Thankful Thursday: Coming Home from Over There

Just yesterday, we were talking about my wounded World War I grandpa and his friend.  As an update, I am still trying to confirm if the other guy in the 1919 photo taken at US Hospital at Parkview is who I think it is.  I did hear from one of his distant kin who shared the picture from his obituary.  It's still hard to confirm or deny since the picture used in the obituary is one of later life.  Although, looking at the ears and eye slant still have me leaning towards the identity.

In reading the military information I found on both men, I became curious as to why they had different return dates from Europe in early 1919.  More sleuthing was needed to uncover if memories were failing or if there was more to the story.

Search, search, search.  Bingo!  The answer was in the US Army Transport Service, 1910-1939, which can be accessed through Ancestry.com.   The two buddies came home on separate ships!

John D KERFOOT left Brest, France on Jan 11, 1919, and arrived in Hoboken, NJ on Jan 21, 1919, on the USS George Washington.  He is also listed as a "walking patient requiring dressing."

Grandpa, on the other hand, left Brest, France on Jan 26, 1919, and arrived in Hoboken, NJ on Feb. 3, 1919, on the USS Agamemnon.  He is also listed as a "sick and wounded, litter class."

Another note of interest is both of these troop transport ships began their lives as German liners and were taken over by the Americans in April 1917 when America entered the war.

USS George Washington on the left with the USS Agamemnon on the right
Photo found on www.nav.source.com

Ahh, genealogy.  Thankful these two wounded World War I veterans from southwest Pennsylvania made it home from "over there".


Sources:
Ancestry.com. U.S., Army Transport Service, Passenger Lists, 1910-1939 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/173004.htm

©2019  AS Eldredge

Treasure Chest Thursday: Found the Land Again! And Lost It! Again!

Looking for lost land can be frustrating.  Did it exist?  Was it lost due to no taxes paid?  Was it demolished?  No, wait.  Obviously, the land itself existed and still does.  Who owns it now?

For years, I have been trying to determine what happened to the land in Hanover Row, Portsea, England.  This land that was mentioned in my immigrant's 1795 will.  This land, that was also mentioned in an 1842 will of John SYMMONS in Portsea.

I've seen maps and determined from kind helpmates over the pond that Hanover Row was demolished in 1874.  Now, that is an interesting date.  Why?

Just in the last week or so, I found yet another will from a grandson of the 1795 will of John SIMMONS.  This grandson, Charles William SIMMONS (1801-1874), will is written in 1871 and it specifically mentions the land in Portsea that he had inherited from his father.  By the way, his father was William SIMMONS (d. 1825), appointed by the President, yes, President George WASHINGTON as the accountant for the War Department.

Charles W Simmons, Probated Will in CA

But back to Charles---  his will is written in 1871 while he is still living in Boone Co, Iowa.  It is not probated until 1874, when he dies in Lower Lake, Lake, CA.

Close up of will documenting the land in question

For whatever reason, Charles thinks he has a share of the land in Portsea and another treasure trove in San Domingo, where his maternal grandfather, Jean Baptiste BERTRAND de LaSTRANGE de LaPOINTE was supposedly given something by the French government after some Revolution?  Boy, do I have homework to do!

I still can't find out what happened to the land in Portsea!  I guess I need to feel the dirt to finally find it!  Who authorized demolishing of Hanover Row?  Who agreed?  Or was it just done?

Ahh, genealogy.  Guess I need to sift that dirt through my fingers before I can really believe I found it.  But, wait....  does that mean my share of it is... lying in the grave?

©2017  AS Eldredge

Sources:
Probate Records; Author:  California Superior Court (Lake County); Probate Place; Lake, California

Wordless Wednesday: Eating with the President

Looking at old family info which was researched some years ago and then looking again now can provide more tidbits to follow.  The increased genealogy documents online can cause one to almost drop the morning coffee!  Almost.

There are several new finds which connect my bloodline of John SIMMONS (d.1795) the innkeeper to his descendants.  Just yesterday, a new family seeker wondered if I had the right man.  My answer to that is absolutely.  Why?  Because I like following the land and the wills.  Legal documentation is a strong first degree of evidence when researching the past.

Sometimes, though, the legal documentation just isn't there.  Sometimes, one can find more secondary evidence in census records and in history books of the times.

Samuel FRAUNCES (b. c 1722 d. 1795) is most certainly an interesting case to follow.  I plan to spend more time this February to see what else I can dig up on him.  For a teaser, he was the owner of Fraunces Tavern in New York during the time of the American Revolution.  In fact, his tavern was the site of George WASHINGTON's farewell speech.  Much has been written on that subject.  FRAUNCES goes on to work directly for WASHINGTON after the American Revolution as the steward in his household.  Again, nothing new here.

What is new about FRAUNCES since the last time I looked at him?  While the location of his unmarked grave at St. Peter's Church in Philadelphia is still unknown, he now has an obelisk in the churchyard.  On June 26, 2010, the legacy of Samuel FRAUNCES was honored with the church erecting an obelisk for him.

Samuel Fraunces, St Peter's Church, Philadelphia, PA, erected 2010

I also found it really interesting to see the handout given at the dedication of the obelisk for Samuel.  Of course, I have to wonder.  Where is his wife?

Handout given at the dedication in 2010

If I remember correctly in some of my early readings on him, oh, so many years ago, that he was put in an unmarked grave intentionally.

There has been much debate over the years as to his race.  Was he born of both black and white parents?  I don't know.  Was he mulatto?  The 1790 census lists him as white.  Some of his kids are listed in later census as black, white, and mulatto.  So, I expect he was of mixed blood.  I do know that the current line of thought does identify Samuel as black.  I was told some years ago by another researcher that free blacks were considered rather exotic back in colonial New York and it would not have been unusual for interracial marriages.  From what I have researched, there were laws banning these marriages in nine of the original 13 colonies as the colonies transitioned in to an America free from British rule.  I have seen in early Massachusetts, for instance, that the race of the child was defined by the race of the mother.  But, I haven't found this particular law in colonial New York.

What I do know is that his wife, Elizabeth DALLY, was the sister of Catherine DALLY SALTER SIMMONS, my grandma.  What I do know is Elizabeth is mentioned only briefly in what I have read.  I hope to find more on her.

What I do know is that the brothers in law, FRAUNCES and SIMMONS were both tavern owners in New York City before and after the American Revolution.   What I do know is that their taverns are about four blocks apart.  The FRAUNCES Tavern was at Pearl St and the corner of Broad,  while the SIMMONS Tavern, was at the corner of Wall St and Broad.  What I do know is that there is a written history of the times of WASHINGTON eating at both places.

Ahh, genealogy.  Knowing my kin cooked and served early America is just cool.  Knowing that they knew and mingled with George Washington, before and after he became our first President, well, that leaves me wordless.

©2017  AS Eldredge

Sources:
https://alchetron.com/Samuel-Fraunces-1087609-W
http://www.ushistory.org/presidentshouse/history/frauncesobelisk.php
Encyclopedia of African American History, 1619-1895.  Edited by Paul Finkelman

Tombstone Tuesday: Salute to Our Army and Those Who Served

What a day.  Not only is it Flag Day where we proudly flag our flags, today is also the birthday of the United States Army.  The Continental Congress approved 10 companies of riflemen on this date.  However, the first regular infantry regiment wasn't formed until June 1784.

What is really cool, other than the fact that I am an Army brat, is the men in my family have been serving Uncle Sam much earlier than 1784.  Grandpa John SIMMONS(abt 1730-1795) had opened his little tavern on Wall Street prior to Oct 1770.  The location was close to City Hall, which became Federal Hall in 1785, and the seat of the United States Federal Government.

PHELPS book, The Campaign of 1776 Around New York and Brooklyn tells us in August 1775,  there were some firing between the townspeople and the Asia Man of War under Capt. VANDEPUT. Six days after this firing, the General Committee for Publick Service of New York gave leave to Grandpa John SIMMONS and his brother-in-law, Gifford DALLY, to carry on negotiations.

There are numerous other dates of Grandpa John serving America in its infancy found in historical literature.  He had two brothers-in-law who also served America.  One was the above mentioned Gifford DALLY(1742-1798), who in addition to assisting in the 1775 negotiations, also served America as one of the first United States House of Representatives officers as the House Door Keeper(1789-1795).

 John's other brother-in-law is also quite notable in early American history.  Samuel FRAUNCES(abt 1722-1795) owned another little tavern in New York known as Fraunces Tavern.  During the American Revolution, it is documented he provided food for the American Prisoners.  It was at this tavern that General George WASHINGTON bade farewell to his troops after the American Revolution.

While my family has served America, either in the Army or by early deeds, I salute all patriots who have served or are serving America today.

In the mood to read more?  Check out my earlier words:
Living and Working on Wall Street
Serving America Through Politics and the Military

Ahh, genealogy.  Keep on waving those broad stripes and bright stars in honor of America.

Source:
"Gifford Dalley." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2016. Web. 14 Jun 2016. <http://www.biographies.net/people//en/gifford_dalley>.
http://www.history.army.mil/html/faq/branches.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Fraunces
Phelps, Henry. The Campaign of 1776 Around New York and Brooklyn, pg 103.
Phote by AS Eldredge at St Clair Cemetery Dedication of Tombstones for American Revolution Patriots John Henry and James Glenn, 2005.

©2016 ASEldredge