We're Burning Up, Send Us Help Quick

From the Peshtigo Times October 1971 (see not below)

As the fires were burning throughout Wisconsin, some telegraphs did go out before the lines were cut by fire.  The response was immediate and long lasting and came not only from people in Wisconsin, but throughout the United States and even from abroad.  The worst fire in American history (that you've probably never even heard of unless you were educated in Wisconsin or read my blog) was responded to by so many and began with the governor's wife.  While he was in Chicago helping them, the Peshtigo fire erupted and the telegram that arrived at the governor's mansion could only be place in the hands of the governor's 24 year old wife....

"Governor's Wife Starts Big Relief Effort Rolling

'We are burning up; send us help quick.'

So read the telegram sent to Gov. Lucius Fairchild Monday, Oct. 9, 1871.  Similar telegrams were sent to the mayors of Green Bay, Milwaukee, Madison, and Chicago.

The result -- a tidal wave of food, clothing, lumber, medicine, and cash sent from throughout the nation and Europe.

All cities which received telegrams, with the exception of Chicago which was also the victim of fire Oct. 8, 1871 responded immediately to the plea for help.

Fairchild was in Chicago aiding that city with its relief efforts when the message of disaster in his own state arrived at the capitol.

An elderly clerk received the telegram and not knowing what to do ran to the governor's house and gave the message to Mrs. Fairchild.

Though she was less than 24 years old she did not lack initiative.  Immediately after reading the message she was on her way to the capitol.

'Once there she took charge of everything and everybody, and they all obeyed her.' recalled her daughter, Mrs. Charles M. Morris several years later.

A relief train scheduled for Chicago was redirected north to Peshtigo after she had stuffed the already bulging car with blankets.

The young lady's one day in command as governor ended when her telegram to Chicago brought the governor and his state officers back to Madison.

The attention of the whole nation was on Chicago at that time but Fairchild's appeal opened people's eyes to the fact that though Chicago was suffering the situation in Peshtigo was infinitly (sic) worse.

Relief committees were immediately organized in Green Bay, Marinette, Menominee, and Oconto.  Green Bay functioned as the central depot and two stores were used for sorting and repacking supplies. It was soon apparent that one central committee was not sufficient and another was established at Milwaukee.  The burned region was partitioned off with Manitowoc county, towns of Kewaunee, Ahnepee, Monteplier, Pierce, Lincoln in Kewaunee county, Forestville, Clay Banks, Sturgeon Bay in Door County and Menominee, Mich. supplied by Milwaukee.  The other areas, including Peshtigo, were supplied from Green Bay.

Subcommittees were established in almost every village in the area for distributing the goods.  In Peshtigo the depot was headed by F. J. Bartels.

The Milwaukee Relief committee served 377 destitute families, consisting of 1,509 persons as of Feb. 1, 1872.  Green Bay handled the heaviest amount of losses, supplying 1,157 families or 5, 678 persons with supplies necessary for survival.

'The nature of the losses may be described in a few words.  Besides the losses of life of human beings and animals, in that portion of the district where the fire was most severe, houses, barns and fences were all swept away, together with the crops, the grass roots were burned out, the timber entirely destroyed, and not a vestige of anything left upon which men or animals could subsist.  So utter was the destruction, that the earth must remain for years a barren desert waste, unless seeded anew with grass.  Much of the riches soil was alluvial deposit, and this, particularly in swampy places, was destroyed, the earth burning in some instances to the depth of two or three feet, leaving nothing but sand and ashes where the best land had been.  Under these circumstances, it will be seen that the aid extended will have to be continued during an entire year from the date of the calamity, or until another harvest is secured.  In the spring and summer, seeds, agricultural implements, cattle, horses and wagons must be provided, in order to put the people who go back upon their farms -- as most of the survivors have -- in a condition to help themselves.  Then the bridges and culverts on the roads must be rebuilt, and it is plain that in a town in which every surviving inhabitant lost every dollar he possessed, it is impossible for the town to do this work unaided,' wrote Tilton.

And aided they were.

'Perhaps a calamity so terrible may be partly, or even more than compensated for by the outburst of generosity and the unsealing of the fountains of humanity which had so long been stored up and grown over in the greed of wealth and its attendant selfishness.  Men, who had spent their lives in the pursuit of money turned short in their career and opened their hearts and their purses to their suffering brethren.' wrote C. D. Robinson in the legislative Manual of Wisconsin shortly after the fire.

From the Peshtigo Times centennial edition 1971 (see note below)

The destitute were generously aided by cash contribution, tools, lumber, seeds and general supplies.  They were encouraged to rebuild in the same locality by being given contributions in lumber, cash, and tools to do so.  Only 2 per cent of the survivors burned out in the fire never returned according to the report of the Green Bay Relief Committee made Dec. 31, 1872 by A. Langworthy, chairman executive committee of relief.

Cash contributions as well as material goods were received throughout the year following the fire.  According to the report of the Green Bay Relief Committee to the state assembly it received $229,623.48 from Oct. 12, 1871 to Oct. 2, 1872.  Tilton reported that the total disbursements at Milwaukee up to Feb. 5, 1872 wee $144,000.00.

The largest cash contribution from any organization other then the relief committees themselves received at Green Bay was $2,449.05 from the town of Norwich, Conn..  The Presbyterian Church, 5th Avenue, New York gave $2,174.57.  The largest contribution by a single person totaled $1,000 and was received from William B. Astor, New York on Oct. 26, 1871.

The smaller contributions, many anonymously sent illustrate the degree of empathy aroused throughout the country.  The smallest contribution recorded in Green Bay was for 20 (cents) from 'boy in Rockford, Ill.'  A poor woman, from Madison sent $2.50 and a poor man, of Black River Falls contributed $1.10.

Contributions of all sizes came from all over the world and from almost every type of social organization.  Citizens of various communities particularly in Wisconsin periodically sent in cash contributions.  Citizens of Watertown, sent $150 on Oct. 12, 1871, citizens of Viroqua, sent $210.88 Oct. 17, 1871.  Other Wisconsin cities to contribute were Brandon, Middleton, Chilton, Mineral Point Oak Grove, Shawano, and Sheboygan.  But this list is only part of those contributions within the state.  The German Musical Society Watertown sent $82.70 on Oct. 18, 1871.  On the same day the State Normal School, Platteville gave $105.

New York, Washington, D.C. and Massachusettes (sic) seemed to be the largest contributors outside of the midwest.  The Baptist Church, Washington D.C. sent $43. on Oct. 19.  Some other contributions from that city include $100 from 'a friend' $218.05 from the citizens, and $202.50 from W.S. Huntington.

W. C. Masey, New Bedford, Mass. sent $50 on Nov. 4, 1871 Church of the Unity, Springfield Mass. gave $150.54 on Dec 18 of that year and the citizens of Southborough, Mass. contributed $162.68 on Jan. 3, 1872.

Contributions even came from such far away places as Evangelical Church, Zurich, Switzerland.  They sent $3 to the Green Bay Relief Committee on Jan. 10, 1872.

People sending goods rather than money first sent cooked food, remembering that there were no stoves or cooking utensils in the burned area.  Later, flour, meal, potatoes, butter, honey and pastries came.  One day 15 carloads of clothing arrived in Green Bay which had to be sorted and repackaged.  Some had to be mended and others contained extra buttons, needles and thread stuffed in the pockets.

Some contributions were so elegant and unfitting the destitution of the victims, they were almost humorous.

'One box, from the ladies of the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York, contained dainty kid gloves, toilet boxes, kid slippers, embroidered underclothing, laces and ribbons.  A brocade silk gown was sent from Philadelphia, Pa., which was estimated to have cost hundreds of dollars.  The frilliest baby apparel, little crocheted stockings, and the most expensive shoes were common.  One lady sent the entire outfit of her dead baby which she had packed away until it was needed again.

Staple goods came from manufacturers of almost every kind.  Clothing, boots, shoes, bedding, mattresses, axes, helves, hay forks, sah  and doors, bags and wooden ware were sent in abundance.

General Sheridan in Chicago, was given orders by the national government to issue supplies from his stores for the destitute.  He first sent 4,000 heavy woven army blankets, valued at $1 a piece, 1,500 army pants ($3 a piece) 1,500 army overcoats ($6 a piece).  Later came 100 army wagons $50 a piece) and an equal number of harnesses, ($30 apiece (sic)).  They also sent 200,000 rations at 30 (cents) a piece.  The army contribution totaled $83,000.

The amount of losses paid by Wisconsin insurance companies as of May 1, 1872 totaled $124,351.36. Among the companies paying claims were Dodge County Mutual, Madison Mutual, Milwaukee Mechanics Mutual and Northwestern National..  These losses coupled with the losses during the Chicago fire totaled 76.97 per cent of all losses paid by the insurance companies during 1871.  The total cost in insurance was $573,059.70.

The final report of the Green Bay Relief committee termed the efforts a general success.

'It is now more than a year since the fire occurred, and there still remain very many people who are partially demented, and a few whose reason has entirely departed, as the effect of the fire.  Upon the whole, the 'relief' afforded those who were burned out, may be considered a success, and but for the generous response in their behalf, thousands of people would have been thrown as paupers on the community, and fully nine-tenths of those who went back upon their uninviting lands, could not have done so but for the assistance afforded."

NOTE: the newspaper clippings shown here were published in a centennial edition of the Peshtigo Times in October 1971.  They were not newly written articles from 1971, but from the time of the fire and articles that had been published in the aftermath and as some of the survivors aged and told their stories.  This was one of many, many articles in the centennial edition that was passed on to me by my Green Bay family.

Tombstone Tuesday - Octavia Villers

Oh blog, how I've missed you!  Life was taking over and you've grown so neglected.  I will do my best to not let life take over, but to take over my life.  Now on to what I love doing....

I've posted Octavia Villers obituaries before, but I was never able to post her tombstone picture.  She's buried up in North Dakota and I've never been out there (and don't really see a trip in my near future).  Thank goodness for Find A Grave and their volunteers!  My request for a picture was filled about a month ago, and it is truly amazing that it was filled at all.

You see Octavia's obituary stated that she was buried in Saint James Church's cemetery.  I incorrectly assumed that this meant that she was buried in Saint James Cemetery.  Find A Grave does have a Saint James cemetery in Stutsman county, North Dakota.  The one (and only one) interment should have been an indicator that something was wrong, but noooooooo.  I just drove on and entered Octavia's information and created a memorial for her.  Then I submitted a request and waited....and waited...and waited.

My Find A Grave angel must have checked for memorials because for all intents and purposes if he was just photographing the tombstones in Calvary Cemetery in Jamestown (Stutsman county) and uploading them to Find A Grave he shouldn't have come across my memorial.  Someone was watching over me and he did and I got a correction submitted to me.  He had uploaded the picture and I was able to transfer the memorial over to the correct cemetery!

Looking at the tombstone it appears to be the funeral home's marker embedded in cement.  I don't know why she didn't have a more traditional tombstone.  Was this commonplace back in 1940?  I will be contacting the cemetery to find out and to seek answers for others questions.  Was her husband, Martin Joseph, buried in that cemetery?  He died in prison so perhaps not.  If they are buried together, does he have a marker?  Either way, I would like to see a more traditional marker put in place one day.  A genealogist can dream, right?

So why choose today to post Octavia's tombstone?  Well, this week is National Fire Prevention Week.  It takes place this week because the week of October 8th is when the Chicago Fire occurred...more importantly (and as stated in my previous post) the Peshtigo Fire occurred, which was much more destructive in the acreage burned and lives taken...and Octavia and her family managed to survive.  Not only did Octavia survive, but she lived for 69 years after the Peshtigo Fire!  Good for you, Octavia!

It's a great story, so if you haven't taken a peek just check out yesterday's post.  It's a repeat, but it'll be a post I always share on it's anniversary.  Had Octavia and her family not survived life for me would be completely different.  I would not have my wonderful husband and two beautiful boys.

A very special thanks to Mr BJ Brewer for not only taking the picture and emailing me the correction, but for kindly giving permission for me to use the photo in my blog.

The Worst Fire in American History is Not What You're Thinking

Peshtigo Fire by Mel Kishner

"Peshtigo Fire" and "Aftermath" were used with kind permission from the Wisconsin Historical Society.  Thank you!


(This is a repost from March 2011 about the Peshtigo Fire to commemorate it's 141st anniversary and to remember all those that was killed, injured and displaced by the fire)

Now those history buffs out there may be a bit surprised or even incredulous at what I'm about to say, but the worst fire in US history, which occurred the evening of October 8th, 1871 was not the Great Chicago Fire.  There was another fire that occurred on that date...and while everyone was out to rescue Chicago, Wisconsin burned.

The Peshtigo Fire has often been described as a tornado or cyclone of fire.  There was no out-running it and when it struck it did so with little warning.  That year was dry and there had been numerous fires that were man and nature made...so what made October 8th so devastating?  We hear on the news and/or the Weather Channel (I'm a weather geek at heart) about California fires and how devastating it would be if the infamous "Santa Ana Winds" were to strike at a time when fires burned there.  Well, Wisconsin was hit by tremendous winds the night of October 8th, 1871 due to a low pressure system moving into the area, not quite the duration of Santa Ana winds, but the comparison is apt and this was exactly what was needed to ignite this terrible disaster.

Each one of us have seen storms move in.  It's hot outside and then the winds pick up as the frontal system moves through with colder weather, and usually thunderstorms and rain.  The winds can be severe depending on the rest of the weather conditions.  But what happens when you blow on a pile of smoldering ash?  Fire.  Fire needs oxygen to grow, spread, feed.  The winds took those smoldering piles left throughout the region and blew hard.  The fire that sprang from the ashes whirled around in the air like a tornado and fed on the dry, brittle trees all around.  The fires spread with such intense heat and rapidity that there were times that buildings burst into flames as did clothing on many people as they ran through the streets toward the one possible avenue of salvation...the Peshtigo River.

If you turned your back for a moment, if you paused for a moment, if you went back for one little thing, all could be lost.  This scenario was a reality for my husband's ancestors that night.

The Martin Joseph Villers family was struck by the fire in the small city of Rosiere, WI.  Martin, his wife, Octavia, his baby girl, Florence, and a boy that was living with them by the name of Joseph LaCrosse, prepared to flee.  Florence was in a basket and her parents turned to retrieve something from the house.  That brief moment was all it took for the fire to separate them and their little girl.

Aftermath of the Peshtigo Fire 1871

The 14 year old orphan that was living with them, Joseph, was near Florence when the fire separated them from the Villers.  He grabbed the baby and climbed into a well.  He held her that night as the flames raged above them.  I can only imagine the prayers he must have offered up to heaven during those terrifying hours.  The next morning, he clambered out of that well with little Florence and saw that almost nothing remained of the city of Peshtigo.  As he wandered in search of Mr. and Mrs. Villers and other survivors legend has it that he came across a cow that was partially burned, but survived the fire (most likely the cow had been in a river or somehow sheltered from the flames at some point).  He drew milk into his hand and fed Florence.

Family lore had told of Florence and Joseph hiding in the well for 3 days, but as I've come to research the Peshtigo Fire (and all areas affected by it) it became clear to me that this could not have been the case as the fire raged for hours...not days.  Perhaps the "three days" that people referred to was the time Joseph and Florence were separated from Martin Joseph and Octavia Villers.  It's the best theory I have so far.  The Villers and Joseph LaCrosse survived it all.  How badly everyone was burned from the fire is unknown...but they survived.

Their prayers were undoubtedly answered...everyone that made it to rivers and various shelters did not necessarily survive.  In cities that had rivers it only meant that they now had to fight the currents and had to continue to submerse themselves in the water or throw it on themselves as the fire jumped the water only to continue scorching the other side and well beyond.  Jumping into a well was no guarantee of survival either.  There were stories of people that sought safety in wells only to be baked alive.  This family was watched over that night and every person's survival was a miracle.

The fire became known as the Great Peshtigo Fire.  There are varying accounts among scholars as to the total acres scorched by this monstrous fire.  Regardless of how they quantify the destruction of land, the fire was named after the town of Peshtigo (a boomtown at the time due to logging) because it was the hardest hit.  It was not the only city/area hit, in fact it is only a small portion of what burned that night, but the city was decimated. In all 1,152 people are known to have died in the fire and an additional 350 were believed dead, but not confirmed.

The fire is listed on several lists as one of the greatest American natural disasters/fires.  One item of interest to me was that on many of the "lists" I found, the Chicago fire was not even mentioned.  The Great Chicago Fire is talked about in history classes throughout the United States, while almost nothing is mentioned about the Great Peshtigo Fire that started at almost the same time and took many more lives and burn much more land.

Memorial Brick at Lambeau Field

To honor the young boy that saved Florence Cayemberg nee Villers' life, her descendants paid for a memorial stone to be placed in the walkway outside Lambeau Field.  Due to the courage of Joseph LaCrosse there are now over 500 descendants of Florence and her husband Eli Cayemberg!  Without the courage of Joseph LaCrosse, my life would be completely different.

There are several excellent books out on the Peshtigo Fire:

Firestorm at Peshtigo: A Town, Its People, and the Deadliest Fire in American History by Denise Gess and William Lutz

Peshtigo by Bill Bergstrom (a historical fiction that gave me chills and made me cry more than once!)

The Great Peshtigo Fire: An Eyewitness Account (Wisconsin) by Reverend Peter Pernin (a survivor of the fire that gave his account of the tragedy)

Ghosts of the Fireground : Echoes of the Great Peshtigo Fire and the Calling of a Wildland Firefighter by Peter Leschak (I just ordered this one and look forward to reading it)

Repost - Where Were You When the World Seemed to End?

Tribute in Light (please take time to view the description and acknowledgement below)*

Today is a day of remembrance, not a day of celebration.  I don't celebrate Pearl Harbor Day.  I remember the tragedy of the day.  Some could argue that we celebrate who we are as America today because the terrorists that struck on this day 11 years ago did win.  They didn't destroy us.  I don't see this day that way though.  I see a day when life changed and when our innocence was shattered.  I see a turning point in my life as a mother, wife and Soldier.  I would see fellow Soldiers deploy and some never come home.  I see a day where our country was altered drastically and suffered a collective loss.  Who did not pray that just one more survivor would be pulled from those the Towers or the Pentagon? Just one more.  That just one survivor would be found among the wreckage in Pennsylvania.  Just one. We lost so many innocent people that day.  There were so many brave acts of courage as well.  I want to remember them, because they should still be with us, but were taken too soon by senseless acts of stupidity and intolerance.  Let us never forget.

(This is a repost from 2011, but is worth sharing again)

September 11th, 2011.  The day the world seemed like it was coming to an end.  Where were you?  Where was I...

I was a Staff Sergeant in the Army.  Stationed with the 25th Infantry Division (L), 125 Military Intelligence Battalion.  We were in the field.  Training exercises.  It's what we did.  My husband was playing single dad with our almost 8 month old son while I played Soldier and got dirty for the week.  At least that was the plan.

The evening of September 10th (Monday) my squad and I got in our vehicles and went out to our site.  It was my first time as a squad leader.  I'll admit I was nervous.  I always wanted to impress.  To show people that I was good at what I did.  It didn't start out well.  It was dark and we were having difficulty finding the site we were supposed to set up at.  It took awhile, but we eventually got there and set up.

I jumped into the back of our "system" after it was set up.  I then proceeded to block all news and music stations that I could find.  Our job was to "Find the Enemy" and I didn't want people distracted and not looking for OPFOR (Opposing Forces).  We were a squad of 4, Newsom, Cash, Jefferson and me.  Newsom was my Assistant Squad Leader and he took first shift.  Jefferson took guard shift.  Cash and I racked out in the back of the chase vehicle (the vehicle that follows our system with all the gear in the back).

Around 4:30am I was woken up by Newsom.  He told me, "Two planes crashed into the World Trade Center and there were fears that other planes may have been hijacked."

I sat up straight and just looked at where his voice came from in the dark.  "What?" I said as I processed the information, although I really didn't need it repeated.  Then I asked, "Did you report it to the TOC (Tactical  Operations Center)?"

"No"

"Do it."  Newsom left and got on the radio.  I got on my cell phone.  I called my husband.  He had already been called by his oldest sister and his unit.  He was watching the news.  It was bad.  There was a lot of confusion in the news.  He was getting our son ready for day care and was taking him in as soon as it opened.  He was needed at work.  It was going to be a long day.  I told him I loved them both and needed to go.  I had to call my aunt and uncle that were living in Hawaii.  My Uncle Jeff's family was from New York.

I called and Uncle Jeff answered.  I could tell I just woke them.  "Turn on your T.V.," I said, "Two planes crashed into the World Trade Center and more may have been hijacked.  We're under attack."  He said he had to go and hung up.  I understood.  He needed to make sure his family was safe.

I got out of the vehicle and went to the system where Newsom was still listening.  I asked him what the TOC said.  He replied that they claimed it was all a part of the exercise.  When that happened however, Cushman, a team leader from one of the other dismounted teams, popped up on the radio with the reply, "Bullshit!" and explained that they intercepted it too and it was a news station reporting.  They were now reporting that another plane hit the Pentagon.  Then one went down somewhere in Pennsylvania.  My home state.  How many more?  That's all I could think of.

Eventually the TOC pulled their heads out of their asses and realized that this was real.  Another platoon member who was back at the TOC had brought a portable T.V. with him.  He was from New York.  Fiorelli was his name.  A good ol' Italian boy from the city.  He turned the portable on just in time to see the first Tower collapse.  I can't imagine what that was like for him.

All four of us were standing in or around our system.  There was no one pulling security.  We just weren't "playing Army" anymore.

"It's bin Laden," I stated.  Something that wouldn't be repeated on the news until later.  Most people in MI knew who Osama bin Laden was, even if we weren't "active" in the intel field. It was no secret that he hated America.  It was no secret that he would do anything within his power to strike at America if given the opportunity.  I had no doubt that it was him.  There was no reply to my statement.  There was none needed.  I guess we all already knew it was probably right.  Knowing doesn't make anything better.

Pentagon Flag **

One of the guys (I can't remember which one) asked me, "What's going to happen?"

"We're going to be pulled back in."  I don't know how I knew that.  Maybe it was because I wanted it to happen.  I needed it to happen.  I wanted to get home to my husband and son.  I was terrified that a military day care would be targeted.  He didn't care who he attacked.  Unrealistic fear?  There are no unrealistic fears to a parent.

I continued, "There are too many people that need to find out how their families are.  I can't imagine them keeping us out here much longer." And then there was the unspoken fact that we were now at war.  Attacked at home and would be needed to defend our home.  We didn't know how bad this was going to get, but we knew everything was about to change.

There was only one set of headphones for the system.  Only one person could listen at once, but we all wanted to be that person.  We did take turns and whoever had the headset would relay any new information to the rest of us.  Eventually my Platoon Sergeant, Stege, came out to the site.  To see how we were doing.  To tell us to break down because we'd be going back in.  No surprise there.  It took several hours before we made it back to the company area.

Our company was in a quad.  Four buildings facing inward.  That's just pretty much how the majority of Schofield Barracks was set up.  When we returned to the quad it was surrounded by triple-strand concertina wire (razor wire) with a guard at each entry point checking IDs.  The entire post was like this.  Not only was the post at 100% ID check, vehicle inspection (complete with looking under each vehicle for bombs), but once you got on post you had to show ID to get into your quad.  If anyone doubted that this was serious, that ended any doubts.

I got home later that evening.  Talked to family and held mine.  We watched the TV until I don't know how late.  My husband worked one of those "active" intel jobs.  I knew he knew stuff.  And I knew he couldn't tell me.  I accepted that.  I understood.  I wouldn't ask.  Didn't really need to.  I mean, how bad is bad?  It already was.

My uncle's family was safe.  My family was safe.  Why then did it seem like none of us were safe and that we all had lost someone dear to us?  Was this how it felt after our innocence was taken at Pearl Harbor?  I was certain it must have been.

I was a Soldier.  I knew we were now at war.  We all knew it.  There was no cheering.  No stupid smack-talk about going out and killing bin Laden.  We all wanted him.  We all wanted to go, but this was an indescribable moment and there was no juvenile posturing like you see today.  No one prays for peace more than the Soldier that has to fight the war and lose their brothers and sisters in arms.

Looking back I find it amazing at how calm and incredibly somber we were.  There were no tears shed from my squad.  It didn't even occur to me to cry.  We were in shock.  Perhaps if we had seen rather than heard what was happening there would have been tears.  There certainly were many since.  There will continue to be many in the years to come.  Osama bin Laden is dead.  This is the first anniversary of the attacks that we can say that.  It damn well took us long enough...but you know what?  It doesn't lessen the pain.

Members of my unit experienced what I can only describe as Divine Intervention on September 11th, although we would not hear of it until later.  My former Platoon Leader, CPT Meyer, had left the military and was working at the World Trade Center. He was one of those insanely hard-core-ranger-tabbed-dudes that would walk 10 miles with a broken leg because it was nothing big.  He'd never go to sick call.  He'd be in a hospital only if forced.  He wasn't at the World Trade Center on September 11th....he was in the hospital.  He was sick and his family made him go.

Writing this post was extremely difficult as I'm sure it was for many who have written posts for today.  I never saw the original footage of the attacks with the newscasters talking.  I saw the sanitized images.  The footage of the images without any human reaction.  Just analysis.  There was something about seeing the video and hearing their reactions that is just so gut-wrenching.  It made it feel as though it had just happened.

The website I watched this video on is a page at the National Archives called "Understanding 9/11".  The video is toward the bottom of the page and they list a chronology and description of the footage you'll watch.  There are broadcasts from Mexico, Japan, Russia, Iraq and Britain as well as the U.S.  A unique international perspective, and you really don't need to understand the different languages.

I'm a disabled veteran of the United States Army, and I'm a hippie-chick to boot.  Crazy combination.  Crazy chick.  Hippie chick or not...I can't listen to Darryl Worley's, "Have You Forgotten?" without tearing up.  Some scars don't heal that easily, and these scars dug at our country deep.  It truly felt like the world was coming to an end that day.

Acknowledgements

(Pictures obtained via the U.S. Air Force Official Website)  

*Tribute in Light - The "Tribute in Light" memorial is in remembrance of the events of Sept. 11, 2001. The two towers of light are composed of two banks of high wattage spotlights that point straight up from a lot next to Ground Zero. This photo was taken from Liberty State Park, N.J., Sept. 11, the five-year anniversary of 9/11. (U.S. Air Force photo/Denise Gould)

**Pentagon Flag - WASHINGTON -- Military members rendered honors as fire and rescue workers unfurled a huge American flag over the side of the Pentagon during rescue and recovery work following the Sept. 11 terrorist attack. The attack came at approximately 9:40 a.m. as a hijacked commercial airliner, originating from Washington, D.C.'s Dulles International Airport, was flown into the southern side of the building facing Virginia Highway 27. (U.S. Navy photo by Michael W. Pendergrass )

Information presented on AF.mil is considered public information and may be distributed or copied. Use of appropriate byline/photo/image credits is requested. 

Chronology of 9/11

[Please note that times do vary by source]

8:01 am - American Airlines Flt 11 takes off from Boston heading to Los Angeles.  There were 92 people on board.

8:14 am - United Airlines Flt 175 takes off from Boston heading to Los Angeles.  There were 65 people on board.

8:21 am - American Airlines Flt 77 takes off from Washington D.C. heading to Los Angeles.  There were 64 people on board.

8:41 am - United Airlines Flt 93 takes off from Newark heading to San Francisco.  There were 40 people on board.

8:46 am - Flt 11 crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center

9:03 am - Flt 175 crashes into the South Tower of the World Trade Center

9:40 am - Flt 77 crashes into the Pentagon

9:59 am - The South Tower of the World Trade Center collapses

10:07 am - Flt 93 crashes into a field in Shanksburg, Pennsylvania

10:15 am - Portion of the Pentagon collapses.  Approximately 200 people died in and around the Pentagon.

10:28 am - The North Tower of the World Trade Center collapses

4:00 pm - CNN reports that their are indications that Osama bin Laden is responsible for the attacks.

5:25 pm - Number 7 World Trade Center collapses

8:30 pm - President Bush addresses the nation

Labor in our Family Tree

Coal miners  - Pennsylvania (Luzerne or Carbon County, Pennsylvania)

Be thankful we live today.  The term "labor" certainly isn't what it used to be.  I come from coal miners and teachers.  My husband from farmers mostly, but also cheese makers, woodworkers, and my father-in-law was a truck driver.

To be a coal miner...well, I don't really like thinking about it too much.  Always wondering if your husband and sons come home that night?  If they came home, would they be broken and able to continue working?  I can't imagine sending my young sons off to work in the coal mines, but that's what my ancestors did.  Boys went to work in the mines as soon as they were able.  Girls helped mom raise the babies and do the housework (which was a LOT harder than today).  They had gardens and chickens in their yards to help feed their families.  They made their own clothes and had few tech-gadgets to make their lives easier.

Feeding her birds

I know my ancestors worked hard and hoped that some day their children wouldn't have to work in the mines. Around the turn of the century that started to happen and my grandparents and great aunts and uncles more often became teachers.

One room schoolhouses.  Teaching all grade levels at once, but eventually schools changed and became more what I remember as a child and teenager.  Teaching though is still a thankless job more often than not.  Where would we be without our teachers?  I get emails and comments about my grandfather and what a wonderful teacher  and role model he was (and strict).  I have obituaries that show how much my great aunt achieved in her lifetime and how respected she was (you can read about her here).

My father-in-law, like many truck drivers today spent the week driving and would come home on the weekends to see his family.  His wife took care of their 5 children while he was away.  Sacrifice and a strong and loving family.  He worked for Schneider United.  The "United" meant it was unionized.  Schneider busted that union by hiring new truck drivers that would work for a little more money up front, no pensions and diminished benefits.  They didn't fire the unionized drivers, they merely waited for them to retire.  Now Schneider National stands in its place.  Same company...less security for the drivers and their families.  My father-in-law was able to retire comfortably and when he passed my mother-in-law was able to receive his pension and continue to live well.

As for the farmers in our family, well I can only imagine how difficult working on a farm must have been.  I am so not a morning person and I can only imagine having to rise early to tend the crops and animals.

Feeding the chickens

My ancestors (and yours as well, if they held many of these occupations) had something that helped them make ends meet.  Helped them fight for better working conditions and to keep their children out of the dangerous mines.  Had someone to speak for them so they weren't driving truck longer than was safe for them and others on the road.  Someone that made sure that the teachers got the benefits they deserved for the hard work that they did...they had unions.

Labor Day hardly means what it once did.  What it must have meant to our ancestors.  Our ancestors that just wanted an honest day's wage for an honest day's labor.  To be able to live in dignity and raise their families from what was frequently an impoverished and brutally hard life.  Labor Unions fought for:

-Overtime pay

-A tolerable length for the work week and workday

-Minimum wage

-Paid vacation and sick days

-Safety standards

-Child Labor Laws

-Health benefits

-Retirement security

-Unemployment compensation

You would not have had Labor Day if there had not been unions.  Unions pushed for a day to celebrate America's laborers.  States passed laws marking the holiday, but it wasn't until August 28, 1893 that Labor Day became a National holiday.

Schoolhouse from an old family album

The word "union" and "unionized" seems to be the equivalent of a swear word today, but why?  Some unions were corrupt, but it's up to the members to fix that.  Not up to the employers and politicians to bust the unions that help keep our union workers safe and earning a decent wage.

I would not dishonor my ancestors to disparage what is a wonderful part of our American history.  The Labor Union and Labor Day will always be connected.  Even if people sometimes refuse to acknowledge the connection.  Our ancestors changed this country so that their children and grandchildren would be able to live a better life than they did.  Not a life of sloth as many wrongfully think of unionized labor, but an honest day's wage.  An honest day's work.

Today I celebrate Labor Day and my ancestors that helped make working in America better for everyone.  I will keep their hard work and intentions alive and I thank them for their sacrifices so that my life was better than theirs.  May we always be a country that values it's workers.

Sunday's Obituary - Neil Joseph Brown III

Saint Gabriel's cemetery, Hazleton, Pennsylvania

Standard Speaker, April 1968

Neil Brown III was born on February 5, 1914 in Hazleton.  He's one of the many Browns in my family tree. Sadly, the trail ends with his obituary.  I'm still looking for information on his wife since there was no death of death for Dorothy when I took the picture of their tombstone.  I did find an obituary for her sister who passed away on January 25th 2010 at the age of 92 and listing Dorothy as a surviving relative.  Talk about some great longevity in the Gillespie family!

Well, on to the obituary for Neil who was my 1st cousin twice removed.

"Neil Joseph Brown

Neil Joseph Brown, of 644 N. Wyoming St., died at 12:15 a.m. Sunday at St. Joseph Hospital.  He had been ill 10 days.

Born in Hazleton, a son of the late Neil and Bridget (Brown) Brown, he was a lifelong resident of the city.

He was employed at the Hazleton Brick Co. and was a member of St. Gabriel's R.C. Church.

he is survived by his wife, the former Dorothy Gllespie [sic], and four children:  Neil J. Brown Jr., Allentown; Dennis, Timothy and Patricia, all at home.

Also surviving are these brothers and sisters:  Mrs. John (Nancy) Harkins, Newark, Del.; Mrs. Eleanor Prosser, Mrs. Clyde (Mary) Barth and James, all of Hazleton; Eugene, Levittown, N.J.; Paul, Meadville; John, Philadelphia; Mrs. Charles (Joan) Cann and Charles, both of this city.

A son, Spec. 5 Michael P. Brown, was killed in action in Vietnam Nov. 26, 1967.

The funeral will be held from the Boyle Funeral Home, 100 S. Wyoming St., at 9 a.m. Wednesday.  Solemn high mass of requiem will be celebrated in St. Gabriel's R.C. Church at 9:30 and interment will be in the parish cemetery.  Friends may call 3 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday."

Tombstone Tuesday - Thomas and Leona Dougherty

Thomas and Leona Dougherty nee Ganss, Calvary Cemetery, Drums, PA

When I visited Pennsylvania last summer I went looking for the grave of my great aunt Helen Elizabeth "Betty" Bronsavage.  She was hard to find, but as I searched I took the opportunity to take pictures of tombstones with family names on them.  I don't know if any of them are members of my family though. Most of my family members were buried in Hazleton city's cemeteries and this cemetery was in Drums (close to Hazleton, but no cigar).  We guessed that Helen was buried out there because none of the Catholic cemeteries in the city would want an adulteress and murderer buried there.  In fact she was buried in unconsecrated ground, which has since her burial been consecrated.  Anyway, that was a tangent.  This post is on Thomas and Leona Dougherty after all, and the Dougherty surname is one in my family tree.

Rather than just throwing up the tombstone for Thomas and Leona, I decided to do some quick research.  After all, I'm trying to see if they are any relation...not just someone that shared a surname.  The first place that popped up was the 1940 US Federal Census.  Gosh, I'm loving that it's been indexed (Thanks indexers!).  In 1940 Thomas and Leona was living in Hazleton on Wyoming Street and had two children:  Thomas (Jr), and Conrad.  There was gold in that thar' census (although not for my line)...in the form of a 76 year old gentleman living with them by the name of Conrad Ganss.  Conrad is listed as Thomas' father-in-law.  So now we know (theoretically) that Leona's maiden name was Ganss.

Thomas' tombstone have a military marker for 1941-1945, but I found no enlistment records for him.  I also did not find him in Hazleton in earlier census records and frankly he would have been in his fifties during WWII.  A possibility, but WWI would have been a better fit.  That doesn't mean he wasn't there (or didn't move there after 1930)...and I'll be the first to admit that I only did a cursory search.  If he is one of my Doughertys then he would have (most likely) lived in the Hazleton area.

Leona, was found in other census records and was living in Hazleton with her parents, Conrad and Catherine.  Conrad and Catherine had (at least) eight children:  Rosal, Anna, Conrad, Walter, Catherine, Hilda, Albert, and Leona.  Judging by the 1900 US Federal Census Conrad and Catherine had 2 children (names unknown) that died young.

No connection with my family in this quick search, but that too is information to a genealogist!