Maida Ruth Haynie

Maida Ruth Haynie was born January 23rd, 1900 to John Morgan Haynie and Sadie Viola Marsh near Alfonso, VA. She was the third of 15 children.

The census taken in June of 1900 listed Maida not by name, but as "infant." The family lived in the Mantua district of Lancaster County, no road name was given. Her father was recorded as working as a farmer and blacksmith. He owned their home mortgage free.

The 1910 census again showed her family in the same area and recorded that they lived on the road from Lancaster to Alfonso. Maida's father was listed as working as a blacksmith. Her mother was listed as having eight children with six still living.

The 1920 census showed Maida still living with her parents, her age was given as 20. Her father was listed as a general store merchant. The family was still in the Mantua district.

Maida married John Elbert Bush on March 21st, 1922. He was 20 years older than her. Their marriage was recorded in Lancaster County, but performed at the residence of Rev. George T. Schools in Richmond County. They went on to have five children between 1923 and 1928.

On November 3rd, 1928 Maida began exhibiting behavior that alarmed her family. On November 14th her husband, mother, and brother Bayse signed paperwork to have her committed to a mental institution. Proceedings were held on the 17th in Lancaster County Court in front of Thomas D. Brown, Justice of the Peace. Her behavior in the proceedings was described as "excited, talkative and restless" and she was found to be insane. She was commited to Eastern State in Williamsburg. VA and arrived on November 19th.

Clinical Notes
No. 6457 Mrs. Maida Ruth Bush
Admitted November 19th, 1928 from Lancaster County
Information obtained by Dr. Holderby November 19th, 1928

Maida Ruth Bush, twenty-nine years of age, married at the age of twenty-three to a man forty-three years old. Went through the seventh grade, but never did well at school. She has five children, oldest five-years, youngest three months.

Past History:
For a good many years patient had periods when she would feel that everyone had deserted her and would have brooding and crying spells, after which she felt better. No connection noted between depressed periods and menses. Patient’s health has always been good, except for “nervousness.” Had childhood diseases, no pneumonia, diphtheria, scarlet fever or influenza. No chronic cough, no hemaptosis.

Family History:
Two maternal uncles would have “queer” spells, lasting a week or two at a time, but have never been to an institution for treatment. Patient’s mother is somewhat “queer”, placing a lot of dependence in Spiritualism; being very jealous of her husband and making ungrounded accusations against him. Patient has nine living brothers and sisters, all of which seem normal mentally. Maternal aunt died of TBc. No cancer, diabetes, or kidney disease.

Present Illness:
Patient was apparently all right until sixteen days before admission, when awakening in the morning she told her husband that she had had a “death dream” and that she was going to die that day. She told her husband that she wanted to pray and wanted him to pray with her, which he did to humor her. At this time she said that there was poison in her water and would not drink. This lasted only one day. For the week following this she seemed in unusually high spirits, and said she could do her work more easily than ever before.

One week ago - nine days after “death dream”, she awakened her husband at 1:30 a.m. asking him to take her to a Spiritualist in the neighborhood to have affected eye for her four year old baby cured. Her husband finally sent her and the child to the Spiritualist about eight o’clock, who had Mrs. Bush squeeze milk out of her breast into the child’s eyes, and put a weak solution of Epsom Salts in eyes. After this visit, wife seemed much more cheerful for a day. The next afternoon she began getting depressed again, and the following day she pleaded with her husband to take her for another visit to the Spiritualist, telling him that he would be lost if he did not go. To humor her, he accompanied her on this visit. At this time the Spiritualist made gestures and passes over Mrs. Bush’s head, held her hands, and told her that she had a good husband, five nice children, and that she must look up to higher things, etc. This visit did not seem to cheer her up much.

The next day she was very excited, talking and preaching: revilling her mother, saying that God was talking through her and that she had to convert the world. Since then she has been excited most of the time, saying that she hears the voice of God talking to her and sees spirits. During this excited period physicians have been giving her medicine which quiets her and puts her to sleep temporarily.

Dec. 1, 1928 - Patient died today. Cause: Suicide by strangulation. Buried in Lancaster Co., Va.

Maida's family did not believe that she killed herself, some Some family members speculated that she was assaulted and killed by either a staff member or another patient. Her husband had their state senator, Robert O. Norris, write to the hospital for an explanation. The reply explained that she tied a sheet around her neck and rolled out of bed, it went on to blame her death on short staffing at the hospital due to budget. The letter from Eastern State's Superintendent did not satisfy the family and their suspicions about Maida's death remain a part of family lore.

She was buried at Lebanon Church in Alfonso.