Land, Sea, and Hair

Posted on July 23, 2024 by FHadmin

This story starts with a Seaman’s Certificate and ends with orphans, “servants,” George Washington’s hair, and a body donated to science.

The Certificate

Some time back I discovered a Seaman’s Certificate for Samuel McGinley. It was signed by Margaret McGinley, which was odd as the certificate was clearly set up specifically for a man to sign. It was 1814 and women didn’t often sign legal documents. However, Samuel’s father Captain John McGinley, who served as superintendent of blacksmiths during the Revolutionary War had died ten years earlier. Thus, Margaret McGinley, nee’ Hurrie, certified her son as a U.S. citizen.

The U.S. Congress had passed an act in 1796 to create the protection certificates to protect merchant seaman from being pressed into service by the British. They had become very important during the War of 1812. Certification by a sworn statement was the most common proof used to get a Seaman’s Certificate. However, a birth certificate, naturalization papers, or other official record could also be used.

From this we can assume that Samuel traveled outside the coastal waters of the United States. However, nothing is known about his life on the sea.

The Marriage

The next record for Samuel is his marriage on February 23, 1814 to Jerusha McCann in Charleston, South Carolina. Jerusha was the widow of Edward McCann, who had died in 1809. Her maiden name is unknown.

Besides a wife, Samuel gained a step-daughter Mary Ann Louisa McCann. Mary Ann was not in the household long, as she married Samuel W. Wilcox just over four years later.

Edward’s will mentions no other children.

The 1820s

In 1822, Samuel was listed in The Directory and Stranger’s Guide, for the city of Charleston as a carpenter living at 74 Market Street. However, by 1824, it stated that his occupation was “boarding house.” It did not specify if he managed a boarding house or owned one. However, it listed him at the same address that he was living at in 1822. Neither of these jobs seemed aligned with his previous job on the sea.

1830s

In the 1830 census, Jerusha is listed as head of the household with a girl between 15 and 19 years of age living with her. The relationship to this girl is unknown and she doesn’t show up in any other records with Jerusha and Samuel. There were also three male slaves or servants, as Samuel referred to them, in the household.

Samuel was absent. Possibly he was traveling or working away from home. Five years later he is listed at 17 Price’s Alley. In that record, he is again listed as a carpenter. Thus, it isn’t exactly clear as to his occupation.

1840s

In 1840, Samuel and Jerusha are living in a household with two male slaves and two female slaves. The following year their son-in-law Samuel W. Wilcox, who was an accountant, died. Samuel petitioned to be the administrator of his estate, indicating that he was his son-in-law’s biggest creditor.

Travels

In 1845, Emma of Philadelphia came to visit Samuel. It is unclear who this woman was. No woman named Emma has been identified in Samuel’s family during that time period. However, during the 1840s Samuel took several trips to Philadelphia via boat. It is possible that Emma’s visit was in some way related to those trips.

Summer of 1849

In 1849, Samuel agreed to purchase Gibbes & William’s Mill from the city. However, soon after, he filed a request to be released from the agreement. He offered $100 in exchange for the release. He stated that unexpected difficulty had arisen and he would not be able to meet the requirements of the deal with the city. The city decided that the mill, which they described as at the west end of Tradd Street, should be sold as soon as possible.

It would seem most likely that the issue was one of money. Earlier that same summer, Samuel was one of several members of the grand Jury that requested pay for being on the jury. At the time, men selected for duty on the jury were compelled by law to serve up to three weeks, depending on the business of the court, without compensation. The group argued that other courts paid those who were required to serve.

Properties Associated

with Samuel McGinley

Charleston 1849. Source: https://www.sciway.net/hist/maps/mapscharleston.html

The map highlights approximate locations of properties associated with Samuel McGinley. In many cases, the exact address has not yet been identified.

Pink – Locations that Samuel owned, advertised, or said that he was located.

Green – It marks Broad Street as Samuel requested that an unplanked portion be planked.

Orange – Orphanage

Note: There are two pink indicators that have a “?” on them. This is because there are two different Bull Streets and the reference to that street did not have a specific address. Thus, I marked both areas.

1850s

In 1850, Samuel was 64 and his wife Jerusha was 71. By this time, Samuel had accumulated $1200 in real estate and his wife owned $3600 of real estate. It is assumed that she inherited these properties from her earlier husband Edward McCann.

James Hynes, a boatman of Scotland, and his family were living with Samuel and Jerusha in their home on Price’s Alley. They also had four female slaves ranging in age from 38 to 65 and seven male slaves ranging from 8 to 64.

Jerusha’s Death

Two years later, Jerusha died, leaving her entire estate to Samuel. Although no record of her daughter Mary Ann Louisa (McCann) Wilcox’s death has been found, it is assumed that she must have died by 1842, as that was the date of Jerusha’s will. Otherwise, one would expect her to have received something in her mother’s will.

Trips To Philadelphia

During this decade Samuel continued to make trips to Philadelphia with at least one trip to New York. Sometimes he traveled on steam ships, such as, the Osprey, Columbus, and James Adger. Other times it was a brig, such as, the Cohansey and Paul T. Jones. However, sometimes he traveled on schooners like the Somers, Constitution, and Dart.

Upon My Death

Dying in 1857, Samuel did not live to see another decade arrive. He had no descendants. However, he had a very detailed will that ensured his wishes would be followed.

To Family & Friends

Samuel made some traditional monetary distributions to a few of his family members. To his sister Mary (McGinley) Davis, a widow, he gave two hundred dollars per year for the rest of her life. He gave the same amount to his niece, Maria M. (Owens) Lyons, daughter of his sister Martha. Maria was also a widow. Oddly, he did not give money to Martha, who was also a widow.

To his friend John Dougherty, he willed $200. Interestingly, he was listed in John Dougherty’s will with the same amount of distribution.

Washington’s Hair

The only personal possession that he willed to anyone was his gold ring with George Washington’s hair in it. It is possible that it was one of the 22 rings designed for family and friends of George Washington. If so, it would have had an engraved image of President Washington on it. See https://artofmourning.com/george-washington-memorial-ring/ for an image and more information.

However, it is more likely it was a ring fashioned by someone else as numerous people appeared to have had rings made that supposedly contained Washington’s hair. It seems that in his position as a general and first President of the country, memorials of George were in high demand, even when he was still alive. Relatives, colleagues, members of the military, and others desired to have something related to Washington. In many cases, hair was requested. See https://www.themagazineantiques.com/article/george-washington-hair-relics/ for more information.

In either case, the question arises of where Samuel would have gotten Washington’s hair or the ring after it was made. One possibility is that his father Captain John McGinley, who was the superintendent of blacksmiths during the Revolutionary War, had received the ring or the hair. No mention of it is made in his will. However, he gave his entire estate to his wife Margaret (Hurrie) McGinley.

It is possible that he inherited it from his wife. Perhaps Jerusha’s family or her earlier husband Edward McCann’s family had some association with George Washington. Another possibility is that he somehow obtained it from the local orphanage as George Washington had laid the cornerstone for the building of the first permanent orphanage in the new country. That occurred on November 12, 1792, before Samuel was in the area. However, Samuel did have some connection to the orphanage.

McGinley Education Fund

Samuel ordered the rest of his estate, including eight properties, shares of stock in two banks, his remaining slaves, and his personal items to be sold. The money remaining after accounting for the money willed to family and friends and paying any debts was to be used to create the McGinley Education Fund. Additionally, after his sister and niece died, the money set aside to create an income for them was to be added to the education fund. Additionally, he stated that he had or was planning to apply for his father’s military pay from his Revolutionary War service.

Public Domain. Retrieved from Wikipedia.

The trustees of the fund were to be the mayor of Charleston, the city treasurer, and the chairman of commissioners of the Orphan House of Charleston. The trustee role was assigned to the position rather than to the people currently serving in those positions. Thus, for example, when the city elected a new mayor, the new mayor would replace the outgoing mayor on the board of trustees.

The income from the fund was to be used for the education of “orphan children of deceased members of the St. Andrews Lodge of Masons.” The other requirement was that the children must have been born in the country. The children sponsored would be nominated by the master and wardens of the lodge. If there is a surplus of income it was to provide for education of orphans of other masons.

Caring For Elderly Servants

Samuel bequeathed his servants (slaves) Flora and Mary, who were elderly, to John Dunn. John worked for Samuel and lived in his home. He was also designated as Samuel’s executor. Samuel did not feel that Flora and Mary could provide significant value to anyone and he wanted them treated humanely. Thus, he gave John $200 ($100 each) per year to care and provide for them. The amount was to be cut in half upon the death of either of them. The yearly amounts expired upon the death of both servants.

Body to Science

Lastly, Samuel ordered that his body be given to Doctor Henry William Desausser. He wanted the doctor to look specifically at the bones in his chest. He had experienced what he called “complicated diseases” during his life and he wanted to see if understanding his body could lead to help for others who might experience similar issues. Nothing is known about the physical ailments that Samuel experienced except that he died of stomach cancer.

He also wanted his body to “be skeletonized.” And, he stated that this should be done without a cost to his estate.

Afterward

Samuel has so much more to his story. The story of his ownership of “servants” is one path that needs further exploration. His relationship with his various friends and acquaintances would be very interesting to understand. Additionally, research of the properties that he owned could be quite interesting. They were all over the city as shown on the map. At least one was leased and not all had buildings on them. Why did he make a significant number of trips to Philadelphia? And, why did he want to buy a saw mill?

Featured Image Source: pixabay.com

Autos of Yesteryear

Posted on July 15, 2024July 16, 2024 by FHadmin

This is a collection of images of cars various families have owned going back into the 1960s and earlier. Not nearly all the cars that were owned are included mainly because many were not photographed. Some cars have interesting stories. For others, I know very little. If you can identify the make and model of any of the cars that aren’t identified, have corrections to the make/model of any cars, or have additional stories about them, please contact me.

Car on Fire

Inez L. Pellett’s car with Elma (Pellett) McCracken, Inez Pellett, and Ruby Pellett

This Chevy was Aunt Inez Pellett’s first car. I remember riding in it and climbing into the backseat as it was a two-door. At some point, Inez decided to get another car, probably to have four doors. So, she negotiated a deal to sell it to Roy Mosley (his wife was the famous Mrs. Mosley, who taught at Hiattville).

Before the transaction had been completed, Dad was doing some work on the car. I am not sure what happened, but there was a fire and the fire department was called. They talked to Dad about what happened and never bothered to ask who owned the car. So, it was reported in the newspaper that Dad’s car had a fire.

When Roy Mosley found out, he called Dad. He offered to let Dad borrow the car he was buying until Dad could get his fixed. Little did he know that he was offering Dad the very car that had a fire.

Family Reunion

Portions of the McCracken family gathered for a family reunion in 1953 at Lincoln Park in Pittsburg, Kansas. Anyone able to name all the people in the photo?

Multiple of their cars can be seen. Not sure where the rest of the cars are hiding.

Thomson Cars

These are old cars at Hebert and Blanche (Klinefelter) Thomson’s farm.

Car Models

Dee (McCracken) Burnam and Ruthe (McCracken) McCarty posing on Dad’s car sometime in the 1950s.

Thomas-Pellett Auto

This was found among my photos from Mom’s family. I assume this is from the Thomas family, but it is possible that it is from the Pellett family.

White Walls

Max and Betty Barton are standing by their “get-away” car when they married. Max’s 1956 Buick had great white walls. And, if you look close you can see the word “married” written on the side of the car. While living at Dave Workman’s farm, which was about a mile from our house, Their kids, Mitzi and Tony, learned to drive in that very car. The year was 1970/71 and the kids were at the ripe old ages of 8/9 and 11/12. According to Mitzi, they learned to drive over the rocks, cactus and rattlesnakes in the drought ridden pasture. Max always planned to fully restore the car, but that never happened. However, Tony’s family still owns the car and perhaps one day they will restore it to its original beauty. (Mitzi [Barton] Hutcherson contributed to this story.)

Suicide Door

Verda (Thomas) Eastwood is standing beside a car with an open suicide door.

1953 Chevy

Rambler

Desoto

1925 Chevy

This is Herbert and Blanche (Klinefelter) Thomson and their family. The photo was taken in 1928 and as you can see their 1925 Chevy was just as much a part of the photo as the family. It really makes you wonder why the photographer didn’t just focus on the family or have the family stand closer to the car.

This was likely taken near Stettler, Alberta, Canada, as the family traveled there in the summer of 1928.

1930 Plymouth

Joe and Nellie (Peelle) McCracken had a 1930 Plymouth when WWII started. This photo would be three or so years earlier. I am assuming that is the car in this photo. If anyone knows differently, please let me know.

The entire family did not often all ride in the car at one time, but it did happen. Of course, I should say, “In or on the car.” As I understand it, Don and Dad rode on the front fenders. Meanwhile, Dewey and Howard rode on the running boards. That left only eight people to squeeze inside, assuming they had no extras.

Another Car Prop

Inez Pellett and I assume her nephew Glen Pellett pose with a car in the 1950s. The front grill looks a bit like it might eat you for lunch.

Wittmer Car

This car is believed to have belonged to the Wittmer family in Rod’s Klinefelter line.

Bumper Test

Great Uncle Dewey C. “Doc” McCracken, his great-nephew Larry Linke, and his nephew Roger McCracken test out the bumper of a car.

Thomson’s Ner-A-Car

Advertizing agency for Ner-A-Car (I don’t know), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

When Judge S. Klinefelter was living in Florida, he sent his grandsons (Alexander, Arthur, Alfred, George, & Reid Thomson) a Ner-A-Car, which is an early motorcycle. The ad describes it as a a two-wheeler and also an auto.

The photograph above shows George Ackermann taking a spin on the Thomson’s Ner-A-Car when Herbert & Blanche were in Stettler, Alberta, Canada.

Dean Thomson came into possession of the family’s Ner-A-Car. In the early 1980’s, he sold it. He told me that he regretted not keeping it.

Car On The Field

Looks like this car is almost on the pitcher’s mound. That adds a bit more excitement when you have to play around a car. Here I thought it was bad enough that they had to try to avoid rocks, cacti, and cow pies when playing cow pasture baseball.

Wedding Day

Attendants at Marvin and Edna (Lobmeyer) Pellett’s wedding in 1948.

Sears Car

This car is thought to be a Sears car approximately 1911 or earlier. The family is thought to be related to the Wittmer family in Rod’s Klinefelter line.

Shift, Dad, Shift

I think that is Don McCracken’s Dodge behind his sons Vance and Sky. The interesting thing about this car isn’t the car itself. Instead, it is Don, the absent-minded professor, and his driving habits. Before the boys were as old as shown in the picture, they learned to remind their dad to shift.

One Ball Team, One Car

Dad is carrying the bats and it looks like the entire team is going to pile into that old convertible (or topless).

Uncle Pat?

I seem to recall Dad saying that this is Uncle Passco “Pat” Peelle with his car. Anyone know for sure?

A Lonesome Car

This car with its white walls is sitting all alone. It is from the Thomas-Pellett collection.

Westward Choo-Choo: Moving By Train

Posted on July 9, 2024July 10, 2024 by FHadmin

Many of us think of wagon trains when we think of people moving westward. However, when my Peelle family moved from Indiana to Kansas in 1879 the railroad had been completed all the way to their destination. And, locomotive power would take them to their new home.

The Decision To Move

Passco and Martha (Johnson) Peelle married in Wayne County, Indiana September 4, 1845. By 1878, their oldest 4 living daughters were married. Only William Johnson Peelle (William J.), their only son, and their two youngest daughters, Emaline D. “Lillie” and Mossie Lea, remained at home.

The family lived on 159 ½ acres near Lynn, Indiana in Randolph County, which is adjacent to Wayne County. For some unknown reason, that winter Passco and Martha decided to pull up roots, leaving their older daughters, who were married, behind.

Note: Their daughter Evaline and her husband John Farmer also moved to Kansas by 1880. However, they initially settled in western Kansas. By 1885, they had moved to Olathe, Kansas, where their youngest child was born. Later, Evaline and John moved to Bourbon County.

Peelle property in Randolph County, Indiana is highlighted in green

The Journey Begins

The first real indication that something might be afoot was November 13, 1878. On that date, William J. drove the hogs to Lynn, Indiana, which was a distance of three to four miles depending on his exact destination. He sold 19 hogs that evening. About a week later, he got a wagon from his brother-in-law Christopher Columbus “Chris” Longnecker and loaded it. The next day he took the load to Jay County, Indiana, for his father. On its own, it could have meant a load of corn or other commodity. However, the next day, he went back to Union City after stoves, which he took to Jay County.

Little, other than William J.’s typical activities, seemed to occur over the next month. Then, on December 28, he again went to Jay County. This time he stayed several days, returning home on New Year’s Eve.

In January, William J. made three trips to Jay County. On the last trip that month, he drove the cattle to Jay County and spent time at his father’s home. This is first statement that confirms that his father (and presumably his mother and younger sisters) had moved to Jay County. The question is, “Why?”

Purchase The Property

William J. primarily spent the time he wasn’t going to Jay County, Winchester, Richmond, or the smaller towns nearby gathering, husking, loading, and transporting corn. On February 13, he declared that he had gathered the last of the corn. Still, more husking and transporting remained to be done.

On February 25, William J. husked more corn before leaving for Winchester that evening. The next day William J. did the paperwork necessary to purchase a 160-acre property near Hiattville, Bourbon County, Kansas from Frederick A. and Annie E. Engle. William J. signed for the property purchasing it for $1200 plus taxes owed. The sale took place in Randolph County because despite owning property in Kansas, the Engle family lived in Randolph County, Indiana. The transaction would not be recorded in Bourbon County for another month.

This raised several questions:

Why Kansas? Why Hiattville?
Why was William J.’s father (Passco) living in or recently living in Jay County?
Was Passco already in Kansas? Martha? William J.’s younger sisters?

Location, Location, Location

No known relatives of Passco or Martha lived near Hiattville. If they did, that which would have also been a draw to move. However, James M. Hiatt, on whose land Hiattville was started lived in Randolph County, Indiana before moving westward. It is unclear if the family knew the Hiatt family. They likely did know some of the Engle family, but not necessarily the ones who owned the property they purchased, as some of them owned property nearby.

Jay County

Moving his family to Jay County made me wonder if they initially planned to move to Jay County permanently and something changed their mind. However, I suspect that wasn’t the case as early on William J. sold the hogs. If it was a matter of a few miles, it seems they would have simply moved the hogs to Jay County.

I also wondered about access to roads or trains, but found no significant difference between the two counties. I haven’t yet had an opportunity to do local research to see if they owned property in Jay County or rented.

Where Was Everyone?

The answer to this question is unknown. However, if Passco was still in Jay County, why wouldn’t he have come to Winchester to purchase the property instead of sending his 23-year-old son to transact the business. William J. did transfer the property to his father, but not for several years.

It is possible that Passco’s brother John Cox Peelle, who lived in Winchester, provided William J. some support, but why wouldn’t Passco have made the short trip to Winchester? My guess is that Passco, at least, was already in Kansas, having gone there to check out the property.

Car The Goods

On March 1, William J. went to Portland, which was in Jay County and which was the main railroad center in the county. Then on March 10, William J. said that he moved to Jay County. Now, this statement is curious as he spent the remainder of the time before he moved to Kansas primarily in Randolph County. It seems, however, that he may have moved the remainder of the household goods to Jay County.

Then on March 15, 1879, William J. “boxed up things to ship to Kansas.” He finished the task the next day and began loading them on a wagon. The following day, he finished loading up the wagon. At that point, the house must have been bare as he spent the night at someone else’s house. Then on Tuesday March 18, he hauled them to Union to car them, which meant to get them loaded on a railroad car. He had to wait until Thursday for a car to be available. After they were loaded, he headed to Winchester.

Here, There, And Everywhere

After all the farm tasks were complete and the goods were shipped to Kansas, William J. spent time with various friends and relatives in the area. He always liked to go places – lectures, classes, events, or simply visiting. Everywhere he went he was helping with farming or carpentry, which would be his two primary focus areas throughout his life.

Probably the most interesting of his travels was when he went to the big city of Richmond. On April 11, he went via buggy to Richmond and spent the night at Uncle Will’s. Uncle Will would be his father’s brother William Adams Peelle, who was a lawyer, judge, and had held several state offices. I wish I knew if this was just a visit or business. I suspect the latter as he returned to Richmond on April 24.

Sometimes he traveled with his trunk and sometimes he traveled around and later went to get his trunk and take it to another relative’s house.

Then on May 18, William J. sold his horse. Now, he had to walk or rely on others to get around. But, he didn’t let that stop him. He walked from where he sold his horse to Winchester. He stayed with his Uncle John. The next day he hopped on the train to his typical stomping grounds. From there he continued his travels around the area.

Indiana. State Board Of Tax Commissioners. Railroad map of Indiana. [Indianapolis, ?, 1896] Map. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/98688475/>.

Kansas Bound

Last Good-Byes

When June arrived, the time for William J. to move westward arrived. He spent the first three days of the month with three of his sisters’ families . . . or as he would say with Wiley Benson (Rachel), Chris Longnecker (Sarah), and Bill Lewis (Jennie).

On June 4, Chris Longnecker took William J. and William J’s trunk to his Uncle John Peelle’s home in Winchester. The next day he took the morning train to Farmland. He spent the night at Sam Bolinger’s, assumed to be a friend, and returned to Winchester the next evening. On June 7 he made a trip to Bloomingsport, one of the places close to the Peelle Indiana home that William J. visited frequently. He stayed with John Benson (his brother-in-law’s brother) and the next day, after another visit to Bloomingsport, John took William J. to Winchester to catch the train for Hiattville, Kansas.

The Trip

William J. left Winchester at 8:40 p.m. headed to Muncie, Indiana. He spent the night there and left the following morning at 6:10 a.m. From there he traveled to Bloomington, Illinois where he had a four-house layover. He left Bloomington at 6:10 p.m. His next destination was Kansas City. He arrived there the following morning at 9:30 a.m. At 11:00 a.m., his travel turned southward. He had dinner at Lacygne and arrived in Ft. Scott at 4:30 p.m.

That night William J. splurged and spent $1.25 to stay at the Lockwood House. It was located only a block from the MK&T (Missouri, Kansas & Texas) Railroad Station (also known as the “Katy”) on Jones Street. Jones Street is better known by its current name of “National Avenue.” It was at the edge of the flood zone for the Marmaton River as the “big flood” the year prior had reached to the hotel.

The next morning (June 11) William J. left Ft. Scott at 4:35 a.m., arriving at Hiattville, his final train stop, at 6:00 a.m. From there he went to “his father’s house,” which was an interesting reference since it was William J.’s name that was on the official paperwork for the property.

He came back to Hiattville to get his trunk, but did not get it. He had to come back in the afternoon to get it. So, it seems that luggage issues existed even back in 1879!

Afterward – Why Move?

The question remains: “Why did the family decide to move?” Several reasons for the move can be eliminated. They didn’t move to get more land as the land they purchased was approximately the same size as the property they left behind. For the same reason and the fact that they paid to move via train, one can surmise that they didn’t move because they were in financial trouble.

One other story that my aunts told was that they thought the family moved because William J. got a woman pregnant and he needed to leave the area. If that was the reason, one would think William J. would have been the first one in the family to leave the area. However, it appears that he was the one that stayed behind. And, he made trips back to Indiana after he made the move. Thus, I believe this story is debunked.

Unless a letter or an article is found, we will likely never know why they moved.

Featured Image: Public Domain, retrieved July 9, 2024 from Wikipedia.

B-25 Mechanic

Posted on July 2, 2024 by FHadmin

WWII called people into many different roles. Some were on the front lines and others made sure that the people on the front lines were well trained and ready to fight. Part of the support team were those that cared for airplanes overseas and at the training camps.

WWII

Even before the United States joined what became known as World War II (WWII), the government started registering young men for the draft. On October 16, 1940, Dewey Stanton McCracken (a.k.a. Uncle Dewey) did his duty and registered. He was deferred in the interest of the nation. He was plenty able bodied, but running the family farm operation kept him at home.

However, several months after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Dewey received the call to serve. On October 21, 1942, Dewey was inducted into the Army Air Force. A short time later, he left for Sheppard Field (later known as Sheppard Air Force Base) near Wichita Falls, Texas, where he attended basic training and Technical Training School.

Shepard Field was comprised of 300 acres and had only officially become an Army Air Corp training facility a little over a year earlier. However, training was in high gear with three eight-hour training shifts each day. While there, Dewey said, “The young guys might have done better at the book work, but they didn’t have any practical skills in the field.” He wasn’t quite 25. Still, Dewey thought he was one of the “old guys.” He believed he had general knowledge, life experiences, and skills that the 18-year-olds did not.

Bouncing Around

After his training at Sheppard, Dewey was assigned to March Field near Riverside, California, a short distance from downtown Los Angeles. Dewey was only a little over a hundred miles from San Diego, where his brother William (Howard) lived. Howard had also gotten a deferral because he was working for Solar Aircraft and was considered essential to the war effort.

The airfield at March Field had been built during WWI when General Squier committed to taking warfare to the skies in response to Germany’s similar commitment. By the time Dewey arrived, the facility was training aircrews destined for the Pacific Theater. It was best known, however, for being the location Bob Hope first performed for members of the military. Bob Hope’s service to service men and women pre-dated the war with his first performance being given May 6, 1941 – almost exactly seven months before Pearl Harbor.

The Army Air Force assigned Dewey to be a flight engineer, which included managing mechanical operations during the flight. He was responsible for a variety of actions including lowering the landing gear. He was the one who had to figure out what to do if the hydraulics weren’t working and he couldn’t get the landing gear down. His job also included starting the propellers on the aircraft, a task that he thought was a bit more dangerous than he cared to experience on a daily basis.

Rumor was that Dewey decided that he didn’t like the idea of being a flight engineer because it required him to start the propeller. However, more than likely the Army Air Force just decided they needed him as a mechanic more than they needed him as a flight engineer.

Greenville Army Air Base

On the move again, Dewey went to Florida for a short time before landing at Greenville Army Air Base in South Carolina. He joined the 334^th Bombardment Group of the Third Air Force becoming a mechanic on the B-25 Mitchell. In his new role, he cared for the planes used to train replacement aircrews. Like Howard, Dewey had studied at the American Aeronautical Institute in Kansas City prior to his induction in the Army. He had training focused on sheet metal and riveting, which weren’t bad skills for an airplane mechanic to possess.

Soldiering

As Dewey settled into life in Greenville, it seemed he had finally found a long-term Army home. At the time, he didn’t think they were planning to send him overseas anytime soon. In a letter to his dad, Dewey wrote, “We don’t do much soldiering here.” Dewey’s regularly scheduled soldiering activities were limited to ten minutes of exercise each morning, weekly guard duty, and a weekly parade. In addition, early in his time at Greenville, he attended a required fifteen-hour class in chemical warfare and he reported that he expected to eventually spend some time on the rifle range.

With his dry sense of humor, he wrote, “I don’t suppose I could hit a squirrel anymore. I haven’t shot a gun since being in the Army.” Although he implied that he might have lost his edge with weapons, Dewey was actually confident in his shooting ability and he was looking forward to the opportunity to demonstrate how well he could shoot. Having hunted squirrels, rabbits, wolves, and other animals on occasion, Dewey knew he had an advantage on the rifle range over the men who had never held a gun before they entered the service.

Blackout Practice

The only other thing besides work, which he said came in waves, that had been going on was blackout practice. However, that wasn’t anything unique to the military as civilians were required to practice as well – even in Kansas far from the coast. Dewey thought, however, that the reason for the practice might be to give the WACs a break from all the servicemen pursuing them. However, he didn’t sound too interested and he didn’t think their uniforms made them very attractive.

West Point Man

Soon his Commanding Officer was a “West Point Man.” This officer thought that the men should actually be soldiers. However, he did not report a significant change in activities.

Source: South Carolina Digital Library Greenville County Library System https://scmemory.org/collection/greenville-army-air-base/

A Year Later

Despite constant changes, nothing really changed much at all at Greenville. Each new officer had to put their stamp on things to show their worth. But, effectively things stayed the same. Dewey bounced back and forth between day shift and night shift and things were tweaked here and there. Otherwise, the men played softball, attended shows, and had an occasional party. He said that he hadn’t had KP in months, but he figured that one day they would remember that he was still there.

Speculation

The guys in Greenville had been busy speculating when the war in Europe would draw to a close. The Army rumor mill said that the Allies were gaining ground and that it wouldn’t be long before it was over. Based on what he heard, Dewey guessed – or hoped – it might be over by mid-December.

Busy, Busy, Busy

A portion of the Greenville crew had been transferred to Battle Creek, Michigan. Dewey didn’t know if that was a sign of things to come, but the idea of escaping the sultry afternoons by moving to a base farther north was appealing. Still, he didn’t think he had a chance of being transferred out of Greenville, especially given they were so busy with the latest B-25 class.

With reduced staff, the maintenance guys at Greenville were fully occupied keeping the planes in working order. The past three weeks, they had even worked on Sunday, but only at half-strength. Dewey liked his Sundays off and so far, he had escaped Sunday duty since some of the guys volunteered to work Sunday so that they could get a day off during the week. It probably meant more work for him, but Dewey felt that he would end up being one of the men who performed a majority of the work anyway. Somehow some of the men always did a majority of the work while others managed to do only the jobs of their choice.

Dewey was glad when the class completed their training. Now, he could finally get some time to relax.

Time Marches On

Early September was warm with a low volume of work for the maintenance guys in Greenville. Dewey attended the regular weekly lectures and watched as soldier after soldier was called in to discuss their driving experience. The speculation was that they were looking for men to reassign as drivers. And, Dewey figured those men were headed for an assignment overseas.

One evening, Dewey listened to a required talk about the Articles of War, which defined the regulations of the military and associated discipline procedures. The Army must have been making the rounds ensuring that every soldier knew the regulations because, although separated by the Atlantic Ocean, within a week’s time both Dewey and Howard attended a class on the Articles of War.

A Change

A few days later, Dewey switched from working production line maintenance during the daytime to being in charge of five planes on the night shift. The maintenance routine had been altered requiring all the engine changes and other maintenance line work to take place during the day. Since no flying had occurred for a couple of days, Dewey had little work to do. However, he had to stay on duty until at least midnight. On September 11, he passed the time until the witching hour by sitting in a plane writing letters. At midnight, Dewey planned to draw straws with his men to see which lucky fellow would get the privilege of staying on duty to baby-sit the planes for the remainder of the shift while the others got to sleep.

With the slow work schedule came the ability for the men to get three-day passes. Dewey hadn’t yet figured out what to do with a three-day pass. He thought it might be fun to go see one of Notre Dame’s upcoming football games. However, he figured that too many of the other guys had the same idea.

There wasn’t much excitement in camp either. The men had made some fun by swimming in the recently filled ditching-pool. However, the fun had been quickly squelched by a new rule stating that no swimming would be allowed until the base could post lifeguards at the site. Before the men could again enjoy swimming, rain and cooler temperatures arrived

A Hurricane Takes Aim

A very large and dangerous hurricane was brewing in the Atlantic. Like most hurricanes, its path wasn’t easy to predict. Originally, it was thought that the hurricane might hit South Carolina. However, the storm had taken a turn northward, which resulted in about 400 planes being flown to Greenville Army Air Base to get them out of the path of the storm.

Just in case the storm took another turn and started tracking near Greenville, the Army Air Force put plans in place to fly all the planes to yet another location if necessary. According to Dewey, “If they had to leave in a hurry, I reckon the runway would’ve been hot.”

Greenville Army Air Base escaped the storm. Instead, eye passed near Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The change in course resulted in a direct hit on military ships on the Atlantic. The USS Warrington, a minesweeper, two Coast Guard cutters, and another boat sunk and 344 military personnel lost their lives.

More Changes

After the storm, it was back to business as usual. Dewey’s time on the night shift hadn’t lasted long and he was back on the day shift again, where he spent a busy day in late September doing a double engine change.

Dewey expected more changes at the beginning of October. The official plan had yet to be revealed. However, Dewey thought the brass was serious about creating a new organizational structure. He speculated that the men would be reorganized into four or five flight squadrons with one maintenance squadron.

Dewey wasn’t sure if some of the men might get shipped out with the change or not. Just in case everybody got split up, the guy thought a big party was in order. They invited the wives and girlfriends that lived in the area, as well as the WACs on base. Since Dewey knew everybody in his current unit and he thought they were a pretty good group, he was not looking forward to the change.

Monotonous Spring

When the spring of 1945 arrived, so did a lot of brass. Rumors floated around Greenville that the commanders might cut the number of planes regularly flying by 10 percent, reducing the planes in the air from 63 to 57. As usual it was difficult to determine the validity of the camp rumors. However, when lots of brass were around, changes were likely. It was true that some of the planes in Greenville were grounded because of a shortage of tires as not even the Army Air Corps could dodge the rubber shortage. However, the fleet size exceeded the number of planes currently in regular use so the training continued without pause.

Life in camp was monotonous, varying little except for the changes in the seasons. Spring had already brought a few days in the mid-eighties. However, that hadn’t lasted long and cool rain followed, making for great sleeping weather, but making night guard duty less pleasant.

Dewey’s days off were equally as exciting. He sent a money order to his parents to pay for his required insurance, sent home papers that needed to be handled, wrote letters, and attended to other details. Even letters home, although cheerful, were the same old thing. They usually included a brief statement about what was happening in his world, questions about the farm, and some questions or teasing about his siblings. For instance, he would ask about Ed and the “girls.”

Still, Dewey was happy leading a boring life instead of dodging bullets overseas. However, he thought the Allies would clean up Germany in two or three more months.

Changes Again . . . Or Not

The Army Air Force wasn’t about to waste good flying weather. And, in drastic shift, the brass was suddenly called for increased flying hours. The senior officers planned to reach 15,000 flying hours during the month of May alone. Dewey thought the 300 inspections required to support that many flying hours would prevent any of the mechanics from leaving Greenville anytime soon. He wrote, “. . . a guy has about as much a chance of getting out of here as he would out of jail. . . I know this isn’t a bad place to be, but is kinda monotonous after all this time.”

Of course, not everything remained the same. Dewey was again anticipating crew changes. After all, he figured the new Major needed to make his mark on the unit. How else would they know he had arrived?

Furlough

After word was received that Howard was missing in action (MIA), Dewey was able to get a furlough to come home for a visit. It had been a long time since he had seen the family and with Howard missing he felt that a trip home was a necessity. So, he packed a bag and caught a train for Florida. It wasn’t exactly a direct route home, but in Jacksonville he could catch the Frisco’s Kansas City-Florida Special.

Soldiers on furlough enjoyed reduced train fares. Still, a round-trip ticket from Greenville, South Carolina to Ft. Scott, Kansas cost about $30, which was significant given the pay soldiers received.

Despite being on leave, Dewey was still required to wear his dress uniform when in public, including while traveling. It provided civilians the opportunity to thank the soldiers and helped maintain a positive image for the military. All too soon it was time for Dewey to return to duty. He left more or less the same as he was when he arrived. The only additions were a bit more of a suntan and a bunch of chigger bites that he had gotten while haying. Being a “visitor” was no excuse not to work. And, it seems Dewey enjoyed being back working on the farm.

Winding Down Operations

With the surrender of the Japanese, operations at the air base in Grenville immediately began to slow. Dewey was now working 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with most days requiring less than a full day’s work. Labor Day weekend had yielded Dewey two and one-half days off. He expected only about two-thirds of the planes in Greenville to continue flying. The remainder would be placed in storage. Thus, Dewey thought that he might start getting partial weekends off for the foreseeable future. It would be a dramatic change from the intense flying schedules of a few months earlier.

Separation Center

Once the war came to a close, the military had a much-reduced need for airplane mechanics or a flight training camp. Thus, Greenville Army Air Base was placed on standby status in November 1945. With no job in Greenville, Dewey was transferred to Ft. Dix, New Jersey, where ten divisions had trained for the war. It was now a separation center helping return 1.2 million soldiers to civilian life.

Dewey’s new job was taking the blood pressure of the men during their physicals as part of the discharge process. Although it was not exciting, Dewey enjoyed the fact that with the men clad only in their underwear, he couldn’t tell who were officers and who were enlisted men. Thus, he didn’t have to worry about saluting and he had the freedom to treat all the men the same.

One day one of the older soldiers being discharged asked, “Have you been taking blood pressures long?” “I was working on airplanes last week, sir” he replied, giving himself, if not others, a chuckle.

Eventually, Dewey found himself in the line to have his blood pressure checked. On January 29, 1946, he was officially discharged from the Army.

Afterward

Dewey later stated that when the atomic bomb was first exploded, that his outlook changed. From then on, he believed that anything man thought of was possible. That was likely not the only thing that changed about Dewey when he was in Greenville. Later in life, he was a “real” card player. He was very hard to beat and considered card playing serious business. Dad always said that Dewey could keep track of every card that had been played, making him a tough opponent. Although I don’t know for sure, I imagine he honed those skills during the boring down times at Greenville.

Note: Portions of this story are adapted from a book I wrote about the family, but have not yet published.

What is a Family Reunion?

Posted on June 24, 2024 by FHadmin

Some families have gatherings weekly or monthly, others for major holidays, and others never get together at all. When it comes to Joseph Andrew and Nellie (Peelle) McCracken’s family, any time two or more family members get together, it isn’t just a family gathering, it is a family reunion.

Holidays

McCracken Family Reunion in 1953 – Grandpa’s Generation and some of their offspring

My McCracken grandparents had 11 children. Ten grew to adulthood and when I was born all were living except my Uncle Howard who was MIA in WWII. By the time, my dad and his siblings stopped having kids, Joe and Nellie had 18 grandkids. Fortunately, they didn’t have as many kids as their parents or nobody in the family would have had a house large enough for the entire clan.

Christmas & Thanksgiving

In those growing up days, the family usually got together on or around Christmas or Thanksgiving. We had turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, gravy, rolls, lots of Jello salads, pies, mac & cheese, multiple items with cranberries, veggies, and more. At Christmas, each generation drew names and everybody got grandma presents. Once you add in spouses, the number of presents under the tree got quite large.

We also gathered for the 4^th of July. It would start off with tons of food, usually out on a hay-rack. Lots of picnic food. Potato salad may have been the biggest favorite. Home grown watermelon and soda pop that had been sitting in a tub of ice all day were probably my favorite things.

4th of July

Firecrackers went off all day and in the evenings some of the folks stayed around for night-works. They would go on for what seemed like an eternity as there were so many. Such was the display that when we held the get-together at Dewey and Jackie’s (the Homeplace), people would stop along Highway 7 and watch.

After Grandma passed and the next generation’s kids got grown up, the holiday celebrations changed. Christmas and Thanksgiving gatherings shrunk as more families had their own celebrations and made their own traditions. Larger family gatherings did occur from time to time, but usually in the summer or tied to some other occasion (e.g. Dee’s 80^th birthday).

Coincidental Meetings

McCracken Siblings 1994 @ O’Ella’s 80th Birthday Celebration

Now, a formal planned gathering was not required for a family reunion to occur. Almost every time we went to Whitesides to get groceries, a mini-reunion would occur with Ester, Stan, or Steve, who worked there for many years. Of course, seeing other relatives was always a possibility.

These days those family meetings seem to generally take place at Walmart, but they bring just as much chatter as the ones of old. However, one of the most interesting ones occurred when Rod and I saw Steve and Liz at QuikTrip in Overland Park – when we were still living in Denver. The people there clearly weren’t accustomed to McCracken mini-reunions. I think there were a few looks about these strange people that were hugging, talking, and laughing.

Funerals

McCrackens took the approach that when there was a death in the family and you were all together, you might as well enjoy a good visit. Fun and laughter were a part of the gathering. They didn’t believe in sitting around and being sad. As a Peelle, I am not sure Grandma approved of the McCracken philosophy on funerals. It was clearly a different approach than that of some of the in-laws’ families.

Surgery

When Dad had his septuple bypass about a month before he turned 85, it was quite a risky operation. Dad wanted to talk to Sky before the surgery (Sky and Vance were as close as he could get to talking to brother Don). Sky decided that instead of talking on the phone, he needed to make the trip from Kentucky to see Dad.

Waiting Room Demeanor

Well, the day of surgery, Cindy, Steve, Sky, Ann, and I were all there. Dad’s surgery lasted for many hours and we were waiting in the “Waiting Room,” which wasn’t really a room at all. St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin had been destroyed in the huge EF-5 tornado on Sunday May 22, 2011. Instead of a several story hospital, Dad was having surgery in a temporary hospital made of modules that were put together (there was one place you could see up above the ceiling and see the chains holding things together).

The surgical area was a large area surrounded by hallways. The main hallway connecting to the patient rooms just happened to also be the surgery waiting area. So, the family was there gabbing away, laughing, and telling stories. At one point, one of the volunteers came over and offered to get us a room to hang out in. We responded that were fine. I think that was to her dismay as I think she didn’t think we had the proper demeanor for people who had a family member undergoing a serious surgery. But, Dad wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. He wouldn’t have wanted us to waste that time being serious and solemn. Family was together and he believed you should enjoy it when you got the opportunity.

Side Story

Yes, I remember where I was at the time of the Joplin tornado. We were in Lawrence at Bigg’s BBQ on Iowa Street having a post-KU graduation dinner. Sis got a call from Dad who was at home. That was really alarming because he didn’t just call for no reason. Well, he called to tell us about the tornado.

When we drove through Joplin the following year, you could see the tornado track. And, a year later there still were areas that looked like they had been bombed.

I also remember how emotional the people in Joplin still were nearly two years later while Dad was in the hospital. The tornado was mentioned more than one time, probably because at the time of Dad’s subsequent surgery tornado warnings went off one night. And, I could see tears in multiple people’s eyes just at the mention of the tornado.

Planning

Once, they said that the surgery appeared to be successful, the cousins started planning a big bash for his 90^th birthday. There was a debate about 90^th or 95^th, but they decided not to push their luck. Ninety was a good choice, as he made 90, but not 95).

Interjecting Oneself

After the surgery we – as in all of us – talked to the doctor, who I think was a bit shocked to see a room full of people. Afterward, we walked into the hallway and were preparing to go our separate ways and some of us were staying and others were heading home. As is typical the good-bye took some time because the conversation continued. At some point, Sky began to tell a story. I don’t remember the topic, but a total stranger overheard our discussion and walked up stating, “Hold on a minute, I want to hear this!”

So, he joined the group just like he was one of the family. Sky told the story and we eventually went our separate ways.

90^th Birthday

Dad with the Fisher Clan. We took pictures like this with everyone that attended the celebration.

Our last big family reunion was Dad’s 90^th birthday party. It was a family reunion plus neighbors and friends. It had been awhile and everyone was excited to get together for a reason that didn’t include someone dying. Although we thought it might be too much for him, Dad really seemed to enjoy the day. And, he got a special request to sing “Randolph the Flat-Nosed Reindeer” because one of his nieces wanted her daughter and granddaughter to hear the song.. He obliged. And, those who heard him, loved it.

Family, Neighbors, Friends All Talking and Having A Good Time

Changing Gatherings

Four years later when Dad passed at 94 years, 4 months, and 3 days, change occurred again as he was the last of Nellie and Joe’s children. So, the big formal family gatherings are likely to be few and far between as the glue that held the grandkids together has faded. Besides, all of the grandkids are getting older, five of them have already left this earthly plane, and many of the others have their own kids and grandkids. Guess we will need to hang out at Walmart if we want to see family.

Photograph of Nellie, Joe, and Children: Photographed by Rennett’s Studio. Copyright purchased from the studio by L. Thomson.