Grave #217 at this Illinois hospital tells a harrowing story

Rhoda Derry’s 44-Year Confinement in Adams County

Rhoda Derry lived in a wooden box for 44 years at Adams County Almshouse. Her crime?

Falling in love with the wrong man in 1852. After his mother threatened to curse her, Rhoda broke down, seeing demons no one else could see.

Labeled “incurable,” she was locked away where she gouged out her own eyes. Then in 1904, Dr. George Zeller stepped in. He moved her to Peoria State Hospital, gave her a real bed, and showed what care could do.

The site where this woman found two years of dignity before her death now stands as a stark reminder of how far mental health care has come.

Young Love Sparked Rhoda Derry’s Tragic Downfall

Rhoda Derry was born October 10, 1834, in Fayette County, Indiana.

The youngest of nine kids, her family moved to Lima Township in Adams County, Illinois when she was little. As a teen, Rhoda fell in love with neighbor Charles Phenix, but his mother hated their relationship.

The Phenix family thought Rhoda’s family practiced witchcraft because of her grandmother’s local reputation. Around 1852, Mrs. Phenix told Rhoda she’d put a curse on her, starting decades of suffering.

Evil Spirits Filled Her Mind After The Threat

Rhoda’s first breakdown happened right after Mrs. Phenix’s curse threat when she was about 18.

She started seeing “Mrs. Phenix” following her and talked about an evil spirit called “Old Scratch” tormenting her.

These ghost delusions grew stronger daily, making her more unstable. She believed evil spirits haunted her all the time.

Her family tried to care for her, but her condition got worse each day, making it harder for them to handle her strange behavior at home.

The Hospital Kicked Her Out As “Incurable”

Rhoda’s father took her to the Illinois State Hospital for the Insane in Jacksonville around 1856, hoping doctors could help her. After two years, the hospital staff called her “incurable” and sent her back home.

State law made all “incurable” patients return to their families after two years. Back with her parents in 1858, Rhoda showed no signs of getting better.

She kept having “spells” of terror and distress, then prayed for God to forgive her unknown sins.

Her Parents Couldn’t Take Care Of Her Anymore

On September 3, 1860, at age 25, Rhoda moved to the Adams County Almshouse because her aging parents couldn’t manage her care. The place housed 101 people, with 36 listed as “insane paupers.”

The almshouse was the only option for mentally ill people labeled “incurable” back then.

By the 1870 census, records showed Rhoda as both “blind and insane,” marking the start of her physical decline that would continue for decades with barely any care.

They Put Her In A Box With Holes For Waste

The almshouse first kept Rhoda in a large basket filled with straw.

As she got worse, staff moved her to a square wooden box on legs with holes cut in the bottom for waste to fall through. The box always stank while mice built nests next to her body.

She only had canvas cloth covering her since she refused to wear clothes.

For hours each day, she rocked back and forth with her knees held tightly to her body, a position that later caused permanent physical damage.

She Blinded Herself And Knocked Out Her Teeth

Using her long fingernails, Rhoda gouged out both her eyes during her time in the wooden box. She also punched herself in the mouth so hard she knocked out all her front teeth.

Her body was covered in bruises from her constant self-harm. Over time, she lost the ability to speak at all.

The muscle wasting from years in the cramped wooden box stopped her from moving her legs normally, leaving her permanently disabled on top of her self-inflicted injuries.

Nobody Helped Her For 44 Long Years

A report from the 1881 General Assembly wrote about Rhoda’s awful living conditions, but nothing changed. She stayed in her wooden box for 44 years with almost no human contact or proper care.

Her body became permanently twisted, with her knees nearly touching her chin from decades in a cramped position.

The almshouse put a “simple-minded woman” in charge of the “insane women’s department,” giving minimal supervision. Rhoda’s case showed how badly 19th century mental health care failed.

A Doctor Heard About The Woman In The Box

In September 1904, Dr. George Zeller of Bartonville Asylum learned about Rhoda’s situation.

Zeller had built a name for himself by changing mental health care through kind treatment methods unlike the harsh practices of his time. When he heard about Rhoda, he sent a message to the almshouse: “Send her along.

God bless her. ” His response gave the first real hope for humane treatment after decades of neglect.

The move to his facility started a new chapter in Rhoda’s sad life.

She Finally Got A Real Bed After Decades

When Rhoda arrived at the Illinois Asylum for the Incurable Insane in September 1904, staff gave her the first bath she’d had in 44 years. They put her in an actual bed for the first time since 1860.

Under Dr. Zeller’s orders, nurses gave constant care to the frail woman.

Though blind and unable to speak, Rhoda seemed calmed by the gentle treatment. Staff noticed she would smile whenever she heard Dr. Zeller’s voice coming toward her room.

Nurses Never Left “Rhody” Alone

Rhoda became the focus of special care among the nursing staff, who made sure she was never left alone.

Despite the challenges of caring for someone with such severe physical and mental conditions, no nurse ever complained about the demands of looking after “Rhody,” as they affectionately called her.

Her case attracted newspaper coverage across the country, highlighting the need for mental health reform.

Her peaceful response to compassionate care demonstrated that even the most “hopeless” cases could benefit from humane treatment approaches.

Her Grave Tells A Story Of Changed Lives

Rhoda died on October 9, 1906, just one day before her 72nd birthday. She was buried in grave number 217 on the hospital grounds.

Dr. Zeller wrote that she was “alone in her class” with no similar case likely to be found in medical history.

Her headstone carries a powerful message: “They built this place of asylum so that no other human would suffer as you.”

Her story became a catalyst for mental health treatment reform across the country, helping to shift care from punishment and confinement toward compassion and dignity for people with mental illness.

Visiting Peoria State Hospital, Illinois

The Peoria State Hospital Museum at 4400 Industry Road in Bartonville tells Rhoda Derry’s story and mental health reform history.

You can take guided tours that include all four patient cemeteries or book private paranormal tours at (309) 232-8794. The museum is in the old asylum firehouse and displays Dr. Zeller artifacts plus an original Utica crib.

You can walk the cemeteries on your own even though the main Bowen Building was torn down in 2016.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• The Great Chicago Fire had two unsung heroes – and almost no one remembers them
• Frank Lloyd Wright’s scandalous year in Italy with Mamah Cheney and the Wasmuth Portfolio
• The decision that exposed the real Ulysses Grant years before he fought for the Union