Ancestor: James Monroe Cheney
Descendant: Nadine C.
In the fall of 1915 Mr. James Monroe Cheney and his son Will, "Bill", came to Greeley County via the railroad, going from Selden to Colby, to Oakley, Winona, Scott City, and on to Tribune, the trip taking one and one-half days. In April of 1916 James Monroe and his son George returned to Greeley County by team and wagon to break sod and plant corn and cane. James Monroe returned to Selden August 16th to move his wife Samantha and three of their children to Greeley County.
The influenza epidemic of 1918 and 1919 hit the Cheney family hard. They lived eight miles west of Tribune, Kansas. Of their seven sons and one daughter, James Monroe and Samantha had four sons who became ill with the 1918 flu and pneumonia. The parents and George had the flu and double pneumonia first. George, 19-years-old in 1918, related how ill he was with the flu. Sons Dave, Bill, and Allen came to Greeley County to take care of their parents and George and became exposed.
Three of them recovered. Bill recovered after a 30-day siege, and stated "he never regained his weight or strength." Bill survived, however his brother Dave did not, and left his widow Ella and two children. Allen returned home and took the flu and died three days later. Allen's widow Reene had four children to provide for. James Monroe and Samantha Cheney helped raise the children, also.
Samantha Cheney died from pneumonia March 28, 1930. James Monroe passed away December 8, 1944. Many of the family are buried in the rural Hawkeye cemetery, some at Rexford and Seldon, Kansas.
Reported from the Greeley County Republican newspaper, Tribune, KS:
Feb. 26, 1920-James A. Cheney of Rexford, Kansas was called here some days ago on account of the illness of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Cheney. In a short time after his arrival, he was taken with the flu, continued to grow worse, and died last Saturday morning. The body was prepared for shipment and on Sunday Dave Cheney, a brother, started on a sad journey with the body for the home at Rexford for burial. He leaves a wife and four children, who it is said were all seriously ill at home at the time of the death of Mr. Cheney.
The caretakers had no medicine to give to the patients. They used home remedies: poultices, steamed towels coal oil on brown sugar, and carried water from their deep well water supply and bathed the patient often to try and break the fever.
I am personally wondering how much we have advanced in our treatment of influenza. I am respecting the disease and doing what I can to prevent getting it.