Showing posts with label Memorial Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Memorial Day. Show all posts

Monday, May 30, 2022

Why I'm Staying with FindaGrave



Despite the many criticisms of FindaGrave.com, I'm sticking with it. 

There are valid criticisms, to be sure, as this post by "Legal Genealogist" Judy Russell shows. Rather than throw the baby out with the bath water and stop participating because some volunteers misuse FindaGrave, I'm choosing the other path. 

I'm doubling down to improve the memorials of ancestors and in-laws in my family tree and my husband's family tree. 

The site, now owned by Ancestry, is completely free and available worldwide. 

Not every cemetery on the planet is represented, and certainly not every burial site or columbarium. 

Still, FindaGrave has long been a convenient site for me to memorialize ancestors, link relatives to other family members, and create virtual cemeteries so I can share with my own family. It's genealogy but it's also a whole lot more.

On Memorial Day and Veterans' Day, I like to leave virtual flowers or flags on the  memorial pages of ancestors (mine and hubby's) who served in the military, honoring their memory and service. 

Above, three generations of my husband's Larimer cousins who served their country, one in the Union Army, one in World War I, and one in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

All were memorialized on FindaGrave by other volunteers who took the time to photograph grave stones and list the names. Picking up from there, other volunteers (including me) have linked these men to their spouses, parents, and children, and in some cases, written bite-sized bios to add more detail about their lives. 

In my view, virtual memorials help keep alive the names of these ancestors and make info about their burial places (and their lives) discoverable for anyone doing a search. 

For me, this is a great way to share family history now and to publicly show my respect for those who came before me. That's why I'm staying with FindaGrave, despite the ongoing and quite valid criticisms and definite need for improvement. I will also add my voice to the chorus letting Ancestry know about the need to take action and address misuse of its FindaGrave platform.

Thursday, May 26, 2022

Yearbook Photos of Ancestors Who Served in the Military

This is a combination post for Memorial Day 2022 and for this week's #52Ancestors prompt of "yearbook," honoring two ancestors who served during World War II.

My Aunt, the WWII WAC 

My aunt, Dorothy Schwartz (1919-2001), served overseas as a US Army WAC in World War II. 

Dorothy and her twin sister Daisy Schwartz (my Mom, 1919-1981) graduated from James Monroe High School in the Bronx, New York, in January of 1936. 

This was the same south Bronx high school attended by their older brother Frederick (see below).

When World War II broke out, Auntie Dorothy was attending Hunter College in Manhattan. 

She enlisted in the Women's Army Corps on September 11, 1942, and later was promoted to become Sgt. Schwartz (see photo at right). 

Dorothy was awarded the Bronze Star for "meritorious service in direct support of operations against the enemy." Back in civilian life, she finished college, went to work, then returned to school for education courses and became a high school teacher.

My Uncle, the WWII Army Teacher

My uncle, Frederick Schwartz (1912-1991), graduated from James Monroe High School in the Bronx, New York, in June of 1928. He was only 16.

He worked part-time as he went to college, aiming to become a high school teacher.

By the time Uncle Fred was drafted into the US Army on Nov 10, 1943, he was teaching at Stuyvesant High School in New York City. He was also married with a baby just a few months old.

Following basic training, much of Fred's three years in the US Army was devoted to teaching. At the end of the war, he held classes teaching soldiers how to navigate the Army system to receive benefits and apply skills to civilian life. 

I dedicate this post to my aunt and uncle, with affection and gratitude for their service.

Monday, May 31, 2021

Memorial Day 2021: Hubby's Ancestors Who Served


Sadly, a few members of my husband's family tree died during their wartime military service. I've been memorialized them on my trees and on other genealogy sites. Now, for Memorial Day, let me pay honor to those who died by listing them individually:

  • Isaac Larimer Work (hubby's 1c4r) - died in U.S. Civil War, served in 74th Indiana Volunteer Infantry 
  • John Wright Work (hubby's 1c3r) - died in U.S. Civil War, served in74th Indiana Volunteer Infantry 
  • Arthur Henry Slatter (hubby's 1c2r) - died in WWI, served in Middlesex Regiment and Labour Corps 
  • Arthur Albert Slatter (hubby's 1c1r) - died in WWI, served in Royal Fusiliers, 20th Battalion 

I also want to remember the service of hubby's ancestors who were in the military and then returned to civilian life, with respect and appreciation:

War of 1812, American side

  • Daniel Denning (hubby's 3d great-uncle) - Mounted Infantry, Ohio Militia
  • Isaac M. Larimer (hubby's 4th g-grandfather) - Capt. George Saunderson's Company
  • John Larimer (hubby's 3d great-grandfather) - 90 days service, No. Ohio
  • Robert Larimer (hubby's 4th great-uncle) - Hull's Division
  • Elihu Wood Jr. (hubby's 3d great-uncle) - Sgt. F. Pope's Guard, Mass. Volunteer Militia
Union side, U.S. Civil War

Confederate side, U.S. Civil War
World War I
World War II

It is a privilege to honor these ancestors on Memorial Day weekend, 2021.

--

This week's #52Ancestors prompt is "military." 

Saturday, May 29, 2021

Memorial Day 2021: My Ancestors Who Served

Although Memorial Day is traditionally for honoring military members who died in war, none of my ancestors died during their service in WWI or WWII.

A couple were wounded and many came back profoundly changed, however. 

My maternal and paternal roots stretch back to Eastern Europe, where all four of my immigrant grandparents (and some of their children) were born. 

By the time World War I broke out, a number of my immigrant ancestors and a few of their descendants and in-laws were eligible to serve in the U.S. military. 

During World War II, my Dad, two uncles, one aunt, many cousins, and many in-laws served in the U.S. military. I was surprised that the family was represented in every branch of the armed forces--Army, Navy, Air Corps, and Marines!

Remembering Ancestors' Military Service

For some time, I've been blogging about many of these ancestors and posting a few sentences about their military service (or even longer bios) on genealogy sites--or at least a flag or flower on grave memorials.

With affection and pride, I want to honor the military service of these ancestors in my family tree who served in the U.S. armed forces:

World War I

World War II
  • Harold Burk (my Dad) - U.S. Army Signal Corps
  • Sidney Burk (my uncle) - U.S. Army Air Force
  • Frederick Shaw (my uncle) - U.S. Army
  • Dorothy Schwartz (my aunt) - Women's Army Corps (WAC)
  • George Farkas (my 1c1r) - U.S. Army Air Corps
  • Robert Farkas (my 1c1r) - U.S. Army Medical Corps
  • Myron E. Volk (my 1c1r) - U.S. Navy
  • David Philip Smith (my 1c1r) - National Guard, 8th Regiment
  • Harvey Smith (my 1c1r) - U.S. Army 
  • Jules Smith (my 1c1r) - U.S. Marine Corps
  • Harry S. Pitler (my 1c1r) - U.S. Army
  • Ronald J. Lenney (my 1c1r) - U.S. Army (post-war occupation)
  • Arthur M. Berkman (spouse of my 1c1r) - U.S. Army 
  • Murray Berkman (spouse of my 1c1r) - U.S. Army 
  • George W. Rosen (spouse of my 1c1r) - U.S. Army
  • Abraham Ezrati (spouse of my 1c1r) - U.S. Army Air Corps
  • Bill Kobler (spouse of my 1c1r) - U.S. Army
  • Arnold D. Rosen (spouse of my 1c1r) - U.S. Army
  • Burton S. Wirtschafter (my 1c1r) - U.S. Army
  • Robert S. Whitelaw (cousin-in-law) - U.S. Marines

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Decoration Day at the Cemetery, 1961


Decoration Day was originally a day set aside in May for putting flowers on the graves of those who died in the U.S. Civil War. 

Then, 50 years ago, in 1971, the U.S. Congress declared Memorial Day as a national holiday for honoring those who died in all wars, fixed on the last Monday in May. 

Decoration Day, 1961

My late father-in-law (Edgar James Wood, 1903-1986) and mother-in-law (Marian McClure Wood, 1909-1983) always observed Decoration Day by driving from their home in Cleveland, Ohio, to bring flowers to cemeteries where their parents and other ancestors were buried. 

For the Wood family, decorating graves on this day was part of honoring and remembering loved ones who had died, not necessarily in war. 

As shown at top, Edgar's diary for May 29, 1961 discussed decorating the joint grave of his parents at Highland Park Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio: "...M [his wife Marian] & I stopped at Highland Park Cemetery & decorated grave, then to Marty's Turfside for dinner." 

His diary for the following day recorded a visit to historic Old Mission Cemetery in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, where Marian's mother and great aunts/uncles were buried. They picked up Marian's father to make the trip together. 

After decorating the grave, they had a picnic lunch at the cemetery and stopped to see nearby relatives before returning home. Marian's father was laid to rest in Old Mission Cemetery in 1970. Hubby and I traveled to Old Mission Cemetery a few years ago to pay our respects to the McClure and Steiner ancestors buried there.

Digital Decoration Day, 2021

This year, we are leaving digital flowers on the Find a Grave memorials for ancestors whose graves were decorated by Edgar and Marian on Decoration Day, 60 years ago. 

Rest in peace, dear ancestors, you are remembered with fondness. 

--

"At the Cemetery" is this week's theme for #52Ancestors

Sunday, May 16, 2021

More Bite-Sized Bios for Veteran Ancestors

With Memorial Day on the way, I'm writing bite-sized bios for ancestors who served in the military. These are focused little projects that I can complete and share in a short time.

Also, I'm thinking creatively about other ways to remember vets in my family tree and show appreciation for their service.

Memorial Page for Louis Volk

At right, part of a Memorial Page I created on Fold3.com to honor the life and military service of my great uncle Louis Volk (1889-1952), who married my grandma's sister Ida Mahler (1892-1971) in 1920. Creating the page was free, because I access Fold3 through my state library system.

I wrote a few sentences about Louis Volk's life, including his Army assignment to an Alabama munitions plant during World War I. Then I uploaded his photo (captioned with name/dates) and a copy of the NY state record summarizing his WWI military experience (a key source). This is a way to thank great uncle Louis for his service and keep his memory alive for future generations.

Veterans Memorialized on Cemetery Sites

Several of my great uncles in the Farkas family tree also served in World War I. They were buried at Mt. Hebron Cemetery in New York, which is creating a database of veterans laid to rest there. 



As shown above, I submitted a few details about great uncle Albert Farkas (1888-1956), including the war, years served, and branch of military. 

In addition, I noted his military service on his Find a Grave memorial page and linked all relatives, making it easier for descendants to learn about his life. More ways to keep his memory alive and highlight his service to country.

Friday, May 14, 2021

Posting Ancestor Bios for Memorial Day


With Memorial Day only weeks away, I'm busy writing and posting brief bios of my ancestors and my husband's ancestors who served in the military.

Some of these bios were previously written for bite-sized family history projects. I'm condensing and repurposing the content to share more widely on genealogy websites, including Family Search, MyHeritage, Find a Grave, WikiTree, Fold3, and more.

Where I have no bio written, I'm doing research as the basis for a short narrative of each ancestor's life, with particular emphasis on military service. This is a plus for my genealogy research, because I'm double-checking my trees, adding people/facts/sources where missing, and getting more familiar with military databases.

At top, excerpt from the three-paragraph "memory" I posted to FamilySearch.org, honoring my husband's 1c3r Ira Caldwell (1839-1926), a Union Army veteran from the U.S. Civil War. I used the topic tag "US Civil War" to identify the topic of this story beyond the ancestor tag.

Below, part of the bite-sized bio of Train Caldwell McClure (1843-1934) I posted on MyHeritage.com. He was my husband's 2d great uncle, another Union Army veteran. As I compiled facts for this bio, I added family members and research to my tree, and resolved a couple of inconsistencies. 


After I finish documenting the Civil War vets in my hubby's tree, I'm going to write brief bios of veterans of other wars (from his tree and my tree) and post online to honor their memory for Memorial Day.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

The WWII Military Service of the Burk Brothers

Pvt. Harold Burk & Sgt. Sidney Burk
For Memorial Day weekend, I'm so happy to have this "new" photo of my father on the left, Harold Burk (1909-1978) and his brother on the right, Sidney Burk (1914-1995).

It was just rediscovered by Harold and Sidney's nephew, my first cousin E, who kindly scanned it for me. He found it with Sidney's papers, and I've never seen it.

Dad was in Europe, Uncle in Hawaii

I know a good deal about Harold's WWII activities with the U.S. Army Signal Corps. Below are his dog tags, his US Army buttons, and his Army Signal Corps patch.

Harold Burk World War II insignia, dog tags


However, I know a lot less about Sidney's WWII activities with the U.S. Army at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. Cousin E thinks Sidney worked in the JAG office there.*

A cursory search turned up very little, because the vast majority of U.S. military records from the 20th century burned up in a devastating fire in 1973.

*Update: Sidney Burk was actually in the Army Air Force, a Staff Sgt with the HQ Squadron, 6th Air Svc Area Command, stationed near Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. Cousin E found Sidney's DD214 Honorable Discharge document!

Obtaining a WWII Army Vet's Records

During this week's #OurAncestors chat on Twitter, the American Ancestors experts and Jan Murphy suggested I look into alternative record sources that might help me piece together Sidney's military career. On this rainy day, I'll start by watching this video from NARA.

Update: After seeing the informative video, I visited the NARA website to learn more about obtaining official military personnel files. More specifically, I know now I'll need particular details in order to identify the correct veteran, including exact name used in the military, service number, and more.

Honoring Harold and Sidney Burk's World War II military service on Memorial Day weekend, 2020.

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Cousin Frank Morris Jacob Was a Marine in WWI

Military service of Frank M. Jacob in WWI
On this Memorial Day weekend, I want to honor the military service of a cousin on my father's side of the family tree, who enlisted in the U.S. Marines during WWI.

Frank Morris "Maurice" Jacob was born on October 3, 1896, in New York City. He went by "Frank" and used "Maurice," the Americanized version of his given name Morris, as his middle name. He was my first cousin, twice removed.

Frank's father Joseph Jacobs (1864-1918) was the brother of my long-lived paternal great-grandma Tillie Jacobs Mahler (she was nearly 100 when she died). Frank's mother was Eva Michalovsky Jacobs (1869-1941).

Finding Frank in the NY State Census

1905 New York State Census, Manhattan, NY

1915 New York State Census, Brooklyn, NY
In 1905, Frank (enumerated as Morris) was living with his parents and siblings at 88 Chrystie Street in a large tenement on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, NY, an area crowded with immigrants. He was at school, his father was a janitor, his mother was a saleswoman.

In 1915, Frank (again, as Morris) was living with his mother Eva and siblings Flora, Louis, and Hilda in Brooklyn, NY. Eva was shown the head of the household. Where was Joseph Jacobs, Eva's husband and the father of these children? Sadly, he was in the hospital and he died late in 1918 as a result of Parkinson's disease.


By 1925, Frank was living with his widowed mother on Gerard Avenue in the Bronx, NY, and working in advertising (his profession for the rest of his life). Eva was, indeed, born in "Russia" but not Frank, who was definitely not an alien.

Frank Became a Marine in WWI

Frank enlisted in the U.S. Marines on April 18, 1917. Less than three months later, he was fighting in France. As shown at top on his service record, Frank was involved in four major engagements during WWI: in the Toulon Sector, the Aisne Defensive, the Chateau-Thierry Sector, and the Aisne-Marne Offensive.

I found lots of interesting historical background on the Marines in WWI on the U.S. WWI Centennial Commission website here. Clearly, Frank and his units saw some fierce fighting. Frank was wounded on July 19, 1918, during a major battle in which Germany's machine guns took a very heavy toll on the Marines.

Frank was returned to the States in August, 1918, and continued to serve in the Marines until he left the military on June 13, 1919, more than two years after his enlistment. He supported his mother and lived with her in New York City until she died in the 1940s. Frank died on July 5, 1974, in Brooklyn, NY.

Cousin Frank, although I never met you, I salute and admire your courageous military service!

Thanks, as always, to Amy Johnson Crow for this week's #52Ancestors prompt of military.

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Diary Entries Describe Decoration Day Traditions

Today is the 150th anniversary of Decoration Day. The original purpose was to honor those who died serving in the Civil War by putting flowers on their graves. After World War I, the concept of Decoration Day expanded to decorating the graves of all U.S. military men and women who had died in wars.

For decades, my late father-in-law, Edgar J. Wood (1903-1986) would drive his wife, Marian J. McClure Wood (1909-1983), from their home in Cleveland to Upper Sandusky, Ohio, for Decoration Day. In his diaries, he wrote "Decoration Day" on the space for May 30th and jotted notes about laying flowers on her relatives' graves. Interestingly, only one diary entry ever mentioned decorating his parents' graves in Highland Park Cemetery, Cleveland, and that took place on the day before Decoration Day.

At top is a partial listing of Marian's relatives buried in Upper Sandusky's historic Old Mission Cemetery, including her mother, Floyda Mabel Steiner McClure (1878-1948). Also buried there are her aunts, uncles, and grandparents. None of these folks had fought or died in war; it seems it was family tradition to honor the memories of much-loved relatives by laying flowers on their graves every Decoration Day.

According to the diaries, Edgar and Marian would pick up her father, Brice Larimer McClure (1878-1970), for the drive to Old Mission Cemetery, where they laid flowers and had a picnic nearby. If it was raining, they ate in the car. Then they visited relatives in the area, such as Marian's Aunt Carrie Steiner Traxler (1870-1963), before driving home.

For this generation of my husband's family, Decoration Day was a day of remembering those who had passed away and spending time with family members they rarely saw.

Monday, May 14, 2018

Honor Roll Project, Part 2: Newtown, CT, 1944-1971

Continuing with the names memorialized on plaques honoring military service by residents of Newtown, CT, here are the people who served from 1944 - 1971.

This is Part 2 of my series...Part 1 lists Newtown's military veterans from the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Spanish American War, and the Mexican Border War. Part 3 lists Civil War and Gulf War military veterans.

Although the original plaques in Town Hall on Main Street don't show names in alphabetical order, I transcribed and alphabetized everything by time period.

My goal was to make it easier for relatives and descendants to find these folks who served our country, and see who else from that family served from 1944 through 1971.

Abbott, A.
Adams, G.
Adams, T.
Allen, C.
Allen, G.
Allen, P.
Anderson, J.E.
Anderson, K.
Anderson, N.
Anderson, W.A.
Andrews, L.V. Jr.
Arbetelli, J.
Arndt, K.A.
Arnot, K.A.
Atkinson, G.
Ballerini, D.
Barchi, F.T.
Bardelli, D.
Bardelli, J.
Bardelli, T.
Barna, S.
Bayerle, W.A.
Bedat, A.E.
Beers, C.
Beers, E.
Beers, M.
Belander, R.W.
Bell, P.T.
Bellesheim, G.
Benedict, C.
Berglund, K.
Berls, C.
Berls, C.
Blantin, E.G.
Bolmer, C.
Bolmer, L.
Bowles, E.
Boyle, A.M.
Bradshaw, A.
Bradshaw, A.J.
Braun, J.T.
Bresson, G. Jr.
Bresson, H.
Bresson, J.
Bresson, R.
Brown, R.
Bryk, M.
Buonaiuto, F.V.
Buonaiuto, J.A.
Buonaiuto, J.T.
Buonaiuto, V.
Burdett, A.C.
Burnett, D.C.
Burns, D.J
Burns, G.
Burr, B.
Canfield, W.
Card, W.R.
Carroll, F.
Casey, D.
Casey, E.
Cassidy, D.
Christie, W.A.
Cogswell, C. Jr.
Cole, W.
Connor, R. Jr.
Corrigan, R.
Costello, T.
Cox, E.
Cox, E.E.
Craig, D.
Craig, E.
Crick, J.
Crookes, W.C.
Crouch, E.A.
Crouch, J.T.
Curtain, R.A.
Curtis, J.
Curtis, N.G. Jr.
Davis, G.
Dayton, R.
De Cesare, G.
De Groat, E.B.
De Groat, R.G.
Dean, R.
Dean, Robt.
DeCesare, K.
Delay, R.
Dellea, C.T. Jr.
Digilio, R.
Dinkle, B.W.
Dinkler, D.A.
Downs, R.L.
Eaton, N.
Eaton, R.D.
Eberhardt, E.V.
Echols, D.
Echols, J.W.
Eddy, R. Jr.
Eggert, O.
Farrell, D.J.
Farrell, E.
Farrell, R.
Ferris, D.
Fleischman, C.
Fleischman, C.
Forbell, E.
Fortier, P.
Frederickson, K.
Giambra, A.
Gies, J.C.
Gill, J.
Glover, L.
Granniss, K.
Granniss, K.E.
Greenman, R.
Griffith, C.M. Jr.
Haas, C.
Haig, R.
Hammond, J.C.
Hanlon, C.
Hannah, J.W.
Harris, M.
Harrison, T.
Hart, E. Jr.
Hartmann, J.
Hayden, R.
Hellauer, W.A.
Henckel, W.E.
Herman, E.
Herring, R.M.
Hileman, T.
Hill, M.
Hill, R.
Hollister, W.
Hopkins, L.
Hopkins, M.L.
Hopkins, P.
Hoyt, F.W.
Hribal, J.F.
Hubert, J.
Hull, R.
Hunihan, J.
Ingram, E. Jr.
Ingram, R.
Jackson, E.
Jackson, R.R.
Jandreau, R.A. Jr.
Jensen, E.
Jensen, R.
Johnson, D.
Jones, B.
Kamas, J.
Kamas, T.
Kayfus, D.
Kayfus, F.S.
Kayfus, J.
Kayfus, L.
Kayfus, R.
Kayfus, W.
Kearnes, J.
Kennedy, F.
Kennedy, J.
Kennedy, J.
Kennedy, M.
Kershaw, P.
Kessinger, J.
Kilbride, F.
Killing, A.
Killing, G.
Killing, R.
Kingman, G.
Kingman, P.
Kline, R.C.
Knapp, E. Jr.
Knapp, J.
Knapp, R.
Kondrat, M.
Kovacs, K.
Krafcsik, J.
Krafcsik, M.
Krager, R.
Kuhne, E.G.
Kyle, D.
Lani, J.P.
Larson, L.
Lawler, D.
Leach, D.
Leach, J.
Leaver, W.H.
Leebold, R.
Leondard, E.
Lewis, C.
Lewis, D.
Lewis, D.
Lewis, J.
Lewis, W.
Lillis, W.F.
Liska, R.
Locke, F.
Lockwood, C.
Lockwood, E.
Lockwood, R.
Lorenzo, J.
Loveland, R.
Lovell, W.E.
Lucas, J.W.
Lucas, M. III
Lucas, R.
Macmillan, W.
Mahoney, J.
Mallette, C.
Manwaring, D.H.
Manwaring, J.
Marron, R.
Matern, R.
Maye, A.E.
Mayer, R.W.
McKee, L. Jr.
McLaren, G.
McMahon, M.L.
McPhie, A.
McQuillan, A.
Melot, R.
Mentley, J.
Miles, H.
Miller, R.
Miller, R.
Milon, W.
Moody, D.A.
Moody, H.
Morgan, E.
Morgan, R.
Nalven, H.E.
Nalven, L.I.
Nestor, M.S.
Nezvesky, I.
Nezvesky, J.
Northrop, E.
Northrop, F.
Northrop, G.
Northrop, J.
Norwell, J.
Nyberg, P.
Nyborg, D.
O’Brien, H.D.
O’Connor, R.J.
Oliver, W.D.
Paglinco, D.
Palmer, D.
Parsons, T.
Pearson, A.
Peck, C.
Peck, D.
Peck, K.
Peck, R.
Peck, R.T.
Pellietier, K.
Pendergast, F.
Pendergast, J.
Perillo, F.
Perrotte, D.
Petersen, D.
Phillips, R.
Pitcher, S.
Powell, T.
Presnell, T.
Pressmar, E.
Pressmar, J.
Preusser, A.C.
Proctor, G.W.
Proudfoot, R.
Qubick, J.
Qubick, R.
Quinn, H.
Quinn, R.
Ramsdell, T.
Rasmussen, R.
Reardon, D.
Reiner, R.
Romain, J.
Rosenthall, H.
Roth, E.
Sagnelli, N.
Sanborn, D.
Saren, J.
Saren, W.
Saunders, D.
Saxton, L.
Schettino, R.
Schwaiger, G.L.
Scott, C.
Scott, F.
Scott, S.
Seaman, F.
Sedor, J.
Selph, R.
Seman, W.
Shannon, R.
Shredders, M.
Simmons, R.
Simon, R.
Simpson, J.
Simpson, R.
Slocum, W.
Smalley, B.
Smith, D.
Smith, J.
Smith, L.
Smith, R.
Smith, S.
Sniadecki, J.
Sniadecki, R.
Spencer, E.
Spencer, G.
Sperling, R.
St. Pierre, J.
Stanton, T.
Steinfeld, J.
Steisel, D.
Steisel, J.
Stiewing, J.
Stikkel, F.
Stikkel, H.
Stikkel, V.
Stilson, T.
Stithan, D.
Stoddard, F.
Story, I.
Stratton, J.
Sturges, D.R.
Sullivan, V.T.
Talsey, J.
Tani, C.
Tani, J.
Tarrant, J.
Taylor, J.
Temple, A.
Thomas, J.
Tillbrook, R.
Tonnessen, A.
Tonnessen, A.
Tremblay, P.
Trudeau, D.
Trudeau, R.
Trudeau, R.
Trull, S.
Tuttle, W.
Ugolik, S.J.
Valo, J.
Van Almelo, F.
Vandemark, R.
Verrell, E.
Walker, M.
Walker, R.
Watkins, E.
Watkins, J.
Watkins, R.
Watkins, S.
Watkins, T.
Webber, E.
Wechter, D.
Wechter, P.
Wheeler, R.
White, D.
White, E.
Williams, L.
Winston, M.
Wiser, K.
Wolff, R.
Woodin, H.E.
Woodward, P.
Wrable, E.
Wupperfield, J.
Yurgilevich, A.

Thanks again for the opportunity to participate in Heather Rojo's Honor Roll Project, as Memorial Day approaches and remember those who have served in the military over the years.

Saturday, May 12, 2018

Honor Roll Project, Part 1: Newtown, Connecticut


There are two places where servicemen and servicewomen are memorialized in Newtown, Connecticut.

One memorial is the tall, graceful monument at the head of the main street. At left, a view of what the base looks like.

Embedded around the base of the monument are bronze plaques listing the names of Newtown residents who served, from the Revolutionary War onward (see photo below for an excerpt).

This memorial was dedicated in 1939, with two prominent opera stars singing during the ceremony: Grace Moore (who lived in town at that time) and her friend and fellow diva, Gladys Swarthout.

Some of the bronze plaques with
names were added in stages after the dedication. Many but not all of the plaques were transcribed during the 1930s but I'm double-checking and correcting before posting, having found errors and omissions.

The other place where Newtown residents who served are memorialized is on "roll of honor" plaques hand-lettered and framed in the lobby of Town Hall on Main Street. See photo here for a peek at one of these plaques (to be transcribed later this month). These have not been written up in the town's archives, to my knowledge.

Today, I'm posting Part 1 of the listing of Newtown residents who served in the military. Part 2 (names from 1944-1971) can be found here. Part 3, with names from the Civil War and Gulf War, is here.

Watch for more in the coming weeks, each separate list alphabetized to help people find their ancestors!

Newtown residents who served in the War of 1812

Beardslee, Bailey
Beers, Abel
Beers, Philo
Bennet, Abel
Bennet, Eli
Bennet, Isaac
Bennet, James
Bennet, James W.
Bennet, Joseph
Bennet, Philo
Booth, Philo
Botsford, Daniel
Botsford, Daniel, Jr.
Botsford, Theophilus
Bradley, Abijah
Camp, Lemuel
Caulkins, Joseph L.
Chapman, Alma
Crofut, Abel F.
Curtis, Abijah B.
Curtis, Alfred D.
Curtis, Matthew
Dibble, Philer K.
Dibble, Squire
Fairchild, Kiah B.
Fairchild, Philo
Foot, Arnold
Foot, Isaac
French, David
Gilbert, Elisha
Glover, John
Glover, William S.
Gray, William
Hard, Niram
Hawley, Lemuel
Hays, Abraham
Jarvis, Charles
Johnson, Ichabod
Judson, Abner
Judson, David
Judson, Zera
Middlebrook, Peter
Nichols, David
Northrop, Isaac
Peck, Andrew
Peck, Ezekiel
Peck, Rufus
Prindle, Jonathan
Shepard, Amos
Shepard, Timothy
Stilson, Abel, Jr.
Stilson, Jacob
Taylor, David
Thorp, Ira
Tousey, Joseph
Wells, Amos
Wheeler, David
Wheeler, Joseph B.
Whitney, Philo
Winton, Czar
Wooster, Roswell

Newtown residents who served in the Mexican War

Barnum, Franklin
Cole, Andrew

Newtown residents who served in the Spanish American War

Brennan, James
Hawley, Willis
Lovejoy, Arthur G.
Lovejoy, Morris B.
Morris, Charles G.

Newtown residents who served in the Mexican Border War

Barnett, William E.

Thanks to Heather Rojo for the opportunity to participate in her Honor Roll Project!

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Saluting Relatives Who Served Our Country

For Veterans' Day 2015, I wrote (again) about my father and uncle, Harold and Sidney Burk, who served in the US Army during WWII. Also my aunt, Dorothy Schwartz, who was a WAC in WWII, and my uncle, Fred Shaw, who was in the US Army in WWII.

Now I want to honor other relatives who served our country during the world wars.

Let me start with my great uncle Louis Volk, whose service seems particularly dangerous because he was in munitions factories during 1918. Louis married my paternal great-aunt Ida Mahler in 1920 and was a close member of the family, helping my father get a leg up on his career before WWI.


My maternal grandma Farkas's cousin, Johnny Weiss, was also in WWI. His service "CAC" stands for US Army's Coast Artillery Corps.

My two Farkas great-uncles, Julius and Morris Farkas, were in WWI, even though Julius registered as a conscientious objector. Julius served as a cook in the war, while Morris processed new recruits and discharged vets for the US Army.

Farkas in-law Milton Grossman (who married great-aunt Irene Farkas) served in the Infantry during WWI. Farkas in-law Morris Pitler (who married great-aunt Freda Farkas) was also in the Army Coast Artillery Corps during WWI, serving as a radio sgt.

Farkas cousins and cousins-in-law who served in WWII included George Farkas and his brother Bob Farkas, Abe Ezrati, and Harry Pitler.

On my maternal grandfather's side, his nephew, Morton M. Schwartz, served in WWII.

Thank you to these relatives who served during wartime.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Memorial Day and Dad

As a salute to all the brave members of our armed services, a bit of my Dad's military history. Harold Burk enlisted in Mar 1942 at Camp Upton, Yaphank, New York, "branch immaterial," as a private. He was assigned to the Army Signal Service Corps and was in "Central Europe" and "Rhineland" battles. He's at right in photo taken in Europe, probably 1945. Discharged in Oct 1945 in Ft. Monmouth, NJ, he went back to civilian life as a self-employed travel agent. Here's to you, Dad, on Memorial Day.

2022 update: I've posted Dad's bite-sized bio on Fold3, WikiTree, My Heritage, Find a Grave, and other genealogy websites to keep his memory alive.