Andrew M. East (1815 - 1852)

Born 14 Jul 1815 in Tennessee, Usa

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 28 Jul 1852 at age 37 in Washington County, Illinois, USA

Biography

Andrew and his wife died during a cholera epidemic in the summer of 1852 in Washington County, Illinois. This was a part of the global pandemic that originated in India and spread around the world. In 1854, a British physician identified that contaminated water was the cause of the disease transmission, though there continued to be more pandemics until much of the world had public water and sanitation systems.

Andrew M. East. Given Name: Andrew M. Surname: East.

Born 14 Jul 1815. Tennessee, Usa.

Died 28 Jul 1852. Washington County, Illinois, USA.

Buried Old Salem Pioneer Cemetery, Lively Grove Township, Washington, Illinois, USA.

Note: A son of Henry Tate East and Elizabeth Betsy Coulter East. Husband of Jerminia Maxwell East. Married July 14, 1836 in Perry County Illinois. Brother to: Josiah, Andrew M., Robert C, James, David, Margaret, Henry Tate Jr., Archibald Eden, and Abraham M.

On Feb. 13, 1830, Andrew East, 20, married Miss Jerminia Maxwell, 18 at Winnsboro, South Carolina. Their honeymoon trip was one of exploration which ended on the banks of Mud Creek in Washington County, Ill, They built their "halffaced" camp and began the preparation of the timber or the construction of their new home. It was in the prevailing style of architecture. The Coulter family, 5 miles distant, were their nearest neighbors. The Coulter came to the "logrolling" and "raising" in the fall. The families became warm friends.

In the summer of 1852 a cholera epidemic swept though the community, described in the newspaper, Coulterville Republican, 1929.

"Early in the summer of 1852 Andrew East, who lived over in the Scrougeabout settlement, returned home from St. Louis sickened and died within the 24 hours. That was the beginning. It is not definitely known who was the first case in Grand Cote. It is certain that within a very short time after the plague made its first appearance, pestilence had entered almost of third of the home in the settlement. Many small markers in the old cemetery are mute witness of the ghastly toll paid that fearsome pestilence. Numerous graves in private burying grounds on nearby farms are evidence of the terrible fear people had of contract with their fellows, should they go with their dead to the public cemetery. Despair hovered over the community, dread of that hideous, unseen "Something that comes to seek us wearing wings." The dead were disposed of as quickly, quietly and decently as possible, without services of an undertaker, without burial rites. Some of the timid fled to other localities only to find the pestilence had preceded them. There was no city of refuge: no place to flee. The brave stood manfully to their post, drank strong black coffee, ministered to the living, buried the dead, quieted panic, brought order out of chaos". Transcribed by: Julie East-Sheffer.

Sources

See Also:

• FSLINK https:/familysearch.org/tree#view=ancestor&person=KLQW-43X.

• Find A Grave: Andrew M. East