How the courts handled mental illness in the 1800s

The basement is cleaned, the garage too and so in an attempt to forget what a mess my genealogy files are, I headed to the flower gardens. While I am not particularly grieving about the “social distancing”, my flower beds have always had a mind of their own and to decide to attack them is folly at its best. I say they have a mind of their own because no matter where I carefully place a plant, within a year or two it has magically moved itself to where I don’t want it to be. Case in point was an herb that not only flourished where I put it but managed to take over two thirds of my west garden, choking out my other herbs and a butterfly bush. I would like to report that I have won this battle of the herb, but time will tell.

The Lincoln Insane Asylum was built in the 1870’s and many a poor soul went there, mostly to die, over a period of years. What constituted being mentally ill in the 19th century might just be considered a treatable illness today. If there was not a suitable family member (read adult male), a guardian, normally male, would be appointed to oversee the property or funds of the patient and their disbursement required application to the court with recommendations by the guardian. One distant relative was hospitalized in Kansas when he declared he was going to harm his family or himself. Since his children were not of legal age, they were made wards of the court even though their mother was alive and well. She was not allowed to handle the family finances either as a guardian was appointed (and paid) to oversee them. Every time that she needed money for the family, she had to request that the guardian release funds. I found the full documentation in the county courthouse even though the actual declaration of insanity was not available.

McCook had a board that oversaw all insanity hearings. In the late 1800’s that board consisted of three gentlemen: Dr. W. V. Gage, G. C. Boatman, and Indianola resident, S. R. Smith. These men sat in judgement over the lives of many though aside from the fact that Gage was a doctor, the others were appointed, and one has to wonder what their qualifications were.

The following were taken from the McCook Tribune and are examples of those hearings.

August 9, 1895: “ Mrs. Bart J. Doyle, who was adjudged insane by the board of insanity, last Friday afternoon, was on Monday evening taken to Lincoln for treatment in the state asylum. Her husband, sister Mrs. Fitzgerald, and brother Ed Farrell accompanied her on her sad journey. Mrs. Doyle came her from Wymore on a visit to relatives, was taken ill with pneumonia and insanity of a violent form quickly developing. She is the mother of four children, all under six year of age. Mr. Doyle has been working at Sheridan for some time. He and all the relatives of the afflicted woman have the sympathy of all.”

July 5, 1895: “J. A. Lynch came over from Stockville, Monday, and on Tuesday morning left for Lincoln with Dr. D. W. Trinque, whom he is escorting to the state insane asylum.”

August 13, 1897: “The board of insanity consisting of Clerk of the District Court, G. C. Boatman, Dr. W. V. Gage, and S. R. Smith, considered the case of Frank Brainerd, Monday evening. He was declared insane and ordered taken to the insane asylum at Lincoln. Brainerd was sent here, close of last week, by the Iowa authorities at Clarinda. His mental condition is such at times to make early action necessary; in fact, he has to be kept under surveillance all the time and part of the time is so violent that he has to be kept in the city jail. The case is a sad one and Mrs. Brainard has the sympathy of everyone. He will be taken to Lincoln by Sheriff Neel as soon as arrangements can be made for his reception at the asylum.”

August 20, 1897: “ Sheriff Neel and Marshal Jordan to Frank Brainerd to the asylum at Lincoln, Saturday night. The asylum was so crowded that it was necessary to substitute Brainerd for Joseph Lute, who was recently from this county. Lute was brought back to the jail at Indianola.”

Researching the records of a past relative who was committed to an insane asylum is difficult since the actual commitment records are usually sealed. Sadly, many of those committed died at the facilities around the country and were buried in unmarked graves. After years of effort, those Nebraska institution graves that could be identified from old records were finally revealed to family members and genealogists in 2007. Over two thousand graves lay in the quiet regional cemeteries in Lincoln, Hastings, and Norfolk. The Nebraska State Historical Society can help you search for ancestors that may be buried among them.