Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Daniel Hamblett Russo

PVT Daniel Hamblett Russo, Company B, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Infantry Division (Airborne) b. 1925 - d. 20 Sep 1944 in Holland. He is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial at Margraten, Plot M Row 2 Grave 12. He is my 7th cousin 3x removed. You can see a photo of him at http://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/american-war-cemetery-margraten-r/50559-russo-daniel-h

Monday, September 11, 2017

Warren Francis Leland

TSGT Warren Francis Leland (born 22 Nov 1922) is on our left in this photo with his mother, Grace Velma (Emery) Leland and his brother CPL Allen Frederick Leland. Warren served as radio operator on the "Pistol Packin' Momma" of the 38th Bomb Squadron, 30th Bomb Group (Heavy) in the South Pacific. The plane was shot down in a bombing mission over Marcus Island on 11 Sep 1944 and all but one crew member were killed. As noted with his brother's photo, Warren is my 8th cousin twice removed. Both of these men are descendents of Abraham Jaquith (1644-1679) also of Woburn, MA who was killed in service during King Phillip's War.

Saturday, August 26, 2017

Colonel Cunliffe Hall Murray

CUNLIFFE H. MURRAY. . (Ap'd N.Y.)..25 (Cunliffe Hall Murray, Born Aug. 26. 1852 in Charleston, South Carolina - died Mar 16, 1936 in Tenafly, New Jersey) is a 3rd cousin 4x removed our common grandparents being Annatie Hunnel and George Richtmeyer.  He and is wife are buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Military History: Captain, 4th Cavalry, April 15, 1890. At Presidio of San Francisco, Cal., commanding Troop, June 17 to 27. 1898, and on mustering duty, June 28 to July 14, 1898 ; commanding Troop, July 15 to Aug. 11, 1898 ; en route to Philippines and at Manila.

Aide-de-Camp to Major General Otis, Aug. 13, 1898, to Feb. 10. 1899; at Manila, Inspector-General of Volunteers, Feb. 11 to June 30. 1899; Secretary to the Military Governor of the Philippines, July 1, 1899, to May 4, 1900; en route to U. S. and sick, May 5 to Oct. 3, 1900: nt Washington, D. C, in office of Inspector-General, Oct. 4 to Nov. 2. 1900 ; at Chicago, Ill., Inspector-General, Department of the Lakes, Nov. 4, 1900, to (Major, 4th Cavalry, Fer. 2, 1901) May 9, 1901 ; and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Lakes, May 10, 1901, to March 31. 1902 ; at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., commanding 2nd Squadron, 4th Cavalry, April 3, 1902, to (Lieut. -Colon el. 11th Cavalry, April 8, 1905) June 29, 1905; at Fort Des Moines. Iowa, with regiment, June 30, 1905, to June 14. 1907 (at Fort Riley, Kans., on detached service, July 25 to Oct. 4. 1906 ; commanding Fort Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 6, 1906, to June 14, 1907) ; at Fort Ethan Allen, Vt., with regiment. June 17 to Oct. 17, 1907 (commanding post, June 21 to Oct. 17) ; at Columbus Bks., Ohio, commanding Recruit Depot, Oct. 19, 1907, to (Transferred to 4th Cavalry, March 17, 19091 (Colonel. 10m Cavalry, April 18, 1909) (Transferred to 14th Cavalry, May 11, 1909) (Unassigned, March 11, 1911) (Assigned to 12th Cavalry, Sept. 17, 1911) to Oct. 6. 1911 ; at Fort Robinson, Neb., commanding 12th Cavalry,
as 2LT, maybe, uncertain if this is Cunliffe
Oct. 9, 1911, to March 7, 1913; at Washington, D. C, member of Cavalry Board, March 10 to July 16, 1913 ; at Winchester, Va., commanding Camp of Instruction, July 17 to Oct. 10, 1913; at Washington, D. C, member of Cavalry Board, Oct. 11, 1913, to April 17, 1914 ; en route to Philip pines and on leave of absence, April 18 to (Transferred to 7th Cavalry, June 1, 1914) to June 4, 1914 ; at Fort William McKinley, P. I., commanding regiment, June 5 to Sept. 15, 1914 ; commanding regiment in Field Maneuvers in Philippines, Sept. 15 to Nov. 15, 1914 ; at Camp Stotsenburg, P. I., commanding regiment, Nov. 16, 1914, to (Transferred to 9th Cavalry, Nov. 15, 1915) (Attached to 7th Cavalry, Nov. 15, 1915) April 13, 1916; en route to U. S., April 15 to June 13, 1916; on leave of absence, June 14 to Aug. 26, 1916. Colonel, U. S. A., Retired, Aug. 26, 1916, By Operation of Law.

Thursday, July 06, 2017

CPT Wendell Burke Rivers

Captain Wendell Burke "Wendy" Rivers, United States Navy retired, was born July 6, 1928, died May 9, 2009, of cancer.

Wendy enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1946 and received his appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1948. He graduated in the USNA class of 1952. Trained as a fighter pilot, he had a distinguished naval career, serving in both the Korean and Vietnam wars. He deployed on his last cruise to Vietnam in 1964 aboard the USS Coral Sea. He was captured in North Vietnam on September 10, 1965, and was released on February 12, 1973. After 27 years of service, Captain Rivers retired from the Navy on December 31, 1976, and had a second career as a long-haul truck driver for another 20 years.

Wendell is my 5th cousin once removed.  Our common grandparents are Miriam Hildreth and Joseph Richardson. He is survived by 2 sons.

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

George Carr Dow

George Dow was apparently mustered into service on 16 Apr 1861 as a 2nd Lieutenant in Company E 40th New York Volunteer Infantry. He also served with Company B 40th NYVI and Company D 62nd Massachusetts Infantry. It is unclear with which unit he was serving but he suffered a gun shot wound in the right hand and left thigh at the battle of Chancellorsville. He was returned to duty and mustered out 26 May 1865. He married Henrietta M Titcomb who died 7 Mar 1877. Apparently suffering from consumption and unable to care for himself he was admitted to the home for disabled soldiers in Togus, Maine on 28 Jun 1877 where he died.

CPT George Carr Dow (b. 11 May 1834 - d. 19 Dec 1877) was my 6th cousin 4 times removed. Wea are both descendants of Abraham Jaquith II (1644 - 1679)

Friday, June 23, 2017

Lyman A. Hamblett

When Lyman A. Hamblet was born on May 2, 1836, his father, Ozni, was 25 and his mother, Thirza, was 20. He married Irene A. Fletcher on March 25, 1861, in Londonderry, New Hampshire. They had two children during their marriage. He died on June 23, 1864, in Dinwiddie, Virginia, at the age of 28, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery section 13, site 5540. Many years ago the location was simply given as "grave 5540". Was he the 5540th burial? Lyman is my 5th cousin 5 times removed. He has living descendants in New Hampshire.

Tuesday, May 02, 2017

MAJ Flavel Shurtleff Jr

MAJ Flavel Shurtleff Junior was born 2 May 1829 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, son of the Reverend Flavel Shurtleff and Captain (at the time of the photo) in the 10th Massachusetts Infantry. He was twice married, the second time to my 2nd cousin 4x removed, Harriet Jerusha Bent (born in Nova Scotia). The 10th was in the Peninsular campaign, at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg. I think he was promoted to Major before the end of the war.

Flavel died 22 October 1910. He and Harriet had one son who died in 1978 but I am not aware of any surviving descendants. 

Thursday, March 23, 2017

The Honorable Mister Hervey Chittendon Calkins

Hervey Chittendon Calkins was born 23 March 1828 in Malden, Ulster County, New York.  He was a US Representative 1869-1870. The Honorable Mr. Calkins is my 2nd cousin 5x removed and a fellow descendant of George Richtmeyer. He married Violetta Adeline Brant and they had 2 children the youngest, Mary V., died when she was 7-years old. His son, Freeman Brant, married Clara Palmer Haines and they had 6 children. I know of no direct descendants of his to be still living.

I mention him here, my first in this series of posts, only because we share a birthday. It is unlikely anyone else remembers him today, but we will.

Thursday, March 02, 2017

Allen Frederick Leland

Born as Allen Frederick Leland but known throughout his life as Frederick Allen or just "Fred", he was the son of Melvin Amos (1877-1959) and Grace Velma (Emery) (1888-1977) Leland. The Leland's had a total of 9 sons serve in the U.S. military, two of whom were killed in service. One was Fred and the other was his younger brother, TSGT Warren Francis Leland. Fred was serving with the 66th Armored Regiment, 2d Armored Division when he was killed 2 Mar 1945. He is buried in Margarten, the Netherlands. I am trying to find out more about his service. He is my 8th cousin twice removed.

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Spring is sprung...

Spring apparently has sprung, although we saw signs earlier, with the beggars at the road intersections. In my youth I was a pretty soft touch but numerous experiences with those who are daily at "their" spot and whose vehicle (better than any I've had) is parked fairly close by, has hardened my heart. There are so many agencies now which will help, there isn't any need to do this. However, I have been told by various trusted sources that one can "earn" $200-300 or more each day doing this. While I'll allow that you can choose not to work, I think I've got the right to choose not to support you anymore than the government forces me to.