COUNTDOWN TO 150 - Sylvia's Illness and Death by Earl Shreckengast with excerpts from Sarah Morrison's books
A shadow descended over the Koester family several years into Charles’ and Sylvia’s life together. “Tuberculosis—then called consumption—cast its shadow over the household,” writes Sarah Morrison in her book “Charles and Sylvia: A Tender Love—Profound and Abiding.” Sylvia’s sister, Lucy, contracted the deadly disease. Sylvia helped care for her and toward the end of her life, Lucy moved in with Sylvia and Charles. Lucy died April 24, 1878.
It was the same year, 1878, that Sylvia began to show signs of the disease. The birth of their second daughter, Jennie, in June 1879, and little Charles in June 1881, “undoubtedly compromised Sylvia’s health and must have made fighting the disease all the more difficult. Charles and she sought out the best treatments and doctors possible, making numerous trips to St. Joseph and Kansas City, and wrote to doctors in Philadelphia and elsewhere,” recalls Morrison. A great granddaughter of Sylvia and Charles, Morrison has written extensively about her great grandparents using the diaries that Charles Koester kept.
Morrison further elaborates, “Trips to St. Joseph to consult with Dr. Hall became more frequent in 1882 and early 1883 but the couple was ever hopeful she would one day regain her strength. In the early months of 1883, however, Sylvia was still not improving.
“Sylvia and the children stayed in St. Joe for a period of weeks in (early)1883 and Charles traveled back and forth to Marysville. When he at last came to meet them and bring them home, he learned the sad prospects for Sylvia’s recovery.”
Sylvia’s Aunt Mary Morehouse came from Illinois to help Charles care for her during the final days. Sylvia, who was orphaned at age 10, stayed with her from age 18 for about five years before coming to Marysville to live with her brother, John Broughten.
Sylvia already had moved from their upstairs bedroom to the west bay window area (today’s library on the first floor). Charles also had moved downstairs to sleep in the Parlor so he could be near her.
“Even at a time when she was suffering greatly and having much difficulty breathing, (Sylvia’s) concerns were for her husband, children, and others. In the months as she grew weaker and weaker, she still managed to (as Charles put it) toil and complete 113 jars of jams for the family, and in the last few days she finished sewing outfits for her (daughters),” Morrison writes in “Tender Love.”
Charles recorded his last conversations with Sylvia in his 1883 diary. She revealed for the first time the sad details of her early childhood when, after her parents died, she was sent to live with an aunt who was abusive. Sylvia asked Charles to buy gifts for the hired help and for her Aunt Mary Morehouse. Her wish concerning the children was that Charles would keep the home for them, but that if something should happen to him, that his sister Jane be given charge of them.
Charles wrote on March 31, 1883, “She wakes and I sit by the bedside and we have a kind talk. Mama says: ‘If it was not for You and the Children I would not take any more Medecine (sic). – Oh! If I had known all of this; I would not have burdened you with myself. Dear Kind Husband. How short few year our Earthly Happiness has been; how I would like to live longer and be happy with You. Should it be that I can hover about You and this Home I will make myself known to You.”
After Charles had taken her beautiful flowers from the greenhouse, “Mama tells me she feels so very bad, can hardly look at anything. ‘The only soothing touches I receive are from you!!’”
On Sunday, April 1, Tinnie and Jennie attended M.E. Sunday School. “Mama feeling so proud of the ‘Blue suits’ she made for (them).” They had photographs taken that afternoon.
The children realize that Sylvia is dying. On the 2nd, “Jennie saying ‘Where are You going? In the Ground?’ Mama nodding her head. Oh! I thought it a relief to burst out crying aloud as tears drop upon Jennie’s head!”
Sylvia rallies. Among her last words to Charles, “I wish You could do something for me; but You cannot. Oh! I have lived for You six Years and no one has ever loved me until You loved me my dear Husband!!”
Sylvia’s death came in the early morning of April 3, 1883. “Oh! Oh! Oh!’ With sighs at 7 minutes to one o’clock Tuesday morning our Loving, Patient Mama’ breathes her last ‘breath’ . . .Where but a few minutes ago life, hope, expectation and fears of sorrow seemed to give the room a life and moving anxiety—now calm, cold, sober, sorrowful reflections! –breathless and silent.”
“Jennie and Charley are wide awake and Jennie asks ‘Is Mama gone; did the angels take her?’ Charley too cries; ‘Mama’ at the bedside.”
“As I was Your darling Husband and Papa so were and will You ever remain my only dear and Loving Wife and Sylvia,” laments Charles.
The above photos of Tinnie (left) and Jennie (right) were taken on Sunday, April 1, 1883, two days before Sylvia died. Sylvia was determined to finish the blue dresses that she was sewing for Tinnie and Jennie despite her weakness from the consumption. Tinnie and Jennie wore their dresses to Sunday School on the 1st. Charles had Mr. Newcomb photograph them that afternoon.
