Infant Wilson

b. circa October 1899, d. 18 March 1900
  • Infant Wilson was born circa October 1899 in Buffalo, Erie County, New York.
  • Infant Wilson died on 18 March 1900 in Medina, Orleans County, New York.
  • The following appeared on 21 March 1900 in the Buffalo Evening News: Mrs. Cora Wilson, a young woman who formerly lived in this city, came here from Medina yesterday afternoon with a dead infant child wrapped under her shawl. She went to the Health Department and applied for a permit for the burial of the infant. Under the law the department could not issue a permit with[out] a transit permit from Orleans county, and the unfortunate young woman had to go back to the county to get the necessary document.
         Mrs. Wilson's case is a pitiable one. Her maiden name was Cora Lederer, and she married Edward Wilson in Medina about two years ago. They came to Buffalo to live, and during the first few months of their married life the young bride was extremely happy. Then her husband began to drink and grew weary of her. Finally he left her and nothing has been heard of him since.
         Mrs. Wilson went to live with her brother, John H. Lederer, at 252 Seneca street. Five months ago a baby was born there. Subsequently she went to the home of her parents at Medina. She secured employment in the village and earned enough money to care for herself and the child.
         Last week the little one fell ill of bronchial pneumonia and died early Sunday morning. Mrs. Wilson came to tis city with her child, as the family burial plot is in this city and she desired to have the remains rest there.
         To a News reporter who saw her after her return from Medina with the burial permit, she said:
         "It was stated in some of the Buffalo papers that I had been denied the sympathy of my parents and that was the reason of my coming to this city with the body of my infant. This is not true. On the contrary, my parents did everything they could for me. My mother is prostrated by the loss of the child, of whom she was very fond. I shall probably return to their home after the funeral."
         The funeral will take place at the home of her brother, 252 Seneca street, at 2:30 this afternoon.
  • The following appeared on 22 March 1900 in The Medina Tribune: A five months' old child of Mrs. Cora Wilson, who lives with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Lederer, on Elm street, died on Monday. Mrs. Wilson claims that her husband deserted her in Buffalo some time ago, since which time she has been obliged to depend on her parents, who are in straightened circumstances, for support. After the death of her child, the mother, who was unable to give it a decent burial, wrapped the corpse in a shawl and carried in her arms to the depot, where she took the train for Buffalo to procure assistance from relatives there. Yesterday's Buffalo papers, in giving an account of the incident, blame Mrs. Wilson's parents and stated that the young woman had virtually been driven from home. This statement Mr. and Mrs. Lederer stoutly deny, and from facts learned it would seem they are justified in so doing.
  • Last Edited: 18 Jun 2013