Are these numbers important?

I have been doing a bit of research on a non-relative, who is buried at a cemetery in the area of the Monocacy Battlefield. This cemetery is on my list of places to visit in the near future, hopefully in the spring.

The Question that I am trying to answer is: What is his military service ?

It starts with a World War I Draft Registration Card:

“World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918”, digital image, The National Archives (www.ancestry.com ; accessed 16 December 2019), registration card [a] for William Joseph Rogers, Form 1 1872 (stamped), no. 1032 (stamped)Washington, D.C.: citing World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, National Archives microfilm publication M1509, imaged from Family History Library film roll 1643517.

Searching in the “normal” records, the information on this card is consistent with those records. He lived his life in Washington, DC.

Two things about this card that caught my attentions. 1) the number of Stamped numbers, in the upper Left and Right, and the Back, and a stamped number in the lower Left. 2) the notation of 6 years in the Militia of Washington DC.

The 1872, in the upper left, is a Serial Number, assigned at registration and a Registration Number, 1032, in the upper right. Those were expected. The number of the back of the card, 8-1-6 A, is also expected.

There is a stamped #9 to the right of the word Card, and I think that is the Precinct Number from the back of the card.

But, in the Name Field (1), there are two numbers. IF I understand correctly, that 258 that is not crossed out, was the First Number drawn in this Registration. Is that important ? And there is 2594 crossed out under the word Registration. Is that Important?

Also, in the lower Left is 2596, which is 2 off from the crossed out number at the top, and it is also a Stamped Number. Is that important?

The question is about #11, What military service have you had?

Rank: Corporal
Branch: Militia
Years: 6
Nation or State: Wash D.C.

Looking Wikipedia, The “Militia” for the District of Columbia was established in 1776, and remained “as Militia” until 1903. It continues to be the District of Columbia National Guard, as a reserve to this day.

What I learned from that article is that the President is the commander-in-chief of this National Guard Unit.

So, in 1917, the “militia” should have been the “National Guard”. Serving for 6 years, it would have called the National Guard in 1911. Now, the D.C. National Guard was mobilized for 12 days in 1917, but was made up of an all-black 1st Separate Infantry.

The Find A Grave website, has a Death Notice from the Washington Post, March 11, 1932

On Thursday, March 10, 1932, at his residence, 2717 Kansas Avenue, NW, William J., beloved husband of Mary R. Rogers. Funeral services at the above address on Saturday, March 12, at 10 a.m. Interment at Monocacy Cemetery, Beallsville, Md.

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 17 December 2019), memorial page for William Joseph Rogers, Jr (9 Sep 1888–10 Mar 1932), Find A Grave Memorial no. 64015522, citing Monocacy Cemetery, Beallsville, Montgomery County, Maryland, USA ; Maintained by Glenn Wallace (contributor 46802463) .

No help here yet in the question. But, I always have a questions in situations like this, like Why Monocacy ? It’s not that far from Washington, “just up the street”, but why that specific cemetery. I was able to find the answer to that question, but looking around Find A Grave, and that is Mary, his wife’s family is also buried in this Cemetery. In fact, from what I can tell, the same plot.

Researching the “in laws” does not raise any flags as to why they shouldn’t be buried there.

I have not been able to find any “Militia” / National Guard records, online. I also know that a trip to NARA (2) in College Park, Maryland is probably where I would find those records.

Newspaper searching came up with a number of articles:

From the 7 Jan 1912, Evening Star (Washington, District of Columbia), Page 25, Newspapers.com by Ancestry

What is the Canton Washington, No.1 ? In this article, in mentions William J Rogers, Captain.

Captain in 1912, Corporal in 1917 ? Hmmm

A search for “Canton Washington, No.1” found that to be part of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF).

In the Find-A-Grave Memorial text, there is mention that William was installed as Captain, in January 12, 1912, in the IOOF, in Washington, D.C.

Bottom Line:

Are those extra, unexpected numbers on that Draft Card important ?

Might there be a reason when the Draft Card uses the term Militia, when it might have been National Guard, or Reserve” ?

Does the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) play any part in Militia vs National Guard ?

Captain or Corporal is also, in my mind, conflicting information to resolve.

Is this one of the “ancestors” who have a story to tell, looking for someone to tell the story ?

Comments are Welcome.

QUERY: Who are the parents of Capt John Worthington (1650–1701)

A question from a new follower of this blog

Russ
Hi. Just can across your blog om the Worthington , my wife’s 9th great grandfather is Captain John Worthington (1650 – 1701) and was wondering if you might think that this info on his father and mother might be correct. ” Captain John Worthington was born in 1650 at Sharston Hall, Manchester, Lancashire, England.1 He was the son of Francis Worthington and Sarah Byram.1 He was baptised on 2 October 1651 at Manchester Cathedral, Manchester, Lancashire, England.2 He married Sarah Howard, daughter of Matthew Howard and Sarah Dorsey, between 1686 and 1688 at Anne Arundel, Maryland, U.S.A.G.1 He died on 9 April 1701 at Annapolis, Maryland, U.S.A.” It is from a website called ” http://thepeerage.com/index.htm”
thanks

Gary

My response:

Gary,

On paper, those are Capt John’s parents. DNA testing is indicating something different.

I will look at that website in a little while.

Russ

If anyone has any additional information, Please post a comment here:

Thank you,

Russ

Ships Log Book–On This Day

Some time ago, actually 24 October 2018, I wrote a Blog on this topic

Ships Log Book – Online

I was reminded that on this day, 29 July 1967 the Navy had a very serious event on the USS Forrestal (CV-59) had a disaster, her flight deck had a fire that killed 134 sailors and 161 were injured.

There is a YouTube video about that event. As I watched it, it reminded me of the “other side of the story”.  Trial by Fire: A Carrier Fights For Life (1973)

Because I know that the USCGC Halfmoon’s log book was online, I went back to look to see if July 1967 was there yet. Sorry to say, it was not. BUT a number of other Month’s of Log Books are. I’ll go back later to read them.

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/83869328

I remember this day, and was hoping to confirm or disprove my memory, with the log book but, maybe later.

Underway Replenishment at Sea (UNREP) was “normal” operation, where the Halfmoon would pull along side some very large Navy Ship and take on “stores”, food, fuel, ammunition, Movies and Mail, and some times people. Then we would move in, closer to shore, and to an UNREP with smaller Navy and Coast Guard vessels and give them what they needed.

On the night of 29 July 1967, we were involved with an UNREP but by helicopter. They would drop “stores” on our deck and move back and return with another load of “stores”. BUT, they stopped. We would learn that these helicopters would be needed to the North of us (as I recall), then we would learn of this accident.

This picture is the Halfmoon (with our Commanding Officer, Commander E.G. McCarthy on the left) as we wait our turn to pull along side of the ship with the goodies.

Taking on Stores

And we replenish the USCGC Point Cypress in this photo..

The things you remember, based on other events. That YouTube video was from a Coast Guard Email List.

LESSON LEARNED: Go Back and look at those Sources you already have in your Database. There are 5 or 6 new Ship Log Books that were not on line earlier

Finally figured “it” out

The “it” is, where did I get the “passion” to do Family Research.

Here is an Example:

It’s the inside of a medal “banker’s box”. I have a couple of them. Was looking for a couple of things that I am looking for, so I looked into this one. Haven’t looked inside this one for years, if at all. It was one of those things that I took when my parents house was downsized and my mother had put it aside for me. (yes, I had already started my research, and maybe I know why my mother helped correct data that I had).

What a treasure trove of “stuff”. The “Rae Strode” was my grandmother, Rachel Johnston, and that is a lock of her hair, with that pin. Now the pin is interesting, in and of itself (but not for this story).

You will see another box, and Bible, an envelop (yet another story), and “address book”, and a pair of old glasses.

BUT, to the right of the bible, under the box, is some paper. That paper described what was in the box.

This 2nd picture is that documentation of the contents of the box. And at the top were her initials.

No wonder the 150 Photo Albums have most of the photo’s very nicely marked.

My mother was Citing her Sources.

Oh, and I have submitted some photographs of the Jet Plane Crash to a Historical Society for a future publication they are working on. One of the Photographs had the date and time of the crash, marked on the back, which confirmed when that crash occurred. Of course, I sent them Both Sides, and Transcribed in the Filename, what was written on the back. (even the blank back side, which were few).

Guess I caught this from Louise Strode (1916 – 2010). Thank Mom.

What’s left of a Jet Plane

On 18 May 1950, a Jet Plane crashed in my back yard. Here is a photo of what that looked like, as they hauled the pieces away.

Now, why am I telling you about this.

In our research, we tend to look locally, to Historical Societies, Genealogy Societies, Archives (think ArchiveGrid), and other repositories.

As we research Family, we remember the FAN Club (Family, Friends, Acquaintances, and Neighbors). I just learned that I need to use the FAN principle for places as well.

And, the rest of the story.

I had a email from my brother, who forwarded an article from a small town in Chester County, Pennsylvania which was not too far from where I grew up. My bother’s wife has a friend that lives there, both were teachers, so I received the article. It has been posted on a website:

https://www.downingtownhistory.org/

The June 27th article was about this Jet Plane that crashed “in a Lionville Orchard“. Oh did that take me back a very long time. The article is full of details, most of which I remember from growing up (and living through it), but some back story about the details of the “training mission”. Please read it.

The author of the article responded immediately (late in the evening) when I told the website / webmaster that I was there, and thanked them for that article. I looked at the photo album I have been working on, and there were 8 or 10 photos of that crash, of course I shared them with “Jim” (I believe he is the Vice President of the Historical Society) The article mentioned and our email back and forth, that the exact location wasn’t know. I can solve that problem (red circle)

I can see the house my Dad built, our garden across the street, and remembered where the Jet came down. That photo was taken in 1957 according to the caption. I was living in that house in early 1957, when we moved to New Jersey. I would guess, that where I have located that crash site it pretty close.

The kids on the farm, my cousins, mostly were barefooted, unless we were working, which was most of the time. But, for a couple of years, we could not, as there was small pieces of metal all over the orchard. If my memory is correct, it was about 55 acres.

So, the crash site and the house were close. Yes, there was mud on the house and the 3 car garage that my dad built, but we were not home. My folks had gone out for the evening. Don’t remember where they went, be we were across the orchard to my grandparents house.

I don’t remember the rain, that the article mentioned, but that would explain the mud on the house. I also remember a few of the details about what happened to the two pilot’s. Glad to have that story.

One more thing, DearMYRLE, last Wednesday, and I had a Webinar with The Archive Lady, and our discussion was about surprises that we run into. This article is one of those surprises.

The Archive Lady: Surprising findings

I spend most of last night, and this morning looking at their website. What a Gem. There was a photo of a group of young men, at the High School, where I attended and the teacher in the photo was probably my teacher when I was there.

The Website has a link to what Family Files that have AND what Business Files they  have. Needless to say, I am asking for them. And, may in fact to pay them a visit.

LESSON Learned:

Don’t forget the FAN Club for Locations. Maybe that small, or not so small, neighboring Genealogy or Historical Society has the record you need, want, or never thought you would find.

This is the cockpit of that Jet that had been moved to the side of the road for pick up later

The Wreckage being picked up

Our Driveway where the big truck was for the wreckage.

NOTE: the field across the road, was a newly planted set of trees, peach, I think. I also think you can see the Farm House above the tree line near the top of the picture.