What About Susan?

What was Susan like?	What was it like for Susan as she lay dying?
How did Susan die?	What was Susan's funeral like?

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Susan J. Veasey Tilton
by Brianna B.

When I started and picked my project I thought that if I ever were to get stuck (and it can easily happen in this project) then I could just look up what a normal woman or house wife was like, but the more I read about Susan the more I came to realize that that would never be possible. The little information I found proved that she really wasn’t ordinary. So my thinking this to be true and the fact that I could not find a lot of information on her, a lot of my project is my belief of what she was like based on the little facts I could find. There are some things in this report that you may ask why, what, or how and I may be able to answer some of them but, she was not a famous person, she has no biography, and not tons of documented research and a most certainly can’t talk to me in person, so maybe questions you or I might have I cannot be answered and they may never be answered. A lot of my information is assumptions and guesses, but all based on the information I have gathered.     Susan J. Veasey Tilton was born and raised in Deerfield New Hampshire. She was born in 1832. Her parents were Benning Veasey and Jennette Veasey. From looking at the censuses of 1840 and of 1830 I can gather an estimate of her siblings. I think that at that point in time she had one brother, and two or three sisters. I also think I can gather that she had her grandfather living with her family.     She married her first and only husband in 1865. Both her and her husband were thirty-two years of age. Her husband's name was Washington V.B. Tilton. She had two children with her husband. Only one of her two children ended up living to an old age. Her name was May Veasey Tilton. Susan’s other child who was a boy ended up dying as an infant. Susan died later of consumption from her last child on November 5, 1867.     I could safely assume that she was close to these people: her father Benning Veasey, her mother Jennette Veasey, her daughter May Veasey Tilton, her brother Simon Veasey, his wife her sister in-law Dorothy Veasey, and her cousin Elizabeth Veasey. In her last Will she left items to each of these people. Note that her husband was not in this Will. He was alive at the time of her death and at the time of her last Will. They were still married, but he was not even mentioned in her Will. In her last will she gave her father, Benning Veasey, all her real estate, and sole executor of her Will (not her husband). She gave her mother, Jennette Veasey, her card and stand tables, her best light stand, six of her best chairs, two of her largest rocking- chairs, her lounge, her two best looking glasses and large knobs, her woolen carpets, her china tea sets and glass ware, her blue Scotland chests, her wash stand, her bowl and pitcher and her brass fire sets. She gave her brother, Simon Veasey, her crayon pictures. She gave her sister in-law, Dorothy Veasey, her furs, her muff and her cape. She gave her cousin, Elizabeth Veasey, her gold ring marked B.V., her cameo sets of jewelry, and her best floor mats. She gave her daughter, May Veasey Tilton, every thing else that she owns that has not been giving away; she also said that if at any time her father, Benning Veasey, were to pass away the real estate would go to May. There is one stranger thing about Susan’s Will, there was an added part that was not in the other handwriting. There could be many reasons for this, such as she was more ill at the time of writing, it was not her hand writing so someone else must have added it, she was in a hurry, she was too ill at the time to write it so she had some one else do it for her, all of these and more could have happened I do not believe I will ever know what happened at the end of Susan’s will.     Susan and Washington (her husband) were not living together at the time of Susan’s death. Susan was not under Washington’s care at the time of her death. Instead she was living with her mother and her father and was under her fathers care. This seems very strange to me, because when people get married they are suppose to care for each other till the very end right? So why on earth would she be living and under the care of her father? Unfortunately I do not know. I do not think I will ever know. Like I have mention Susan was under her father's (Benning Veasey’s) care. When Susan died her father charged the estate. He charged for the coffin, which was two dollars. He charged for going to Concord to consult a doctor that was four dollars and twenty-five cense. Then he charged again for medical services and that was tree dollars. For nursing and attendance of Susan by her mother during her last sickness which was two months in all, fifteen dollars. He also stated that he had a loss on sale of that goods and chattels of said deceased under license, the amount of inventory was two hundred thirty dollars and seventy cense, amount of specific legacies, sixty tree dollars and seventy cense, amount of sales any were from one hundred fifty four dollars and forty-eight cense to two hundred ten dollars and ten cense, amount of loss twelve dollars and fifty-two cense. For the grave stone twenty-seven dollars. For the drawing on Susan’s grave stone, four dollars. Susan had her share of personal property. She had household furniture, books, maps, and other miscellaneous articles. This situation is weird, but it gets weirder. When Susan died, her husband Washington put the reading of her Will in the newspaper and that people could look at it and show cause if anyone has any.     Susan J. Veasey Tilton was born in 1832 and died at the age of 35 on November 5, 1867 of consumption. He had one son, who died and  had one other child, May, and only had one husband Washington V.B. Tilton. Bibliography Deerfield Town Records- Births, Marriages and Deaths www.ancestry.com  New Hampshire censuses 1830-1870

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As I Lay Dying
Fiction by Jessica D.

My name is Susan Tilton. I am a married woman to a man named Washington V.B Tilton. We have been married for a bout two years. We live in a little house in a town named Deerfield. It’s quite small but we love it here. I am writing this journal so that all of the people that read this will know how I felt before my death. I have a little daughter her name is May. She is the prettiest little girl my eyes have ever set eyes on. I have had two children. One a boy and he was a miscarriage, I didn’t name him because I saw no point in it, so when we buried him on his grave stone it just said baby… The other way May she was born healthy and happy.     I am a very contagious woman with a very deadly disease consumption. It is most common here in my town and in the New England area. I am one of many to die from it. This is a disease that I got by being around someone with it. I’m not sure whom I was around with it but I am very sorry for them because this is a very dreadful time for me and it must be for them. Since it is so contagious I am not allowed to see my darling daughter May. May will never get to see my face, her mother’s face again. I left her a few months ago and I am never going to see her smiling face again. I am awake but a few hours a day. When I am awake I get very sharp pains up my back and in my sides. I cough a lot and when I cough up mucus there is blood in it as well. The doctors say I have about a week or two left and I am very weak. I wish I could say good bye to my baby girl’s face for the last time. When I found out I had this god forsaken disease I was in my bed and Washington came in and woke me up because he wanted breakfast and it was my job to do so. So I got up and Washington went out to do yard wok before his breakfast. About five minutes later I got this pain in my back and I started to cough. I was coughing hard and my chest was hurting and then I started to cough up mucus and to my surprise there was blood mixed in with my mucus. I didn’t feel very good so I decided I would go lay down for only a little while and I was getting very dizzy and the room felt like it was spinning. The next thing I know I woke up with Washington at my side and he said my father was coming and the three of us were going to the doctors because I had been sleeping since I laid down. When we reached the building we got out and went into the room and there were many people waiting, It was going to be a very long wait. We waited and waited and when it finally came my turn we went into the doctor’s room and they took many tests and samples and they sent us out. They said that they would call us within the day to tell us the results and then we left. I went home and I slept the day away. In the morning I woke up and Washington was sitting at my side again with his hear on his arm .He picked his head up and saw I was awake so he gave me the bad news. I was not very surprised because I still had horrible pains in my back and side and I had bloody mucus and I was coughing and moaning all night long. He then told me that he was leaving and that my father would be at the house soon and that he had packed my things and that I would be living with them until I died or until I was better. After that he took May and walked out the door. I fell asleep and then I awoke in this room. With no windows and just a single candle. Its lonesome in here when no ones around. I never get visitors and I wish I could see May one more time. So I could tell her how much I love her. I have no more energy left in me but I will keep writing in here until my last ounce of energy is gone. I am never going to see the people I love again so here are a few things I would say to you if I could:
Mother, When you fine this I’m so glad that you were my mother. You were the best mother a girl could ever have. I am going to miss you so very much. I want you to know that I am going to remember you always and I loved you very much. All my thirty-five years of living on this earth with you were grand. Even when I was younger and you made me mad I always forgave you even when I didn’t want to. I want you to know there wasn’t one moment in my life that I stopped loving you as much as I always have. I will always be your baby.     -Love your only daughter,      Susan.	Father, When you and mom find this I am your daughter. I am so happy you were my father. You were here by my side when I needed you most. You were there when I was young and you taught me well. I went to school and I am now a smart woman. I know that I am married but you are still the most important man in my life. Please make sure that May has a good life. I am putting you in charge of her. If you don’t think that Washington is a good father take May away. She is very important to me and I don’t want anything to happen to her.  Father please never let my memories leave your life. I love you very much.     -Love your daughter,      Susan.
Simon my brother, I am your sister and I am dying. I don’t know if you know or not but I am going to die very soon. I just wanted you to know that all of our years together were grand. I am glad that I spent my years with you as my brother. I am glad you are living a happy life with Dorothy. She seems like a great woman. I love you so very much and I am asking two things from you when I’m gone. One I want you to come to my funeral and two never forget me. I love you Simon and never forget that.     -Love your sister,      Susan	Dorothy, my sister in law, You seem like a great woman and I am happy my brother Simon got someone like you. I hope you and him have kids and your love last an eternity. I love you and I am saying good-bye because I won’t be able to when I’m gone. I ask of you as I did Simon, never forget me and please don’t ever forget me. -Love your sister in law,  Susan.
Elizabeth my cousin, I am dying and you are my favorite cousin. I had some good times with you and to me you weren’t just a cousin. You were more like the sister I never had. We would have fun together and you were always there for me. I never told you this but you were one of my best friends and I was very sad that when I got married we stopped seeing each other. I am dying and I wanted you or know those things. Please cone to my funeral. I love you.     -Love your cousin,      Susan.	May, my daughter, If your father ever lets your read this or ever tells you about this I am your mother. I know we had a very short year and a half together but I was still once in your life. Your father might get a new mother in your life for you but I want you to know that I am your real mother and I want you to know that I do love you. I know that you might forget what I look like because your father took you away from me when I got this disease and he never let you see me. But I will remain in your heart for an eternity just as you will remain in mine. You were my only daughter and only child that survived. You had a big brother that died at birth or when he was born. He didn’t have a name either because I didn’t see much point because he had no future in front of him. You on the other hand were born happy, healthy and beautiful. I am dying and I want you to know that I love you from the bottom of my heart and I want you to live happy. I also want you to know that I didn’t tell your father to take you away from me. He took you himself. If he is ever mean to you or hurts you there is always a place in my parents house and heart for you. They would love to see your shining face around the farm just like mine was a long time ago. I love you May and never forget that.     -Love your true mother,       Susan.
Washington my husband, I have been married to you for two wonderful years. I love you with all my heart. You are one of the most important men in my life. We had two children and we lived a great life with May. Please take good care of her otherwise my father has my permission and his right to take her away from you. I am devastated that you never brought May to visit me while I was dying. May wouldn’t have been life threatened from standing in the door just to give me a wave. I wish you and her had even come by to give me one last goodbye… I hope you know that I am not happy with you meaning that since you never stopped by to fix things between us so I will die mad at my husband. I will always have a little problem. I hope that eats away at your heart because you not coming to visit me ate away at my heart. I want May to be happy so if you treat her good please find her a new mother but don’t let me slip out of her life. Please tell May stories about me and shoe her pictures of me. I never want to be out of her life ad heart. Good bye Washington.     -Love your wife,       Susan Tilton
I am getting weaker and weaker and I can feel my body shutting down little by little every day every minute. I am leaving this place soon and I am never seeing my friends and family again. I am kind of glad I am leaving though. I am in pain and it gets worse and worse and I am ready to give up. I am ready to surrender. Susan died the next morning in her sleep. Her parents found Susan and the diary next to her. They read the diary and they cried and cried and then called the family to tell them what happened. The funeral was a week later and everyone was there. Dorothy and Simon and the mother and father and then Elizabeth and in the way back in the last seat sat Washington and May on his lap. They sat through the reception. When the family all was leaving Washington stayed behind and read the diary that was on top of her. He read it and started to weep. May them started to cry. Washington got a flower and handed it to May which them May laid on top on her mother… Every so often Washington would take May to the cemetery and he would show May the gravestone and tell her a new story about her mother. He stone was made f granite the finest stone back then and right next to it laid a little stone which said “Baby”. [Teacher's note: Susan is actually buried in a different cemetery, next to her parents.]
This is a historical fiction on how Susan Tilton might have felt before she died. This is a theory that I had that she could have left notes or a diary or even told her parents about how she was feeling. Susan also might have seen May again even when she found out that she was sick. I said that she didn’t see her or her husband because back then when someone because sick they were kept away from the people who weren’t. Also because Susan was very contagious and the disease was sent through the air and May was very young. I chose to write dedications because in her will she only gave those people things so they must have been important to her. This story could have gone many different ways and since no one could really say what she was thinking I think this is a good theory. Bibliography http://www.sau53.org/net4/classes/8/8f/hill/medical.html#tb on 1/20/04 and at 9: 35 Primary Resources packet

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Tuberculosis
by Justin H.

In modern society, it is almost certain that you have come across a person with a tuberculosis infection. But don’t worry, it's very likely that they didn’t even know about it, and presents little to no danger to your health. Just like many other diseases, some people are unknowingly being a living subway for a disease that has absolutely no effect on them. That is because they have a version of that disease called a Tuberculosis (TB) infection. People with the infection usually don’t have any symptoms, so the only way that you can tell if you’re transporting the disease is if you go and get tested by a doctor. When someone gets tuberculosis, the chance is is that your body’s immune system is strong enough to keep the disease from spreading and causing the body harm. One of the ways that the TB infection can turn into a case were someone is actually affected by it, is if the immune system is down from someone being ill or if they are suffering from an alcoholic or drug addiction.  When this happens, you start to see the symptoms. The symptoms are: A persistent cough that just won’t go away Fevers Weight loss Night sweats Constant tiredness Loss of appetite Almost all TB outbreaks are curable by modern medicine. Back when our dead person, Washington Tilton, was alive, I haven’t found any information saying that they had this luxury. That would be the reason why so many deaths were reported from TB before the 1800s. TB is spread through the air by breathing in the TB bacteria. It can usually be spread by breathing in the same air that an infected person breathing out. Its very hard to catch TB from someone in a place like a restaurant or just walking down the street. TB is usually spread through prolonged exposure. So it's more likely to catch it from a family member, close friend, or a co-worker.     There are two forms of tuberculosis. Both are treatable with the proper medical attention. The most common is an easily treated version of it, usually eliminated by taking the right medications. The other is formed when someone with the disease accidentally stops taking the medicines too soon. The bacteria will develop an anti-body to the medication, and then doctors will be forced to try other medications. This version of it is much harder to treat, since the bacteria developed immunity to the medication, and a lot of the medications today have a lot in common. This version of TB is also transferable, and the immunity still existent after the bacteria is spread to the new host.     Even though TB is very hard to spread, if you are diagnosed with the disease, the doctors are probably going to tell you to stay home for a week or more, and to have as little to no contact with family members as possible.     So back before they had the medications, there wasn’t much that people could do about it. Basically, if you got it, you had to hope that it just kind of, went away. Kind of like the Black Plague, some people were lucky, but most were not. It is known for TB to have wiped out whole households, usually starting with one infection, and spreading to everyone close to him or her. Also some of the diseased were left altogether and let deal with the problem them selves. Those people died agonizingly slow, lonely, painful deaths.     The most common cases of TB effect the lungs. After the victim’s immune system is down, the TB releases itself from the scablike cocoon that it uses for protection from the body’s immune system, and multiplies and attacks the lungs (usually). On X-rays of the lungs done on people with an advanced stage of TB, you can see where the disease has damaged the lungs; practically decaying them as the bacteria eats away at them. Eventually, TB will usually kill its host if the host doesn’t get treated. There would be nothing you can do. Almost as bad as actually contracting the disease, can you imagine just the feelings of having someone you love who is the host of this terrible virus? There would be nothing that you could do to help, except by trying to keep the person as comfortable as possible. Even doing this, you are endangering yourself by making the chances of you catching the virus even more likely by being around the diseased person.     Later on, the CDC started learning more about tuberculosis. They found out pretty much what the disease did to you, how people were infected, and how to prevent catching the disease. Even later, they found an antibiotic that had an effect on the disease. They helped spread the knowledge by putting those facts on Christmas cards and distributed them to the public. Merry Christmas!

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Susan Tilton’s Funeral and Auction
Fiction by Tiffany G.

It was a cold day in November when poor Susan Tilton, 35, died of consumption, otherwise known as tuberculosis. She died leaving her husband W V.B Tilton, and her daughter, May Tilton.     A few days later Susan was put to rest, leaving her father, Benning Veasey, the executive of her Will. Usual in the 1800’s when a wife left a will their husband was the executive but most women didn’t leave anything behind so it is strange that she had so many items.     Her father and mother attended the Funeral, along with her husband and May. It was a very sad day for everyone who attended. She had a nice little service at a nice little church. There wasn’t a person there that didn’t have a tear in their eye. Everyone knew it was coming she had become ill and was staying in her parents care for the last two months of her life. At her service her husband said a few words about how they met and how much he’d miss her. Her brother said a few words, too. He talked about their child hood and of the fun stuff they did. Her mother started to say something then started to cry. As you can imagine this was a very hard time for her. Later on some people who had came claimed they saw Mr. Veasey tell Mrs. Veasey not to make such a seen. Surprisingly he said nothing at his daughter's service. Some of her close friends said a little something.     Then they took her to Pond Cemetery where the Reverend said a prayer and with that they laid her to rest in peace. She was buried with a head and a foot gravestone. She was buried under a tree, everyone thought she would have liked it.     The next morning was the auction, in her Will it said she would have an auction for the rest of her stuff. Her father, who wanted to put it all behind him, had the auction arranged the next day. Now you might think it was mean and cruel but would you want to bury one of your kids? Wouldn’t you want to get it over with?      A lot of people came to the auction. Her husband did not come because, who would want to see their spouses stuff sold off? There was a man who stood up and said that it wasn’t right to have the funeral and auction so close together, the man was quickly taken away. Benning Veasey asked for a moment of silence to remember Susan and to think happy thoughts for she was in Heaven now looking down on us. Some people asked why anyone would want to auction their stuff off? Benning Veasey quickly changed the subject. Some suspected but none questioned him. For some strange reason her mother didn’t come. No one knew why. In the end the auction was very successful. Some off the stuff that she had auctioned off was: A brass clock Five chairs A chest Bibliography www.ancestory.com, 01/06/04 Postscript This is a Historical fiction story so some of it is true and some of it was guessed. Susan Tilton died November 5, 1967 of tuberculosis.                                                                                She had a daughter May and a son but he died when he was an infant She really did leave her father the executive of her Will. We think that Susan and her husband weren’t getting a long. We don’t really know what happened at her funeral or auction. We don’t know why but in the last 2 months of her illness she stayed with her parents. Where I found my information it said she had gravestones so I took an educated guess and thought that maybe she had a headstone and a footstone. I did find out where she was buried. She wanted to be buried with her family.

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