. History of Spencer, MA, 128.

— 17 Tewksbury.

–Wife of David Bailey, Sep 27. Vital Records of Tewksbury, p. 191.

–Marcy Brown, Sep 12, daughter of Samuel. Vital Records of Tewksbury, p. 195.

–Betty French, Oct 16, daughter of Aaron and Sarah. Vital Records of Tewksbury, p. 206.

–David French, Oct 1, 2^nd son of Solomon. Vital Records of Tewksbury, p. 206.

–Samuel French, Oct 26, age 29. Vital Records of Tewksbury, p. 208.

–Hannah Hardy, Oct 5, daughter of Peter and Dorcas. Vital Records of Tewksbury, p.213.

–Zacheriah Hardy, Oct 17, son of James Jr. Vital Records of Tewksbury, p. 214.

–Betty Kittredge, Oct 18, daughter of John and Abigail. Vital Records of Tewksbury, 220.

–Molly Kittredge, Sep 10, daughter of Nathan. Vital Records of Tewksbury, p. 224.

–Rebecca Kittredge, Sep 24, wife of William Jr. Vital Records of Tewksbury, p. 222.

–Susanna Kittredge, Aug 22, daughter of Francis. Vital Records of Tewksbury, p. 224.

–Thomas Marshall, Sep 8, age 73. Find A Grave. “Thomas Marshall;”[12] Vital Records.

–Margaret Nicholas, Sep 22 (daughter of Robert). Vital Records of Tewksbury, p. 232.

–Robert Nicholas, Oct 9, 37. Vital Records of Tewksbury, p. 232.

–Isaac Phelps, Sep 22, son of Joseph and Ruth. Vital Records of Tewksbury, p. 234.

–Wife of Jacob Saunders, Sep 24. Vital Records of Tewksbury, p. 237.

–Benjamin Stickney, Sep 5, age 7. Vital Records of Tewksbury, p. 240.

— 5 Wakefield,

–Dorothy Brown, Aug 21, 5 yrs 9 months. Baldwin. Vital Records of Wakefield, p. 264.

–Hannah Brown, Aug 2, 22 months. Baldwin. Vital Records of Wakefield, p. 265.

–Susanna Brown, Sep 7, age 76. Baldwin. Vital Records of Wakefield, p. 266.

–Mehetabel Smith, Sep 2, 73. Baldwin. Vital Records of Wakefield, p. 320.

–Anna Winslow, Nov 28, age 31. Baldwin. Vital Records of Wakefield, p. 320.

— ? Woburn. Caulfield 1942, pp. 63-64. (less severe epidemic)

Pennsylvania ( ?)

–? Valley Forge, Winter-Spring. Washington’s Continental Army.[13]

Narrative Information

Caulfield: “The summer and autumn of 1778 was another trying period for the children of eastern Massachusetts. Smallpox and “slow fever” (typhoid?) were rife, but the East Bridgewater, Ipswich, Lynn, Medford, Spencer, and Tewksbury records show definitely that dysentery had again reached the epidemic stage. Not yet identified beyond doubt, but having all the characteristics of dysentery, were the fairly severe epidemics in Chelmsford, Dunstable, Harvard, and Lexington, and the less severe ones in Carlisle, Sherborn, and Woburn. Multiple deaths between August and November can be found in the vital records of at least twenty other towns. During this period six members of the Childs family in Lexington and five of the Fletcher family in Chelmsford died. The Larkins of Lancaster, the Merrills of Methuen, and the Newtons of Milford lost four apiece.

“In Plainfield, Connecticut, one branch of the Mordock family was destroyed. The story can be briefly summarized by a few words from the diary of the Reverend Thomas Smith of Falmouth, who wrote on September 30, 1778: “There is a terrible dysentery that prevails and rages at the westward. There is not a child three years old left in Mystic.” (Caulfield. “Some Common Diseases of Colonial Children.” Transactions…Colonial Society…Mass., V.35, Apr 1942, 62-64)

Sources

Baldwin, Thomas W. (compiler). Vital Records of Harvard, Massachusetts, to the year 1850. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1912. Google preview accessed 2-6-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=Ejx-pKM5AGYC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Baldwin, Thomas W. (compiler). Vital Records of Wakefield, Massachusetts, to the year 1850. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1912. Google preview accessed 2-5-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=qwsO0VE8diAC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Brooks, Charles. History of the Town of Medford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, From its First Settlement in 1630 to 1855 (Revised, Enlarged, and Brought Down to 1885, by James M. Usher.) Boston: Rand, Avery & Company, The Franklin Press, 1886. Google preview accessed 2-1-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=ASwWAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

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

Cutter, Benjamin and William R. History of the Town of Arlington, Massachusetts. Formerly the Second Precinct in Cambridge or District of Menotomy, afterward the Town of West Cambridge, 1635-1879, with a Genealogical Register of the Inhabitants of the Precinct. Boston: David Clapp & Son, 1880. Google preview accessed 2-6-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPePzTEEhsYC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Draper, James. History of Spencer, Massachusetts, From Its Earliest Settlement to the Year 1860; Including a Brief Sketch of Leicester, To the Year 1753 (2^nd Edition). Worcester, MA: Henry J. Howland, 1864. Google preview accessed 2-5-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=vRcXAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Find A Grave. “Thomas Marshall” (Memorial no. 30162026). Created by Denise, 9-29-2008, citing Old Center Burying Grounds, Tewksbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Accessed 2-5-2018 at: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30162026

Hopkins, Caitlin G. D. Vast Public Indifference: History, grad school, and gravestones! 7-10-2008. Accessed 2-5-2018 at: http://www.vastpublicindifference.com/2008/07/childs-children.html

New England Historic Genealogical Society. Vital Records of East Bridgewater, Massachusetts to the Year 1850. Boston, MA: The Society, 1917. Google preview accessed 2-5-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=7NP3bnSaio8C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Plumer, Richard P. Charlotte [NC] and the American Revolution. Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2014. Google preview accessed 2-5-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=SxF3CQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Vital Records of Ipswich, Massachusetts to the end of the year 1849 (Vol. II, Marriages and Deaths). Salem, MA, The Essex Institute, 1910. Google preview accessed 2-6-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=2X8lAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Vital Records of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. Salem MA: The Essex Institute, 1912. Google preview accessed 2-5-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=0c8UAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Williams, William W. (Editor). Magazine of Western History, Illustrated (Vol. II, May-Oct 1885). Cleveland, OH: 1885. Google preview accessed 2-5-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=at46AQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=dysentery&f=false

[1] Too little to go on for numbers in CT or Valley Forge, PA winter-spring encampment, NY, or other areas where British or American troops had dysentery as well as those civilian locations they carried it.

[2] Caulfield (1942, pp. 63-64), cites the Rev. Thomas Smith of Falmouth, who wrote on Sep 30, 1778, that “There is a terrible dysentery that prevails and rages at the westward. There is not a child three years old left in Mystic.”

[3] Williams, William W. (Editor). Magazine of Western History, Illustrated (Vol. II, May-Oct 1885). 1885, p. 637.

[4] Both sources are cited in Caulfield 1942, footnote 194.

[5] We note “at least” 16 in that Caulfield only notes deaths in families with multiple deaths.

[6] Caulfield notes fairly severe epidemic of some sort, while noting dysentery was occurring elsewhere in the State. A look through the Vital Records does not show dysentery as the cause for any of the deaths there that year. There are several which could be, such as the loss of four Sawyers (three children) April 6 and 22, Aug 24 and Oct 3.

[7] “the…Ipswich…records show definitely that dysentery had again reached the epidemic stage.”

[8] Caulfield is only noting cases wherein there are multiple deaths within families, probably all children. Notes these deaths occurred between August and November.

[9] “the…Lynn…records show definitely that dysentery had again reached the epidemic stage.”

[10] “Out of the thirty-seven deaths of 1778, eighteen were by dysentery, and twenty were children.” Also, Caulfield (1942, 62-63) notes “the…Medford…records show definitely that dysentery had again reached the epidemic stage.”

[11] Our number based upon Draper statement: “In 1778, the dysentery spread throughout a large part of the town. Many families lost more or less of their young children, frequently two or more within a few days of each other. A few instances only can be given, which will be sufficient to show the ravages made…” Also, Caulfield (1942, pp. 62-63) notes that “the…Spencer…records show definitely that dysentery had again reached the epidemic stage.” Thus if it was of epidemic proportions and Draper notes the loss of four Draper children, while noting that “many families” lost children, then, in order to derive a number for our tally, we translate “many” into ten or more.

[12] Also, Caulfield (1942, pp. 62-63, notes that “the…Tewksbury…records show definitely that dysentery had again reached the epidemic stage.”

[13] “About 2,500 men died at Valley Forge from typhoid, jaundice, dysentery and pneumonia. In the spring of 1778, the North Carolina regiments were so depleted that Washington ordered that the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Regiments be absorbed by the First, Second and Third Regiments.” (Plumer. Charlotte and the American Revolution. 2014.)

1778 — Sum-Fall (esp.), Dysentery, esp. Dunstable, Lexington, Medford, Tewksbury, MA-111