The Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918

The recent concern for the ebola epidemic's expansion to the United States brought back memories of my grandfather's experience with the Spanish flu during World War I.

The November That Calvin Callcayah Smith Was Left to Die

                Calvin Callcayah Smith, my maternal grandfather, was inducted into the United States Army on July 22, 1918. Grandfather was based at Fort Snelling located in the Minnesota state capital.

                Just four months later as he served as a medic, the Spanish flu ravaged the military community of Fort Snelling, as well as the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. According to the National Institute of Health website (nih.gov), the influenza received its name because Spain was the first country acknowledging publicly the presence of the highly contagious disease.

                By October 1918, the Spanish flu was in full sway with over 500 cases at Fort Snelling alone. St. Paul city leaders closed most public buildings for around 10 days in early November. By January 1919, when the city epidemic had run its course, over 600 people had died.

                Grandpa trained and served as a medic, which may explain how he contracted the deadly flu since influenza vaccinations were not given in 1918. Just weeks before he died at age 88 in 1982, he told my mother of how he was placed in the area of the military hospital designated for those who had no chance of survival. He was put with other military personnel  whom the doctors knew were going to die. Miraculously, Grandpa survived and had a doctor tell him that, in his opinion as a physician, he credited the fact that Grandpa had not smoked with enabling him to live and not die like others around him. My family credits God’s intervention on Grandpa’s behalf even though he would not choose to enter into a relationship with God through Jesus until around fifteen years later.

                My grandfather remained in St. Paul, until July 31, 1919, barely a month after World War I ended. He thoroughly enjoyed himself while in Minnesota. He enjoyed winter parties on the frozen lakes in the area, telling Mother of the lakes being frozen so solid and thick that vehicles could be driven on them and bonfires could be built on them as well.

                Just about ten years ago, over twenty years after Grandpa’s death, I had a woman upon meeting me and learning who my grandfather was, remark to me, “Your grandfather was a very handsome man.” In his one and only recounting to my mother of this time in his life, he mentioned a vaudeville actress with whom he socialized. Marguerite Nelson performed regularly at the Strahn Theater in St. Paul. While in the Twin City region, he also met Hildegard Malone, the daughter of the owner of Red Wing Distilleries of Minneapolis. During the evening not long before his death, he explained to Mother that Hildegard’s father, a millionaire living in Minneapolis, offered him a position if he would remain in Minnesota. Grandpa told my mother that he wanted to come home to Oklahoma, so declined the job offer.

                Grandpa returned to Oklahoma, content to leave what appeared to be a lucrative opportunity behind in the land of 10,000 lakes. His love for family and deep bond with the Oklahoma lifestyle trumped money, high society, and all of its frills.  Reviewing family stories often reveals how ONE simple choice can change the course of a family's history.

Calvin Callcayah Smith on the right with two of his buddies in Minnesota.