Old Newspaper - Sad Account of "Wife of Andrew Svoboda", 1904

By Pamela Pattison Lash

Bryan Democrat, 11 August 1904 p3

Note the surname changes but it seems to be Svoboda: “The wife of Andrew Snoboda, residing on the Nye farm about five miles south and east of this place, became suddenly insane last Friday night.  The woman is about 30 years old and is the mother of 4 children – the youngest quite small.  Her case was diagnosed by Dr JW Long as acute dementia and appears to be a complete prostration of mind and body.  She has been a hard workingwoman and the outcome of her condition is uncertain.  It may take a violent form or may not.  At any rate it is a very unfortunate occasion.”

It appears to me that poor Mrs. Snoboda is probably suffering from postpartum depression as in 1904 she gave birth to a child and had other children c10, 7, and 5 years old age.  The outcome appears to be she continued living and caring for her family.  Here’s what I found:

Andrew Svoda (Aug 1868 Austria – c1945 South Bend, St Joseph Co, IN; s/o John Vendal and Anna Schindler Svoboda)

Andrew Svoboda married Mary Helen Osburn in OH c1893.

Mary Helen Osburn/Osborne (18 Oct 1875 Madison Twp, Licking Co, OH – c1930 Kendallville, Noble Co, IN; d/o James and Sarah McKinney Osburn)

Andrew (1869 Germany)

1880 Springfield Twp, Williams Co, OH

Swooboda, John 57

Anna 42

Peter 20

Joseph 17

Andrew 11

Moshana 8

Frank 5

John 1

1900 Benton, Paulding, Ohio; Roll: T623; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 40.

h/h 79/79 Svoboda, Andrey 32 (Aug 1868) mar 7Y 3/3 ch Austria-Aus-Aus farmer; to USA 1874; naturalized

Mary wife 23 OH-PA-PA 3/3 ch

Grace dau 6 (May 1894) OH-Aust-OH

Clarence son 3 (Aug 1896) OH-Aust-OH

Alva son 10/12 (Aug 1899) OH-Aust-OH

1904 newspaper article probably short time after giving birth to son David

1910 Orange, Noble, Indiana; Roll: T624_372; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 0114; Image: 1094; FHL Number: 1374385.

h/h 24/24 Svoboda, Andrew 43 mar 18Y Aust-Aust-Aust to US 1874 naturalized; general farmer renting land

Mary wife 33 4/4 ch OH-OH-PA

Grace dau 15 OH-Aust-OH

Clarence son 12 OH-Aust-OH

Elven son 9 OH-Aust-OH

David son 6 OH-Aust-OH

1930 Bronson, Branch, Michigan; Roll: 4607713; Page: 4A; Image: 647.0; Family History Library Film: 2340712.

h/h /78 Andrew Svoboda widower as head of household w/son Clarence, a housekeper, and a laborer, all divorced; Andrew is general farmer 56 Bohemia-Bohemia-Bohemia; to US 1880, naturalized