52 Ancestors 52 Weeks Week #34
Prompt: Newest Discovery
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The Clemmons and Sloan girls both die of consumption in 1859. They are not our only family members who had died from “consumption” over the years.
It was not an uncommon occurrence to lose multiple family members to consumption. With the onset of tuberculosis (TB) throughout the 1600-1800’s many families lost multiple members. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) it was first named in 1834 by Johann Schonlien, although it had been around for as long as “3 million years”. Tuberculosis had other names attached to it depending on where in the world you lived. TB was one, it also went by such names as phthists, tabes, schachepheth, consumption and the captain of all these men of death.
Our family had, over the years, lost several members from consumption. So what makes the Nancy (Sloan) Smith and Malinda (Clemmons) Fueston girls interesting?
Well, glad you asked! A little history ....I’d been searching high and low for anyone who may have a picture of my 2x great grandmother Ursley (Smith) Fueston (1838-1915). Every single chance I had to ask if someone had a picture of the Smith Family, or Ezekiel and Ursley Fueston family I'd ask. Generally these requests are through hits on Ancestry. And generally someone will have a picture or a tree with Ursley on it and so I will send a message to that person and try to find out if they have photos, specifically photos of Ursley or Ezekiel Fueston.
Last week I spotted this photo that listed Nancy Sloan (Ursley’s mother's name) on it so I reached out to the the person who had placed the photo on a Find A Grave memorial site and would perhaps know details about it. Here was my message:
“HI there. I’m inquiring about a photo you have posted for Reuben Sloan on Find a Grave. It is mentioned
that Nancy Sloan (my 3x great grandmother) is" left of father" Can you tell me who “father” is and who
else is in this photo please. I have been searching high and low for a photo of Ursley Smith, Nancy
Sloan’s daughter, my 2x great grandmother. Is she in this photo?”
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(second row first lady is Nancy Sloan next to her "Father" Reuben Sloan)
I then waited for a response. It turns out the person I had reached out to is one of our many cousins. Here is her response: