Happy Memorial Day 2011

The gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery are graced by U.S. flags, April 30, 2007.

Memorial Day is an opportunity to remember the sacrifice of soldiers and sailors that died in service to their country. Here is a listing of some of the relatives I would like to remember this Memorial Day.

Korean War:

• Jack Duane Alexander (1929-1950), PFC, US Army, missing in action July 12, 1950 and died in Hanjang-ni POW camp, November 19, 1950. He was my 1st Cousin, twice removed on my mother's side.
• Harry Brassfield (1911-1951), M/SGT, US Army, captured November 2, 1950 and died in captivity July 31, 1951. He was a 4th cousin to my Great Grandfather, Floyd Gipson Brassfield

World War II:

• Vilas D. Parker (1917-1944), S/SGT US Army, member of Merrill's Marauders, missing in action May 22, 1944. He was killed when the C-47 he was being transported in crashed in Burma. His remains were not recovered until 1987. He was my 1st Cousin, twice removed on my mother's side.

Civil War:

• Benjamin W. Firman (1800-1862), Wisconsin 16th Infantry, Company H. Died May 5th, 1862 of disease after the Battle of Shiloh. He was my 4th Great Grandfather, on my mother's side.
• Henry Stotler, PVT, US Army, 115th Illinois Infantry, Company "B". Died in Cincinnati, Ohio, November, 1862. Nephew of my 3rd Great Grandfather Hiram Stotler.
• William Stotler, 115th Illinois Infantry, Company "B". Died at Covington, Ky., October 21, 1862. Nephew of my 3rd Great Grandfather Hiram Stotler.

See my Veteran's Day 2010 post for a list of Veteran's in the family. There are more that are still living, but one of my policies is to not list names of living persons on this blog.

The above image is by Kathleen T. Rhem, US Department of Defense via Wikimedia Commons.

Ancestors involved in the American Civil War

Bombardment of Fort Sumter by the batteries of the Confederate states

150 years ago on April 12, 1861 the Confederate States of America fired the opening shots of the American Civil War when they began bombardment of Fort Sumter.

I don't have an exhaustive list of relatives involved in the Civil War, but this is what I have, so far:

On my father's side:
My 3rd Great Grandfather, Wiley D. Brassfield (1827-1902) was in the 8th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry, Company B. His brother Nicholas R. Brassfield (1848-1926) was also in the 8th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry, Company B. A few months ago I posted a bit about what their regiment did while the were in.

On my mother's side:
My 4th Great Grandfather, Benjamin Wise Firman (1800-1862) was in the Wisconsin 16th Infantry, Company H. He died May 5th, 1862 of disease after the Battle of Shiloh.
My 3rd Great Grandfather, Ira Wood (1834-1909) was in the Wisconsin 1st Regiment Cavalry, Company G F. (Corrected to company F)

I'm sure there are some more relatives that I haven't found yet, but I'll keep looking.

The above image is courtesy of the Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress via Wikimedia Commons.

Tombstone Tuesday - Ira Wood

This is the tombstone of my third great grandfather, Ira Wood at Woodville Cemetery, Town of Deerfield, Waushara County, Wisconsin.

Ira Wood was born August 25, 1834 to Betty and Issac Wood of Vermont. The 1900 US Census says Ira was born in New York, but the tombstone indicates Vermont. Ira was married to Louise Firman October 19, 1856. According to my notes they had 4 children, all born in Wisconsin, Anna Belle, Andrew, Geneva and Hannah. Anna Belle (Wood) Parker is my 2nd great grand mother.

I don't have a lot of details about Ira, but he was in the Civil War. According to Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865, he was drafted November 25, 1863, and he served in the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment, Company F. He mustered out June 30, 1865. 15% of the 1st WI Cav Regiment did not return home from the war. There is a list of movements of the 1st WI Cav in A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer. It's public domain now, so I may analyze it and post an explanation later.

Ira Wood died September 29, 1909, most likely in Waushara County, Wisconsin.He was buried at Woodville Cemetery, Town of Deerfield, Waushara County, Wisconsin.

The connection to the Brassfield surname is that his 2nd great grand daughter married a Brassfield.

Veterans Day 2010

World War I ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, and after the war November 11th became a day of remembrance. Following World War II, November 11th became a day not just to remember World War I, but to honor all American veterans.

So on this day, I'd like to point out some of the veterans that I am connected to. The list is not complete, so I'm sorry if I've forgotten someone. Out of respect for privacy, I'm not going to mention veterans still living, but I am still grateful for their service.

All gave some, some gave all. The list is after the jump.

Civil War Veterans

I found some links for a couple of Brassfield's in the 8th Iowa Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. The time frame involved appears to mean they participated in The Battle of Spanish Fort in Alabama.