Nathaniel Merriman: Immigrant 1632

      Nathaniel Merriman is one of my 8-great grandfathers! (He is part of my maternal MUNSON lineage.) He piqued my curiosity because he is an immigrant and a great deal of information has been collected about him by his descendants. His descendants met in Wallingford, Connecticut, in 1913, and subsequently published a book on the papers presented at the reunion, as well as a family genealogy prepared by Donald Jacobus, who has done many wonderful genealogies of New England families. In addition, these descendants appear to have erected a new tombstone for Nathaniel in the Center Street Cemetery in Wallingford.

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Nathaniel's Father

      Nathaniel Merriman was most likely born about 1613 in the London area. His surname has also been spelled Meriman, Merryman, Meryman and Merriam, but variations in spelling were very common in this time period. His father appears to have been George Merriman, based on "Genealogical gleanings in England", by Henry F. Waters, an eminent antiquarian. The will is proved below:

"GEORGE MERIMAN, citizen and cooper of London, 31 October 1655, proved 19 May 1656. I do give unto my son Nathaniel Merriman, now resident in New England, the sum of ten pounds of lawful English money; and unto my daughter Elizabeth Norman, whom I have already advanced in marriage with Master John Norman, I give twenty shillings to buy her a ring in remembrance of my love. My servant Henry Allison to serve out the remainder of his time of apprenticeship with my son John Merriman. The residue to son John whom I do hereby make and ordain full and sole executor &c.     Berkley, 175" [This is from Calendar 21, Register Berkley (1656).]

Based on the will, George's wife is already deceased. His children are Nathaniel Merriman, Elizabeth Norman and John Merriman. The significant fact is that his son Nathaniel is named a 'resident in New England'! Although this is not conclusive, it is very compelling.

      Mansfield Merriman, in 1913, visited England and examined the records of the Court of the Worshipful Company of Coopers. George Merryman, John Merriman and William Merryman were all mentioned and were highly likely freemen of the Cooper Company. Certainly, George was paying dues to the guild... John was George's son, but it is not clear who William was. He was likely a brother or cousin of George. Twice, George is mentioned as paying 20 pence for apprentices who were assigned to him. On July 27, 1635, John Roman was assigned to him for 8 years. On November 16, 1638, William Myles was assigned to him for 8 years. From his will, we know that George also had an apprentice named Henry Allison. On February 5, 1656,  "John Merriman had turned over to him Henry Allison . . . formerly apprentice of George Merriman." This shows that George Merriman died before February 5.

      There is an alternate theory that Nathaniel Merriman was born June 2, 1613, in Tenterden, Kent, England, but I have not seen the documents to support this. George Merriman and Mansfield Merriman reject this theory in the "Reunion of descendants of Nathaniel Merriman".

Nathaniel's Grandfather

      The earliest entry for George Merriman, found by Mansfield Merriman, was in the minutes of a Court "held on Thirdsay the xixth day of June 1606" and is as follows:

"This day Raphaell Warter brought into this Court one George Merryman the sonne of Gregory Meryman of Whytney in the county of Oxon Weav and psented him heare has desired this Company to take notice of an Indenture of Appnticep dated the xviijth day of ffebruary 1598 whereby the said George was bound unto him for ix yeares from the day of the date of said Indenture and submitted himself to the censure of the table for binding him forth of his howse who in regard of his posstye and subission forgave his fyne and tooke onely of hym in the respect of the pntemt…xx d."

Based on this entry, George Merryman was apprenticed to Raphael Warter on February 18th, 1598/1599, for 9 years, even though Raphael did not formally acknowledge this until 1606, during the last year of the apprenticeship. This also identifies George's father as Gregory Merriman, a weaver from Witney in Oxfordshire, which is about 70 miles northwest of London. There is another entry reported by Mansfield Merriman that states that George Merriman, on October 4, 1610, paid "3s 4d for his hubley by Taxhall worter." I think this is a transcription error by Mansfield and that George was actually making payment to Raphaell Warter! Since I do not understand the word 'hubley', I am not sure what this means either! Perhaps, he left the apprenticeship early and had to make partial restitution.

      I am guessing that George Merriman was born about 1584 based on an understanding that young persons were often apprentices until age 24.

Last residence in England

      According to Charles Edward Banks, Nathaniel Merriam (Merriman) was from the English parish of Saint Mary Somerset in London and part of the Queenhithe Ward. It is not clear to me if this is meant to be his place of birth or his residence at the time he came to the colonies. Per the FamilySearch wiki, St. Mary Somerset and St. Mary Mounthaw were initially 2 separate parishes, both 'Within the Walls' of London. They were united after the Great Fire of London in 1666. At this time, however, it is not clear to me what the primary source is for this information.

Emigration from England

      I have seen 2 different theories about the ship on which Nathaniel Merriman came to the colonies. Both theories, however, say that Nathaniel was associated with the Puritan Plough Company (or Company of Husbandmen) of 1630. According to Roger Merriman, the Plough Company was made up largely of artisans and tradesmen and they were not particularly well-educated. There were, however, some wealthy persons among them. They applied to the Council of Plymouth for land in New England, and on June 26, 1630, received a patent for a sizable piece of land covering most of what is today southern Maine. The company was associated with the Puritan religion, but their pastor, Stephen Bachiler, was known for his religious irregularities.

      According to Charles Banks, Nathaniel Merriman emigrated to the colonies on the first ship sent by the Puritan Plough Company, "The Plough". The master of the ship was Mr. Graves and there were 10 passengers from London aboard this ship. The ship departed from London about May, 1631, and arrived at their patented land in June 1631. Being displeased with the land, they came into Boston on July 6, 1631.

      According to the paper written by Roger Merriman, Nathaniel Merriman emigrated to the colonies on "The Whale", the second ship sent by the Puritan Plough Company. This ship departed from Hampton, England, on April 8, 1632, and arrived in Boston on May 26, 1632. He claims that Nathaniel's passage, about 10 pounds, was paid by Peter Wooster. The ship included 30 passengers and 70 cows. Five of the passengers were from the Plough Company, including Nathaniel Merriman.
   
      Based on The Winthrop Papers, published in the Massachusetts Historical Society Collection, Nathaniel Merriman did come over on the Whale! He probably knew other passengers as fellow members of the Puritan Plough Company, but no one else has the last name of Merriman.

Life in the Colonies

      Nathaniel Merriman fought in the Pequot War in Connecticut in 1637. At the time, he was either a resident of Wethersfield, Connecticut, or possibly Massachusetts.
      In 1639 or 1640, he went to the New Haven area, where he was one of the signers of the Fundamental Agreement that established New Haven. This is where he married his first wife and where he had his children: Nathaniel (abt 1647), John (1649, d young), Hannah (1651), Abigail (1654), Mary (1657), John (1660), Samuel (1662), Caleb (1665), 2 sons (1667, d. young), Elizabeth (1669).
      In about 1670, he moved north of New Haven where he was one of the founding fathers of Wallingford, Connecticut. He died here on February 13, 1693/94. No doubt, he would have been buried in Center Street Cemetery near the downtown square. A modern tombstone for Nathaniel Merriman is now present in this cemetery, erected by his descendants.


SOURCES

Banks, Charles Edward (author) and Elijah Ellsworth Brownell (editor and indexer), Topographical Dictionary of 2885 English Emigrants to New England 1620-1650 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1976 (originally 1937)), p 105, 102, 60.

Massachusetts Historical Society, editor, Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Vol. VII - Fourth Series.  (Boston: John Wilson and Son, 1865),  p. 92-93.

Merriman, Mansfield and Donald L. Jacobus, editors, Reunion of descendants of Nathaniel Merriman at Wallingford, Conn. June 4, 1913 ; Internet Archive (https://archive.org/stream/reunionofdescend00merriala/reunionofdescend00merriala_djvu.txt : downloaded 21 Aug 2015),
        "The Ancestry and Parentage of Nathaniel Merriman", pgs. 19-20, 32-37.
        "The Puritan Plough Company of 1630', by Roger B. Merriman, pgs. 20-21, 38-46.

        "Nathaniel Merriman in New Haven, 1640-1670".

        "Family of Nathaniel Merriman", pgs. 137-138.
        "Genealogical Searches in England", p. 129-133.

Waters, Henry F., Genealogical gleanings in England, 2 volumes (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1901), Vol. 2: p. 1445.

Winthrop, John and James Kendall Hosmer, Winthrop's journal; "History of New England," 1630-1649 , 2 volumes (1908; reprint, New York: Barnes & Noble, 1946), Vol. 1, pgs. 69, 92-93.

Herbert Eugene Carroll: Seeker of Gold

Herbert Carroll has always been a bit of a mystery for me. I knew he was one of the 2 children of George B. Carroll and Susan Johnson. And I did have a picture of him in an old Carroll Family Album that was labeled "Bert Carroll" and was opposite a picture of his brother George Eden Carroll. When I asked my mother about Herbert, she basically said that Herbert went looking for gold, but never mentioned a specific location. 

In the fall of 2014, I started looking for census data for Herbert and also found some very helpful records on the Iowa GenWeb page for Page County. Together, the light bulb went off and the story began to fall into place! I did find a Herbert Carroll in the Iowa Hospital for the Insane in Page County, Iowa, in 1900. But I also know that Carroll is a very common name so that did not seem conclusive. But when I googled the hospital, I realized it was located in Clarinda. And I knew from the History of Waitsfield, that Herbert resided in Clarinda. 

PICTURE OF BERT CARROLL

PICTURE OF GEORGE CARROLL JR.

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Early Life in Waitsfield, Vermont

      Herbert Eugene Carroll was the son of George B. Carroll and Susan Johnson. Herbert was born October 12, 1855, in Waitsfield, Vermont. His only sibling was George Eden Carroll, who was born 5 years earlier, on October 7, 1850, in Waitsfield. There are no records of any other children for George and Susan. In the 1900 census, Susan states that she only had 2 children. 
      At the time of the 1860 census, Herbert was 4 years old and living with his parents and brother in Waitsfield. Also resident in the household were his grandmother Polly Carroll, his uncle Pliny Carroll and Susan Poland, future wife of Pliny. His father worked as a farmer.
      In 1870, Herbert was living with his parents and brother in Waitsfield. Both Herbert and his brother were attending school. There was also an 18-year old woman, Nancy Baird, living in the household and attending school. She is identified as a domestic servant, but the significance is not clear. 
      There is very little other information about Herbert in Waitsfield. For his brother George, we found information about his attendance at Vermont Conference Seminary and Female College in 1870. We also found an article on awards that he won in the Mad River Valley fair in the fall of 1873. For Herbert, however, the only other record that I have found is a mention of him as a witness to a July 2, 1877, land transaction in Waitsfield, in which his parents bought land from his aunt, Rhoda Green. George B. Carroll, and his son George E. Carroll, signed a note payable to Rhoda.  

PICTURE OF GEORGE AND SUSAN CARROLL 

Seeking Gold in the Black Hills 

      It is not clear to me when Herbert went to the Dakota Territory, but it appears to be sometime between December 1878 and December 1879. According to the doctor who examined him in October, 1880, "his place of residence... was Dakota Territory, since the winter of 1878 and 9... This man has been up at the Blackhills and Ft. Piere since last December." Black Hills could either be a reference to Rockerville or Rapid City. Fort Pierre, however, is some distance away. It was a major transportation hub for the territory during the Black Hills Gold Rush, so Herbert might have been in Fort Pierre briefly before moving to the Black Hills area.    
      Herbert Carroll appeared on the 1880 census (16 June 1880) in Rockerville, Pennington County, Dakota Territory. He was listed as 22 years of age and single. He and his father were born in Vermont and his mother was born in Canada. At the time, Herbert was working in a livery stable. Based on the dwelling/family information, it appears that Herbert was living alone, possibly in a simple miner's shack. There are, however, several families in the area that have taken in boarders. There is a Levi Baker nearby who keeps a livery stable. Many of his neighbors worked as placer miners or quarry miners. Placer mining involved mining a stream bed for minerals.  
      Based on general reading, gold was discovered in Rockerville in 1876. By 1880, Rockerville was booming and had a population of about a thousand people. It was originally a mining camp and was named for the 'rockers' which were used to separate placer gold from stream gravel. Rapid City, about 13 miles from Rockerville, was founded in 1876 and the city sold supplies to miners and pioneers.   
    In about September, 1880, George Eden Carroll found his brother Herbert in Rapid City and brought him back to Iowa. Herbert was "almost without clothing when found at Rapid City, and considered by the people there insane". I have no idea what prompted George to go to Rapid City. Did he receive a letter from an acquaintance of Herbert or even from Herbert himself? Since George had a wife and small child in Danbury, Iowa, it does not appear likely that George just went up to visit.  
    

Ancestry; 1880 U. S. census; Dakota Territory, Pennington, Rockerville. 

Admission to Independence Mental Hospital

      It appears that George brought Herbert back to Danbury, Iowa, which is where George lived with his wife Emily and son Charles. Earlier in 1880, George had bought a store where he sold merchandise. According to the doctor that interviewed Herbert in 1880, Herbert "has for the past few days thought that he was in charge of his brothers store; kept out customers and refused to sell goods, thought he was a millionaire".
      On October 2, 1880, Dr. J. M. Knott examined Herbert E. Carroll and certified him as insane and a fit subject for custody and treatment in the Hospital for the Insane. Dr. J. M. Knott performed the certification for Woodbury County, Iowa. Since Dr. Knott practiced in Sioux City, the examination probably took place in Sioux City, although it is possible that it took place in Danbury. Herbert was listed as age 25, born in Vermont and single. His occupation was given as laborer. Two addresses were given for friends to whom reports and telegrams could be sent. The first was Herbert's father, George Carroll, in Waitsfield, Vermont. The second was his brother, G. E. Carroll, in Danbury, Iowa. The report stated that no relatives, including grandparents and cousins, were insane.   
      The doctor stated that this was Herbert's first attack and that the first symptoms were manifested one to two months ago. He did not know how the first symptoms were manifested or what was the cause of the disease. The disease was not increasing much and there were rational intervals. The derangement was not manifested on any particular subject, although the report noted that Herbert thought he was in charge of his brother's store. Herbert had never attempted suicide and was not disposed to injure others, although he did issue threats when annoyed. No restraint or confinement had been employed, although he had been watched. At times, he neglected himself. Herbert reported he sometimes became intoxicated. It was not known whether he had any predominant passions or 'religious impressions' prior to the onset of the disease. It was noted that he had formerly been 
industrious and earned a good living. 
      Herbert was admitted to Independence State Hospital on October 4, 1880, in Independence, Iowa, two days after his certification.   

Life at Iowa Hospital for the Insane at Clarinda

      Due to overcrowding at the first 2 mental hospitals in Iowa, a third hospital was built at Clarinda, Iowa, in 1888. Herbert was transferred to Clarinda State Hospital on December 13, 1888, and was the 57th patient at that facility. 
      The Clarinda State Hospital statistical record states that Herbert was a resident of the State of Iowa, not having established residency in any county. Likewise, he was supported by the state. Since his father died in 1886, the only correspondent given was his brother, G. E. Carroll, of Danbury. Herbert's physical description was given as 5' 6" in height, light complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He was 33 years of age and was single with 0 children. He could read and write and his occupation was laborer. The diagnosis given was 'melancholia - chronic delusional'. 
      When I requested the medical records for Herbert, I was sent a combination of photocopies of original records, as well as typed transcriptions of notes. Where information was transcribed, there is no way of knowing what was left out. Notes are listed on forms with the titles 'Subsequent History' and 'Ward Notes'. Notations are fairly frequent between 1888 and 1913, but after that notes are very limited. I believe the later notes were just dropped when they were sent to me, because they became very repetitive in content. There did not appear to be any significant change in his mental status during his life at Clarinda State Hospital. 
      Herbert appears to have had very good physical health. He had a good appetite and rested  well at night. He was described as being 'in good flesh' and muscular. In 1896, he had a slight attack of cholera which caused considerable weight loss, but he seemed to recover readily.
      He spent most of his time working out of doors. At first, he worked with the gardener. Later, he assisted with milking. He is described as rather industrious and taking interest in his work. In one note, he was described as a "trusty and a good worker". However, in 1904 (age 49), he is described as needing to be directed in all that he did. 
      In general, he took reasonable care of his person and clothing and was typically described as orderly and well contented.
      According to the first note, dated March 1889, Herbert did not manifest an interest in reading or taking part in games. His conversations were described as rather rambling and incoherent. Although typically quiet, he occasionally conversed in an irregular manner. He was described as inoffensive in manner. In another note, however, it described him as chronically demented and talking considerably. Other times, he was described as 'mentally much enfeebled' and 'rather dull'. In 1900, "he answers questions quite intelligently, but usually sits about the ward talking to himself in an incoherent manner, when he is not at work in the dairy". By 1928 (age 73), he was careless in physical appearance and showed 'much mental deterioration'. 
      By at least 1902, he was in Ward A, which was an open ward. The notes stated that he got along nicely on an open ward and enjoyed some privileges not given to other patients. By 1907, he was in Southview Cottage, which was a large cottage for men, with a capacity of 104. The cottages appeared to be designed for inmates who were higher functioning. By at least 1930, he was at Willowdale Cottage. This cottage had a capacity of 40 patients and was built about three quarters of a mile from the main institution. It was evidently designed as a farm colony, similar to the 'Graycroft' plan at the Utica, New York, state hospital. 
      In all of the notes given to me, there was only one reference to a family member. The January 15, 1898, note states: "His sister informed the Superintendent the 'Christian Science' people were going to effect a cure in this case. No appreciable change has been noted in his condition." Since Herbert did not have a sister, I imagine this is a reference to his sister-in-law, Emily (Stackhouse) Carroll, who would have been living with her husband and family in Sioux City, Iowa.

2 PHOTOS OF EMILY STACKHOUSE CARROLL

Return of Physician and/or Statistical Record 

Inheritance from cousin Fred Carroll

      On July 17, 1922, E. H. Jones, administrator of the estate of Fred C. Carroll, sent a letter to the Superintendent of the State Hospital for the Insane at Clarinda. This is the earliest correspondence on this matter provided to me. The letter stated that Herbert Eugene Carroll was a legal heir to a portion of the estate of his cousin, the late Fred C. Carroll, of Waitsfield, Vermont. In order to give this money to Herbert, the Probate Court in Vermont required a guardian to be appointed for Herbert. The nearest relative known to Mr. Jones was a nephew residing in Boston, but the nephew declined to take any action in the matter. As a result, Mr. Jones was asking the superintendent to take the initial steps to get a guardian appointed. Evidently, the superintendent responded on July 22, agreeing to take the matter up with the proper officials. 
      On September 29, 1922, E. H. Jones sent a second letter to Superintendent Max E. Witte, requesting a certificate of guardianship. The amount due to Herbert was $277.08. Mr. Jones also sent a copy of this letter to G. E. Carroll at 4545 Lawrence Avenue in Chicago.
      On December 18, Mr. Jones sent a third letter to the Superintendent, requesting a legal guardian for Herbert. The Superintendent sent a response on an unknown date to Mr. E. H. Jones acknowledging the letter of December 18th. He stated that he had tried unsuccessfully to reach the named correspondents for Herbert Carroll. A letter had been sent to G. E. Carroll at 4545 St. Lawrence Avenue, Chicago, but was returned unclaimed. A letter had been sent to Mrs. Libbie L. Deck at 3615 Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago, but was never answered, even though it was not returned. The superintendent stated that he had served as legal guardian in similar cases and was under bonds for state property as well as funds of patients entrusted to his care. In summary, the superintendent said he would be glad to receive the money and place it to the credit of Herbert. 
      On October 2, 1929, Dr. R. D. Smith, the superintendent, sent a letter to E. H. Jones in answer to an inquiry. The letter stated that Herbert was still confined in the hospital, was holding his own fairly well, but was showing extensive senile changes. It stated that under present regulations, Herbert would be turned over to the State Board of Health in the event of his death, the remains to be used for scientific purposes, unless the cost of burial in the hospital cemetery, $20.50, was advanced by friends or relatives. 
      Since Herbert was buried in the hospital cemetery, I am assuming that the money from Fred Carroll's estate was probably sent to the Clarinda State Hospital! 
      I am struck by how isolated Herbert was from his family! His brother George moved from 4545 St. Lawrence Avenue to 6347 Kimbark Avenue, both in Chicago, sometime between 1915 and 1917 and yet he never bothered to provide his new address to the Clarinda State Hospital. When George died in 1917, his wife Emily lived with her single daughter Maude, first at 5417 Cottage Grove Avenue and later at 119 E. 44th Street, where Emily died on April 29, 1922. So at the time of the first correspondence from Mr. E. H. Jones, Herbert had no surviving siblings. He had 2 nephews, Charles Eden Carroll and Ira Munson Carroll and 1 niece, Maude Carroll. Mr. Jones only knew about Charles and Charles declined to take any action, even though Charles was a prominent Methodist pastor and a professor of social sciences. Ira Carroll was born 10 years after Herbert was first admitted to the Independence Hospital and later told his daughter that Herbert "went looking for gold and lost his senses". At this time, I do not know the identity of Libbie L. Deck, a named correspondent for Herbert Carroll. Since her address was within a mile or two of the Carroll residences in Chicago, I am guessing that she was a friend of Emily's. At this time, I am not able to place her as a relative, although I have wondered if she could be a niece of Emily's. I have tried to research her address of 3615 Cottage Grove Avenue, but am not even sure if that was a place of business or a residence.  
      On the other hand, it is comforting to know that his cousin Fred did remember him! When Fred died on May 30, 1920, he left behind a wife, but no children. Fred must have known that Herbert was at the Clarinda State Hospital because his residence in Clarinda is mentioned in the History of Waitsfield. Fred was also born in 1855, the same year Herbert was born. Fred was the son of Lawson P. Carroll, the brother of George B. Carroll. Based on maps that I have, the two families lived very close together. So Fred and Herbert were probably quite close as children!
         
Death and Burial

      The case notes of January 1, 1934, state that "patient is bedridden and in poor physical condition". Other notes stated that he was failing during his last 3 weeks of life after the onset of LaGrippe (flu). On February 20, he died at 5 A.M., of influenza. Senility was given as a secondary cause of death. The informant on his death certificate was Dr. R. D. Smith, the superintendent of Clarinda State Hospital. 
      He was buried in the Hospital Cemetery in Clarinda the same day that he died. There was no embalming. There was an entry on the Iowa GenWeb pages, created by Pat O'Dell.
            Carroll, Herbert, died Feb 20, 1934;Iowa State Hospital
According to Pat, the "tombstone" was a 8" X 24" cement marker that they wrote on with a nail or something similar. The stones are very difficult to read and get covered up with grass in the summertime. 

Visit to Clarinda
      On June 29, 2015, I visited what is now known as The Clarinda Treatment Complex, but which had been known as The Iowa State Hospital for the Insane or Clarinda State Hospital for the Insane. The mood was somewhat somber because the following day was the last day that the hospital was open. It was being closed due to financial considerations, although the ultimate status of the facility was still up in the air.
      When I arrived, I went to the administration area beneath the clock tower. Initially, I had the impression that the administration area was in a separate building, but as I walked around, I realized that there were numerous segments to the two wings that zig-zagged about. During the later tour, I learned that at the time the building was completed, it had more square feet than any other building in the United States until the Pentagon was built. It was built to house 1600 patients, although the maximum patient census was closer to 1525. The tour leader said that the zig-zag pattern assured that all rooms in the hospitals received natural light at some point during the day. 

4991 - Administrative area

https://www.google.com/maps/views/view/107311773149390628631/gphoto/5731354232375855874?gl=us (panoramic view of hospital)

https://www.google.com/maps/views/view/107311773149390628631/gphoto/5731354227776014370?gl=us (view from above)

      I visited the hospital cemetery with the assistance of the cemetery plat map provided by the Medical Records Administrator. Without the map, Herbert Carroll's tombstone would have been very difficult to find! His stone lay between 2 more substantial tombstones which did simplify the identification. Once we found the stone, though, we had to tear back the grass which was overgrowing the stone and whisk away the dirt and debris on the stone. The writing was then fairly easy to see: 'HERBERT E. CARROLL, 1934'. 

5023 - CEMETERY ENTRANCE

5033 - CONTEXT FOR STONE

STONE WITH INSCRIPTION

ME WITH THE ROSE

      At 1:00, I went on a tour of the hospital and museum. Since this was probably the last tour offered, there were about 8 people on the tour. The tour was of the east wing, which had not been occupied by mental patients for quite a while. However, it was currently occupied by participants in a drug and alcohol abuse program that resided in the facility. We saw numerous sample rooms, some designed for a single person, some designed for 3-5 people. Most of the rooms had a transom above the door and a small cut-out area at the bottom of the door that facilitated air circulation. In addition, the area at the bottom of the door enabled food trays to be slid into the rooms. In selected rooms, there was a small screened area in the door that enabled staff to view the patient in the room. That type of room typically had the light switch outside the room so staff would not have to enter darkened rooms. During early treatment times, there were typically bars on the windows, as well as chamber pots in the room. In addition to the sleeping rooms, there were bays for common gathering areas. In the museum, they had an example of 'strong clothing'. Most of the women's dresses had heavy fabric around the neckline that would have made it very difficult to tear the clothing. 

      After the tour, I visited several areas with which I believe Herbert was associated! Several people on the tour gave me directions to these places, plus I was provided with a map. The first building that I visited was Southview Cottage on the main campus. It was originally designed to house 104 patients, but was currently being used by the Clarinda Academy which provides services for at-risk youth. The second building that I visited was Willowdate Cottage. This was quite a bit more difficult to locate because it was 3/4 mile from the main hospital. It was designed to house 40 patients in a farming-type community. The building is currently privately owned and was in major need of repair. The third location that I visited was the L-shaped dairy barn. Based on subsequent reading, however, that barn was built in about 1917. Although Herbert may have worked at that barn, he probably also worked at an earlier barn.

      The hospital had originally been designed as a self-sufficient community. They grew and canned their own food, butchered their own meat, made their own clothes and shoes and even made their own mattresses. This provided the patients with opportunities for physical activity and a sense of accomplishment and community. It seems that Herbert had privileges and opportunities not granted to all patients. He seemed to enjoy his work in the dairy barn and garden! But I still wonder what life was really like for him. At a minimum, he seems to have been very isolated from family and became truly  'institutionalized' after 53 years of residence in 2 different state hospitals! He was a patient before lobotomies were part of the asylum scene and I can only hope that he avoided the worst abuses.       

In Memoriam

Personal Notes

Source Citations

1.  Matt Bushnell Jones, History of the Town of Waitsfield, Vermont 1782-1908, with family genealogies (Boston, Massachusetts: George E. Littlefield, 1909), Entry for George B. Carroll: p. 268.

2.  1860 U.S. census, Washington, Vermont, population schedule, Waitsfield, p. 151-152, dwelling 1258, family 1273, Household of Geo Carroll; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 Nov 2014); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653, roll 1324.

3.  1870 U.S. census, Washington County, Vermont, population schedule, Waitsfield, p. 11, 271A (stamped), dwelling 89, family 95, Household of Geo. B. Carroll; digital images (www.Ancestry.com : accessed 23 Nov 2014); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M593, roll 1626. 

4.  1880 U.S. census, Pennington County, Dakota Territory, population schedule, Rockerville, enumeration district (ED) 116, p. 128A, dwelling 137, family 137, Herbert Carroll; digital images, 2010 (www.Ancestry.com : accessed 22 Nov 2014); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll 114.

5.  1900 U.S. census, Page County, Iowa, population schedule, Iowa Hospital for Insane, enumeration district (ED) 0159, sheet 7B, p. 183B (stamped), Herbert Carroll (line 79); digital images (www.Ancestry.com : accessed 21 Nov 2014); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T623, roll 452.

6.  Waitsfield (town), Vermont, Deeds, Volume 7: p. 573, Lawson P. Carroll to George B. Carroll, 23 Oct 1855.

7.  Waitsfield (town), Vermont, Deeds, Volume 10: p. 257, G. B. Carroll and wife to Rhoda Green, 2 JUL 1877.

8.  Pat Combs O'Dell (coordinator), US GenWeb (http://iagenweb.org/page/ : accessed 22 Nov 2014), Inmates of State Hospital, Clarinda, 1895 census.

9.  Pat Combs O'Dell (coordinator), US GenWeb (http://iagenweb.org/page/ : accessed 22 Nov 2014), Burials (Carroll).

10.  Pat Combs O'Dell (coordinator), US GenWeb (http://iagenweb.org/page/ : accessed 22 Nov 2014), Cemetery notes (http://www.iagenweb.org/page/cemetery/composite/index.htm).

11.  Herbert Carroll Medical records, Patient #57, 1888-1934, Clarinda Mental Health Institute, Clarinda, Iowa; photocopies and transcriptions supplied 2014, to Dorothy Crooks. Repository: Clarinda Mental Health Institute, 1800 N. 16th Street, Clarinda, Iowa 51632.
    a. Return of Physician.
    b. Clarinda State Hospital, statistical record, CSH Form 99.
    c. Clarinda State Hospital, Subsequent History, CSH Form 32, 4 pages.   
    d. State Hospital - Clarinda, Form 104, Volume 1, #57, Herbert Carroll, 1 page.
    e. Letter dated July 17, 1922; E. H. Jones to Supt. State Hospital for the Insane.
    f. Letter dated Sept. 29, 1922; E. H. Jones to Max E. Witte, Supt. Clarinda, Iowa.
    g. Letter dated Dec. 18, 1922; E. H. Jones to Max E. Witte, Supt. Clarinda, Iowa.
    h. Letter dated October 2, 1929; Superintendent to Mr. E. H. Jones.
    i.  Iowa Standard Certificate of Death, Herbert (Eugene) Carroll.

12. Carroll Family Photograph album; original photos, privately held by Dorothy Crooks, Missouri.