Attorney Virgil Lacey began this series of letters on August 1, 1884, by reassuring his mother about the cholera situation in Chicago. By August 15, Lacey was sick with typhoid fever, and attended by his sister Sarah. She corresponded with their mother until his death on August 28, 1884. It was not immediately clear that Lacey had contracted typhoid, as the disease could easily be confused with dysentery and other fevers.

Authors: Members of the Lacey family
Source: Chicago Historical Society (ICHi-37423)