Letter from Pennsylvania Vaccine Farm to Mississippi Governor John M. Stone; September 16, 1878

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Letter from Pennsylvania Vaccine Farm to Mississippi Governor John M. Stone; September 16, 1878

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People

Campbell, Hugh Johnson, Wirt M'Knight, William M.Magruder, Benjamin McClune, A. K.Senseney, B. Rush

Organizations

Churches Clubs and Secret Societies Schools Schools--Pennsylvania

Occupations

Medical Profession Medical Profession--Physicians

Places

Bodies of Water--Interstate. Potomac River Bodies of Water--Interstate. Susquehanna River Illinois--Cook County. Chicago Louisiana--Orleans Parish. New Orleans Missouri--Saint Louis County. St. Louis Pennsylvania--Franklin County. Chambersburg Tennessee--Shelby County. Memphis

Social Identifiers

Christians Impoverished People Marital Status--Widows Orphans

Vital Statistics

Disease and Illness Disease and Illness--Epidemic Disease and Illness--Epidemic. Yellow Fever (1878)

Page 1

B. RUSH SENSENEY, M. D.

{ To the Authorities of Public Institutions, Boards of Health, &c., special and liberal terms will be given. Prompt attention paid to orders by telegraph. Virus guaranteed in all cases. }

WM. M. M'KNIGHT.

OFFICE OF THE
PENNSYLVANIA VACCINE FARM,
CHAMBERSBURG,
Franklin County, Pa.

Sept. 16 1878

To His Excellency;
Governor Stone.

My dear Sir.

In this hour of deep distress of yourself and people—this calamity which is sweeping away thousands of your citizens—I feel it incum-bent upon me, as a Christian man and one—not as having authority but as being vested with some influence in this community, to write you and offer you that influence and all the aid and comfort it may be able to call forth in behalf of your sorely stricken people.

Page 2

[Unclear: page folded] Authorites of Public Institutions, [Unclear: page folded] Health, &c., special and liberal terms will be given. Prompt attention paid to orders by telegraph. Virus guaranteed in all cases. }

WM. M. M'KNIGHT.

OFFICE OF THE
PENNSYLVANIA VACCINE FARM,
CHAMBERSBURG,
Franklin County, Pa.

Sept 16–1878

We live in a beautiful, fertile and healthy Valley and I feel that if God has special-ly blest any community in this country He has surely poured the wealth of His love upon ours—for peace, prosper-ity, abundance and freedom from deadly diseases every-where reigns with us from River to River and from mountains to mountains. Our people have been quickened and their hearts touched by the stories of the woes that have fallen our dear bretheren of the South-land and they have been for days and weeks nobly and liberally responding for the calls for aid but there

Page 3

[Unclear: page folded] VANIA VACCINE FARM,
CHAMBERSBURG,
Franklin County, Pa.

Sept 16 1878

is far more which they can and will do if properly managed. For some weeks responses of money have come from indi-viduals—from schools, churches sabbath schools, societies and other bodies and the amounts immediately forwarded to New Orleans, Memphis and other places. The hearts of our people have been touched by the sad story of your sick and dying thous-ands and offerings and prayers are being sent from towns cities villages and hamlets—not alone from our fertile Valley but all over the North, East and West. And yet your need is great and I can see is and will become greater as winter

Page 4

[Unclear: page folded] VANIA VACCINE FARM,
CHAMBERSBURG,
Franklin County, Pa.

[gap] 187

approaches and as before stated much more can and will be done by the people of my own immediate community. I have many warm friends in your state, have had much pleasant business and other intercourse with many of your citizens of many towns and cities of the state, hence I feel greatly interested in you and my hearts warm-est sympathies go out to your stricken people. I feel that in making a great and special effort in your behalf that it should be for the suffering of Mississippi. I feel this strongly and mean to act with all the strength of purpose, all the fervor, ability, zeal and elo-

Page 5

[page folded] VANIA VACCINE FARM,
CHAMBERSBURG,
Franklin County, Pa.

[gap] 187

-quence I can command in behalf of your own people, hence I write you this letter in order that I may go to work with some system and special ob-ject in view—the which to pre-sent to the citizens of the many towns and cities along our valley—from the Potomac to the Susque-hanna. I have this day written to my friend and patron D.^r Wirt Johnson. Health Officer of yr state—in order to get his views in the matter. My idea is to claim from our prosperous and wealthy people supplies of all kind—Groceries—Wines—liquors—dry goods blankets [?]—mattresses—sheets—quilts—flour—hams—bacon—sugar

Page 6

[Unclear: page folded] ANIA VACCINE FARM,
CHAMBERSBURG,
Franklin County, Pa.

[gap] 187

butter—indeed supplies of provi-sions of all kinds—also clothing and materials to make up into garments for little children and adults. I make this point because there are thousands who will donate liberally in this way from whom money can not easily be obtained. I would try to inaugurate a spontaneous and generous outburst of liberality and Christian fellowship that will send comfort to the hearts of thousands of your needy. I imagine there are and will be many widows and orphaned little children who are or will be left destitute. They will need shelter food and [?]

Page 7

[page folded] ANIA VACCINE FARM,
CHAMBERSBURG,
Franklin County, Pa.

[gap] 187

Gods prosperous people must supply it. Please write me a letter yourself that I may present it to my own people at such times and places as may be expedient and let the letter be explanatory of your necessi-ties—your greatest present wants, the character of provisions, groceries and clothing which will be most acceptable. This will of course be in addition to funds—money being collected and which will be pushed to its utmost for I well know that with supply of money all necessaries can be obtained—but as before said large contributions can be secured from sources where they would be willing to give [cash?] but have it not

Page 8

[page folded] ANIA VACCINE FARM,
CHAMBERSBURG,
Franklin County, Pa.

Sept. 16 1878

A letter from you covering these and all needed points will awaken a wide feeling of benevolence—cause a generous outburst of liberal giving and be the means of supply-ing large numbers of those who are or will soon be in want. Our people have been specially blest of God. our Barnes are overflowing our storehouses filled and riches and prosperity have their abode with our people. As to my ability responsibility etc to act in this matter I refer you to Hon Benj. McGruder—Master in Chancery, of Chicago. Hon A. K. McClune. [?] Hon. Hugh Campbell St. Louis. Please let me have an early reply from you—as full

Page 9

Franklin County, Pa.

[gap] 187

as you can conveniently make it and bearing upon the needs of your widows and little children as well as those suffering from the great pestilence.

May God grant that the breath of the Destroyer may soon cease to breathe upon your land—May he dry the eyes of those who now are heavy hearted—full of grief—and give comfort to the stricken hearts. I know My dear Sir, on account of the gravity of the matter you will excuse the magnitude of this letter. Indeed it is well meant—Gods work and for stricken humanity.

I am sir
Very truly your friend

B. Rush Senseney

Page 10

[Unclear: page torn] E OFFICE,
[Unclear: page torn] ISSISSIPPI
[Unclear: page torn] vania ~~County,~~

[Unclear: page torn] ush Senseney.
[Unclear: page torn] bersburg, Pa.
[Unclear: page torn] 16, 1878
[Unclear: page torn] 20 " "
[Unclear: page torn] 24 " "

SUBJECT

Proposes to raise supplies of the yellow fever sufferers in Mississippi and for the widows and orphans made destitute by the epidemic.

(Inclosures [gap] )

J. M. STONE,
Governor.

KINLOCH FALCONER,
Private Secretary.