Nun, more detail of his (known) history

Nun H. Davis, 1865-1925

Nun H. Davis was born March 25, 1865, to Elizabeth Thomas and David “Dave” Howell Davis in Cap Coch, Glamorgan, South Wales.

In the 1871 Welsh census, the family consisted of: Dave, a butcher; Elizabeth; Mary, 16; Sib, 10; Gomer, 9, and Nun, 6. In the next three years, the family grew by Nun’s younger siblings, Margaret, David M. and the baby, Jane. The whole family emigrated to the US in 1873, and came directly to Platte County.

In the 1880 Federal census, Looking Glass Precinct of Platte County, Nebraska, the family is: David, 50; Elizabeth, 50; Mary, 25; Gomer, 18, assisting farming; Nun, 15, assisting farming; Margaret, 12; David M., 10, herds; and Jane, 8. The family grew by one daughter in 1876, but Elizabeth Ann died of scarlet fever in 1880.

His mother, Elizabeth, died in an accident in March 1885, and his brother, Gomer, died of consumption in June 1885. Both Elizabeths and Gomer are buried at Postville Welsh Cemetery.

A freight wagon, probably similar to the wagon Nun was driving on the way to Metz.

Under Shell Creek Items, the Columbus Journal, of Sept. 2, 1885, noted: “The Platte Centerites are in for a new road direct to Metz. The mishap to Nun Davis, son of Mr. David H. Davis, caused by the road and bridge being so close to the R. R. track, … That road … is one of the most dangerous roads in the whole country. Mr. Davis’s mishap is not the only one, and surely it is not the last one, and if not changed, it may cost many a life yet.” Nun was about 20 at the time of the accident.

Nun disappears from the record from 1885 to 1910 and I can’t find him in the 1900 census. Did he marry? Was he widowed? Was he in the military? Digging the Panama Canal? Fighting in the Spanish-American War? Fighting in the Philippine-American War? Take part in the Johnson County War in Wyoming? Join the Klondike Gold Rush? Get caught in the San Francisco earthquake? Travel the west taking photos with the newly designed Brownie camera? Take part in the first automobile produced by Ford in 1903? Or help Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright get off the ground at Kitty Hawk. Did he rob a bank and spend time in jail? What was he doing?

In the 1910 census, he’s living with his sister, Sib Mahood, at Columbus, Platte County. He is 45 and in ill health. Later in the year, he’s admitted to the Norfolk Hospital for the Insane. His family was taking care of him while he was ill until he became delusional, he thought they were poisoning his food, and hit a health care provider and a family member.

It is at this point, where his name was changed. There are three documents about his admission to the hospital, one has his birth name, Nun H. Davis, another says William H. Davis and a third says Newton H. Davis.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the cause of syphilis was unknown and no treatment was known. It was one of the leading causes of disease and death. About 1914, it was found to be treatable with arsenic, which, while being able to cure syphilis, had many drawbacks including toxic side effects.  Treating with arsenic and bismuth was the standard treatment for syphilis until the advent of penicillin in 1943.

Sept. 10, 1910, a warrant was sworn out for his admission to the Nebraska Hospital for the Insane at Lincoln as Nun H. Davis

Case 439, Return of Physician in the case of Nun H. Davis of Platte County, Neb., filed at hospital Sept 7, 1910, patient received Oct. 15, 1910. Under address of friends, it lists only Mary D. Nickerson, Healdsburg, Calif. (Mary is his elder sister.)

Various paperwork at the beginning of September list him as single, a stenographer-bookkeeper, and that this was his first “attack.” Symptoms included ideas of persecution, imagines he is being poisoned, thought his sister was trying to throw pepper in his eyes. The symptoms seem to be increasing. The supposed cause is tabes dorsalis, but with a question mark. This is the syphilitic infection of the spinal cord, which affects coordination and movement. Symptoms include paralysis, dementia and blindness. It typically appears in a person decades after initial infection.

Dated Oct. 15, 1910, Norfolk State Hospital documents give his name at William H. Davis. He’s listed as blind, with dark hair. Condition of body as to cleanliness: Dirty. (Did he not get a bath at the Lincoln Hospital?) Attitude of patient, passive. Condition of clothing: Good.

A Norfolk State Hospital examination describes him in detail, as “a quiet, agreeable little man. Seems very desirous of making as little trouble as possible. He gives his height as 5 foot 5 inches and 119 pounds. Eyes blue, complexions ruddy, quite emaciated. Right ear slightly defective, left normal.” He states that his blindness came on gradually, “I am in a white light, as though a sheet had been draped in front of my eyes. A person sitting in a rocking-chair, moving back & forth can faintly be distinguished. When I awaken, I seem to be in the dark for a while, then the white light comes back again.”

In a 1911 monthly chart, the ward nurse comments that he is polite to attendants and nurses, but verbally abusive to the ward physician. He complains that he doesn’t get enough to eat, but it is the same that everyone gets. He says his cereal never has milk in it, but it always has milk in it. .... These reports show his name as N.H. Davis, at this point.

January 1912, “as irritable as ever.” February 1912, “Patient is exceedingly ill-tempered all the time.” July 1912, “Patient asks for a minister, then abuses him when he calls.” September 1912, his name at the top of the chart is “Davis, Newton,” and the chart number is the same. After this date, going forward, his name is stated as Newton Davis on the charts. Were there enough staff changes that no one really knew his name? Possible. Did he tell them his name was Newton because the name Nun was met with confusion? Possible.

In April 1913, his sister Janie Davis Miles of Palestine was admitted to the same hospital. She thought that her family was conspiring to take her two boys away from her. Two younger children had died as infants. She refused to eat because she thinks she is being poisoned.

Back to Nun: In July 1913, his chart states “Patient talks a great deal to other patients. Appetite fair.” October 1913, “Patient is usually very disagreeable, sarcastic and complaining. Says the physicians don’t care properly for the patients here and are purposely negligent. Criticizes the superintendent.” January 1914, “Is very anxious to go home, that he’s not insane. Very anxious to visit with his sister, also a patient here. Is selfish and unappreciative. Called a nurse “An Irish son-of-a-bitch” when she tried to give him his medicine. Hears voices at times.” April 1914, “Very disagreeable, says he is kept here to be persecuted. At times uses the vilest of language. Always complains of the food.” May 1914, “Wants to visit his sister.” May 27, 1914, “Attacked by a patient, who took him by the throat and dragged him out of the building.” July 1914, “Abused the physician for saying something, and then apologized when the physician started to move him to his room and said the physician should not pay any attention to a ‘poor old blind man.’” States he is kept here for purposes of blackmail. October 1914, “People are bribed to keep him here, the officials are blackguards, tramps, dirty, low-down, grafting politicians. Accuses the employees of being immoral.” January 1915, tells a staffer: If you would take $5.00 and buy me some cheese, I would regain my sight in three months and get well and go home.” July 1915, he is bedridden due to weakness; sits up part of the day. April 1916, under “Complaining” “This is his attitude most of the time, but less so than formerly.”

In 1917, his sister Janie died of tuberculosis, while in the care of the Norfolk Hospital for the Insane. He is listed as one of the survivors. Then 2 years go by w/o any notes about his attitude or abuse. Just “Bed patient.” “Blind.” Or under “Complaining,” a tick mark.

November 1922, a new doctor is in the institution and says of him: “This man is a chronic bed patient. He was for a long time diagnosed as GPI, (General paralysis of the insane (GPI)  is a severe neuro-psychiatric disorder, caused by the chronic meningoencephalitis that leads to cerebral atrophy in late-stage syphilis.) though it is questionable if this diagnoses can be correct, considering the stationary condition of his health and the many years that he has been in this condition. In the Dec. 31, 1922, chart, it says “chronic bed patient,” and “no medical treatment past two months. General health good.” I may be wrong, but I think they were treating him with arsenic and bismuth, as per the treatment for syphilis at that time. Then they stopped.

In June of 1923, his sister, Mary Nickerson, having committed herself to a Masonic Home in California, wrote to the superintendent to ask how Nun was. She asks the superintendent if there are any issues to contact Maggie James of Lindsay or Sib Mahood of Columbus. She asked if Sib had sent Nun anything the previous Christmas.

Then, again, more than four years go by w/o any notes about his attitude. Just “Bed patient.” “Blind.” Or under “Complaining,” a tick mark. Also, at this time, he was weighed monthly. In four years, he only varied from 95 to 98 pounds.

In September of 1924, a different doctor states that this chronic bed patient never talks or takes any interest in his surroundings, but generally eats and sleeps well. In December of 1924, Maggie James, Nun’s sister in Lindsay, Nebraska, sent a Christmas basket. Maggie always referred to her brother as N.H. Davis, not Newton.

In January of 1925, Maggie, at Mary’s prompting, wrote the hospital to acknowledge that they had told her Nun’s health was failing. They spoke of where deceased patients’ bodies were buried.

In Feb. 15, 1925, Nun wrote a letter, dictated, to Judge Smith of Creighton, Nebraska, c/o Quackenbush Gathering of the Society of Friends, asking for him to come visit him at the hospital and he would explain his situation and why he needs to be removed from the hospital. He said he had rescued Smith and saved his life in 1871 (Nun would have been six years old at that time) at the Carpenter’s Camp, and reminds Smith to come rescue him. “With greatest respect to our brave people and clean home cures, I am very affectionately, Jr. H. Davis. -- Did he know his name? Had he provided the “Newton” name and confused the issue on his own? Did he do it knowingly? Nun had been a Baptist like his whole family. Had he become a Quaker at some point? They do not swear, but Nun obviously did.

In March of 1925 he weighed 93 pounds, and the doctor at the time said he seems to take more interest in goings-on.

Nun’s family took care of him prior to his hospitalization, but apparently never visited him in the 15 years he was at the hospital. It was 46 miles from Columbus, where his sister, Sib lived, to Norfolk. She was five years his senior, had a husband and eight children. When Nun left the home, she had four children still in the house, and had recently had two other children die. She was active in the community, including securing funding for the local poorhouse, helping out those in need.

Another elder sister, Mary, who had lived in California since 1899, checked on his health via letter, as did a younger sister, Maggie, of Lindsay, Nebraska. Maggie had four children and had taken in their sister, Janie’s daughter, when she was taken ill and put into the state hospital.

Nun died April 14, 1925. Maggie James heard of her brother’s death and arranged to go by train with a family friend, George Mahood, and brought the body back for burial at the Postville Church.

Nebraska Vital Statistics returned a request from me in 2017 for a death certificate for Nun H. Davis without results. The state hospital, when I got copies of those records, had a copy of the death certificate I was unable to get using his birth name because it is for Newton H. Davis. The informant (for name, occupation, age, and birthdate) is the state hospital records, not a member of the family.

The certificate says he’s buried at Humphrey; however, as Nun, he is in the diagram of burials of the Postville Church Cemetery, though not in its records. A newspaper clipping someone found on my behalf in 2019 says that he had a funeral at the Postville Cemetery.

Did the stigma of mental illness allow the records to not be kept correctly by church officials at this time? It’s hard to say what happened. The clipping does not explicitly say he was buried at Postville, but his whole family except for David Morgan is there. His true burial site is there, but it’s unverifiable at this time.