Great Grandfather's Eye Removal, 2014

When I was six we visited my Great Grandfather Lillywhite who only had one eye.  We were told it was from a wood chip that had lodged in his eye from chopping wood but that was not the whole story.

Yesterday I used the digital newspaper Steve taught me how to do and I found an article from 1908 in the Box Elder News.

It said that Benjamin Lillywhite was operated upon by Dr. Fieday for the removal of a cancer from his left eye lid.  It was hoped the eye could be saved but an examination proved that it was affected by the disease, so it was taken out and then the cancer was cut off the eye lid.

It went on to say that two years ago while Mr. Lillywhite was chopping wood a small stick flew up hitting him in the eye, but further than causing him a little pain at the time, no serious damage was thought to have been done.  The bruise was evidently a bad one however, for soon there appeared a small lump, which grew as time passed and finally developed into a cancer. 

"The operation was most successful and while Mr. Lillywhite had to lose his eye, he is confident that the trouble has now been resolved which hope is just as sincerely shared by his family and numerous friends."

I remember hearing as a child that his eye was knocked out when he was cutting wood--now I hear the "rest of the story".  Very interesting.