Sometimes the smallest newspaper clipping can reveal a moment of unimaginable heartbreak in an ancestor’s life. In April 1840, my 4X great grandfather, Howard Manley (1791-1852), was living with his family near Rochester, New York when an ordinary day splitting wood lead to a discovery inside a hollow log. What initially must have seemed like an unexpected gift from nature – several quarts of beechnuts – would soon bring illness to the entire family and end in the tragic death of one of Howard’s young daughters.

In 1840, Howard and his wife, Lois (Kelton/Kilton) Manley had 9 children (5 daughters and 4 sons), ranging in age from 23 years old to their lastborn child who was about a year old at the time of this incident. Howard and Lois’ son, James born in 1821 is my 3X great grandfather. He was 19 years old at the time of this tragedy, I do not know if he was still living at home and whether he was affected by the poisoned nuts.