Luzadder Family Cemetery, Montebello Township, Hancock County, Illinois

Workers in the Nauvoo historical Society brought thisLuzadder Family Cemetery list of Montebello Township to the museum in the Nauvoo State Park which the society operates.  Just to drew up the writer of this and sponsor of this Hancock County, Illinois burial list project, Warren L. Van Dine, has not yet discovered.

Maybe Mrs. Ida Blume, perhaps Miss Mary H. Siegfried, it may be one of the others who have rendered so much splendid service through the almost 20 years the society has been operated.

If the name of this worker is ever ascertained it will be attached to this list.

It was found in the filing cabinet were the types of lists of this project being furnished to the society are kept, (one of the eight places of deposit for these for examination by the American people), by me October 4, 1970.  This introduction is being prepared the same day.

Who ever compiled it drew up a brief introductory statement.  This will be given here on a separate page.

Introduction
At the top of a cliff on the south side of the Waggonner Creek-North of bills Seaver's house are at least three graves of the Luzadder family- some think there was more than three.  One stone, which was that of a child, has been taken away but the other two remain, however, one is broken.  Both are on the ground.  As was usually the case, they were buried on land belonging to the family.

There were two brothers who had houses near to each other and not far from the edge of the timber and near the road which ran past there homes and came down near where the Seavers house is now located. One brother went on a trip,  to Quincy, or St. Louis, and Mrs. Wyles, to whom I am indebted to for this story, thinks it was St. Louis.  Just after he had returned he became ill with black smallpox.  This was one of the most dreaded diseases and so no one was allowed near the place.  One day though, the brother who lived nearby, went over and looked in the window.  The family was desperately ill and his brother was having some sort of spasm.  The brother could stand it no longer and so he went and took care of them.  The brother who had taken ill first got well. William, the brother who had gone in and took care of the family took the disease and died.

Mrs. Wyles is unsure whose children died.  She thinks it was probably that William did not go home,  for he would have exposed his own family.

There is still evidence of the House which they say was brick.  The basement is there although it is partially filled in and a huge flat Rock, which was evidently the doorstep, a lilac bush, and the well, which has been covered with posts. The Luzadders also owned our hickory grove which is along the east side of the road to the church.
 

After doing a little research I found William and his brother in the 1850 census
The brother of William was James M. Luzadder born about 1816, in Ohio. He married Charlotte D. Marsh November 9, 1847 in Hancock County, Illinois. Charlotte did not succumb to Black Smallpox. On April 8, 1856 Charlotte married John R. Marshall.  At this point I do not know if James and Charlotte were divorced and he remarried as Charlotte did,  (If he did remarry it was not in Hancock County) or if he died.

Smallpox has three forms: variola major, variola minor and hemorrhagic smallpox.  Each one of these forms vary in severity.  Hemorrhagic Smallpox, which is called Black Smallpox,  is the most dangerous and is almost always 100% fatal.
 
By Shawnnee Ramey

Luzadder, Kate- b: September 1852 in Montebello Township, Hancock Co, Illinois  February 24, 1853  aged 6 months
Luzadder, William- b: 1812 in Ohio  d: February 16, 1853  aged 41 years