John
Dean of the Confederate Home Employed as Nurse
After
Steamer Sinks in the Red River
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“John
J. Dean of Chariton county, Mo. who served with Co. G, 5th
Mo. Infantry during the Civil War, was not only a soldier,
he was a nurse by force of circumstances.
The story goes back to June 9, 1965 when he was on a
steamboat on the Red River, fourteen miles south of
Shreveport, La., the steamer sunk and the passengers saved
themselves as best they could. (…Unknown) one of the
passengers was a three month old baby, Mrs. Nannie Tidd of
Columbia, an aunt of Mrs. Sue Johnson of this city, and a
visitor her Monday of this week.
The
was had upset business so Dean, then a young man was
employed by the parents of the baby to act as nurse and he
did so for three years. The infant was carried on a pillow,
and this was the method of travel from Louisville to St.
Louis.
While visiting her Monday Mrs. Tidd was anxious to see her
benefactor so sent a car to the Confederate home to bring in
Mrs. Dean and a pleasant time was spent talking over old
times and the uncertainties following the Civil War days.”
Source: Files of Neil Block, Commander, William T. Anderson
Camp #1743 SCV, Huntsville, Mo; transcribed by Lisa Perry.
Source of original newspaper article is unknown but a
handwritten note states Higginsville, Mo 1921. |
