Bob said today would be slow as many folks were getting a head start on the long holiday weekend.  Not true at our Delaware location. Although the weather is lousy (again) the dogs don't seem to mind as they thunder across the floor, in pursuit of what, I don't know.  A note about the dogs, names will be changed to protect the guilty, the boys "Fido" and the girls "Fluffy".  To my clients:  Of course I am not talking about your dog!  One of my favorite Fluffy's has just arrived.  She weighs less than 10 lbs, but has the fearlessness of a Rottweiler and the attitude of terrorist, I mean terrier.  The day just got more interesting!

On the research front we have been on the trail of 350 German Paupers who came to Buffalo from Boden, Germany, in 1854.  By we, I mean myself and my scholarly soul mate and good friend JLR.  I first noticed their arrival in the hospital records.  A woman from this group was treated at the poorhouse hospital for ship fever (typhus fever).  Typhus was common aboard ships (hence the name) and was transmitted among humans from body lice (carried by rats, who were frequent, if unwanted, traveling companions).  The disease is characterized by high fever, head and body aches and a rash.  Epidemics of Typhus were common and often deadly during the nineteenth century.  The woman treated at the ECPH was admitted on November 6, 1854 and was discharged and listed as cured on November 26, 1854. Her record has the following notation:

ONE OF A CARGO OF 350 SENT FROM BODEN, GERMANY  ALL OF WHOM WERE PAUPERS BEFORE SENT

Given that Typhus is an acute infectious disease, we would assume that the boat of paupers from Boden had arrived some time at the end of October or early November.  However, we have yet to find any record of their arrival in Buffalo.  Now I feel compelled to tell you that my scholarly soul mate and good friend JLR can find ANYTHING.  She is without a doubt the most skilled archival researcher I have had the pleasure to work with, so the fact that she can find no trace of them is highly unusual.  Fear not!  I have every confidence that she will find some record of our German paupers.  Why am I so interested, you ask?  Well, I am wondering if such a large number of paupers coming to Buffalo from another country is unusual.  I have lots of questions, like why Buffalo?  Who sent them and why?  How many were received at the poorhouse?  I also think this has the makings of a great story, so I am interested in maybe developing a novel around Ms. Fuller, age 36, who appears to have survived not only the journey to America, but also the deadly ship fever.  Stay tuned...