* No Place Like Home *

                                                        


     The topic for week 4 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge was "Close to Home" and all I could think of was Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz.  Dorothy told us "there's no place like home" and she was right but then she lived in a warm, cozy, loving environment and not everyone had that.
     My maternal grandmother's sister died at the age of 3, a day before her brother William's 1st birthday in January of 1927.  I can not even begin to imagine how my great-grandmother, Josie must have felt losing her little girl at such a young age and still having a baby and three other children to tend to.  According to the 1930 federal census, my grandmother was living with her maternal grandmother and her uncles in Brooklyn, NY.  Her brothers were with their father and paternal grandparents upstate in Poughkeepsie, NY.  Josie was nowhere to be found.  I wonder if Josie had a breakdown and was hospitalized?  In 1940, Uncle Billy was a 6th grade student living at the Greer School in Millbrook, NY which is only about a half-hours drive from his paternal grandparents in Poughkeepsie.
                              
               
     Greer School was founded in 1906 as Hope Farm, a home and school for disadvantaged children.  Located in a beautiful, scenic, country setting of  Dutchess County, NY; it provided a home like atmosphere and wholesome environment.  Along with the daily educational curriculum, the children learned domestic skills such as sewing and cooking.  There was also the canning of tomatoes, milking cows, farming, gardening, carpentry, and more.  They received pay for their work and attended church on Sunday mornings.  It was not all work and no play at this residential school.  There were all kinds of sports from football and basketball, their main sports, to hockey and baseball.  They had outdoor activities such as hiking and biking, swimming, boating, and fishing in the warm weather, sledding and ice skating in the winter months.  They had scouting, movie nights, dances, and field trips.  There were children who went home during the holidays and some remained year-round.  I'm guessing and hoping that Uncle Billy went home especially since his family didn't live too far away.
     After graduation, Uncle Billy enlisted in the Navy.  He served out country in WWII and the Korean War.  He went to college on the G.I. Bill and became an engineer.  Sadly, he chose not to keep in touch with his family.  I have a photo of him looking handsome in his uniform during the late 1940's early 50s.  I think this was the last time he saw his sister.
     I found him decades later and he told me his story.  He felt unloved and unwanted when he was sent away to school.  Although this school provided a home with love and many activities that most children would never have received with their families, this wasn't the case with Uncle Billy.
     Uncle Billy lived close to home at this school but it was not the home sweet home that he craved.  Is there "no place like home?"      

                                                                 
                               Uncle Billy in 1939, I think this was at school


blue dot in center is a pond, Rapallo next to it was the cottage that Uncle Billy lived in with close to 20 other boys


  Rapallo was the name of this cottage,  where Uncle Billy lived





Copyright 2020 by Annmarie Novick, Skipping Down Memory Lane. All Rights Reserved.

Generations of Patriotic Gentlemen

   
                                                
     The topic for Week 3 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge was 'Long Line' and I had absolutely no idea what to write about.  I was already behind schedule in my writing and wasted more time trying to figure out what to write then I was home with a sick child.  I left my writing notes at work but the longer I delayed writing the more research I did on Ancestry.com and I went back another generation.
     After giving this topic much thought and looking at the pedigree chart on Ancestry.com, I saw the long line of Davis men who served this country during the different wars throughout history.
     My maternal grandmother, Eleanor Davis, who I called MaMa, was married to a very patriotic man who served in WWII and the Korean War.  I remember standing with my grandmother watching my grandfather march proudly in the Veterans Day parades.  MaMa had three brothers who all served during WWII.  Two of her brothers were in the Army and her youngest brother, William (Uncle Billy), served in the Navy.  Uncle Billy served our country during WWII and the Korean War.  He went to college on the G.I. Bill and secured an excellent job as an engineer.
     My great-grandfather, Samuel George Davis, was 33 years old in 1918 when he registered for the draft for WWI but did not serve.  I love the WWI draft card records because it gives a physical description of the person with such details as height, and build (slender, medium, stout), hair and eye color and any physical condition which would disqualify such as loss or arm, leg, eyesight, etc.  Samuel was 57 years old when he registered for WWII draft in 1942.  If I don't have a photo of an ancestor then I can visualize what he looked like from the WWI draft card.  Samuel's father, Daniel was deaf and couldn't serve but his brother, Samuel's uncle Melville, registered for the draft in 1918.
     My 2nd great-grandfather, Daniel did not serve in any war due to hearing loss from the Scarlet Fever he had as a child.  Daniel's younger brother, Melville registered for the WWI draft at the age of 42 but he didn't serve.
     My 3rd great-grandfather, William H. Davis registered for the Civil War draft in June of 1863 at the age of 28 or 31 but did not serve.  His older brother, Isaac registered and served as well as three of his younger brothers.  William's younger brothers were David, Daniel, and Ferris.  Daniel Davis had deserted but then returned.  Daniel Davis was mustered into a New York regiment in August of 1862.  He was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, captured at the Battle of James City in Virginia, and died at the Belle Isle POW Camp, Richmond, VA in January of 1864.  Ferris Davis was wounded at Chancellorsville.  It had been noted that he was disabled upon discharge from Army.
     My 4th great-grandfather, Charles L. Davis was born in 1800 and died in 1851.  He did not serve his country but his father and four of his sons did.
     My 5th great-grandfather, John Davis, at the age of 19, was a messenger from West Point, NY to Newburgh, NY in 1779 during the Revolutionary War.  He was in Captain John Hasbrouck's company in the third regiment of Ulster County, NY.
     From 1779 during the Revolutionary War until the Korean War in the early 1950s (1950-1953), my Davis ancestors proudly fought for their country.

                                                        God Bless America
                                                     
                                 













Copyright 2020 by Annmarie Novick, Skipping Down Memory Lane. All Rights Reserved.

~ Fascinating Photo ~

     I'm late once again with the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge.  I had started writing my story for week 2 but I guess I was still caught up in the first week's story that all I could think of was my main goal for this year.  I was ready to post this but my son was home sick and I left my writing at work.
     The theme for Week 2 was "Favorite Photo" and I was all set to write about any of the photos I have of my favorite grandmother when I came across this mystery man.                                                        

                                                    

     I loved looking at the old black/white photos with my grandmother and listening to her stories about each photo.  There was no story to accompany this man's photo.  This photo is a copy of a tintype.  Who was this man?  I had been told that he was her grandfather (don't remember if she told me how many 'greats') and that he was an American Indian.  My mother and I took DNA tests with Ancestry.com and there is no trace of Native American in us.  My grandmother who I called MaMa didn't talk about her ancestors and I never asked.  MaMa's maternal line came from Ireland and Austria.  Her paternal line I was not able to trace back to the 'old country' for anyone.
     This photo looks like it was taken during the Civil War era and if so then he would be her great-grandfather.  MaMa's paternal great-grandfather's were William Davis, born1832 in Milton,NY and Samuel Braught, born approx. 1820 somewhere in Ulster County, NY.  I have William's photo but not Samuel's.  Is this mystery man my 3rd great-grandfather, Samuel?  I don't know much about Samuel other than an approx. year of birth and his death.  He died during the Civil War.  I would love to get military records but it is not in my budget at the moment.  MaMa's maternal great-grandfathers were Stephen Duper who was in Austria during the 1860's and Patrick Devine who emigrated from Ireland to the United States in approx. 1853.  I don't know if Stephen came to the United States with his son in 1888 or arrived later.  Is this a photo that Stephen's son brought with him?  Maybe this is Patrick, my 3rd great-grandfather from Ireland.
     Who is this mystery man?  I wish I had a clear photo with better details and I wish there was someone who could assist me but they are all gone.  Those who have answers are looking down from Heaven and smiling in amusement as I try to piece together the puzzles of the past.    

I edited the photo hoping for an improvement..
             





Copyright 2020 by Annmarie, Skipping Down Memory Lane. All Rights Reserved.