"Now God is trying us with another terrible judgement"

"Now God is trying us with another terrible judgement that is the feavour & bloody flux & several have Died of it"   Journal of Experience Wright Richardson, Sudbury Massachusetts August 29, 1775 privately published 1978.  

That summer of 1775 was a sad time in Westford Massachusetts when the town experienced an epidemic of dysentery known as the Bloody Flux.   27 died, most were children and uncounted others were sick.   The town lost over 2% of the population based on a census from 1776 the year after so the percentage lost was likely higher.  I'll be posting a little more of the history over the next few days.  To start this is a list of those who died in Westford with the name of the burial ground so that we may remember them.   All but 2 are buried in one of the Westford burial grounds and are listed on http://www.findagrave.com/  if you are not local but want to virtually visit them.  

July 25 Amos Wright son of Amos and Dorcas aged 4y 5m 15d.  Fairview Cemetery

August 3 Mary Wright daughter of Thomas and Mary aged 7y 4m 28d.  Hillside Cemetery

August 4  Thomas Wright son of Thomas and Mary aged 3y 1m 13d. Hillside Cemetery

August 14 Thomas Greenough Jr.  late of Boston aged 38.   Fairview Cemetery

August 19  Isaac Cummings  son of Isaac and Elizabeth aged 1y 6m 8d. Fairview Cemetery

August 20 Jacob Wright son of Ephriam and Abigail aged 3y. Hillside Cemetery

August 22 Jotham Wright son of Ephriam and Abigail aged 7y. Hillside Cemetery

August 23 Dorothy White daughter of Samuel and Dorothy aged 2y 2m 13d. Fairview Cemetery 

August 23 Hannah Wright daughter of Ephriam and Abigail aged 5y 6m 23d. Hillside Cemetery

August 30  Joseph Keyes  son of Joseph and Ruth aged 4y 3m 23d. Hillside Cemetery

August 30 Stephen Keyes son of Joseph and Ruth aged 2y 8m 19d. Hillside Cemetery

August 30 Betty Robinson daughter of Col. John and Huldah aged 5y 3m 27d. Westlawn Cemetery

August 30 Sarah Robinson daughter of Col. John and Huldah aged 3y 3m. Westlawn Cemetery

August 30 Molly Rogers daughter of Thomas and Molly aged 1y 3m 9d. Fairview Cemetery

September 1  Rebecca Keyes  daughter of Joseph and Ruth aged 10m 26d.  Hillside Cemetery

September 5 Sgt. Jonathan Read aged 45  Fairview Cemetery

September 7 Aaron Keyes son of Jonathan and Betty aged 15m. Hillside Cemetery

September 9 Rebekah Fletcher daughter of James and Rebekah aged 2y 1m. Westlawn Cemetery

September 9 Mehetibal Robinson daughter of Col. John and Huldah aged 8y 28d. Westlawn Cemetery

September 11 Joel Fletcher son of James and Rebekah aged 8m 24d. Westlawn Cemetery

September 13 Elizabeth Keyes widow Joseph aged 78.  Fairview Cemetery 

September 13 Jonathan Spaulding aged 45. Fairview Cemetery 

September 13 Thomas Smith son of Thomas and Molly aged 3y. Hillside Cemetery

September 14 Ephriam Wright son of Jacob and Abigail aged 50. Hillside Cemetery

September 14 Phebe Read daughter of Lt. Samuel and Hannah aged 3y 11m. Fairview Cemetery

September 19 William Smith son of Thomas and Molly aged 1y. Hillside Cemetery

September 20 Huldah Read daughter of Lt. Samuel and Hannah aged 7y 7m 1d. Fairview Cemetery

September 23 Eunice Dutton daughter of David and Esther aged 2y 3m 2d.  Hillside Cemetery