Monday, October 10, 2016

MADNESS MONDAY ~ The sad story of Albert Charles Hungler 1860-1893

HUNGLER_Al_baseball_pitcher_goes_insane_The_PhiladelphiaInquirer_13_Feb_1893_pg_3

In researching my great grandaunt’s family, I discovered the sad story of Albert Charles Hungler.

My great grandaunt, Myra Hunter (1859-1938) married on 6 Oct 1880 Johan Jacob Seigle (1849-1930).  Johan had a sister named Rosina Seigle born about 1835 in Germany and died 18 May 1903 in Ohio.  She married John Richard Hungler.  To this couple was born 3 boys and 4 girls; Teresia about 1855, Albert Charles 1880, Elizabeth about 1862, Anna about 1865, Charles about 1868 and William H. 1869, Margaret about 1877.

Albert Charles Hungler became a minor league baseball player.  It looks like he played from 1887 at age 27 to 1890, age 30 for eight different teams.
  Hungler teams

I found reference to him on these websites.

Baseball Reference.com – statistics for Al Hunger
Vintage Card Prices.com – Al Hungler baseball cards

Here’s a image of one of the baseball cards, used with permission from my cousin.

HUNGLER_Al_Old Judge Cigarettes Baseball Card photo_1887_cropped

Here’s the obituary for Al.

HUNGLER_Al_obituary_TheCincinnatiEnq_13_Jul_1893_pg_5 - Copy

Al Hungler was only 33 years old when he died.  His cause of death is listed on a cemetery/burial card, as Marasmus.  According the the dictionary this is a lack of nutrition associated with infants. “severe undernourishment causing an infant's or child's weight to be significantly low for their age (e.g., below 60 percent of normal).”
 
Here is the cemetery card.
HUNGLER_Albert C_burial card_1893_SpringGroveCem_CincinnatiHamiltonOhio

NOTE: What could cause Marasmus in an adult?  I have my own thoughts on this.  During my research I have found that syphilis was not uncommon in our ancestors.  This disease often affected the brain.  I actually have one ancestor whose cause of death was “brain syphilis.”  Could this be what caused the mental deterioration and eventual death of Al Hungler?
  
Albert Charles Hungler is buried at Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio.  You can visit his memorial here.

FAMILY NOTE:  This must have been a horrible time for Al Hungler’s family.  His father, John Richard Hungler had passed away at age 47, in 1880, of Typhoid Fever.   A few months prior to Al’s death had been the death of his younger brother William H. at age 23 due to Disease of lungs.

If you are related to this family I’d love to hear from you.

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

SIBLING SATURDAY - The Hunter Sisters

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2016   Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

8 comments:

  1. Diane found this on line--"Marasmus is a severe form of malnutrition that consists of the chronic wasting away of fat, muscle, and other tissues in the body. Malnutrition occurs when your body does not get enough protein and calories." To answer your question; don't think there is a difference between infants and adults. Malnutrition is malnutrition regardless. As for, syphilis was very common back then. I have a person who also ended up in an Asylum because of. There is also the possibility he had a sever head injury due to the years of baseball. To die at his young age in an asylum; there had to be an underlaying reason.

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    1. Thanks for the additional information Marge. I am in total agreement on there having to have been an underlying cause. Could certainly have been some genetic abnormality, but I suspect another reason. As you said, head injury? Guess we'll never know.
      Thanks for your comment.

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  2. Newspapers are such a great source of information about our ancestors, I have a dozen or so from my Matthews great grandparents and my grandfather's siblings that announce their having the grip or recovering from an illness. Can you imagine if the papers published details like that now? The baseball card is also fantastic, love the uniform.

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    1. I'm so hooked on newspapers. The things that were published before our current age of PC and identify theft scare, were priceless. They add so much to our ancestors every day lives. My three biggest newspaper sites in order of finds are newspapers.com, genealogybank and fulton postcards.
      Thanks for stopping by.

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    2. Are you and I related? He's in my genealogical line here in Cincinnati. James M. Hungler, Jr.

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    3. Well, Jim, we are remotely related. Here is how Albert Charles Hungler is related to me. He is my great grandaunt's husband's nephew. Not a direct bloodline. Albert's mother was Rosina Seigle. Rosina's brother Johan Jacob Seigle married my great grandaunt, Myra Hunter.
      Thanks for asking.

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    4. Diane, on Ancestry.com my 2nd cousin's husband is an EXTREMELY dedicated genealogist. If you are a member there, you can see the entire family tree of Albert Hungler including Myra Hunter and more. My main email is jimijack51@yahoo.com
      On Ancestry.com see Rich or Richard Ehemann or Ehemann Family Tree
      I see you on the tree, too. Not sure if this will open to his page that you are on: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/12864578/family/familyview?cfpid=420049190045

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  3. Not sure if this came through: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/12864578/family/familyview?cfpid=420049190045

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I look forward to reading your comments. If you have any connection to the people mentioned in this blog, please let me know. I write about mine and my husband's ancestors and would welcome new information or meeting a new cousin or two. Thanks for visiting and come back soon.