Thursday, June 1, 2017

Little Herbert, Not Forgotten

Herbert Carlisle Brock
b. Jul. 21, 1891 ~ d: Apr. 22, 1897
Herbert Brock was the only child of Burruss Finlayson and Mary Florence Brock.  I was informed that Burruss and Mary were married for about twelve years. Herbert died at the age of six resulting from a stomach obstruction.  Florence died of a cancer shortly after Herbert's passed.

Burruss later married Jennie Wait Foster (my grandmother) and they had seven children together.  All of the children from the second marriage referred to Florence as 'Miss Florence' and Herbert as 'Little Herbert' (usually with 'poor' before it).

Only half of all living babies born in the Victorian Era survived until their first birthday.  Only two out of ten babies actually managed to reach their second birthday. Children died of influenza outbreaks, diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles, whooping cough, polio, tetanus and typhoid. They were not fortunate enough to benefit from the medicine that we have access of today. Poor sanitation (no piped-piped water, lack of immunizations) made it a tough time for a kid to survive.
There's a lot of small markers of little ones from that era.  We feel a little sadness when we come across those small stones.
A top reason couples had larger families was because of the high mortality rate for children.  Parents accepted the sad fact that not all of their children would make it to adulthood.  My grandfather's second marriage produced seven offspring, each who had good long lives.  Only one of their children contracted polio ~ but still lived a full live.
The bright side to little Herbert's story, as countless other little children who died so young, were born to Heaven early.  Burruss, Florence and Herbert have long since reunited, as have all of Burruss' loved ones that came after him. It's a continual grand reunion.

When our time comes, we'll each join that celebration. 

"So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord."
~II Corinthians 5:6-8

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