Veteran Ancestors: A Call to Arms (Revised: Ancestors Added 9-11-17)

William & Jennie -  1991
CDR Lambert's Ret. Photo

Veterans Day is the day set aside in the US to recognize and honor all who have, or are serving in, the US military and adjunct services. This should not be confused with “Memorial Day”, which is the day in May set aside to honor those who have died while in service to our country. Memorial Day arose following the US Civil War. Veterans Day was established following the end of WW I (November 11, 1918) to recognize the horrendous sacrifices of Americans associated with the “Great War.” Since then, we have come to realize that the “Great War”, unfortunately, really was not “the war to end all wars”; far from it. Since then, Veterans Day has morphed into a day to recognize the seemingly perpetual fusillade of wars and those who attend them, or provide a buffer against them, more or less. The term now embraces all those who have served to establish this country as well as those who continue to ensure its existence. It essentially covers the period of the North American Colonial War for Independence (“American Revolutionary War”) (1775-1783) through today… and tomorrow. (Note: we also have ancestors in the “Seven Years War” [French & Indian in N. America] 1754-1763), and most likely in “King Phillip’s War” 1675-78; however, these and other conflicts are outside the definition set for “American" (US) Veterans. However, some of those earlier ancester "veterans" are listed below as well).

Our ancestor search for those who have served as "Veterans" in the US Armed Forces/ Uniformed Services from colonial times to present, while plentiful, is far from complete. We need your help. Thus, our blog title, a call to arms. Here is what we need, to the extend known, or comfort in sharing: Name of Veteran; service entity/component; rank/rate, period(s) of service (specific as possible), location of service; if deceased, location and/or information of resting place; known/ calculated relationship to our genealogical family; or, any other info you wish to provide, such as KIA, MIA, special honors, photographs, etc.  You can get the info to us by US mail, email, phone ....

If things go well, by next Veterans Day we should have a much better understanding of the depth and array of our ancestral and serving veterans.

Meanwhile, here are some examples of Veterans in our Genealogy:

William James Lambert, Jr. Commander, Medical Service Corps, Navy Retired, 1960-1991. Served with all components of the Uniformed Services and Office of the Secretary of Defense.

William James Lambert, Army, Sgt. WW II Era. Deceased, Mem. Zanesville, OH [William’s father]

Nicole A. (Lambert) Bull, Army JROTC, 1980s [Wm & Jennie’s daughter]

Reagan Bull, Army JROTC, 1980s, [Wm & Jennie’s son-in-law]

Janelle R. (Lambert) Wright, Army JROTC,1980s [Wm & Jennie’s daughter]

Robert Bush [Sr.]. Army, PFC, WW II Era/European Theater, 1940s.  Awarded two Bronze Stars; three Purple Hearts, deceased, Mem. Canton, OH [Jennie’s father]

Robert Bush, [Jr.]. Army, Vietnam Era/Germany, 1960s [Jennie’s brother]

Raymond Bush. Navy, Petty Officer, Vietnam Era/Southeast Asia, [Jennie’s brother]

Kellen Bush. USAF, Staff Sgt. [Jennie’s Nephew]

Rolland Havens. US Army, Tech 5 (Cpl.). WWII, Asiatic-Pacific Theater (Guadalcanal, Solomons and Philippines). Deceased. Buried, Wadsworth, OH. [William's Maternal Uncle]

L. Clayton Hines. Navy, WWII Era. 1944, Lost at Sea [Jennie’s Maternal Uncle]

Morton E. Hines. US Coast Guard, 1940s. Deceased. Mem. FL [Jennie’s Uncle]

Dennis Wertheimer. Army Reserve Retired, Master Sgt. Deceased, Mem. Western Reserve Military Cemetery, Rittman, OH [Wm’s Brother-in-Law]

Phillip Lambert. Continental Army, Pvt., War of Independence. 1770s-80s [Wm’s 5X Pat. ggf]

Noah Lambert. Pvt., 16th Regiment,VA Calvary, CSA, US Civil War.  [William's 4X Pat. ggf]

Noah May, US Army, Pvt. US Civil War, 1860s. Died in service. Mem. Civil War Military Section, Lexington, KY, Cemetery. [Wm’s 5X Maternal ggf]

Squire Boone. War of Independence; DAR Recognized. Mem. Mocksville, NC [Wm’s 6X ggf].

Daniel Boone’s father. Squire Boone’s daughter, Mary, married William Bryant (aka Bryan), linking to Havens.

William Bryan, Army, Captain, Frontier Forces, War of Independence, 1770s. Killed during forging party, defense of Bryan Station [Fort], KY. Mem. Bryan Station Cemetery, Lexington, KY. [Wm’s 5X maternal ggf].

William Thomas Street. US Army, OH Reg., Pvt., US Civil War, 1861-65. [Jennie’s 2X ggf]

George Ball, Capt., War of Independence. [Wm's ancester]

James Ball, Lieutenant, War of Independence [Jennie's ancester]

Joseph Ball. KY 17th Calvary (Union), US Civil War.

Joshua Cecil. Continental Army, Pvt., War of Independence. SAR recognized [Jennie’s 5X ggf]

Gideon Parson, Sgt. MA Militia, War of Independence. SAR recognized [Jennie’s 4X ggf]

James Rice. War of Independence. VA 7th Regiment. Served: 1775 - ?. [Wm's ancester]

Henry Cleveland. Continental Army/Northern Army, Pvt., War of Independence. [Jennie’s 6X ggf]

Jebediah Cleveland. Continental Army. Sgt., War of Independence. DAR recognized.

[Jennie’s 4X ggf]

William Cleveland, Captain, French & Indian War. War of Independence Parent & Mayflower direct Decendent of William Bradford. SAR recognized. [Jennie's 5X ggf]

Elis Merrell (1812-1744). West Point Regiment. [Jennie's Paternial. 5X ggf]

Abraham Crabtree (1750-1838). Lord Dunmore's [Indian] War, 1774.

William & Jennie

E/M: drlambert-1@sbcglobal.net

Halloween – A Time to Remember Departed Ancestors - Witches Be Brewing; Saints Preserve US

Sainte-Chapelle - Paris
Photo by Jennie Lambert 

As this blog will reveal, there is actually an association between “Halloween” and genealogy. Without knowledge of one’s ancestors, their existence and our acknowledgement of that existence, “Halloween” loses its original purpose.

In 2015 an estimated $ 7 Billion will be spent on “Halloween” activities in the USA. That’s a lot of amusements, sweets and bizarre behavior. But, like so many contemporary festive occasions, the origin and purpose of “Halloween”, has been “hijacked” from the original intent. One would not know it in the USA, with “Madison Avenue” and Hollywood’s versions of witches, zombies and a host of bizarre activities, but Halloween is a deeply religious event as well, based on solid genealogical connections.

“Halloween”, as a modern notion, was born centuries ago out of a Catholic Church process for recognizing and venerating Saints and the blessing of departed Souls. It is derived from All Hallows Eve (October 31), followed by All Saints Eve (November 1), and All Souls Day (November 2). Today, these dates, and the religious observations associated with them are an integral part of the religious convictions and practices of billions of people throughout the world within a number of religious bodies and different cultures.

Since ancient times (think many thousands of years), across all people worldwide, belief systems and religious customs evolved to honor, respect, remember, and sometimes dread, departed kin (ancestors). Most cultures around the world long ago honed these events into deeply ingrained rituals. The mass migrations of people during the past 2000-3000 years aided the blending of these customs. The Celtic Druids of Ireland had a number of customs during Samhain (Sow-in) that look a bit like Halloween in present day North America. The Ancient Aztecs (presently Mexico and Central America) had elaborate rituals for celebrating the departed and communicating with them. Following the Spanish conquest these early rituals were incorporated with the Catholic religion and the celebration of Saints/Souls became Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Throughout the World, wherever Christian Conquistadors and Colonials went they tried to get locals to abandon their “pagan” rituals honoring the departed and adopt the Christian Catholic/Anglican versions, with some Lutheran and other Christian variations participating. With few exceptions they failed, and frequently adjusted Christian religious holidays to coincide with those of local customs. For example, a Catholic oriented Hispanic community in Texas, where we had our B&B, turned the local cemetery into a colorful, flower strewn, candle-light, all-night vigil during “Halloween” to celebrate and communicate with the dearly departed on Dia de los Muertos. Our local Lutheran Church, on this occasion has traditionally encouraged members to bring photos/mementos of the departed to Church to participate in special prayers and remembrances.

So, “Halloween” may indeed be a time to visit cemeteries, but to decorate and remember, not to desecrate and disrespect. After all, this “hallowed ground.”

OK, fans of the Bush (Hines) – Lambert (Havens) progeny lines, you knew this blog had to descend into some haunted aspect of genealogy. So here it is. We have already established that witches hung out in Jennie’s New England family tree. (Check it out: http://williamandjennie.blogspot.com/2013_10_01_archive.html ).

It may now surprise you to learn that both of us have Saints in our genealogy repertoire as well. Time to remember some of them.

Saint Margaret of Scotland (1045-1093), Jennie’s 29^th great grandmother (ggm) and William’s 24^th ggm.  In 1250 Margaret was canonized by Pope Innocent IV, and her remains were reinterred in a shrine at Dunfermline Abbey, Fife, Scotland. She had an incredible life; her influence on Scottish culture was legendary. She is a pivotal ancestor to our eastern European, English and Scottish Ancestry.  Her son, King David I of Scotland, was also canonized. More about St. Margaret: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=304  and at:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=SA&GSpartial=1&GSbyrel=all&GScntry=50&GSsr=1&GRid=8385477&

Another Saint on the family tree is Louis lX Capet (1214-1270), King of France, (1226-1270), He is

Jennie’s 25^th great grandfather and William’s 20^th ggf. The only French King officially designated as a Catholic Saint, Louis IX has been characterized as an “exemplary Christian prince . . . reinforced by religious zeal.” He built the Sainte-Chapelle ("Holy Chapel"), located in the center of  Paris. 

The Sainte Chapelle, was erected as a shrine for the “Crown of Thorns”, and a fragment of the “True Cross”, relics of the “Passion of Jesus,” which Louis purchased 1239–41 from Emperor Baldwin II, then Latin Emperor of Constantinople (another ancestor).

During our recent visit to Paris we toured Sainte Chapelle. It is indeed an exquisite gothic masterpiece. The long flights of tightly wound stone stairs to the upper Chapel just about did both of us in. Those people did not live in a handicapped accessible world (still don’t). Pilgrimage was required, however, because this was also the Chapel that French King Louis XlV received a funeral oration in 1715 from Bishop Jean-Baptiste Massillon, alleged to be the greatest theologian orator of his time, and for whom our hometown of Massillon, Ohio, is named.

Isabel [Elizabeth] of France (1225-1270). Saint Isabel is a great, great … Aunt to both of us, she being the daughter of Louis VIII of France and Blanche of Castile (French/Spain). She was a younger sister of King Louis IX of France (Saint Louis) and of Alfonso, Count of Poitiers (Fr.), and an older sister of King Charles I of Sicily. In 1256, she founded the Poor Clare Monastery of Longchamp, west of Paris. She is honored as a saint by the Franciscan Order.

That’s it for now.

William & Jennie