On 3 September 1873, the Knoxville Weekly Chronicle told “The Exact Truth About Cholera in the City of Knoxville” in order to dispel the “cruel and exaggerated stories” that had spread terror throughout East Tennessee and kept thousands of people from visiting the city. The truth, they declared, was that there was no cholera epidemic and there was, in fact, less sickness in the city than was usual in June and July and that the number of deaths in August from all diseases was lower than in previous years. These statements were attested to by the physicians of the city and accompanied by statements from the city’s churches. Finally, in order to show “how unfounded the false reports from cholera are,” a list of deaths from the disease was given as shown:
Robert H. Brown, June 25th.
Jacob Easterday, July 1st.
Mrs. Rutherford, July 3rd.
Mrs Hodge, July 5th, died on train just from Chattanooga.
Mrs Harris, July 5th.
A. W. Johnson, July 14th.
Mrs Nelson, July 15th.
Pauline Contourier, July 15th.
Spence Eaton, (col) July 16th.
Caroline Hollihan, July 17th.
Elvina Eaton, (col) July 19th.
George Pearson, July 22nd.
Ham Stetterly, (col) July 28th.
Anderson Day, July 29th.
Mrs Provost, August 3rd.
Ellen Donohoe, August 4th.
Miss Floyd, August 5th.
Miss Smith, August 13th.
Mr Defreese, August 18th.
child named Harris, (col) August 18th.
Henry White, (col) August 22nd.
Hon. T. A. R. Nelson, August 24th.
Joseph Roth, August 26th.
Reuben Emmett, August 27th.
railroad hand, (colored), name unknown.
William Bayless, Shieldstown.
Abstract prepared by Genealogy-Quest.com from “The Exact Truth About Cholera In The City Of Knoxville.” Knoxville Weekly Chronicle, Knoxville, TN, 3 September 1873, 1.