Ella Mann was born in 1883. Her father was foreman of the Cohoes Water Works. She grew up in the shadow of the great Harmony Mills in the building currently known as the pump house.

 

Ella entered the teaching profession. She taught at School 4 on Garner Street. Many of her students were mill workers' children.

In 1918 a deadly influenza spread across the United States. There was a critical shortage of nurses in the City of Cohoes. Schools were closed because of the epidemic. Several teachers stepped forward to fill in as nurses. One of those teachers was Ella Mann.

For two weeks Ella tended to the sick. The grueling task proved to be too hard on her. She caught the flu herself and died at age 35. Ella Mann was honored by the mills with a tombstone that reads "In grateful remembrance of a volunteer nurse who gave her life for others. "
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Send mail to b4cohoes@nycap.rr.com with questions or comments about this web site. Last modified: December 16, 2003 "Cohoes Caretakers, Inc."