Between 1918 and 1920 a medical holocaust occurred in this country and wiped out over 500,000 people. Worldwide, it killed more people than World War I. It was the Spanish Flu. I've read accounts of many deaths from this area, but this is one of the saddest ones.
Caddo Herald
February 27, 1920
Mrs. E.E. Pitchlynn
Died Sunday Evening
Mrs. E. E. Pitchlynn died at the family home a mile west of Caddo, Sunday evening at 7:30, of pneumonia after an illness of two weeks. The funeral service were held Tuesday afternoon at the Methodist church, conducted by Rev. E. Hotchkins of Durant. Internment was had in Caddo Cemetery.
Mrs. Pitchlynn was 37 years of age, is survived by her husband, mother, 9 children, and brothers and sisters. She was the daughter of Col. Peter Maytubby, belonging to one of the oldest Chickasaw families; who came as a pioneer to this country.
The death of Mrs. Pitchlynn was not unexpected since the disease had taken such a hold upon her, but everything that care and medical skill (could do) was done to prolong her life, hoping almost against hope for the best. At the time of her illness the whole family were in bed with influenza and pneumonia; and relatives and neighbors and friends as well as nurses were constant in their attention.
The funeral was largely attended, the church being crowded with those who wished to pay respect to the departed and to the survivors; banks of flowers covered the rostrum, mementos of friends who could in this manner show their respects. The remains were followed to the cemetery by a large number of people.
Rev. Hotchkin’s theme was: “Blessed are they who die in the Lord.” He comforted the bereaved with this thought, amplified by the fact that Christ having conquered death, and made it a goal rather than an unknown and hideous place. Those who remain may go to her since she cannot come to them.
The husband, being a member of the school board, no school was held Monday and Tuesday out of respect for him.
The surviving relatives are : Mrs. T. S. Maytubby, of Caddo; Sam W. Maytubby, J. D. Maytubby and Mrs. M. L. Tanner of Caddo; Bud Maytubby of Voca; Mrs. Mary Moore of Durant; Mrs. Sophia Miller and E. B. Maytubby of Muskogee; and Mrs. Jack Bonham of Atoka; all whom were present at the funeral. The children are : Sophia May, Everett Jr., Peter Paul, Ruth, Charlie, Lillian, Naomi, Helen, and Robert.
Mr. Pitchlynn informed us Wednesday that all the sick were up and convalescing and that soon he hoped would regain their wanted good health.
Resolutions
Whereas, The hand of death has removed form community a beloved member:
Mrs. E. E. Pitchlynn
wife of one of the members of the Board of Trustees, and the mother of several members of the student body of Caddo public schools, therefore be it
Resolved, By the Faculty and the Student Body of Caddo Public Schools, that we hereby extend our deepest sympathy to the bereaved husband and children on whom the blow has so heavily fallen.
Taken from us in the prime of life, taken in the years of her usefulness, when greatest need of her kindly, motherly administrations were most needed, her loss is the deeply felt. And to those surviving we can only give our sympathy, our encouragement and our love, well knowing that nothing we can do or say can take her place; it can but slightly assuage the grief that is most bitterly felt by them.
We can point out to them the nobility of the character of the mother: the unselfishness of the life that is gone, and hope of the future.
C.H. Hatfield
E. B. Black
Pluma Smith
Thelma Malone
Helen Styron
O.J. Watkins
Card of Thanks
We have not words to convey our appreciation to those many kind friends and neighbors who ministered to us during our illness and bereavement. People were so kind, so good, so considerate that we can never repay even in part; but we can always think well of you; we shall never forget; we shall always hold your memory as one blessed milestone in our lives.
E.E. Pitchlynn
and family