Harold's middle name is a family name. His mother was Ida May Ellsworth, and his maternal grandmother was Sarah Richmond.
Harold suffered from a weak heart and epilepsy, the latter for 16 years. He lived at the Michigan Farm Colony for Epileptics, located east of Saginaw, on the thumb of Michigan. AKA Caro State Hospital, (Wahjamega).
He would have graduated from Constantine High School in 1913 but on account of failing health, was obligated to leave school in 1912 from when time his health gradually failed until his death in 1918.
"He is not dead, he is just away,
with a cheerful smile and a wave of his hand,
He has wandered into an unknown land'
And leaves us thinking how very fair,
It needs be if he lingers there."
(Above thought to be written for Harold by his sister, Gladys.)
Not only did epileptics have their disease to worry about,they were also subject to a society which considered them "unfit" at best, at worst, insane, sub-normal mentally, and subject to sterilization to keep them from breeding.
Hodges ("Euthenics, eugenics," p. 31) mentions the Michigan Farm Colony for Epileptics, in Wahjamega/Caro, as the location of a small number of sterilizations. It was also called the Caro State Home for Epileptics, Caro State Hospital, Caro Regional Mental Health Center, and a few buildings still appear to be used today (Rootsweb.org).
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, American entrepreneur and inventor of "Corn Flakes", was an avid supporter of eugenics. In 1911 he founded the "Race Betterment Foundation" at Battle Creek, Michigan. As president the foundation held three conferences in 1914, 1915, and 1928. The foundation was mostly concerned influencing the people of Michigan to support positive eugenics programs in which citizens deemed to have beneficial traits were encourages to marry and have large families (EugenicsArchive.org).
In 1846 epileptics were barred from marriage in Michigan. This prohibition was eliminated in 1962 (Paul, p. 389).
I suspect his mother, Ida May (Ellsworth) Burdick, may also have been epileptic, or at least spend some time in a home and was frequently ill.
Harold's obituary was printed in the Constantine MI paper and reads:
Harold Richmond Burdick was born at Hillsdale, MI May 30, 1896 and departed this life Tuesday, Nov 5 1918, aged 22 years and 6 months.
He is buried next to his father. He has no headstone.
Harold suffered from a weak heart and epilepsy, the latter for 16 years. He lived at the Michigan Farm Colony for Epileptics, located east of Saginaw, on the thumb of Michigan. AKA Caro State Hospital, (Wahjamega).
He would have graduated from Constantine High School in 1913 but on account of failing health, was obligated to leave school in 1912 from when time his health gradually failed until his death in 1918.
"He is not dead, he is just away,
with a cheerful smile and a wave of his hand,
He has wandered into an unknown land'
And leaves us thinking how very fair,
It needs be if he lingers there."
(Above thought to be written for Harold by his sister, Gladys.)
Not only did epileptics have their disease to worry about,they were also subject to a society which considered them "unfit" at best, at worst, insane, sub-normal mentally, and subject to sterilization to keep them from breeding.
Hodges ("Euthenics, eugenics," p. 31) mentions the Michigan Farm Colony for Epileptics, in Wahjamega/Caro, as the location of a small number of sterilizations. It was also called the Caro State Home for Epileptics, Caro State Hospital, Caro Regional Mental Health Center, and a few buildings still appear to be used today (Rootsweb.org).
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, American entrepreneur and inventor of "Corn Flakes", was an avid supporter of eugenics. In 1911 he founded the "Race Betterment Foundation" at Battle Creek, Michigan. As president the foundation held three conferences in 1914, 1915, and 1928. The foundation was mostly concerned influencing the people of Michigan to support positive eugenics programs in which citizens deemed to have beneficial traits were encourages to marry and have large families (EugenicsArchive.org).
In 1846 epileptics were barred from marriage in Michigan. This prohibition was eliminated in 1962 (Paul, p. 389).
I suspect his mother, Ida May (Ellsworth) Burdick, may also have been epileptic, or at least spend some time in a home and was frequently ill.
Harold's obituary was printed in the Constantine MI paper and reads:
Harold Richmond Burdick was born at Hillsdale, MI May 30, 1896 and departed this life Tuesday, Nov 5 1918, aged 22 years and 6 months.
He is buried next to his father. He has no headstone.
Harold's middle name is a family name. His mother was Ida May Ellsworth, and his maternal grandmother was Sarah Richmond.
Harold suffered from a weak heart and epilepsy, the latter for 16 years. He lived at the Michigan Farm Colony for Epileptics, located east of Saginaw, on the thumb of Michigan. AKA Caro State Hospital, (Wahjamega).
He would have graduated from Constantine High School in 1913 but on account of failing health, was obligated to leave school in 1912 from when time his health gradually failed until his death in 1918.
"He is not dead, he is just away,
with a cheerful smile and a wave of his hand,
He has wandered into an unknown land'
And leaves us thinking how very fair,
It needs be if he lingers there."
(Above thought to be written for Harold by his sister, Gladys.)
Not only did epileptics have their disease to worry about,they were also subject to a society which considered them "unfit" at best, at worst, insane, sub-normal mentally, and subject to sterilization to keep them from breeding.
Hodges ("Euthenics, eugenics," p. 31) mentions the Michigan Farm Colony for Epileptics, in Wahjamega/Caro, as the location of a small number of sterilizations. It was also called the Caro State Home for Epileptics, Caro State Hospital, Caro Regional Mental Health Center, and a few buildings still appear to be used today (Rootsweb.org).
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, American entrepreneur and inventor of "Corn Flakes", was an avid supporter of eugenics. In 1911 he founded the "Race Betterment Foundation" at Battle Creek, Michigan. As president the foundation held three conferences in 1914, 1915, and 1928. The foundation was mostly concerned influencing the people of Michigan to support positive eugenics programs in which citizens deemed to have beneficial traits were encourages to marry and have large families (EugenicsArchive.org).
In 1846 epileptics were barred from marriage in Michigan. This prohibition was eliminated in 1962 (Paul, p. 389).
I suspect his mother, Ida May (Ellsworth) Burdick, may also have been epileptic, or at least spend some time in a home and was frequently ill.
Harold's obituary was printed in the Constantine MI paper and reads:
Harold Richmond Burdick was born at Hillsdale, MI May 30, 1896 and departed this life Tuesday, Nov 5 1918, aged 22 years and 6 months.
He is buried next to his father. He has no headstone.
Harold suffered from a weak heart and epilepsy, the latter for 16 years. He lived at the Michigan Farm Colony for Epileptics, located east of Saginaw, on the thumb of Michigan. AKA Caro State Hospital, (Wahjamega).
He would have graduated from Constantine High School in 1913 but on account of failing health, was obligated to leave school in 1912 from when time his health gradually failed until his death in 1918.
"He is not dead, he is just away,
with a cheerful smile and a wave of his hand,
He has wandered into an unknown land'
And leaves us thinking how very fair,
It needs be if he lingers there."
(Above thought to be written for Harold by his sister, Gladys.)
Not only did epileptics have their disease to worry about,they were also subject to a society which considered them "unfit" at best, at worst, insane, sub-normal mentally, and subject to sterilization to keep them from breeding.
Hodges ("Euthenics, eugenics," p. 31) mentions the Michigan Farm Colony for Epileptics, in Wahjamega/Caro, as the location of a small number of sterilizations. It was also called the Caro State Home for Epileptics, Caro State Hospital, Caro Regional Mental Health Center, and a few buildings still appear to be used today (Rootsweb.org).
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, American entrepreneur and inventor of "Corn Flakes", was an avid supporter of eugenics. In 1911 he founded the "Race Betterment Foundation" at Battle Creek, Michigan. As president the foundation held three conferences in 1914, 1915, and 1928. The foundation was mostly concerned influencing the people of Michigan to support positive eugenics programs in which citizens deemed to have beneficial traits were encourages to marry and have large families (EugenicsArchive.org).
In 1846 epileptics were barred from marriage in Michigan. This prohibition was eliminated in 1962 (Paul, p. 389).
I suspect his mother, Ida May (Ellsworth) Burdick, may also have been epileptic, or at least spend some time in a home and was frequently ill.
Harold's obituary was printed in the Constantine MI paper and reads:
Harold Richmond Burdick was born at Hillsdale, MI May 30, 1896 and departed this life Tuesday, Nov 5 1918, aged 22 years and 6 months.
He is buried next to his father. He has no headstone.
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Gravesite Details
Died at the age of 22 from Epilepsy.
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