The following is a memorial to those who are known to have died of the flu within the first few weeks and either lived on Capitol Hill when they died or had a significant connection to the neighborhood. This memorial consists of short bios and photos of those who died. Unfortunately, photos of many of the victims could not be found. In this case, their bio is either accompanied by a photo of an immediate family member or does not have a photo at all.
Ada Abbott, died October 1, 1918
Ada Abbott was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in September 1867 to Emma F. and Stephen B. Packard. Stephen briefly served as governor of Louisiana during reconstruction that year. The family moved to England in 1879 when Stephen was appointed the consul to Liverpool.
They moved back to the U.S. in 1885 settling on a farm in Marshalltown Iowa. It was here that Ada met and married Edson Gilman Abbott Sr (pictured), the owner of a local grain and livestock shipping business on August 7, 1889. Ada and Edson had their first son Edson Augustus on June 6, 1890. They had their second son Bennett Packard on November 11, 1892. Ada's husband and father-in-law left for Alaska and the Canadian Yukon to start a mining and shipping business during the gold rush.
The family reunited in Seattle in 1900 residing at 517 11th Ave N. By 1910 Ada and her family had moved to the U-district. By this point her husband was working in real estate and her son Bennett was attending Broadway High School. Around 1913 Ada and her husband Edson moved to Port Angeles where Edson took up operation of hotel. That same year Edson also became a film distributor and set up their son Bennett to start a theatre in Sedro Wooley. Ada Caught the flu in September of 1918 and was brought to Seattle General Hospital by her son Bennett where she died on October 1, 1918.
Mary Helen Simmons, died October 4, 1918
Mary Helen Simmons was born in California (possibly San Francisco) o William John and Jannett Green in 1879. Mary married William A. Shumaker at an unknown date. They had a daughter Jannette in California, circa 1904. Mary divorced William in July 1907 and remarried to a motorman named Edward Earl Simmons on April 7, 1908. Their first son Andrey was born in 1911 and their second son Milton in 1912. Edward became a police officer around 1914 and filed for divorce in 1915 claiming that Mary had deserted him. Mary's whereabouts are unknown until her death. Her only connection to Capitol Hill is that she was living at the St. Albans Apartments (923 E John St, since demolished) at the time of her death on October 4, 1918.
Bennett Packard Abbott, died October 7, 1918
Bennett Packard Abbott was born to Ada Packard and Edson Gilman Abbott (mentioned above) on November 11, 1892 in Iowa. His father and grandfather owned a business that shipped grain and livestock to the Pacific Northwest and later started a mining and shipping business during the Alaska-Yukon Gold Rush.
Young Bennett, his brother Edson, and their mother remained in Iowa until the family reunited in Seattle in 1900 residing on Capitol Hill at 517 11th Ave N. Bennett Attended Lowell school until 1907 and attended Broadway High School from 1907 to 1912. His parents moved to Port Angeles for a time where his father Edson was operating a hotel.
Edson also became a silent film distributor in 1913 and sent Bennett to Sedro-Wooley in 1913 to start a theatre. Bennett called it the Dream Theatre, it was a combination vaudeville and silent movie operation and it opened in January 1914. His mother Ada came down with the flu in September 1918. Bennett brought her to Seattle to seek medical care. Ada died on October 1st. Bennett caught the flu shortly after his mother's death and died within a few days on October 7, 1918.
Benjamin Stewart Johnson, died October 7, 1918
Benjamin Stewart Johnson was born in Seattle to Swedish parents Albertina and dairyman Conrad Eric Johnson on April 9, 1896. Ben had one older brother named Stewart and one younger brother named Albert. Their parents had their house at 1612 Summit Ave built in 1900.
Ben attended Broadway High School and earned a degree in dairying in 1915 from Washington State College in Pullman after which he joined his father's business. (Oddly no yearbook photos of Ben could be found)
As evidenced by the Seattle Times society pages, the home was socially active. Ben's parents hosted a number of dinners and other social activities. Naturally, Ben followed suit by hosting meetings of the Lotus Club of which he was a member. The official purpose of the club is unknown, but they were known to organize dances and other social activities. The last such meeting Ben hosted at home was on May 6, 1918.
That summer he attempted to enlist in the U.S. military, but was rejected due to imperfect eyesight. On July 15, 1918 he left for Vancouver, B.C. to join the Canadian Expeditionary Force in France. Specifically the 167th Overseas Draft, Canadian Engineers. He was transferred to Montreal until shipping out to France on September 27. He died 10 days later en route to France at age 22.
Charles Norman "Chuck" Fletcher, died October 9, 1918
Charles Norman "Chuck" Fletcher was born in Washington to Annie and Saloon Keeper Charles Fletcher on July 10, 1896. He had one sister named Hazel. In 1900 the family lived in Buckley, WA. They moved to Seattle (U-district) circa 1908. At this point, Chuck's father was working in the lumber industry.
Chuck initially attended Lincoln High School from 1911 to 1913, but transferred to Broadway High School in 1913. He graduated in 1915 and his yearbook quote read: "A laugh is worth a hundred groans in any market." He went on to enroll in the University of Washington College of Business Administration in 1916. He joined the Kappa Sigma fraternity and was elected to the Tyes Tyon Sophomore honor society. In December of 1917, he enlisted in Base Unit Hospital No 50 after being rejected for infantry and artillery. He died on October 9, 1918 of pneumonia while in France at age 22.
Nimmie Owana Hahn, died October 11, 1918
Nimmie Owana Hahn was born in Boyd, Texas to Grocer James A. and dressmaker Nancy Messersmith on Feb 21, 1897. She married Michael P. Hahn in Eureka Springs, Kansas on Sept 6, 1915. The couple had a daughter Pauline Margaret in Carthage, Missouri on Aug 8, 1916. The family came to Seattle circa 1917 to 18. They first lived at 725 E Pine St in 1918 and Michael worked as a streetcar motorman. They soon moved to 1412 11th Avenue where Nimmie died on October 11, 1918 at age 21.
Harold Raymond Anderson, died October 12, 1918
Harold Anderson was born in Seattle to painter Herman J. and Annie M. Anderson on May 10, 1891. He had two sisters, Mildred and Valentine (born in Alaska) and one brother William. The family moved to 127 Bellevue Ave E in 1912. Harold attended and graduated from Broadway High School at an unknown date. He then joined the 14th infantry in Alaska circa 1917 and was stationed at Fort Gibbon. He later transferred to Camp Dodge, Iowa in Sep 1918 where he died a month later on October 12, 1918 at age 27.
William Curtis O’Hara, died October 12, 1918
William Curtis O'Hara was possibly born in Ireland to Richard O'Hara (mother's name unknown) on June 30, 1879. William married to Gladys Sherard circa 1908 and worked as an auto mechanic. The couple moved to Capitol Hill circa 1911. William remarried to Lelia Hawkes, a supervisor at Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company in 1916. He started working as a mechanic for Bonney Watson that same year. He died on October 12, 1918 at age 39.
Evelyn/Ethelyn Shore, died October 14, 1918
Evelyn (aka Ethelyn) Shore was born in Minnesota to Freda and shoemaker Max S. Shore (pictured) on May 18, 1904. Evelyn's parents were originally from Ukraine and Russia and immigrated in the early 1890s Evelyn had 9 siblings. The family came to Seattle circa 1914 and settled on Capitol Hill at 1121 17th Ave E. Max started a new business called Shore Brand Poultry based out of Pike Place Market. The family moved to 1010 15th Ave E in 1918 where Evelyn died on October 14 at age 14.
Florence Esther Matilde Skoog, died October 15, 1918.
Florence Esther Matilde Skoog was born in 1897 in Alaska to Matilde and Lars "Louis" Peter Skoog (pictured), prolific contractor whose most notable contribution to Capitol Hill was his construction of the Swedish Tabernacle church at Bellevue and Pike in 1910 now the First Covenant Church, a quasi-city-landmark. Skoog was associated with several construction firms both in Seattle and Alaska.
Florence had four siblings. The family lived together on the west slope of Capitol Hill at what was then called 1711 Howard Avenue, since demolished for the I-5 freeway. Little is known of their daily lives. Florence died on October 15, 1918 at age 21.
Mary E. "Mamie" Wood died October 16, 1918
Mary E. "Mamie" Wood was born in Erie Ohio to James H. and Sarah McGann on December 29, 1871 or 1872. She shows up in Salt Lake City, Utah with her father James as early as 1891. James was a conductor for the Union Pacific System and Mary was a clerk that year. Mary then married to Newton F. Wood (pictured), a butcher, in Salt Lake City, Utah on February 20, 1894. They had one son named Jay Wellington Wood in May 1895. They came to Seattle, circa 1904 and resided at 516 Malden Ave E. Her son Jay attended Broadway High School from 1911 to 1915. He then enrolled at University of Washington in 1915 and later pursued a career investment banking. Mary died on October 16, 1918 at age 45.
Celia Harmon, died October 18, 1918
Celia Harmon was born in Houghton, Washington (now a neighborhood of Kirkland) to half Native-American Lucy Ann and lumberman Edwin W Stamp on April 7, 1886. Celia had five sisters and one brother. Celia married to George E. Harmon on January 16, 1904 in Kitsap County, WA. They had one son, Lawrence Leo Harmon (pictured) on October 26, 1904. Celia and George were divorced in 1908. That same year, Celia was working as a maid at Hotel Seattle. From 1917 until her death Celia lived at 1511 Boylston Avenue and was employed as a clerk for the Brehm Egg Company. She died at the home of Myron and Nellie Overacker, 3425 21st Ave S on October 18, 1918 at age 32. Her six year old niece Vera Ruth Swanson from North Bend died there of the flu 2 days later. Both Nellie and Celia were members of the Yakama nation.
George A Finnegan, died October 18, 1918
George A. Finnegan was born in Washington in 1904 to Anna and Charles F. Finnegan, a shingle packer (in 1900), George had two older brothers Charles and Edward (pictured, 1919). The family moved to 1515 E Union St circa 1908. Their father was the proprietor of the Black Cat Employment office in Pioneer Square that year.
The family moved to 1155 Broadway circa 1910-11. The father died on March 9, 1912 at age 43. The eldest brother Charles and Edward worked to support the family hereafter. On October 22, 1912 a 5-year-old "Guy Finnigan" (probably George) of 1155 Broadway was searched by a man near his home at 8pm. The man was frightened away by a woman's screams (presumably his mother's). On Wednesday October 22, 1913 George went missing at age 9. He was believed kidnapped after the family received a note and one dollar three days later saying he was getting along well. He had supposedly not attended "Cathedral school" for several days prior to his disappearance. It is not known when he returned home. George died five years later on October 18, 1918 at age 14.
Image credits
Edson G Abbott: Julie Bishop, via ancestry.com
Bennett Packard Abbott: Broadway High School Yearbook, 1912, via ancestry.com
Charles Fletcher: UW Yearbook, 1919. University of Washington Special Collections.
Max Shore: Michael Shore, via ancestry.com
Lars Skoog: Jennifer Boespflug, via ancestry.com
Newton Wood: Seattle Times, March 23, 1928, p. 14.
Larry Harmon: Grama Charlotte, via ancestry.com
Edward Finnegan: Application for Seaman's certificate, 1919, via ancestry.com
