1882 Diphtheria Deaths

In the fall of 1882, John & Barbara Becker were dealt an enormous blow

 with the deaths of four of their five children from diphtheria.  

Laura Elizabeth Becker, age 2 at the time, 

was the only child to survive the terrible ordeal.  

Here are newspaper articles about the deaths, as well as information from 

St. Stephen's Catholic Church records, Croghan, Lewis Co., NY. 

(Note: John & Barbara Strife Becker had eight additional 

children after 1882, all of whom lived to adulthood). 

Name:   Dwight John Becker

Birth: Jan. 10, 1875

Christening:  March 28, 1875, Croghan, Lewis, NY

Given name on baptismal record: Dwight Johannes

Death: Oct. 14, 1882

Name:   Mary Becker

Birth: Nov. 11, 1876

Christening: Jan. 28, 1877 Croghan, Lewis, NY

Given name on baptismal record: Maria

Death: Oct. 10, 1882

Name:   Edward Christopher Becker

Birth: Aug. 19, 1878

Christening:  Sept. 15, 1878, Croghan, Lewis NY

Given name on baptismal record: Eduard Christoph

Death: Oct. 4, 1882

Name:   Katherine Evelyn Becker

Birth: July 19, 1882

Christening: Aug. 20, 1882, Croghan , Lewis, NY

Given name on baptismal record:  Catharina Caroline

Death: Nov. 5, 1882

Burial monument for all four siblings, St. Stephen's Cemetery, 

Croghan, Lewis Co., NY.

Dwight John Becker, 1875 - 1882, Died Oct.14, 1882 age 7 y. 8m. 4 days
Katie E. Becker, 1882 - 1882, Died Nov. 4, 1882, age 3 mos. 15 days

Eddie C. Becker, 1878 - 1882, Died Oct. 4, 1882, 4 yrs. 1 mo. 11 days
Mary Becker, 1876 - 1882, Died Oct. 10, 1882, 5 yrs. & 11 months

Indian River

John Becker has been building a tasty farm house.

The Journal and Republician, Thursday morning, Sept. 2, 1882; access date Aug. 9, 2014 <http://www.nnyln.net/>

Eddie, youngest son of John Becker, of Indian River, died of diphtheria, last week Wednesday, aged about five years.  Mr. Becker's only daughter, aged about three years, is also sick with the same disease, and there is but little if any hopes of her recovery.

The Journal and Republician, Thursday morning, Oct. 12, 1882; access date Aug. 9, 2014 <http://www.nnyln.net/>

Indian River

That fearful scourage, diphtheria, has commenced its ravages in the family of John Becker, on the Jordan Falls road, taking one of their children.  Two other children of the same family are very sick now, and but little hopes are entertained of their recovery.

The Lowville Times, Thurs., Oct. 19, 1882; access date Aug. 9, 2014 <http://www.nnyln.net/>

Obituary - Barbara Strife Becker

Pioneer Woman Of Log Cabin Days, Dies In Croghan

Mrs. Barbara Strife Becker, 94, widow of John Becker, oldest resident of the village of Croghan, died Friday afternoon at her home of a heart ailment.

Funeral services were held from St. Stephen's church Tuesday morning at 10 with a requiem high mass celebrated by Rev. Amadeus Burke.  The body was placed in the vault and burial will be in St. Stephen's Cemetery in the spring.

Mrs. Becker is survived by five daughters, Sister Christine Bathildis, Mother Superior of St. Mary's Hospital, Quincy, Ill.; Mrs. Cecilia Kerfien, and Mrs. Harvey (Agnes) Bush, Croghan; Mrs. Martha Strong, Watertown, and Mrs. Henry (Frances) Bush, Lowville; 24 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren  and one brother, Peter A. Strife who lives in the family homestead at Strife's Corners near Croghan.

Mrs. Becker was born at Strife's Corners, Sept. 11, 1852, a daughter of the late Michael and Catherine Dicob Strife, pioneer settlers of the community of Kirschnerville where they cleared the land and built a log cabin, which was later replaced by a frame house, which is now occupied by her brother.

She was married to Mr. Becker of Rochester, April 21, 1874.  The couple located at Jerden Falls, near Croghan, where Mr. Becker was a teacher in the local school and also a bookkeeper for the tannery, a flourishing business in the community.  The couple moved to the village of Croghan in 1891 where Mr. Becker served as Justice of the Peace for several years.  He died in 1930.  Thirteen children were born to the couple and four of them died in the diphtheria epidemic of 1882.

Mrs. Becker was a member of the Third Order of St. Francis and the Altar and Rosary Society of
St. Stephen's church, which will meet at the church at 7:30 Monday evening to recite the rosary.

Obit. Barbara Strife Becker. Thrus., March 13, 1947. The Lowville Leader. Access date 18 Jan. 2016 <www.http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/>

Barbara Strife Becker in her garden.

St. Stephen's Church, Croghan, NY, original scanned postcard.

Pictures of the Becker Family

The John Becker Family circa 1893,

Seated front: Frank Becker, Christina (Sr. Bathildas) Becker,

Baby Agnes Becker Bush on John Becker’s lap, 

Barbara Strife Becker holding Martha Becker Strong.  

Back row, Cecelia Becker Kerfien & Laura Becker Murphy. 

Laura Becker

Becker Sisters
Back row L to Rt Agnes Becker Bush, Frances Becker Bush, Laura Becker Murphy, 
Martha Becker Collins Strong.
Seated L to Rt Anna Becker Briot & Cecelia Becker Kerfein. 
Missing from photo is Christina (Sr. Bathildas) Becker.

Laura Becker and her sister Martha.

Laura Becker

Wedding of Laura Becker and John Murphy, July 30th, 1901, Croghan, Lewis Co., New York.

Laura Becker Murphy

John Murphy, born May 1871
from 1900 Census, Croghan, Lewis, NY:
John T. Murhpy, age 29, servant living with Joseph Farney family, working in Sawmill.  

John & Barbara Becker family approx. 1908.

Front L to Rt John Murphy(child) Catherine Dicob Strife,

John Becker, Barbara Becker, Leo Murphy, Edward Murphy.

Sec. Row Susan Strife O’Connors, Cecelia Becker Kerfien, Agnes Becker Bush, 

John Murphy & Laura Becker Murphy, 

Martha Becker, Frank Becker, Christina (Sr. Bathildas) Becker,

Anna Becker Briot,  Frances Becker Bush & Lawrence Becker. 

John & Barbara Strife Becker & family

50th Anniversary

April 21, 1924

Laura Becker Murphy and her children, Mary Murphy Stewart, 
back left to right, John, Edward & Leo Murphy. 
Circa. 1927.

L to Rt Susan Strife O’Connors, Barbara Strife Becker, ? & ? 

John & Barbara Strife Becker with daughters, Agnes, Laura & Martha.

Barbara Strife Becker with her adult children. Circa. 1930.
This photo was most likely taken around the time of John Becker’s death. 
Missing from photo was son Lawrence, who lived in Ohio. 
Front L to Rt Agnes Becker Bush, Barbara Strife Becker, Christina (Sr, Bathildas) Becker.
Back row L to Rt Frank Becker, Martha Becker Collins Strong, Laura Becker Murphy, 
Cecelia Becker Kerfien, Frances Becker Bush & Anna Becker Briot. 

Barbara Strife Becker