Union County, NJ
Obituaries and Death Notices
Alcorn, William
January 18, 1882 - William Alcorn, of Elizabeth, died recently from arsenic poisoning. His wife is now in custody,
charged with having administered the poison with his food. Submitted by Shauna Williams
Randolph, Sarah
Death - At Plainfield, N.J. on the 25th ult. Sarah, wife of Rev. Jacob RANDOLPH. [Trenton
Frederalist April 7, 1823, Submitted by Candi Horton]
Smith, Walter
Died: on Dec 24, in Springfield, N J, Mr Walter Smith, aged 97; leaving a numerous train of descendants: living-
8 children; 39 grchildren; 93 gr-grchildren; 5 grgr-grchildren-total 140 of blood descendants; besides 40 sons
& daughters-in-law who have married into the family. Within 4 yrs, they have all, with the exception of two,
lived within the sound of the church bell of the parish. [Daily National
Intelligencer, JAN 9, 1821 - Submitted by K. Torp]
Wade, Isaac
October 21, 1809 - We copy the following from the Springfield N.J. Gazette, of the 19th Sept. last.
Died, last evening, Mr. Isaac Wade of this village, in the 47th year of his age. His death is supposed to have
been occasioned by skinning a cow which had died of some putrid disorder; the poison of which was communicated
to his own system through the medium of a small wound in his right hand. A few days after he had been thus engaged
he discovered an angry little pimple on the same arm, between the wrist and elbow, which was soon succeeded by
a multitude, of what are commonly called gangrene blisters. The swelling and inflammation of his arm soon became
excessive, and extended to his shoulder and breast - a mortification followed, and terminated in his death, 14
days after the first appearance of infection.
The idea of his taking the disorder from the carcass of the cow, was at first thought to be a vulgar notion - but
upon enquiry it is found not to be a solitary instance of this nature; several persons in the county of Essex have,
within a few years, lost their lives by similar means, and many have suffered severely. As far as has been ascertained,
the danger seems to be confined to the heat of summer, and perhaps to dog days; it is hoped, however, that this
subject will claim the attention of Medical gentlemen, and that the public will be cautioned by them, as hundreds
are every year putting their lives in jeopardy for the pitiful consideration of a few shillings. [October 21, 1809, The Centinel, Gettysburg, PA - submitted by Nancy Piper]
Watkins, Edward
At Rahway, N.J. a young man, named Edward Watkins, while at work, wounded his hand at the ball, near the wrist,
by a rusty nail – and the pain prevented his sitting at the table to dine with the family in which he lived. About
twenty minutes thereafter, the family discovered that he was dead, sitting in his chair. – Vil. Rec. [The Adams Sentinel (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania), December 17, 1828 - submitted by
Nancy Piper]
Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA, December 17, 1828
From the Rahway, N.J. Advocate
Remarkable case of sudden death.
A young man by the name of Edward Watkins, living with Mr. Lemuel Stearns of this place, in the character of a
laborer, was assisting in putting up a small building, when he accidentally wounded his hand at the bottom of the
ball of the thumb near the wrist of the left arm by a rusty nail, which penetrated about (?)ths of an inch, and
tore up the skin about half the size of a sixpenny piece; the wound pained him immediately but he continued work
for an hour afterwards, when he was called to dinner. He sat in a chair by the fire, refusing to eat dinner with
the family, in consequence as he said, of the pain in his hand and arm having become excruciating and extending
to his breast.
Mrs. Stearns bound up his hand and kept it wet with camphorated spirits - the family finished their dinner and
Mr. Stearns went out to his work leaving Watkins by the fire, complaining of his hand, arm and breast; in about
20 minutes afterwards some one of the females who were in the kitchen and who had not been out since Watkins sat
there, observed that he must be asleep and suggested to move him back lest he might fall in the fire. When on
moving the chair on which he sat, Watkins immediately fell over on the hearth on his face, was instantly rolled
over on his back and found to be dead.
He is supposed to be a native of Nova Scotia; his mother's maiden name was Mary Jackson, who died when he was very
young. He has no recollection of his father and has no relatives anywhere known to him.
