Amanuensis Monday - Birl Henderson Bridges and Macie Ora Humphries

Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging prompt used by Geneabloggers.com to help them post content on their sites. An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin. Here is my contribution today:


John Bridges married Cynthia Jones and they had a son named...
...Samuel Albert Bridges married Esther Priscilla Harrill and they had a son named...
......Birl Henderson Bridges married Macie Ora Humphries and they had a daughter named...
.........Pauline Bridges who married Charles Delbert Harris and they had a daughter named...
............Barbara Ann Harris who married Chase Furnas and they had a daughter named...
...............Anna Harris, my sister-in-law. Anna married Kenny Harris (Stan's brother) (different Harris family) and they have 3 sons named Evans, Aaron and Logan.

This story is for Anna, their sons (my dear nephews), and Anna's family.

Birl Henderson Bridges was born 12/26/1884 in Rutherford County, NC to Samuel Albert Bridges (DOB: 5/20/1856 in Rutherford County, NC; DOD: 9/14/1920 in Forest City, Rutherford County, NC) and Esther Priscilla Harrill (DOB: 3/20/1858 in Rutherford County, NC; DOD: 2/3/1953 in Rutherford County, NC).

Burl Henderson Bridges married Macie Ora Humphries on 4/10/1907. Macy Ora Humphries was born 6/16/1886 in Rutherford County, NC to Christopher Shuford Humphries (DOB: 5/14/1858 in Cleveland County, NC; DOD: 7/5/1922 in Cool Spring, Rutherford County, NC) and Louise Anne Ruppe (DOB: 9/11/1860 in SC; DOD: 11/27/1954 in Forest City, Rutherford County, NC).

1910 U.S. Census of Riverview St., Cliffside precinct, High Shoal,  Rutherford County,  North Carolina; Taken 4/19/1910 by Mary O. Melton, Roll:  T624_1132; Page:  5A; Enumeration District:  0136; Image:  371; FHL Number:  1375145, Lines 24-31, "C.S. Humphries" and "B.H. Bridges"
C.S. Humphries, Head, M(ale), W(hite), 51 yrs old (DOB 1859), First marriage, Married 32 yrs (DOM 1878), Born in NC, Both parents born in NC, Outside manager of cotton mill
L.A. Humphries, Wife, F, W, 50 yrs old (DOB 1860), First marriage, Married 32 yrs, 6 children with 4 still living, Born in SC, Father born in SC, Mother born in NC
Claud Wilson, Son-in-law, M, W, 26 yrs old (DOB 1884), First marriage, Married 1 yr, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC, Salesman in department store
Alta Wilson, Daughter, F, W, 22 yrs old (DOB 1888), First marriage, Married 1 yr, 0 children, Born in SC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC
Cabert McCraw, Boarder, M, W, 17 yrs old (DOB 1893), Single, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC, Weaver in cotton mill
B.H. Bridges, Head, M, W, 24 yrs old (DOB 1886), First marriage, Married 3 yrs, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC, Weaver in cotton mill
Macy Bridges, Wife, F, W, 23 yrs old (DOB 1887), First marriage, Married 3 yrs, 1 child with 1 still living, Born in SC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC
Odell Bridges, Son, M, W, 2 yrs old (DOB 1908), Born in NC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC



World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
Birl Henderson Bridges, Rutherford County,  North Carolina; Roll:  1765939; Draft Board:  0; 32-1-41-C, Serial #710, Order #2023
Birl Henderson BridgesHome Address: Forest City, NC33 yrs old, DOB: 12/26/1885White
Occupation: Farmer for self, Forest City, NC
Nearest Relative: Macy Bridges, Wife, Forest City, NCShort, Medium Build, Blue Eyes, Dark Hair
Signed by him on 9/12/1918



1920 U. S. Census of Pleasant Grove, Cool Spring,  Rutherford,  North Carolina; Taken 1/14 and 1/15/1930 by Chas Flack, Roll:  T625_1321; Page:  5A; Enumeration District:  157; Image:  715, Lines 46-50 next pg Lines 51-53, "Burwell H. Bridgs" (sic)
Burwell H. Bridgs, Head, M(ale), W(hite), 34 yrs old (DOB 1886), Married, Can read and write, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC, Farmer of general farm
Macy Bridgs, Wife, F, W, 33 yrs old (DOB 1887), Married, Can read and write, Born in SC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC
Odell Bridgs, Son, M, W, 11 yrs old (DOB 1909), Attends school and Can read and write, Born in NC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC
Grady Bridgs, Son, M, W, 9 yrs old (DOB 1911), Attends school, Born in NC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC
Pauline Bridgs, Daughter, F, W, 6 yrs old (DOB 1914), Born in NC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC
Lorena Bridgs, Daughter, F, W, 4 yrs old (DOB 1916), Born in NC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC
Reid Bridgs, Son, M, W, 2 yrs 4/12 mos old (DOB 1918), Born in NC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC
Don Bridgs, Son, M, W, 5/12 mos old (DOB 1919), Born in NC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC


1930 U. S. Census of Cool Spring,  Rutherford County,  North Carolina; Taken 4/24/1930 by Joe P. Hardin, Roll:  1719; Page:  14A; Enumeration District:  11; Image:  716.0, Lines 27-35, "Birl H. Bridges"
Birl H. Bridges, Head, Owns farm, No radio set, M(ale), W(hite), 44 yrs old (DOB 1886), Married at age 22 yrs old (DOM 1908), Can read and write, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC, Farmer of general farm
Macy Bridges, Wife, F, W, 43 yrs old (DOB 1887), Married at age 21 yrs old, Can read and write, Born in SC, Both parents born in SC
Grady Bridges, Son, M, W, 19 yrs old (DOB 1911), Single, Can read and write, Born in NC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC, Farm Laborer
Pauline Bridges, Daughter, F, W, 17 yrs old (DOB 1913), Single, Attends school and Can read and write, Born in NC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC, Farm Laborer
Larena Bridges (sic), Daughter, F, W, 15 yrs old (DOB 1915), Single, Attends school and Can read and write, Born in NC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC, Farm Laborer
Leid Bridges (sic), Son, M, W, 12 yrs old (DOB 1918), Single, Attends school and Can read and write, Born in NC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC, Farm Laborer
Don Bridges, Son, M, W, 10 yrs old (DOB 1920), Attends school and Can read and write, Born in NC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC
Hubert Bridges, Son, M, W, 9 yrs old (DOB 1921), Attends school and Can read and write, Born in NC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC
Betty Bridges, Daughter, F, W, 3 yrs 6/12 mos old (DOB 1927), Born in NC, Father born in NC, Mother born in SC

B.H. Bridges and Macy Humphries had 8 children:
1) Odell Bridges (DOB: 3/20/1908 Rutherford County, NC; DOD: 9/9/1943 in NC State Hospital, Morganton, Burke County, NC).
NC Death Certificate #195, Registration District #1208, Certificate #133, Odell Bridges, DOD: 9/9/1943 in State Hospital, Morganton, Burke County, NC
Male, White, DOB: 3/20/1908 in Rutherford County, NC, 35 yrs, 5 mos, 19 days old
Married
No occupation
Father: B.H. Bridges, born in Shelby, NC
Mother: Mary Humphries (sic), born in Cherokee County, SC
Informant: State hospital records
DOD: 9/9/1943 at 11:45 am
Cause of death: "General paralysis of insane"  *
Burial 9/11/1943 at Cool Springs, Forest City, NC

*   http://frontierpsychiatrist.co.uk/general-paralysis-of-the-insane-and-psychiatrys-only-nobel-prize/
     General paralysis of the insane, a syndrome of mental disorder and weakness occurring in tertiary syphilis, is also known as dementia paralytica, Bayle disease, parenchymal syphilis and symptomatic neurosyphilis.  It is a rare disease in western general adult psychiatry these days but, at the height of its powers, it is thought that it accounted for up to 20% of patients in asylums.
     In brief: syphilis is a chronic sexually transmitted disease, caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum, resulting in the formation of lesions throughout the body.  As well as being sexually transmitted the infection can also be transmitted from mother to the developing fetus (congenital syphilis).
     The primary symptom is a hard ulcer (chancre) at the site of infection (i.e the penis or vagina) and this forms 2-4 weeks following exposure.  Secondary symptoms develop about two months after this infection and include fever, malaise general enlargement of lymph nodes and a faint red rash on the chest.  Then, after a period of time somewhere between some months to many years the disease enters its tertiary phase with widespread formation of tumour like masses (gummas).  These can cause serious damage to the heart or blood vessels (cardiovascular syphilis) or to the brain (neurosyphilis) resulting in tabes dorsalis, blindness and general paralysis of the insane.
     The onset of GPI is usually gradual with depression as the dominant symptom.  There is then a slowly progressive memory and intellectual impairment.  Frontal lobes are particularly involved, resulting in characteristic personality change with disinhibition, uncontrolled excitement and over activity which may be mistaken for hypomania.  Grandiose delusions are present in 10%.  Physically there is slurred speech, a tremor of the lips and tongue, and Argyll Robinson pupil** in 50%.  As the condition progresses there is increased leg weakness leading to spastic paralysis. Patients become completely incapacitated, bedridden, and die, the process taking about three to five years on average.
The first clearly identified examples of paresis among the insane were described in Paris after the Napoleonic wars and general paresis of the insane was first described as a distinct disease in 1822 by Antoine Laurent Jesse Bayle.  Originally, the cause was (charitably) believed to be an inherent weakness of character or constitution.  While Esmarch and Jessen had asserted as early as 1857 that syphilis caused general paresis, progress toward the general acceptance by the medical community of this idea was only accomplished later by Alfred Fournier. In 1913 all doubt about the syphilitic nature of paresis was finally eliminated when Noguchi and Moore demonstrated the syphillitic spirochaetes in the brains of paretics.
     In 1927 Julius Wagner-Jauregg was given the first and only Nobel Prize awarded to a psychiatrist.  This was for work done in 1917 by which time he had been selflessly studying the the relationship between fever and psychosis 30 years.  Wagner-Jauregg had exposed three neurosyphilitic patients to malaria drawn from the blood of a wounded soldier.  The resulting high fever killed the syphilis spirochetes, leading to their recovery (the fate of the soldier is not recorded).  Given that there were few cures for anything in 1917, Wagner-Jauregg’s achievement was a milestone in psychiatric and medical science.  There was now a reliable, albeit risky, cure for neurosyphilis.
     After WWII the use of penicillin to treat syphilis has made general paresis a rarity and now even patients manifesting early symptoms of actual general paresis are capable of full recovery with a course of penicillin. The disorder is now virtually unknown outside  third world countries, although it has been reported in western HIV sufferers.


2) Grady Harold Bridges (DOB: 8/10/1910 in Rutherford County, NC; DOD: 11/5/1989 in Gastonia, Gaston County, NC).

3) Pauline Bridges (DOB: 3/7/1913 in Rutherford County, NC; DOD: 6/15/1996 in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, NC) married Charles Delbert Harris. They had a daughter named Barbara Ann Harris who married Chase Furnas.

4) Daisy Lorena Bridges (DOB: 4/4/1915 in Rutherford County, NC; DOD: 7/29/1990 in Rutherford County, NC) married John Donald Spake.

5) Albert Reid Bridges (DOB: 8/5/1917 in Rutherford County, NC; DOD: 10/7/1996 in Rutherford County, NC).

6) Don Humphries Bridges (DOB: 8/17/1919 in Rutheford County, NC; DOD: 11/16/1987 in Rutherfordton, Rutherford County, NC).

7) Birl Hubert Bridges (DOB: 3/7/1921 in Rutherford County, NC; DOD: 11/13/1996 in Sarasota County, FL).

8) Betty Jean Bridges (DOB: About 1926 in Rutherford County, NC; DOD: ? in ? ).

Burwell Henderson Bridges died 3/24/1978 in Rutherfordton, Rutherford County, NC.

N.C. Death Collection, 1908-2004
Name: Birl Henderson Bridges
Gender: Male
Race: White
Marital Status: Married
Social Security Number: 238096471
Age: 93
Date of Birth: 26 Dec 1884
Residence County: Rutherford
Date of Death: 24 Mar 1978
Death City: Rutherfordton
Death County: Rutherford
Death State: North Carolina
Autopsy: No
Institution: General Hospital
Attendant: Physician
Burial Location: Burial in state
Source Vendor: NC Department of Health. North Carolina Deaths, 1978


Maci Humphries Bridges died on 7/21/196 in Rutherford Hospital, Rutherfordton, Rutherford County, NC

NC Death Certificate #21801, Registration District #81-68, Registrar's Certificate # (blank), Macy Humphries Bridges, DOD: 7/21/1960, Rutherford Hospital, Rutherfordton, Rutherford County, NC
Usual Residence: Route 2, Forest City, Rutherford County, NC
Female, White, Married to B.H. Bridges, DOB: 6/16/1886 in SC, 74 yrs old, Occupation: Housewife
Father: Shuford Humphries, Mother: Louise Ruppe, Informant: B.H. Bridges of Route 2, Forest City, NC
DOD: 7/21/1960 at 12:30am
Cause of death: Myocardial Infarction (duration 17 days) due to coronary thrombosis (duration 17 days) due to coronary arteriosclerosis (duration unk) *
Burial: 7/22/1960 at Cool Springs Cemetery, Forest City, Rutherford County, NC

*    A myocardial infarction is the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die. This is most commonly due to occlusion (blockage) of a coronary artery following the rupture of a vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque, which is an unstable collection of lipids (fatty acids) and white blood cells (especially macrophages) in the wall of an artery. The resulting ischemia (restriction in blood supply) and oxygen shortage, if left untreated for a sufficient period of time, can cause damage or death (infarction) of heart muscle tissue (myocardium).
     Classical symptoms of acute myocardial infarction include sudden chest pain (typically radiating to the left arm or left side of the neck), shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, palpitations, sweating, and anxiety (often described as a sense of impending doom). Women may experience fewer typical symptoms than men, most commonly shortness of breath, weakness, a feeling of indigestion, and fatigue. Approximately one quarter of all myocardial infarctions are "silent", without chest pain or other symptoms.

For more on Anna's family check out my other post at

http://sharonscrapbook.blogspot.com/2011/03/george-millard-harris-and-annie.html
http://sharonscrapbook.blogspot.com/2011/03/don-langdon-john-humhries-and-clarinda.html
http://sharonscrapbook.blogspot.com/2011/03/birl-henderson-bridges-and-macie-ora.html
http://sharonscrapbook.blogspot.com/2011/03/amenuensis-monday-christopher-shuford.html
http://sharonscrapbook.blogspot.com/2011/03/samuel-albert-bridges-and-esther.html


Please contact me if you have any additional information or corrections at Mom25dogs@gmail.com