MILITARY MONDAY ~ Honoring Pfc Robert Dean Thornton–killed in action in World War II - 1945

PLEASE CLICK ON THE TRIANGLE TO PLAY ROBERT'S MEMORIAL VIDEO

Robert Dean Thornton is my 2nd cousin once removed. Meaning we share a common ancestor – my 3rd great grandparents,  Charles Milne (1822-1877) and Margaret Ritchie (1820-1902).

BACKGROUND: Robert was the son of George Thornton (1881-1951) and Goldie Downing (1883-1962) of Muskegon, Michigan.  Robert was their youngest child.  He had older siblings, Lottie Mae, Goldie M., Marjorie and George “Williard.”

According to his headstone and military records, Robert was born 29 Aug 1919 in Michigan. NOTE: There is one record that gives his birthdate as 29 Sep 1919.

I first find Robert as a 4 month old in the 1920 census, in Muskegon, Michigan.  He again appears in the 1930 and 1940 census records with his parents, living in Muskegon, Michigan.
On 16 Oct 1940 Robert reported to the Local Board No. 2 in Muskegon, Michigan to register for the draft.  He is listed as 5’ 7 1/2”, 150 pounds, with brown hair, blue eyes and a light complexion.  He was working for Hercules Motor and he was 21 years old.

WORLD WAR II DRAFT REGISTRATION - 1940

On 6 Mar 1941 Robert married Jacklyn M. Ritersdorf, in Definance, Defiance Co., Ohio.

Ohio, County Marriage Records, 1774-1993
Name:    Jacklyn M Ritersdorf
Gender:    Female
Age:    21
Birth Date:    abt 1920
Marriage Date:    6 Mar 1941
Marriage Place:    Defiance, Ohio, USA
Father:    William Ritersdorf
Mother:    Mary Edgerly
Spouse:    Robert D Thornton
Film Number:    001977645

Just 9 months after their marriage on 7 Dec 1941, Pearl Harbor was bombed. This as we all know, began the U.S. entry into World War II.

On 25 May 1943 Robert D. Thornton enlisted in the Army.  Less than 2 months later he and his wife, Jackie divorced. That means the divorce would have begun prior to his enlistment.  Did the divorce proceedings have anything to do with his enlistment?  I have no way of knowing.
 
However, just 18 days after the divorce was final, Robert married Paula Evelyn Johnson on 27 Jul 1943 in Comanche, Stephens, Oklahoma.
 
Oklahoma, County Marriage Records, 1890-1995
Name:    Robert Dean Thornton
Gender: Male
Age:    24
Birth Date: abt 1919
Marriage Date:    27 Jul 1943
Marriage Place: Comanche, Oklahoma, USA
Spouse: Paula Evelyn Johnson
Film Number:    001869740

Robert was a Private First Class in the 378 Infantry Division, 95th Division, Company G.  According to military records Robert was killed in action, at age 25 on 6 Apr 1945 in Germany.  That means that Robert was killed just 32 days prior to the war’s end.  He made it for two years and then sadly, died just a month before he could have come home.

Robert's body was returned home for burial in October 1948, along with others from Muskegon, who had died in the war.  The local high school that Robert attended displayed a bronze tablet honoring those who had paid the ultimate sacrifice.

They also mentioned them and shared photos of them in the 1945 yearbook.

Robert is buried at Mona View Cemetery in Muskegon, Michigan. His headstone memorializes his service to our country.  You may visit his memorial here #46411967.

I am honored to be related to this military hero.  May he rest in peace.

If you are related to anyone mentioned in this post, or have additions or corrections, please contact me.

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

DISCOVERIES ~ This week’s focus will be Texas Marriages and Divorces from the My Heritage website

DISCOVERY – Detection, finding, spotting, unearthing

I have had a subscription to My Heritage for two years now.  I will be the first to admit that it is not my “go to” website.  I first go to Ancestry (to which I’ve had a subscription since 2004).
 
That being said, I recently attended a seminar hosted by the San Diego Genealogical Society and the speaker was Daniel Horowitz, Chief Genealogist for My Heritage.  To read about this presentation please click here Daniel Horowitz Presents for the San Diego Genealogical Society Fall Seminar  I learned a lot about the My Heritage website and what is available and how to use those features to my advantage.
 
Since I have DNA uploaded to this site and I’ve also added a family tree, it is in my best interest to use the site.  As researchers we should take advantage of all resources available to us, if possible.

Today I’m focusing on one feature, DISCOVERIES. These are located on the menu bar and can be sorted by Matches by People, Matches by Source or Instant Discoveries.  As of today I have 225 sources with 9,305 matches.  Some of these will duplicate information I already have, but as I’ve recently learned, many will not.
 

Today’s focus will be the Texas Marriages and Divorces.  There are 5 matches in this record set. Will these be new discoveries for me?  Let’s take a look and find out.

I will not be revealing the names of anyone still living.

The matches are:
1. Joseph Edward Cornelius
2. Living
3. Living
4. Gary Lee Hart
5. Robert Stanley Luckock

1. Joseph Edward Cornelius was my mother’s 2nd husband.  This record gives their marriage date & place and approximate ages at the time, as well as a file #.
Did I have this information already?  Yes

3. Gary Lee Hart is my paternal half 4th cousin.  I did already have the record of his marriage.

5. Robert Stanley Luckock married one of my husband’s cousins.  I did not have this information prior to seeing it here.  Now I can add this to my Legacy database.

This was a useful set of records because I found 1 out of 5 to contain information I did not already have.

My plan is to continue to use the My Heritage database to obtain more information about my ancestors.  With 9,305 matches I expect this will take some time, but also reveal some great new information and probably answer some questions as well.  

Stay tuned.

Have you used the My Heritage website?  If so, have you found it useful?  Do you use it exclusively or combined with other sites?  I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

TOMBSTONE TUESDAY ~ A follow up on Bertram SEAVER (1873-1942) & his first wife Gertrude (1871-1908)

Headstone for Bertram Seaver - used with permission from CHayes

In learning more about Bertram Seaver who married Mary Ada Seigle, my 1st cousin twice removed, I found out he was buried at Mount Washington Cemetery, Mt. Washington, Hamilton, Ohio.  You may read my previous post about Bertram SEAVER here MY GRANDMOTHER’S JOURNAL ~ Let’s look at some anniversaries–Bert SEAVER & Mary Ada SEIGLE - 1929

I immediately recognized that location as the same cemetery his first wife, Gertrude, had been buried, after her suicide.  I was a little surprised that he was buried with her and not his second wife, Mary Ada Seigle.  He’s been married to Gertrude for 13 years and Mary for 24 years.  Sometimes our ancestors don’t do what we might expect them to do.

I looked on FindAGrave and determined that there had been no memorial created for Bertram, so I created one.  I also put in a photo request, hoping that a volunteer would someday take a photo of the headstone (if there was one).

I was surprised, actually shocked, when I received notification the very next day, that my request had been fulfilled.  I additionally, received an email from another person who took photos of the headstone.  Now I had two sets of pictures.  My continued thanks to all the people who volunteer via the FindAGrave website, to take headstone photos.

TIP:  Whenever I create a memorial for someone, I always request a photo of the headstone (unless, of course, I already have one).  I have been very fortunate over the years and have had dozens of requests fulfilled, all over the country.  I immediately send a thank you to the volunteer via the messaging on FindAGrave.  At the same time, I check their profile to see if they give permission to use the photos.  Since I have a blog and I frequently like to post headstone pictures, I don’t want to violate anyone’s copyright.  If the permission isn’t stated in their profile and I think I may use the photo in a blog post, I send them an email asking permission.  If you look at my FindAGrave profile you will see that I give blanket permission to use any of my own photographed headstone photos (my profile page)

Here is the other picture I received for Bertram who is resting beside his first wife, Gertrude

Headstones of Bertram & Gertrude Seaver - used with permission of Steve Barnett

Click on the links to visit the memorials for Bertram #203005133 & Gertrude #170861969

How often to you request photos of headstones on the FindAGrave website?

 

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

CEMETERY CARDS ~ They can reveal a gold mine of genealogical information–Here’s what I’ve found…..

CIVIL WAR DEAD AND OUR NATIONAL CEMETERIES

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

MY GRANDMOTHER’S JOURNAL ~ Let’s look at some anniversaries–Bert SEAVER & Mary Ada SEIGLE - 1929

I haven’t written any posts highlighting my grandmother’s journal in a long time.  So let’s fix that.
 
Several years ago, in my early blogging days, I wrote about my MILNE surname and my grandmother’s journal.  Here is a link to that post, which gives the background of how I came into possession of this family treasure SURNAME SATURDAY – MILNE

A couple of weeks ago, fellow blogger (I call him the blogging guru), Randy Seaver wrote a post about his ancestor Bertram Seaver.  WOW!  I said to myself.  That’s the Seaver that links Randy & me.  Not by blood, but by marriage.  So we are shirttail cousins. Here’s a link to Randy’s post.
Seavers in the News -- Gertrude (Smith) Seaver Run Over By a Traction Car in 1908

That’s a very sad story about the death of Bertram Seaver’s first wife, Gertrude.  Bertram remarried 10 years later to Bessie Cahill on 15 Jun 1918.  They divorced in 1928.

Where Bertram enters my family is with his 3rd marriage to Mary Ada Seigle.  Mary is my 1st cousin twice removed.  She had become a widow when her first husband Edward Donnelly died at the age of 44 in 1926.

Mary SEIGLE Donnelly married Bertram H. Seaver on 20 Apr 1929.  At least according to my grandmother’s journal.  I have yet to locate the marriage record, but I’m still looking.

Here’s the page from my grandmother's journal.

As you can see there are other couples on this page.  More family anniversaries.

Mary & Bertram were enumerated in the 1930 census in Loveland, Clermont, Ohio.  The record indicates they are married, giving some evidence that my grandmother’s record may be correct.  Also in the household were Mary’s parents, Jacob & Myra and Bertram’s daughter Juanita.

And remember to check those neighbors.  Living at the same address is Mary's brother, Arthur and his family.

1930 census - Loveland, Clermont, Ohio

Sadly, at the age of 56, Mary died suddenly at her home.This left Bertram widowed for a second time.  He died in 1942 at age 67.

If you are related to any of the people mentioned in this post, or you have corrections or additions to it, please contact me.

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

ANCESTORS IN THE NEWS ~ Betty Eleanor Bright, only 15 yrs old, dies in car accident

Betty Eleanor Bright was born on New Year’s Day 1919 in Latrobe, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania.  Her parents are John W. Bright (1882-1967) and Nellie Dallas (1883-1971).  She had one sibling, an older brother named William E. Bright.

Three young people were killed in this car accident.  Betty, age 15,  a 23 year old named Clarence Greeawalt and Howard Foster, age 21.
 

Here is the news article about the accident

Pittsburgh Post Gazette - 22 Jun 1934, page 17

Here is my transcription of the article

Front page, Section 2, column 5
GIRL, TWO YOUTHS KILLED IN CRASH
Titusville Party Wiped Out on Speed Ride
Special to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
OIL CITY, Pa - June 21 - Warning against excessive speed on Venango county highways came from Coroner J. Irwin Zerbe and state police today, following fatal injury to three Titusville young people early today on Titusville-Oil City road, near McKinney Memorial spring.
The dead are Clarence Greenawalt, 23, near Titusville, who died before reaching Oil City Hospital; Betty Bright, 15, Titusville sophomore, and Howard Foster, 21, who died seven hours after the accident happened of a fractured skull.  Greenawalt's neck was broken.
The automobile driven by George W. Hinske of Oil City, en route toward Oil City, had almost come to a stop when the Titusville car, traveling 60 miles an hour or faster, bore down upon him and his wife.  He pulled partly off the highway.
The Foster car hit it a terrific side blow, pushing the radiator against the engine.  Mr. and Mrs. Hinske escaped with bruises.

How sad for the families of these three young people.
 
Betty was laid to rest in Greenwood Cemetery.  You may visit her memorial here #25967355.

If you are related to anyone mentioned in this post or have a comment or correction, please contact me.

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION