Honoring those who have served our country - Donald William Caman

(Ooops. I missed yesterday.)

Donald William Caman also began his military career in high school. He was in the ROTC, and in his Senior year he was a commissioned officer in Company C, Second Platoon. He was on the Boy's Rifle Team as well.



From the 1939 Scroll Yearbook of Herbert Hoover High School in Glendale, California.



Donald Caman, bottom photo, standing far left

Donald Caman, bottom photo, front row sitting, 6th from the left

Donald attended the Citizen's Military Training camp in Monterey, California and was appointed corporal. This program covered four summers, but Donald's completion of the ROTC program in high school allowed him skip the initial "basic" course.



Donald was also, at some point, an R.A.F. cadet (?). He is seen in the lower right with his back to the camera.



In 1942 was at Ft. Riley in Kansas and at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina in 1943, before being sent with his division to European Theater, where he was stationed in Germany and France during WWII.



From an interview with my Gpa Don Caman, in 18 October 1998 he talked about his time in the military.

"When I was a very young teenager, my father used to teach me that American citizens had many privileges, but they also had some responsibilities. To fulfill the responsibility was to prepare yourself militarily. In those days they had what was called Citizen's Military Training Camps, CMTC. The deal was to go for a month in the summertime and be trained by the regular army, reserve officers on active duty would go through the basic course, or the red, white, and blue course, which I did, for four summers. If you successfully passed the four courses, then you coulees apply to take the tenth series course, the correspondence course, and then you could dapple for commission as a second lieutenant, which I did. There was no pay, the reimbursement was $.05 a mile for your travel from home to the military post. Well, I could have gone to Ft. McArthur or Monterey. Well, I took Monterey because it was farther away and I got more five cents. I joined the cavalry, which at the time was a horse cavalry, because I figured riding a horse beat walking in the infantry. So, that's what started my military career.

"After I completed school, and after about a month at Ft. Riley - I was teaching communications to the recruits our at the CRTC, which is the Cavalry Replacement Training Center - I got my orders to report tot he reconnaissance troop of the 100th infantry division at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina.

"[I was in the Army] four years and ten days. I was enlisted, and officers are not enlisted. When my term was up and I had the points to get out. I got out and I stayed in the reserve and I got called for Korea, although I didn't go to Korea. I was instructor at Ft. Knox in Armored School, and then, that call up was supposed to for two years, but it only lasted seventeen months, so I separated and I came back [to California] and joined the Guard then, stayed in the Guard until April '65. I had command of the 1st battalion, 160th armored infantry battalion and the summer after I retired it was the battalion that was called in for the riots in Los Angeles in 1965. The Watts riots. If I had known that was going to happen, I would have stayed in."




Donald William Caman was buried with military honors in the Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California. He took his responsibility to serve his country seriously, and today I honor him.

Direct line ancestry: Donald William Caman --> Donald William (Caman) Marshall --> Lora Marshall Nehring

Honoring those who have served our country(?) - Frank William Penrose

It always amazes me how much I do NOT know about my ancestors until I try to sit down and write about them.



I know that my great-grandfather, Frank William Penrose, registered for the military on, interestingly enough, September 11, 1918. Below is a copy of his registration card.



Other than that I have no idea if Frank actually served in the military. I have never seen any photos of him in uniform or anything like that, and I don't remember my grandmother ever mentioning that he served in WWI. He was 42 years old at the time of his registration, so I doubt he served for that reason alone.

Does anyone know? Does anyone have any photos or documentation that he served?

So, this one is actually more about the fact that he registered on 9/11. And, I will honor him, regardless. : )

Direct line ancestry: Frank William Penrose --> Lu Penrose Bond --> Kathryn Bond --> Lora Marshall Nehring

Honoring those who have served our country - Bennett Franklin Michael

Bennett Michael served in the Union Army during the Civil War. He enlisted from Champagne Co., Illinois, on August 6, 1862, and was mustered into the United States service at Kankakee, Ill., August 22 of the same year as a private of Captain Joseph Park's company "C", 76th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Alonzo W. Mack commanding. (according to the rosters it was company "G")

His regiment was with General Grant on his campaigns. He was wounded at Vicksburg, Miss., by gun shot in the right hand while on picket duty. He served on detached duty most of the time during the last year of his service around Vicksburg. He was honorably discharged on June 2, 1864, by reason of promotion to the 2nd Lieutenant of Captain Nathaniel G. Clement's company "A" 52nd Regiment U. S. Colored Troops, Colonel George M. Ziegler commanding. He was later promoted to 1st Lieutenant of his Company. He resigned on August 31, 1865, at Vicksburg, Miss. on account of being needed at home and receiving a final honorable discharge by reason of resignation. (from his obituary)


Bennett Franklin Michael's military pension record

The Civil War was a terrible conflict in this country's history, but today I honor Bennett Franklin Michael for his service to our country.

To read more about Bennett Franklin Michael's military service CLICK HERE

Direct line ancestry: Bennett Franklin Michael --> Nellie Michael --> Clarence Chapman Caman --> Donald William Caman --> Donald William (Caman) Marshall --> Lora Marshall Nehring

Honoring those who have served our country - John Avery

Today I am going way back in our family, and our nation's history, for the story of John Avery, who served our country as it became our country.

John Avery was born in Dedham, Massachusetts in 1758. The Avery family came to America in 1690. When the colonists began to rebel against England, the Avery family took up arms in the defense of liberty.


A painting of a Revolutionary War soldier, by Frank Bond, 1901

From the Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution, Volume 1, page 367 it states in regards to John Avery:

Avery, John, Dedham.Private, Capt. Aaron Fuller's co., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, from Dedham (First Parish); service, 9 days; also, Capt. Joseph Lewis's (1st) co., Col. William McIntosh's regt.; marched to Dorchester on the alarm of March 4, 1776; service, 4 days; also, descriptive list of men enlisted from Suffolk Co. in 1779; Capt. Battle's co.; age, 20 yrs.; stature, 5 ft. 7 in.; complexion, light; residence, Dedham; delivered to Ensign Edward White; also, list of men received by Justin Ely, Commissioner, from Maj. Stephen Badlam, Superintendent of Suffolk Co., dated Springfield, Sept. 20, 1779; also, pay roll for 6 months men raised by the town of Dedham for service in the Continental Army during 1780; marched July 15, 1780; discharged Dec. 24, 1780; service, 5 mos. 20 days.

Though I have not been able to find any published paintings of John, I do have a photo of his headstone in Howland Cemetery, Conway, Franklin, Massachusetts.



If it were not for the strength and determination of the early patriots such as John Avery, we would not have the freedom we enjoy in this great country of ours. I am grateful for his service to the beginnings of our nation. Today I honor him.

Direct line ancestry: John Avery --> Lindamina Avery --> Avery John Bond --> Frank Bond --> Rolf Wallace Bond --> Richard Griffiths Bond --> Kathryn Bond --> Lora Marshall Nehring

Honoring those who have served our country - Wilburta June Love

Next Sunday is the 10th anniversary of 9/11. I have been to the top of the World Trade Towers several times when I was studying architecture in New York. I have a drawing that I did of the New York skyline with the Towers in it. I remember that morning when I woke up and saw one tower burning, smoke billowing, on the television. It was surreal and at first I could not grasp what I was seeing. As the towers fell I cried and cried, knowing how many people must be in those buildings and the crushing destruction that was caused as they fell.

There is a website called 911day.org and I was impressed by their call to perform some act of service or tribute to honor those who lost their lives.

As I have mentioned before, we have a strong legacy of military service in this family. For generations, this family has served this country in it's times of need. I actually tried to join the Air Force when I was in college, but I wanted to fly jet fighters and I am unfortunately too short to be a pilot int he military.

In tribute to those who lost their lives on 9/11, and in honor of those who serve our country each day in the armed forces, this week I want to post stories of the members of our family who have selflessly served their country.

I am starting today with my Gma Willie - Wilburta June Love. Willie learned a strong patriotism from her parents and grandparents. While she was in High School she was a member of the ROTC, and an honorary battalion major.



From the 1939 Scroll Yearbook from Herbert Hoover High School in Glendale, California - in both photos, Wilburta Love is top center.

Wilburta was also the Captain of the Girl's Rifle Team which competed as high as the National matches which competed with squads from all over the United States.


Wilburta is on the left, holding the sword

After high school, Wilburta's military career continued.

From the book, "Grandma, Tell Me Your Memories. . . " WIlburta wrote to following:

"On 7 December 1941. . . I was just barely in Jr. College. Many boys in our high school class enlisted and many of us girls signed up for volunteer ambulance, nursing, etc. duty. We marched and took first aid, auto mechanics, etc. Many of us married instead of continuing our education because of "war fines". Nobody invaded the USA, but we thought it was a strong possibility in 1942 and 1943. Many friends - boys - died in the war.

"I could semaphore (signal) faster than anyone at a meet. Don't know why I remember that except the Morse code came into the lime-light during WWII.

"I was in parades only during '41-'43. I belonged to the Women's Ambulance Corps. Those were patriotic years!"


Wilburta is in the first row, third from the right


Wilburta is in the left center of the photo


Wilburta is in the group of two women in the center, in the back

Wilburta was promoted to First Lieutenant in the Glendale Women's Ambulance Corps and was in command of the first platoon.


an undated clipping from a Glendale newspaper

My grandmother is a very patriotic woman and I am grateful for the service that she gave for our country. I honor her today.

Direct line ancestry: Wilburta June Love --> Donald William (Caman) Marshall --> Lora Marshall Nehring

Charles W. Penrose

I found out today that there are no written biographies of Charles W. Penrose, which I found surprising. I was looking for a feed on the lds.org website and I stumbled across the Legacy podcasts from the Mormon Channel. Episode 57 is The Life of Charles W. Penrose. It is a 45 minute discussion with Historian Kenneth Godfrey on the life of missionary, Apostle, and First Presidency member Charles W. Penrose. I learned quite a few things I hadn't known about him.



To hear the broadcast CLICK HERE

Direct line ancestry: Charles William Penrose --> Frank William Penrose --> Lu Penrose Bond --> Kathryn Bond Berkowitz --> Lora Marshall Nehring

Ann Chatterly Macfarlane - 1800s women's lib

I have grown up hearing from my Gma Lu what an amazing woman Ann Chatterly Macfarlane was. Gma Lu particularly liked to talk about how Gma Mac took care of herself and her family. Because of this, Ann Macfarlane has always been an inspiration and an example for me.



In my Gma Lu's own words: "My great grandmother, Ann Chatterly Macfarlane, was a very independent woman. And the things she wanted, she worked for. She was like an 1800s woman'd lib. She worked hard and she had a good life and she stayed independent all her life. She died in her eighties, and she was still paying her way, doing whatever she wanted to do. But she, through trading or however she got them, she got some sheep. And she really tended them herself. Bred them, she raised them. She sheared them, sold the wool. Sold what wool she didn't use herself, because she used to make yarn from the wool of the sheep and make their clothes, and dyed the wool the color she wanted with the plants that grew around St. George. And the money she got for selling her excess wool she called her pin money, and that was for her to do whatever she wanted to do for herself. It didn't go for food or clothes or school or anything, it was just for her. And in those early days in Utah, people paid their taxes and their tithing with things like eggs and wool and vegetables and whatever they had, that's how they paid their bills because they didn't have cash.

"Ann Chatterly Macfarlane was John Macfarlane's first wife and during the days of polygamy , John married two other wives. And when things were getting pretty desperate and the federal authorities were after all the men who had more than one wife, John decided that he would take all of his families and go to Mexico. And Ann Chatterly Macfarlane, my great grandmother, wanted no part of that. She said, 'This is my home. I worked hard to have a good home here and my children and I are not going to Mexico. You go to Mexico if you want, and if you ever want to come back and see me I will be here. But I will not go to Mexico.' And she didn't.

"She stayed in St. George and supported herself and her, I think, nine children, who all grew up, got families of their own eventually. But John took his other two wives and all of their children and went to Mexico and that was even a harder life than they had in St. George. But my great grandmother did not go to Mexico and when John became very ill and he came back to St. George, and my great grandmother took care of him. He died in St. George, leaving his other two wives and all those children in Mexico. They came back. They had to sell everything they had in Mexico to get enough money to came back to St. George. Originally John had said that Ann, if she wasn't going with them, and she was working for her own money herself, and she did it. She kept her own nine children in food, clothing, and shelter." (transcribed from a recorded interview, 2 May 1982)

In the book, Yours Sincerely, John M. Macfarlane written by L.W. Macfarlane, M.D. it says of John's departure to Mexico: "It was John M.'s suggestion that Ann accompany him to Mexico, as she had to St. Thomas. But Ann, with the memories still very fresh of the pioneering she had done there, quite understandably declined. In this Tillie supported her, and the two women stood four square. Ann then made a suggestion of her own: 'Take Lizzie. She has little children who need a father. You should have your little family with you.' With this John M. agreed, and so it was settled."


The Macfarlane family. Taken on the morning Tillie and her family left St. George for Mexico, October 31, 1891. Top, left to right: Andrew Winsor, Jennie M. Clark, Sarah M. Mathis, Caddie M. Andrus, William Macfarlane *, Isaac Macfarlane * (holding Heppie Milne), Robert McQuarrie, Robert Macfarlane McQuarrie, John Morton Macfarlane *, David H. Morris. Second row: Aggie M. Winsor (holding Leon), Tillie Macfarlane, Ann C. Macfarlane, Nellie M. Frost, Annie M. McQuarrie * (holding Irvine), Nora A. Macfarlane (holding Menzies), Front row: Tillie Winsor, Menzies John Macfarlane, Erastus Macfarlane, Ann Macfarlane, Chauncey Macfarlane, Maud M. Judd, Ruth M. Penrose, Clyde McQuarrie, John M. McQuarrie, Lottie M. Worthen, Wallace Macfarlane, Laura Macfarlane, Flora M. Brooks. (from the book, Yours Sincerely, John M. Macfarlane written by L.W. Macfarlane, M.D.) (*) denoted Ann's children.

Here is a closer look at Ann Macfarlane in 1891.



Below is a copy of a letter that Ann wrote on 19 December 1909.




To see another story about Ann CLICK HERE

Direct line ancestry: Ann Chatterly Macfarlane --> Charlotte Ann Macfarlane McQuarrie --> Ruth McQuarrie Penrose --> Lu Penrose Bond --> Kathryn Bond Berkowitz --> Lora Marshall Nehring

I found them all!!

I found all of the Camann children!! Woohoo!

I have been working on this for a few months, and today I found the last one!! In a copy of Christoph's biography, it says that he and Louise had ten living children. I have found information in obituaries, on the internet and this week I had talked to a very nice lady at the Historical Society of North German Settlements in WNY, and she sent me a page from the Holy Ghost Church records, and on that list was the one child I was missing!

So, here is the information I have about Christoph and Louise Camann and all ten of their children:

Christoph Friedrich Camann
parents: Dr. Carl (Charles) Gotthilf Camann (in Brussow in the Neumark) and Marie Karch (not married)
birth: 30 September 1807 - Brussow, Prussia
occupation: Slippermaker (per 1838 court document), School teacher and Sexton at Holy Ghost Church, New Bergholz (per biography in the “Kirchliches Informatorium”, official publication of the Synod of the Prussian Emigrated Lutheran Church, Dec 1857)
emigrated to America: Hamburg, Germany to New York, New York, 26 August 1843 on the Barque Rainbow (35 years old)
married: 30 September 1838 - Bergholz, Niagara, New York
death: 27 October 1857 - Bergholz, Niagara, New York
consumption
burial: Holy Ghost Cemetery, Bergholz, Niagara, New York
(it is confirmed that Christoph is buried there, but the headstone may have been removed)

spouse: Louise Fredricke Grobengieser
parents: John Justus Grobengieser and Caroline Wilhelmine Ribicke
birth: 5 September 1815 - Brussow, Prussia
emigrated to America: Hamburg, Germany to New York, New York, 26 August 1843 on the Barque Rainbow (28 years old)
death: 6 Mar 1895 - Bergholz, Niagara, New York
burial: Saint James Lutheran Church Cemetery, Bergholz, Niagara, New York



children:
1. Frederich August Camann
birth: about 1839 (18 years old at time of father's death in 1857)
emigrated to America: Hamburg, Germany to New York, New York, 26 August 1843 on the Barque Rainbow (4 years old)
death: date unknown, New York, United States

2. Augustus William (August Wilhelm Camann) Caman
birth: 1 Jan 1841 - Brussow, Prussia
emigrated to America: Hamburg, Germany to New York, New York, 26 August 1843 on the Barque Rainbow (2 years old)
military: Private, Company A, 28th Regiment, Sixtieth New York Infantry, Civil War (Union)
spouse: Charlotte Courtney
married: 17 September 1866 - Lockport, Niagara, New York (in the home of her father)
occupation: Wagon maker/Carriage Builder - Bergholz, Town of Wheatfield, New York and LaCyne, Kansas
death: 27 Oct 1857 (50 years, 27 days) - Bergholz, Niagara, New York
consumption
burial: Oaklawn Cemetery, LaCygne, Linn, Kansas




3. Wilhelm Julius Camann
birth: about Feb 1842
emigrated to America: Hamburg, Germany to New York, New York, 26 August 1843 on the Barque Rainbow (1 year 6 months old)
death: date unknown, New York, United States

4. Louise W Camann
birth: 1845
death: 1907
burial: Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, Erie, New York



5. Charles (Carl) Gotthilf Camann
birth: 21 February 1846 - Niagara, Niagara, New York
spouse: Emilie Grassman
death: 22 Feb 1919 - Niagara, Niagara, New York
burial: Holy Ghost Cemetery, Bergholz, Niagara, New York




6. Johannes Heinrich Camann
birth: 24 May 1848

7. Paul Leberecht Camann
birth: 25 Feb 1850 - Niagara, Niagara, New York
death: 21 June 1868 - Niagara, Niagara, New York
burial: Saint James Lutheran Cemetery, Bergholz, Niagara, New York



8. Augusta Louise Camann
birth: 13 May 1852 - Niagara, Niagara, New York
spouse: Herman Ferdinand Stieg
death: 1926
burial: Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery, Niagara County, New York



9. Anna Lydia Camann
birth: 10 June 1854
death: 1935
buried: Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, Erie, New York



10. Martha Henriette Camann
birth: 26 June 1856
spouse: Mr. Wendell "of Buffalo, NY" (from Augustus Caman’s obituary)
death: 1936
burial: Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, Erie, New York


This is kind of funny! This is the Camann plot marker from the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York. When I was looking at the photo up close, you can see Martha's headstone in the background. The plot marker is blocking the last number of her death year.

Direct line ancestry: Christoph Friederich Camann --> Augustus William Caman --> William Harrison Caman --> Clarence Chapman Caman -- Donald William Caman --> Donald William (Caman) Marshall --> Lora Marshall Nehring

Write on your photographs!!

I am always encouraging people to write on the back of your photographs!! You may know who is in them, but not everyone else will years down the road.

I am fairly good figuring things like this out, but not always.

Take these two photos for example. These are beautiful photos and I have no idea who these people are. (They both were with photos from my Dad's side of the family.)




This beautiful photo is of the Parks family.



There is actually writing on the back, but as you can see, it doesn' t help all that much.



There are six names on the back of the photo, and seven people in the photo. And, one of the names is fairly indecipherable. And "Grandma" is not helpful either without a name attached to it. Is that the grandmother of the people in the photo, or the person writing the names on the back of the photo?

I was able to figure out, with reasonable certainty, who all these people were, based, actually, on other photos.

Ambrose Parks and Mary Andemia Gower had eight children, six of which grew to adulthood. These children were George Ambrose. Nancy Almira, Laura Etta, Minnie Alice, Nellie Isabella and James WIlson.

It was easy to figure out the men, as their ages are seventeen years apart. So, this is George:



and this is James:


If there was any doubt, here is a (really bad!) photo of James as an adult:



So, now the women. It turns out that the names on the back are not written in any particular order, so it was not as easy as matching the name with the position they were standing in. As it so happened, the positions they are standing in is actually the clue that helped me figure out which woman was which.

Let's take Minnie for example. This is her in the first photo:



and here she is in a (really bad!) photo from circa 1944. She is in virtually the same position!



The same thing with Nancy Almira. (I believe that the indecipherable name on the back of the photo is hers, but I still can't figure out how.) Here she is in the first photo:



And here she is, circa 1944:



Nellie is not listed on the reverse of the photo, so I didn't want to leave her out. I don't have a photo of her from later on.



Lastly, my great-grandmother, Laura Etta. This is her in the first photo:



and this is a photo of her in 1947:



And, Grandma. . . .



Well, she is either Grandma Parks or Grandma Gower, neither of which I have any information, or she is the grandmother of the person who wrote the names, and she is the mother of the children in the photographs, which would make her Mary Andemia Gower Parks. I am guessing that this is the case.

Mary's husband Ambrose died in April of 1911. The woman in the photo is dressed in black, which I am making the assumption, is mourning clothes. There are still a lot of leaves on the trees, so this would put the photo in the early 1911, or into the spring/summer of 1912. Laura married Porter Marshall about 1912, so this was right around the time she got married.

So, make sure you write on the back of your photographs. Names, dates, places. Your great-grandchildren will thank you for it! : )

Direct line ancestry: Mary Andemina Gower --> Laura Etta Parks --> Richard Allen Marshall --> Donald William (Caman) Marshall --> Lora Marshall Nehring