Douglas County
Museum
Tuscola, IL


 

Jarman Baby Project

 

Time to Get Your Name on the Book Order List!!!

At this time the museum needs to know if you wish to purchase a copy of the Jarman Baby Book.  To add your name to the list of those who do, contact Lynnita.

Introduction
The museum's "Jarman Baby Project" began in conjunction with the exhibit, "Childhood Memories" in 1995. The goal of the project is to record the names, birth information, and other details of as many babies born at Jarman Memorial Hospital in Tuscola as possible.  From the time it opened its doors in 1919 to the time it closed in the late 1980s, at least 15,000-plus babies were delivered in Jarman hospital (including deliveries that took place in the hospital's parking lot!).


(Click picture for a larger view)

The museum's list of babies, which now includes around 10,000 names, began with the names of the only set of triplets born at Jarman hospital - Lelia Juanita, Loretta May, and Louise Ellen, daughters of Louie and Lelia Reeder of near Tuscola. The triplets (pictured here) were born on March 9, 1936. One of the triplets, Loretta, died at the age of only 26 days. The other two lived to adulthood, residing in Villa Grove.

In July of 1995, Jarman babies and the nurses and doctors who delivered them attended the first of two "Jarman Baby Reunions" held in the Douglas County Museum. Jarman babies were presented with "I'm proud to be a Jarman baby" ribbons (still available for $2.00 each through the museum), and staff members were presented with Jarman staff ribbons. Photographs of babies and medical personnel were taken, and television cameras were present as reporters interviewed attendees.


Tom (left) and Pam (right) Davis, Jarman Hospital babies with their nurse, Betty C. Hudson.
(Click picture for a larger view)

Baby Information
Jarman baby information needed for the computer listing includes: full name of the infant, date of birth, names of parents (including mother's maiden name), and names of the doctor and nurses who delivered the infant. Other information sought includes data about the infant's adult life: who he or she married, where they currently live, or date of death if deceased and where buried. The museum is also interested in locating photographs of infants, hospital staff, etc., taken inside or on the grounds of Jarman Hospital. In addition, the museum staff is recording comments and memories from parents whose children were born at Jarman Memorial Hospital, as well as a complete list of nurses, nurse's aides, doctors, and other staff members who worked on the maternity ward at Jarman.

Adoptions
The staff of the Douglas County Museum realizes that adoption is a sensitive issue.  If you had a Jarman baby that you gave up for adoption, you are welcome to submit birth information about your child to the Jarman Baby Project for inclusion in the book.  In addition, you are welcome to leave contact information with museum director Lynnita Brown, should your adopted child someday find the Jarman Baby Book and seek information about his or her birth parent.  Illinois has an adoption registry that you might also wish to consider.

WANTED: Photos of Jarman Hospital baby doctors & OB ward nurses.
Bios and obituaries of Jarman doctors also wanted.


Jarman Memorial Hospital, 1944
(Click picture for a larger view)

 


Pre-Order Book List:

The following people wish to be notified when the price of the Jarman Baby Book is established.  To add your name to this list, e-mail Lynnita with your name, phone number, and address.  Due to the size of the book, please be aware that the pre-publication cost per book will be at least $50.00.  It could go higher, depending on the publisher's price quote.  You are under no obligation to buy the book if the price is higher than you wish to pay.  This list is simply a list of people who want the price quote when the museum gets a definite figure.

  • Douglas County Museum Library - 2

  • Lynnita Brown - 1

  • Joyce Tompkins - 1

  • Pat Menges - 1

  • Sharon Armstrong - 1

  • Rosemary Meyer McHugh - 1

  • Rosemary Northrup - 3

  • Ginny Wigall - 1

  • Judy Thayer Blair - 1

  • Dale Lutz - 1

  • Harold Hansen - 1

  • Harriet Weatherford - 1

  • William Oye - 1

  • Clarice Hausman - 7

  • Brenda Leon - 1

  • Donna Walker - 1

  • Delores Plowman - 1

  • Annalisa Lynch - 3

  • Terri Conlin - 1

  • Jenny Davis Rush - 1

  • Jane Jones - 1

  • Janet Wood - 1

  • Carolyn Jacobs Warters - 3

  • Judy Hood Wall - 1

  • Nancy Aupperle - 1

  • Jan Plaszczynski - 1

  • Bob Trimble - 1

  • Mitchel Keepes-England - 1

  • John W. Martin - 1

  • Diane Durnil - 1

  • Micki McGuire Suits - 1

  • Sonja Robeck - 1

  • Linda Brewer - 1

  • Ramona Mitsdarfer - 1

  • Barbara Rhoads - 1

  • Debi Knight - 1

  • Kimberly Wakefield - 8

  • Angie Bergner - 1

  • Susan Cross Woodyard - notify

  • Ann Aumiller - 1

  • Sue Swinford - notify

  • Roberta Martin - 1

  • Deanna Lou Collins Falls - 1

  • Sarah Marner-Tomm - notify

  • Gwen Johnson - 2

  • Mary Roberts - 1

  • Diane Good - 2

  • Mary Anne Spannagel - 1

  • Ricky Jacobs - 1

  • Rita Collins - 1

  • Brenda Blair - 1

  • Danny Eugene Shambarger - 1

  • Vicki Mowery - 1

  • Jeanna Connour - 1

  • Joyce Blair - 1

  • Buffy Topper - 1

  • Susie Silva Steinmetz - 2

  • Joanne B. Miller - 1

  • Lydia Turner - notify

  • Earl Dague - notify

  • Arcola Public Library - 1

  • Dolores Rich - 1

  • Tom Felkner - notify

  • Robert Humphrey - 3

  • Linda Brewer - 1

  • Audrey Groves - 1

  • Jimi Dick - 1

  • B.J. Hale - 1

  • Helen Kellogg - notify

  • Nikki Woods Stahler - notify

  • Janice Ochs - 1

  • Jim Huser - 2

  • Lynna Bird Anderson - 1

  • Bonnye Davis - notify

  • Lela Duckworth - 1

  • Ed Conner - 1

  • Juanita Conner - 1

  • Mark Stanberry - notify

  • Kay Shonkwiler - notify

  • Mrs. Herbert (Ann) Lust - notify

  • Nancy Smith Von Lanken - 2

  • Margaret Payton - notify

 

Contact Information:
Phone 217-253-2535 (museum)
217-253-4620 (museum director, Lynnita Brown)
E-mail Lynnita

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