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!).
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(Click picture for a larger view)
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The museum's list of babies, which now includes around 7,000 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.
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Tom (left) and Pam (right) Davis, Jarman Hospital babies with their nurse, Betty C. Hudson.
(Click picture for a larger view)
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Baby Information
Jarman baby information needed for the computer listing included: 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 included 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 staff was also interested in
locating photographs of infants, hospital staff, etc., taken inside or on the grounds of Jarman Hospital. In
addition, the museum staff recorded 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 were welcome to submit birth information about your child to the
Jarman Baby Project for inclusion in the book. In addition, you are still 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.
Jarman Memorial Hospital, 1944
(Click picture for a larger view) |
Book Available
The Jarman Baby Book is now for sale in the Douglas County Museum. |
