The early 1900's saw many epidemic level health problems emerge, most of which impacted the African-American communities greatly, particularly urbanized African-American communities. Logan and Sarah's family were no different. Two of their children Harold & Lelia, as well as two, if not four, of Lelia’s children died from the terrible disease.
"…By 1918, medical and public health reports had documented that African Americans suffered higher morbidity and mortality rates than white people for several diseases. The Atlanta Board of Health, for example, reported in 1900 that the black death rate exceeded that of the white death rate by 69%. In an analysis of the 1900 census, W.E.B. Du Bois, the influential sociologist and civil rights activist, found that African American death rates were two to three times higher than for white people for several diseases including tuberculosis, pneumonia, and diarrheal disease."
From <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2862340/>
Pulmonary Tuberculosis: The bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes TB, a contagious, airborne infection that destroys body tissue, when M. tuberculosis primarily attacks the lungs. However, it can spread from there to other organs. TB was not curable by medication for decades to come. The only known treatment was migration to more 'rural' climates, and this treatment wasn't always effective.
Harold Montgomery died in the Sunnyside Sanitarium on the northwest outskirts of Indianapolis in the Marion County town of Oaklandon. He had suffered from TB for about 10 years and died January 31, 1926 at the age of 26. He was single and to our knowledge had no children. He was buried in Floral Park. Lelia, Ethel, and Robert, died from TB at their home on the west-side of Marion County in the little town of Bridgeport. |
|
Lelia Montgomery was born about 1879 in Columbia, Adair, Kentucky, probably in the White Oak sub-division. She married Henry Cabell about 1900 in Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana. He was born in Henderson County, Kentucky.
Henry Cabell and Lelia Montgomery had the following children:
- ETHEL CABEL was born on 20 Jun 1901 in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana. She died on 10 Jun 1921 in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, from Bronchial Catarrh Phthisis (TB). Buried: Floral Park Cemetery
- EARL CABEL was born about 1903 in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana.
- ROBERT CABEL was born on 18 Sep 1906 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He died on 16 Nov 1926 in Indianapolis, Indiana, from Pulmonary Tuberculosis, tuberculosis of the Bowels. Bridgeport RR#2, Indianapolis. Unmarried and buried in Floral Park.
- Unknown child: born before 1909 and died after September of 1909, but before the 1910 census.
- HAZEL CABEL was born on 11 Sep 1909 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
- ALONZO CABELL was born about 1916 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
- MILDRED CABELL was born about 1918 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
- DOROTHY CABELL was born about 1922 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
- VIRGINIA ADELAIDE CABELL was born on 25 Oct 1923 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
- Unknown Child: both unknown children are based on the Birth Certificates of Hazel and Virginia Adelaide Cabell.
Family Timeline:
- The 1909 Birth certificate of Hazel says she is the 5th born and that all are still living.
- 1910 census living with Lelia(35) & Henry(38) are Russell(60) & Sarah(58) Montgomery, and sons Elmer(14) and Harold(12), and 4 of Lelia's children: Ethel(8), Earl(7), Robert(3), Hazel(1). Living on 940 Fayette Street (was also there in 1901).
- 1920 Census living at 1339 Pershing Ave with Lelia(46) & Henry(38) are Sarah(57), Elmer(24), and Harold(19), and 6 of Lelia's children: Ethel (18), Earl (17), Robert (12), Hazel (10), Alonzo (4), Mildred (2).
- The 1923 Birth Certificate of Virginia Adelaide says: she was born at 3am when the family was living in the small Marion County town of Bridgeport. (R.R.A. Box 25). , father is a cook, The BC says Lelia has had 10 children, 7 still living. Dead: Ethel (1921), Robert (1926), and one unknown child born before Hazel in 1909 and died between Hazel's birth and the 1910 census.
- Lelia died 3-26-1930 from Pulmonary Tuberculosis(TB), she had been diagnosed 9 months earlier? She lived on the west side in Bridgeport, Marion County. Her husband Henry was the informant on the DC. She was buried in Floral Park.
- 1930 Census Henry (52) widower, living on Hardin Road, RR, no street numbers. Lelia's children still living with Henry: Alonzo (14), Mildred (12) , Dorothy (8), Virginia Adelaide (6). Of the 13 houses on this section of Hardin Road two are white families; the Redmond family and the Philipps family. The other 11 families are all African-American families.
- Henry Cabell died after 1930. (check Floral Park for his grave)
We don't know what became of Henry, Alonzo, Mildred, Dorothy, or Virginia Adelaide after the 1930 Census.
Who’s who in this article.
- Lelia (Montgomery) Cabell and Harold Montgomery were aunt and uncle to Myrtle (Montgomery) Williams. They were two of Sarah E. (Miller) and Logan Russell Montgomery’s children.
- Myrtle (Montgomery) Williams and James Francis Williams are the focal point of the Montgomery-Williams Project.
