I am the oldest of my siblings and the only girl. Growing up, I was sometimes in places where my brothers weren't, hearing snatches of adult conversations. One of the whispers I heard was that in my mother's paternal family there were two aunts -- sisters -- who were "crazy" and died in a mental institution. Of course, as a child I never questioned or spoke of it but there was a cloud over that branch of the family and by extension me.
I mentioned my questions and the whispers briefly in an earlier post Brown Family Secrets
So, after decades of wondering if my great aunts were admitted to the Massillon State Hospital for mental illness, I finally got the answer -- thanks to a genealogy angel.
I belong to several genealogy groups in the areas where my ancestors lived. In a monthly meeting of one group, a member stated that she would be willing to help anyone with Ohio research -- my antenna went up and I made note of her contact information. When I reached out to her, she was helpful beyond measure!
This is what I have known about my great aunts (sisters of my maternal grandfather, Noah Brown)
Luella Brown Berry was born 30 Jan 1888 in Mississippi, married William Erza Berry about 1905 in Simpson County, Mississippi. She died 17 Aug 1928 in Massillon State Hospital of TB.
Fannie Brown McCall was born Feb 1890 in Simpson County, Mississippi, married Horace McCall on 21 Aug 1919 in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. She died 23 Jun 1926 in Massillon State Hospital of TB.
My question:
Did they go into the hospital as mental patients or TB patients?
The answer for my great aunt Luella is in her hospital Admittance Card. Written under CONDITION AND TERMS is "M. DiDep?" CAUSE Unknown. The term seems to be some type of dissociative disorder (using Google as my guide).
Luella Brown Berry was committed to the Massillon State Hospital in Massillon, Ohio on 28 August 1923. She was 37 years old, a housewife and her residence listed is Ashtabula, Ashtabula, Ohio. She was institutionalized just under five years before she died of pulmonary tuberculosis on 17 August 1928.
On the back of the card are the names and addresses of family: William E. Berry, husband, with a Rossford, Ohio address; and Noah Brown, brother. There is an additional notation to address all correspondence to her brother. Her mother, Mary Brown's name and address are crossed out along with the notation that she died April 25, 1925.
Fannie Brown McCall was committed to the Massillon State Hospital in Massillon, Ohio on 11 February 1924. She was 35 years old, and her residence is listed as Kingsville, Ashtabula, Ohio. She was institutionalized for two years and four months before she died of pulmonary tuberculosis on 23 June 1926. CONDITION AND TERMS box is left blank, CAUSE Unknown
On the back of the card are the names and addresses of family: Horace McCall, husband, with a Cleveland, Ohio address; and brothers, William Brown and Noah Brown. There is an additional notation to contact the brothers in case of illness or death. Her mother, Mary Brown's name and address are crossed out along with the notation that she died April 25, 1925.
The information from the hospital files, led me to reach out to the Massillon Public Library and I was sent the death notice of Fannie McCall from the local paper. The email with the death notice included a brief message: "The Massillon State Hospital was a statewide facility for tuberculosis patients and mentally handicapped at that time. All deaths were reported in the Massillon newspaper regardless of the hometown of the patient, but not a true obituary."
It took a few days for me to process the information that I received on the hospital Admission Cards. When I did, I was overcome with sadness -- and more questions. What was the behavior that led to my great aunts being committed? What was the treatment and how were they treated during their time in the facility? Why were their brothers listed as the contacts and not their husbands? Did their family visit them or were they put away and forgotten? They are both buried in the Massillon Cemetery -- did they have a funeral service?
I had taken an extended break from researching my great aunts when I received their death certificates a few years ago that listed the Massillon State Hospital as the place where they died, even though I had questions on why they were there. I am torn about this post, but I feel someone will need to know. Although they died decades before I was born, Aunt Luella and Aunt Fannie will forever have a place in my heart.
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