This is a story of men at war. I glance at a handy list of the dates of American wars and the birthdates of (until recently only) men who might have taken part in those wars. The overwhelming fact driven home by this list is–too many wars.
Last year on Pearl Harbor Day, I wrote a little about our family’s World War II veterans, and how rationing affected the home folk. You can read about the World War II effects on family here.
I have started a running list of ancestors who were veterans of various wars in our country’s history. Almost all survived. The list continues to grow, but here are some of my ancestor/veterans I have discovered so far, with birth date, place they enlisted, and relationship to me. If you know of some information I have missed, please tell me in the comments below.
Veterans of New England Indian Wars
- Major Peter Bulkely (b. 1642) Concord [8th great grandfather]
- Capt. Joseph Bulkely (b. 1670) Concord [7th great grandfather]
- Captain Joseph Hubbard (b. 1689) Concord, [6th great grandfather]
- David Stone (b. 1646) 1675, Great Swamp Fight, Framingham) [paternal grandfather of wife of 5th great-grand uncle–Ezekial Howe of Howe’s Tavern.]
DIED IN BATTLE:
John Howe Jr. (b.1640) Sudbury, Killed in battle at age 36 [7th great grand uncle]
Veterans of American Revolution
- Lt. Samuel Stone Jr. (b. 1748) Died 1775, Buried in Rutland MA Cemetery.[1st cousin 6 x removed.]
- Ezekial Howe, (b. 1720) Lt. Col in MInutemen 1775, Col. of Regiment 1776-June 1779. Led Sudbury troops to Concord Bridge April 19, 1775. [5th great-grand uncle.]
- Ezekial Howe, Jr., Minutemen. (b. 1756) Ran 16 miles from Sudbury to Concord on the sounding of the alarm April 19, 1775. [1st cousin 6 X removed.]
- Jeduthan Stone, (b. 1748) Minuteman, Pvt. in Militia from Rutland MA, Fought at Concord [4th great grandfather]
- Note: Father John Fife Sr. and sons William and John Jr. all served.
- John Fife Sr.,(b. 1721) Pvt. 4th C., 2nd Battalion in Washington County PA militia. [5th Great Grandfather]
- William Fife (b. 1751) 12th Virginia Regiment 1777-1778, Captain in 4th Co., 2nd Battalion. Washington County PA Militia 1782. [4th Great granduncle]
- John Fife Jr.,( b. 1756) Enlisted in Washington County, PA militia. Capt, 4th C. 2nd Battalion. [4th great grandfather]
- Samuel Bassett,(b. 1754) Fifer, enlisted at Keene New Hampshire, slightly wounded at Battle of Bunker Hill [4th great grandfather]
- Note: Brothers Israel, Benjamin and Stephen Barrett Jr. all served.
- Israel Barrett (b. 1757) Enlisted in 1775 and second time in 1781. Served as Private under Col. Tupper, then in Nixon’s regiment. Taken prisoner and held in Quebec for about nine months. [4th great-grand uncle, step-son of Elizabeth Hubbard Howe Barrett]
- Stephen Barrett, Jr. (b. 1753) [4th great-grand uncle, step-son of Elizabeth Hubbard Howe Barrett.]
- Benjamin Barrett (b. 1759 ) [4th great-grand uncle, step-son of Elizabeth Hubbard Howe Barrett]
Veteran of War of 1812
William Cochran [b. 1793]Enlisted in Ohio. Served six months in 1812 and one year from November 1813 to November 1814. [3rd Great Grandfather]
Veterans of Spanish American War (1898)
Although there is a Spanish American War medallion in the Stout family graveyard in Guernsey County, Ohio, it is not clear to whom it belongs.
Veterans of Civil War
- William McCabe Anderson (b. 1841) Enlisted in Ohio, September, 1861. Discharged October 1864. Served in Co. B, 16th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Was held captive for part of his service, but not in Andersonville as speculated in his obituary. [Great Grand Uncle, brother of Isabella McCabe Anderson.]
- Benjamin Franklin Stone (b. 1782 ) Enlisted in Rutland MA in 1872 and reenlisted in 1873. Advanced from Pvt. of Company C, 73rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry to Adj. General of the 11th Army Corps. Fought at Manassas, Gettysburg, Lookout Mountain and was part of Sherman’s March to the Sea. [1st cousin 5x removed.]
- Henry Allen Butts (b. 1835) Pvt. Enlisted twice, and was part of Sherman’s march to the sea. [Great grandfather , grandfather of my father]
DIED IN BATTLE:
Erasmus Anderson (b.1830) Pvt. in Company E, 16th Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry, enlisted in 1871. Killed in battle at VIcksburg in 1872. Read the series telling his story here. [Great grand-uncle, Uncle of my maternal grandfather, Guy Anderson]
Veteran of World War I
Kenneth Earl Fair (B. 1898 ) From Ohio. [Uncle. Married to my mother’s step-sister.]
Veterans of World War II
- Herbert Guy Anderson From Ohio. Member of Navy Construction Battalion–SeaBees. Pacific Theater. [Uncle, mother’s brother]
- William J. Anderson From Ohio. Member of Navy Construction Battalion–SeaBees. Pacific Theater. [Uncle, mother’s brother]
- Robert Anderson ,From Ohio. Navy–Pacific Theater [Cousin, son of William J. Anderson]
- Frank Fair, From Ohio Army Air Force Fighter pilot in Europe. [Cousin, son of Rhema Anderson Fair]
Veteran of Vietnam
Paul W. Kaser, From Ohio. Air Force Lt. stationed at Bien Hoa in Vietnam [Brother]
Veteran of Cold War
Kenneth Paul Badertscher, From Arizona Navy, nuclear submarine. [Son]
Veterans of Iraq War
- David Kaser, From California. Marine [Nephew]
- Kenneth Paul Badertscher II, From Arizona. AirForce [Grandson]
*Family members in picture
Top Row: Pauline McDowell Anderson, Herbert G. Anderson, Vera Stout Anderson, Frank Fair, Ruth Fair, Rhema Anderson Fair, Kenneth Earl Fair, Sarah Warner Anderson
Second Row: Dick Fair, Harriette Anderson Kaser, Leonard Guy Anderson, Paul Kaser, William J. Anderson
Bottom Row: Vera Marie (Bunny) Kaser, Joann Anderson, James (Jimmy) Anderson, Romona Anderson, Larry Anderson.
Picture was taken on the lawn of Vera and Guy Anderson’s home in Killbuck, Ohio.