SCARLET FEVER - Deaths 24 Hours Apart

James Shelton Allison

1825 - 1882

James Shelton Allison was born on July 13, 1825 in White County, Tennessee.

He was the son of Joseph "Mine Lick Joe" Allison and Asenath Cynthia Stone.

He married Rachel Elizabeth Clark on July 30, 1846 in White County.  

Rachel (1832-1882) and her sister married Allison Brothers.


'ALLISON' Brothers MARRIED 'CLARK' Sisters

James Shelton Allison married Rachel Elizabeth Clark
(James & Rachel - my 2nd Great Grand Uncle & Aunt)

William Herbert Allison married Elizabeth Peggy Clark 
(William Herbert & Elizabeth Peggy - my 2nd Great Grandparents)

Centennial Cemetery
Cherryvale
Montgomery County - Kansas

(Both names are on same stone)

. 

James died on February 25, 1882, in Drum Creek, Kansas, at the age of 56, 

and was buried in Cherryvale, Kansas. Rachel died 24 hours later.

James and his wife Rachel
 died 24 hours apart from 
Scarlet Fever.

There were large outbreaks of scarlet fever from the late 1770s to the early 1800s. 

 In addition, sources support the claim that it was in fact at its most potent from the

 1830s to the 1880s. 

The words 'scarlet fever' struck fear in the hearts of people during this time.  

Interestingly, it was a mysterious disease, because it would infect only some member os a 

family and not others.  More often than not, it was the younger members of the 

family who came down with scarlet fever and most often die.  

In the case of James and Rachel, the parents were the ones who died.

"How dark the days seemed now, how sad and lonely the house, and how heavy

 were the hearts of the sisters as they. worked and waited, while the shadow of death 

hovered over the once happy home."

 With these words, author Louisa May Alcott captures the fear and tragedy 

that scarlet fever spread in the 1800s.

James and his family lived in 
Montgomery County,  Drum Creek Township, Kansas. 

James Shelton and Rachel Elizabeth had 13 children:

1. Josiah Allison March 11, 1848 TN

Josiah Allison was a carpenter.
When both James and Rachel (his parents) died they left a large family. 
Josiah and his wife (Sarah Caroline Darnell) helped raise the younger children.

2. Luther L. Allison March 25 1850 TN

3. Disey S Allison July 30, 1852 in TN 

4. Isaac M. Allison Jan 20, 1854 in TN

5. Leroy Allison Jan 13, 1856 in TN

6. Mary F Allison born July 6, 1859

7. William Allison Oct 28, 1861

8. Sary C Allison June 26, 1863-1870

9. Sarepta A Allison April 14, 1865, IL

10. James Sherman Allison August 17, 1868, IL

11.Sarilda Allison Jan 7, 1870, IL

Sarilda Jane was only 12 years old when her parents died. 

She married Charles H. Keller in 1884 in Cherryvale, Kansas, at the age of 15.

12.Columbus R Allison June 26, 1873, KS - changed name to Charles.

13. Idella Allison Feb 29, 1876