Merry Christmas All

A Merry Christmas from my family's archives. Below is a family Christmas card actually more ancient than I.


This next one was given to my mother from my father in the 1930s.


Peggy has made many handmade ornaments over the years, like this one hanging on her parents' tree in 2004.



Peggy and I once visited the Church of St. Nicholas! And, yes, it is that St. Nicholas. The 4th-century Bishop Nicholas of Myra, Turkey, who was generous, loved children and probably gave toys to tots. Early legend has him riding a white horse and throwing coins through open windows to impoverished families. He eventually became the Dutch "Sinter Klaas" and after they settled in New Amsterdam (now New York), that was corrupted to "Santa Claus."

There are many such churches. This one is in Padua (Padova), Italy.

Peggy and I are lovers of felines. Many cats have taken part in our Christmas festivities over the years:





And to all, a good night.

Remembering a Beloved Family Member

This is Peggy's cousin Melba's hubby, Dick Callender, fishing in the Rogue River at Farewell Bend, in Oregon in 2000. He left us for heaven in 2012, so this is Melba's fourth Christmas season without him. Dick and Melba have been part of our family Christmas celebrations for many years, and we are happy to have Melba with us once again in Missouri. Dick has left an unfilled place in our hearts, but that will change when we gather once again in heaven.

My Wife and My Dad Fishing the Pit

This recently scanned slide is one of my all-time favorite shots. Peggy and my dad casting lines in Pit River near Big Bend in 1979.

The most popular Christmas carol of all time

The words to "Silent Night" have evolved over the nearly two centuries of its existence. Early English translations from Joseph Mohr's original German read this way:

Holy night! Peaceful night!
Through the darkness beams a light
Yonder, where they sweet vigils keep
O’er the babe, who, in silent sleep,
Rests in heavenly peace.

Still, our first verse is pretty close to this. And it's been translated into more than 200 other languages. It is said that it reigns as the most popular Christmas carol of all time.

Today Is the 74th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor Memorial at Springfield National Cemetery. 

The inscription reads:

In Memory of Members of the U.S. Military Forces who gave their lives during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and other military installations on Dec. 7, 1941, a date that will live in infamy.

"Remember Pearl Harbor" 

"Keep America Alert"

Dedicated By Missouri Ozark Chapt. 6 

Pearl Harbor Survivors Association

Aug. 8, 1992 

Civil War "Drummer Boy" Orion Perseus Howe, Medal of Honor Recipient

12/29/1848-1/27/1930
He is buried in the Springfield [MO] National Cemetery.

Photo: Public Domain

CPL CO C
55 ILL INF

Received the Congressional Medal of Honor for service in the Civil War. A musician in Company C, 55th Illinois Infantry, he was cited for bravery at Vicksburg, Mississippi, May 19,1863.

The regimental historian for the 55th Illinois is quoted in the 1932 book Sherman: Fighting Prophet by Lloyd Lewis:

“We could see him nearly all the way…he ran through what seemed a hailstorm of canister and musket-balls, each throwing up its little puff of dust when it struck the dry hillside. Suddenly he dropped and hearts sank, but he had only tripped. Often he stumbled, sometimes he fell prostrate, but was quickly up again and he finally disappeared from us, limping over the summit and the 55th saw him no more for several months.”

His medal citation: "A drummer boy, 14 years of age, and severely wounded and exposed to heavy fire from the enemy, he persistently remained upon the field of battle until he had reported to Gen. W. T. Sherman the necessity of supplying cartridges for the use of troops under command of Colonel Malmborg."

Howe was awarded the medal on April 23, 1896, when he was 47.

Sources:
Find A Grave Memorial# 19578
Child Soldiers in the Civil War by Rebecca Beatrice Brooks on the Civil War Saga blog, accessed 11/16/15.

See more photos of the historic Springfield National Cemetery (which is in our hometown) here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/hornkl/albums/72157640147228915

Mary Dyer Statue Inscription, Boston

Mary Dyer Quaker Witness for Religious Freedom Hanged on Boston Common 1660 "My life not availeth me in comparison to the liberty of the truth."

Author and Dyer expert Christy K. Robinson has demonstrated that these words are likely not those of Mary Dyer (my ancestor). They do not match the words of the extant letter in Mary's hand. Robinson believes that Edward Burrough, a Quaker minister who wrote a pamphlet to King Charles II, wrote the words and appended Mary's name. The Boston magistrates had written a pamphlet defending the execution of Dyer in June 1660 and Burrough refuted them and used "Mary's words" as part of his ammunition. It worked and King Charles ordered Governor John Endecott to cease any further executions. From henceforth all capital cases would have to be referred to England for trial.

Additionally, Robinson points out that Mary would not have been executed on Boston Common but outside the city gate. (Executions did not begin on the Common until the 1800s.)

For author Robinson's article on this, see "A mystery cloaked in the obvious" at marybarrettdyer.blogspot.com/2014/02/a-mystery-cloaked-in.... Also see her fine non-fiction work, The Dyers of London, Boston, & Newport (2013), as well as her two fact-based novels.

Civil War Soldier Reinterred at Springfield National Cemetery

A Civil War soldier who was killed at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, August 10, 1861, was buried at Springfield National Cemetery on October 17, 2015. This was four years after his remains were discovered at nearby Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield. The burial was considered a reinterment, because he had apparently been given a battle site burial. A committal service was held the same day of the burial, with full military honors, Civil War reenactors, and remarks by dignitaries. It was 2011, when a visitor to the National Battlefield park saw a bone protruding from an embankment, then found other bones and artifacts as he dug around the bone. Removal of artifacts and especially human remains from such a site is illegal. Ten days after taking the artifacts, the individual returned them to the National Park Service. The man could have been given a prison sentence of up to two years and fined up to $20,000. Instead he was allowed to pay $5,351 restitution and do several hours of community service. [Sources: "Civil War soldier’s remains finally laid to rest" by Jon Swedien, Springfield News-Leader, October 18, 2015, accessed Dec. 1, 2015. patriotguard.org, accessed Dec. 1, 2015.] Ken Horn photos, Dec. 1, 2015

Lieut. Kevin G. Burke Memorabilia, Left at Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall, in Springfield, MO 7/10/15

Honoring a War Hero Who Deserves to Be Remembered:
At the Vietnam Memorial Wall in D.C., people leave personal mementoes by the hundreds. Yesterday, when I viewed the Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall here in Springfield, this scrapbook page had been left near a fallen hero's name. I searched his name online and discovered that this soldier, Lieut. Kevin G. Burke of Anita, Iowa, was a true war hero who had given his life for others. Burke was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's second highest military decoration, as well as the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman's Badge.

He deserves to remembered. From the dedication in the second edition of Tell A Tale of Iowa by Don Doyle Brown:

"In the early dawn of November 20, 1968, near the tiny village of Tan My in Quang Tin Province, South Vietnam, Lt. Kevin G. Burke of Anita, Iowa, volunteered to lead a rescue mission to attempt to reach several men from another company who were pinned down by enemy fire.

"Lt. Burke carried two injured men to safety and then charged the enemy fortification, again braving heavy fire to attempt to rescue a seriously injured man who lay next to an enemy bunker. As he neared the wounded soldier a single enemy shot found its mark and instantly killed Lt. Kevin Burke.

"At the age of 24, Kevin Burke, a son of Iowa, a star in athletics, an award winning public speaker, a graduate of Notre Dame, a man of many friends, and a youth whose future held unbounded promise, died the death of a hero in a foreign land while trying to save the life of a man he didn't even know.

"During his funeral on December 7, 1968, the anniversary of the start of another war, the whole town of Anita turned out in a solemn honor guard at a round the clock vigil to honor the memory of its fallen son. Later the Department of the Army awarded Lt. Burke the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's second highest military decoration, as well as the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman's Badge.

"This book then, is dedicated to the memory of Lt. Kevin G. Burke, who, by the manner in which he lived and by the manner in which he died, proved he was a hero all the way."

My Ancestry Back to My Great-Grandparents

Ahnentafel format:

1 Kenneth Leroy HORN [That's me; this list also works for my two sisters]

PARENTS

2 Leroy Kenneth Earl HORN b. April 4, 1910, Douglas Co. near Girdner, Missouri; d. May 30, 1991, Richmond, Contra Costa Co., California[1]

m. 9/2/1933 Richmond, Contra Costa Co., California

3 Adeline [Rose Adelaide] COREY b. July 19, 1908, Hill Crest (now Daly City), California; d. Jan. 17, 1994, San Pablo, Contra Costa Co., CA[2]

GRANDPARENTS

4 Frank Eugene Horn b. Nov. 9, 1882, Shenandoah, Fremont/Page Co., Iowa; d. July 8, 1960, Pleasant Hill, Contra Costa Co., California[3]

[m1.: Anna Schmidt 9/20/1903 Watonga, Blaine Co., OK][4]

m2. [BCW] 7/29/1908 Watonga, Blaine Co., OK

5 Bessie Cleo Wharton b. 10/19/1889[5] Bosworth, Carroll County, Mo.; d. 3/15/1971, Martinez, Contra Costa Co., CA

6 Earl Councilman Corey b. Aug. 15, 1888[6] or 1889[7] Omaha, Nebraska; d. Mar 21, 1967[8] Santa Clara, CA[9]

m1. [MEM] Aug. 9, 1907, San Francisco, CA; divorced after 1930[10]

[m2. Harriet Venable Barker [Her m1 to Uddenberg] Dec. 6, 1934, San Benito, CA (b. 1/2/1891, CA; d. 2/17/1983, Santa Clara, CA)][11]

7 Mary (Mamie) Ellen Mylon b. Dec. 25, 1888, San Francisco, CA; d. June 26, 1978, San Pablo, Contra Costa Co., CA[12]


GREAT-GRANDPARENTS

8 John Henry Franklin Horn b. Aug. 12, 1861, Allentown, Lehigh Co., PA; d. Sept. 30, 1953, Yuma Rural, Yuma Co., Arizona[13]

m. [JMF] 1/12/1882, Sidney, Fremont Co., Iowa[14]

[m2. 1893[15] Anna Elizabeth Ward Haffey (b. 11/23/1856- d. 9/5/1925), Madison Co., Mississippi]

9 Jennie May (Jane) Fishbaugh b. June 22, 1862[16], Tiffin, Seneca Co., Ohio; d. 
July 7, 1890, Anthony, Harper Co., Kansas

10 William M. Wharton b. Jan. 1859, Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Michigan; d. Frederick, Tillman Co., Oklahoma[17]

m. Aug. 4, 1885, Carroll Co., Missouri[18]

11 Susan “Susie” Frances Addis b. Mar. 1860, Carroll Co, Missouri; d. between 1920-1930[19]

12 Seth Ambrose Corey b. May 13, 1863, Illinois; d. Jan. 21, 1929, San Francisco, CA[20]

m1. [AC] Nov. 4, 1886, Omaha, Douglas Co., Nebraska[21]

m2. Elizabeth A. Unknown (1877-1945), after June 1909

13 Amanda Adeline or Adelaide “Addie” Councilman b. Nov. 1856, Welton, Clinton, Iowa, or July 1857, Iowa[22]; d. June 1909

14 Thomas J. Mylon[23] b. Nov. 4, c.1849, Roscommon, Ireland[24]; d. June 17, 1912, San Francisco, Calif.[25]

m. 1887, St. Patrick’s Church, San Francisco, CA.

15 Rose Ann Conlon b. June 22, 1870[26], Dublin, Ireland[27] d. Dec. 12, 1930[28]

---

[1] Birth, death and marriage documents.

[2] Birth, death and marriage documents.

[3] Buried Memory Gardens, Concord, Contra Costa Co., California.
 Obits., etc.

[4] (lic. date 9/18)

[5] (birth cert.; 1900 census says Sept., wrong); ; bur. Memory Gardens, Concord, CA

[6] (1942 draft card)

[7] (1917 draft card & death certif.)

[8] (death index)

[9] [SS# 545095363]

[10] Wedding License: 8/19/1907, with consent of Earl Corey’s father. Marriage Certif. (same doc.): 8/9/1907 (one date typo?). City and county of San Francisco.

Witnesses: Bessie Corey 22 Byington Ave.

            S.A. Corey --

[11] SS# 545095362

[12] Obituary. Buried in Sunset View Cemetery, El Cerrito, CA. Cemetery incorrectly listed as Berkeley in at least one obituary. Photograph of headstone by KLH.

[13] (death certif.); ; bap. 1861 Jordan Reformed Church, Allentown, PA

[14] [Fishbaugh Bible]

[15]  Ancestry.com family trees.

[16]  [6/22/1861 in Fishbaugh Bible]

[17]  1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1930 censuses [June Standley has d. Manitou, Tillman County, Oklahoma]; bur. Oklahoma. Middle initial poss. W.?

[18] Missouri Marriages 1750-1920 Index

[19] Censuses. (She’s on 1920 census but William is “widowed” on the 1930 census.) Addis & Bright Family Tree claims Death 5 Apr 1940 in Bosworth, Carroll, Missouri, but no doc and it disagrees w/ census.

[20] Funeral record and FindAGrave [Nov. 1860, Ohio in 1900 census. See problems.]

1910 Census

San Francisco

Ten years after 1900 census, Seth has a second wife, Elizabeth A. (did Addie die?), Earl C. is out of the household (he was the oldest); there are 2 new children, George & Myrtle. The 4 holdover children from the 1900 census have the same names and are all 10 years older, so these are definitely the same kids.

But here’s the problem. A bunch of info is different from the 1900 census:

Seth should be 50; but he’s 44. His parents are listed as from Ireland and Mass. (instead of both Ohio). His birthplace is listed as Illinois, instead of Ohio. The four holdover kids are listed as born in Wisconsin (instead of Washington), as is George. Myrtle was born in Calif.

They are living in San Francisco, which is where Earl Corey and Mary Ellen Mylon met and married.

1920 census lists Seth (53 from Illinois) & Elizabeth (42 from CA) in San Francisco w/ 2 daughters, Myrtle (13) and Phebe (7).

….

Possible: Birth 1862 in Spring Rock, Clinton, Iowa

Death 1929 [http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/68798403/person/36191716314 Parents = Gideon C. & Mary Robts. No spouse or children listed.]

Find A Grave Memorial# 21284791 has Seth A. Corey b. May 13, 1863, Illinois; d. Jan. 21, 1929, California. Bur. Woodlawn Memorial Park, Colma, San Mateo County, California

With Elizabeth A. 1877-1945

[21] Actual marriage record says: "Seth A. Corey, Addie Councilmann [double N is prob. a typo], Nov. 4, 1886, First Methodist Church, Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska." The 1900 census says they've been married 13 years, which is correct. They had not yet reached their 14th anniversary when the census was taken.

1900 Census

Fairhaven, Whatcom, Washington

Corey Seth A: head, b. Nov. 1860, age 31 [bad math; would be 40], m. 13 years, b. Ohio, mother b. Ohio, father b. Ohio, occupation” police man, owned house (mortgaged)

Corey Addie: wife, b. Jul. 1851, age 42 [bad math; would be 49], m. 13 years, mother of 5 children, all living, b. Iowa, mother b. New York, father b. New York

Children:

Earl C b. Aug. 1888, age 11, b. Nebraska

Bessie A b. Sep. 1891, age 8, b. Washington

Grace B b. Jan. 1894, age 6, b. Washington

Frank S b. Aug. 1895, age 4, b. Washington

Ross T b. June 1897, age 2, b. Washington

[22]  [1900 census] [AMANDA A., born Nov., 1856; died June, 1909.]

[23] Ellene Horn Reagan’s written notes from interview with Mary Mylon Corey list his name as John Thomas; other records reverse that. His name on gravestone is Thomas (see Find A Grave Memorial# 95957251). His son was named John Thomas.

[24] Place listed on all four of his military enlistment/discharge papers.

[25] Buried 
San Francisco National Cemetery: census and Find A Grave Memorial# 95957251. Fought in Indian Wars. His copies of service papers burned in San Francisco Quake and Fire, according to Ellene Horn Reagan’s written notes from interview with Mary Mylon Corey. His pictures were with Mary Corey’s sister Anne.

[26] (funeral rec.)

[27]  Immigrated 1874. This and her birthplace from Ellene Horn Reagan’s written notes from interview with Mary Mylon Corey.

[28] Following operation for appendicitis, she died of “ether pneumonia,” according to doctor’s statement.