COVID19 – Not the First Pandemic to Hit The Cedar Valley

The CDC website says that the Spanish Flu of 1918 had a huge effect on the United States, and the Cedar Valley was no exception. “Between September and November, a second wave of flu peaks in the United States. This second wave is highly fatal, and responsible for most of the deaths attributed to the pandemic.”

An article on the University of Utah website talks about how bad the Spanish flu of 1918 was. “The Spanish Influenza pandemic is the catastrophe against which all modern pandemics are measured. It is estimated that approximately 20 to 40 percent of the worldwide population became ill and that over 50 million people died. Between September 1918 and April 1919, approximately 675,000 deaths from the flu occurred in the U.S. alone. Many people died from this very quickly. Some people who felt well in the morning became sick by noon, and were dead by nightfall. Those who did not succumb to the disease within the first few days often died of complications from the flu (such as pneumonia) caused by bacteria.

One of the most unusual aspects of the Spanish flu was its ability to kill young adults. The reasons for this remain uncertain. With the Spanish flu, mortality rates were high among healthy adults as well as the usual high-risk groups. The attack rate and mortality was highest among adults 20 to 50 years old. The severity of that virus has not been seen again.”

In 1918 the newspapers were reporting about the flu in all corners of the state. On December 20th, 1918 several Utah papers (The Park Record – a Park City Paper, Vernal Express, The Duchesne Record, The Ogden Standard) ran a clip from the Cincinnati Enquirer. It was the following:

That Flu Stuff

If you have a tummy ache,
It’s the flu!
If you’re weary when you wake,
It’s the flu!
Is your memory off track?
Is your liver out of wack?
Are there pimples on your back?
It’s the flu!

Are there spots before your eyes?
It’s the flu!
Are you fatter than some guys?
It’s the flu!
Do your teeth hurt when you bite?
Do you ever have a fright?
Do you want to sleep at night?
It’s the flu!

Are you thirsty when you eat?
It’s the flu!
Are you shaky on your feet?
It’s the flu!
If you feel a little ill,
Send right off for Dr. Pill,
He will say, despite his skill:
It’s the flu!

He won’t wait to diagnose,
It’s the flu!
Hasn’t time to change his clothes,
It’s the flu!
For two weeks he’s had no rest,
Has no time to make a test,
So he’ll class you with the rest –
It’s the flu!

I found several interesting items while researching the 1918-1919 flu and its impact in Cedar Valley. An Armistice Day 11 November 1918, when the peace treaty of WW I was signed, there was a huge party held in Salt Lake City. As expected there was a jump in flu cases after that date. Utah did a pretty good job of trying to isolate the outbreak, but Armistice Day threw a wrench in the works. It will be interesting to see if the Black Lives Matter protests and riots also create a spike or a second surge.

In the Jan 31st, 1920 issue of the American Fork Citizen, they ran an article entitled “We Have a Few Cases of Influenza” it gives us a little insight. “It is reported there are a number of cases in Lehi; several in Pleasant Gove; thirty or more in Provo, and Eureka is closed, either on account of the epidemic there or to keep it out.”

There are numerous mentions of the Spanish Flu of 1918-1919 in the book “Our Roots Grow Deep – A History of Cedar Valley” by Margery J. Peterson. I have to admit, I use this book frequently when finding interesting articles about the History of the Cedar Valley which now contains a large portion of Eagle Mountain.

This was said about a resident of Cedar Fort, Annie Christina Peterson Wilcox during the flu epidemic of 1918, as written by Bertha Brems Adams. “During the flu epidemic of 1918 she could be seen every afternoon with a scarf on her head and a shawl around her shoulders carrying her bucket of sweet cider and a dipper around to the houses where there was sickness. People would hold out a pitcher, and she would take a dipper and pour cider into it. No one would let her in their homes because they were afraid she would catch the disease. She saw to it the orphans had a birthday cake, and many other kindnesses were shown to them.”

“On 9 December 1918 a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Conder. When the baby was 3 weeks old the mother died with the flu, and the baby was given to Melvin and Ruth. They named him Howard Melvin Anderson. They raised him as their son.”

This was written about Woodruff Lysander and the effect the Flu of 1918 had on him later in his life. “Woodruff suffered from poor health for many years of his life having contracted the flu when the epidemic of influenza broke out and many died. Many in his family had the flu, but Woodruffs seemed to be the most serious. As a result of a high fever, his heart became weakened and he developed a leak in his heart In spite of poor health he continued to teach and work to make a livelihood for his family. Sometimes later blood poisoning set in, caused from a blister on his heel and his caused further damage to his heart He passed away 27 January 1934, and was buried in the Cedar Fort Cemetery.”

Lola Hacking Fowlke in her history stated that “In 1919 many people in Ceder Fort were very ill from the great flu epidemic.”

“The winter of 1918 and 1919 hundreds of people died from the flu. Seven people in one family in Lehi died within two weeks.”

The book also has a record of “History of the Cedar Valley Ward Relief Society” (1871-1930) that contains entries for most of the years during that time. The entry for 1919 was the following. “1919, Liberty Bonds – $100.00, 170 days with the sick, 14 days Temple Work” The following year in 1920 they recorded 114 days with the sick, and in 1921 recorded 131 days with the sick.

Cedar Fort had a store named John S. Hacking, General Mercantile. The store sold “groceries, canned goods, drugs, confections, hardware, shoes, and dry goods.” It was reported that in June 1919 it closed its doors “due to poor health of the family members.”

COVID-19 is not the first major pandemic to hit the Cedar Valley or the Eagle Mountain area. This probably will not be the last either. Lets learn from history and prepare ourselves and the city of Eagle Mountain for future outbreaks and keep its residents safe.