Peter Rookstool and the Gangrene

The cause of death on the death report says Gangrene.  Peter Rookstool, my Very Great Uncle died in 1885 from Gangrene. How? What happened? He was 79 years old and a farmer. He was living in Summers County, West Virginia with his wife Mary and two sons, John Mason and Peter Franklin. 

Peter's people came to this country from Switzerland around 1735 first settling in Pennsylvania and then moving on into West Virginia.  Peter was born to John and Mary (Cline) Rookstool or what was once Ruckstuhl in Greenbrier County, West Virginia in 1807.

In 1836 a balloonist named Richard Clayton landed his hot air balloon in Summers County, West Virginia in an area with a small population and the community of Clayton was named. In 1856 Peter is living in Clayton and helped to build the structure of rough hew logs that would eventually house the church and school which Peter presided over.  

April 1858 Peter is granted 130 acres of land that has access to Hungary Creek in Monroe County, West Virginia. In July of 1860 he assayed another 250 acres of land with access to Hungary Creek which he is granted. He also has a grant of land that includes 280 acres with access to Laurel Creek. 

His home in 1860 is Rollinsburg in Summers County, West Virginia. This community has since been renamed Talcott in 1891 and is home to the John Henry legend.  

At the age of 59 on 26  March of 1866 Peter marries the 36 year old Mary Elizabeth Coffman and she soon gives birth to two sons.  The family is living in Wolf Creek, Monroe County, West Virginia in 1870 where Peter is farming. In 1880 they are living Green Sulphur in Summers County, West Virginia and Peter is still farming. On 3 November 1885 Peter writes his will and the first thing he bequeaths is a dun colored calf to his son John. Item 2 of his will is a rifle he leaves to his son Peter. Item 3 he leaves everything of "every nature and kind" to his wife.

 On 11 November 1885 Peter has died.