Ninety-five years ago today, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, an armistice was signed with Germany to cease fighting the Great War. One year later, on November 11, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson declared that the day would be called Armistice Day, to honor those who fought in World War I. More than three decades later—after the “war to end war” gave way to World War II and to the Korean War—the holiday was renamed Veterans Day, and was intended as a day to honor all veterans of the U.S. armed forces.
In today’s post I’d like to honor all of my family members who served in defense of our country.
Family members have served both in times of peace and in times of war. The wars in which family members have been involved include:
- King Philip’s War (1675–1676)
- Father Rale’s War (1722–1725)
- French and Indian War (1755–1762)
- Revolutionary War (1775–1783)
- War of 1812 (1812–1815)
- Puget Sound War (1855–1856)
- Civil War (1861–1865)
- World War I (1914–1918) (U.S.: 1917–1918)
- World War II (1939–1945) (U.S.: 1941–1945)
- Vietnam War (1955–1975) (U.S.: 1965–1975)
- Iraq War (2003–2011)
In the list that follows, a double asterisk indicates that the person is a direct ancestor.
Please let me know if you know of any family members that I’ve left off of this list.
| Ackley, Nicholas (1708–1763) | French and Indian War | |
| Adams, Deacon John (1691–1761) | Colonial Militia (MA) | |
| Askew, John Gordon ”Gordy” (1921–) | World War II | |
| Askew, Robert Gordon ”Bob” (1926–2003) | World War II | |
| Askew, Stephen John “Steve” (1944–) | Vietnam War | |
| Bailey, Clarence Humphrey (1895–1982) | World War I | |
| Bailey, Isaiah Loomis (1823–1899) | Civil War | |
| Bailey, Gen. Jacob (1726–1816) | Revolutionary War | |
| Bailey, Lieutenant Joshua (1712–1786) | Revolutionary War | |
| Bailey, William Alonzo (1893–1970) | World War I | |
| Billings, Jacob (1732–?) | Revolutionary War | |
| Black, George Cornelius (1927–) | World War II | |
| ** | Black, Keith Vernon (1942–) | Peacetime service |
| Black, Lewis J (1839–1901) | Civil War | |
| ** | Black, Vernon Cornelius (1916–1993) | World War II |
| Bogart, Humphrey DeForest (1899–1957) | World War I | |
| Burton, Elphenus Americus (1848–1926) | Civil War | |
| ** | Cadwell, Abraham (1717–1762) | French and Indian War |
| ** | Cheney, Ebenezer (1742–1828) | Revolutionary War |
| ** | Chilson, David Wolcott (1821–1902) | Civil War |
| Christianson, Ray (1920–1980) | World War II | |
| Claunch, Pvt. Richmond C (1839–1862) | Civil War | |
| ** | Coddington, Benjamin (1680–1753) | Colonial Militia (NJ) ? |
| Coddington, Benjamin (ca1759–ca1801) | Revolutionary War | |
| ** | Coddington, Daniel Schram (1811–1886) | Civil War |
| Coddington, David Humphreys (1839–1912) | Civil War | |
| ** | Coddington, George Harrison (1842–1919) | Civil War |
| Coddington, Isaac (1793–1846) | War of 1812 | |
| Coddington, John B (1654–1738) | King Philip’s War | |
| Coddington, Joseph (ca1730–>1783) | Revolutionary War | |
| Coddington, Lewis C (1846–1930) | Civil War | |
| Coddington, Robert Sr. (1760–1833) | Revolutionary War | |
| Coddington, Thomas Kendall (1896–1955) | World War II | |
| Coddington, William Albert (1843–1922) | Civil War | |
| ** | Conant, John (1652–1724) | King Philip’s War |
| Conant, Lot (1624–1674) | King Philip’s War | |
| Denison, Daniel (ca1612–1682) | Colonial Militia (MA) | |
| Denison, Capt. George (1620–1694) | King Philip’s War | |
| Dewey, Abner (1726–1777) | French and Indian War Revolutionary War |
|
| Dewey, Bohan (1755–<1791) | Revolutionary War | |
| Dewey, Jared David (1759–1850) | War of 1812 | |
| Doran, Patrick (1738–1788) | Revolutionary War | |
| Dow, Gideon (1710–1756) | Colonial Militia (NH) | |
| Dunham, Stanley Armour (1918–1992) | World War II | |
| Eddy, Carl Everett (1921–1970) | World War II | |
| Eliason, Maj. Douglas (1957–) | Peacetime service ? | |
| Fanson, Vernon Monteith “Vern” (1897–1980) | World War I | |
| Field, Arne Erickson (1842–1914) | Civil War | |
| Grosvenor, Wallace Paine (1900–1974) | World War I | |
| Harmon, Loren Winfield “Win” (1883–1917) | World War I | |
| ** | Hatfield, Joseph (1740–1832) | Revolutionary War |
| Heinz, Emerson C. “Harry” (1912–1977) | World War II | |
| Hogan, Eli Elias (1883–1962) | World War II | |
| Jellison, Winfred Halga “Helga” (1896–1992) | World War I | |
| Johnson, Capt. John (1600–1659) | Colonial Militia (MA) | |
| Jordan, James Russell Jr. (II) (1887–?) | World War I | |
| Judd, Clifford Leroy (1914–1979) | World War II | |
| Karpen, John Paul Jr. (1922–1998) | World War II ? | |
| Karpen, John Peter Sr. (1899–1978) | World War I ? | |
| ** | Kinne, Cyrus (1746–1808) | Revolutionary War |
| Kohler, George Edward (1916–2002) | World War II | |
| Kuiper, Lieut. Col. C Edward (1947–) | Vietnam War ? | |
| Leatherbury, Lieut. John (ca1744–1785) | Revolutionary War ? | |
| Lennon, Robert Joseph (1924–1988) | World War II | |
| Little, Colonel Moses Jr. (1724–1798) | Revolutionary War | |
| Loomis, Israel (1715–1801) | Revolutionary War | |
| Loso, Lloyd Joseph (1899–1974) | World War I | |
| Martes, Philip Peter “Phil” (1917–1967) | World War II | |
| ** | McClure, Judge David (1726–1796) | Revolutionary War |
| McClure, Col. Thomas Ross (1809–1886) | Civil War | |
| McMurry, James (1760–1832) | Revolutionary War | |
| McMurry, John (1752–1832) | Revolutionary War | |
| ** | McMurry, Thomas (1765–1829) | Revolutionary War |
| McMurry, Thomas Hisner (1831–1863) | Civil War | |
| McMurry, William (1795–1852) | War of 1812 | |
| Moore, Lieut. Clarence “Red” (?–1944) | World War II | |
| ** | Morris, Calvin Levi (1803–1875) | Civil War |
| Morris, James Matthew (1823–1862) | Civil War | |
| ** | Noble, Ensign Matthew (1698–1771) | Colonial Militia (MA) ? |
| Ogden, David Sr. (1764–1840) | Revolutionary War | |
| Paine, Stephen Jr. (1629–1677) | Colonial Militia (MA) ? | |
| Peck, Ira (1824–1883) | Civil War | |
| Peck, Nathaniel A (1841–1910) | Civil War | |
| ** | Pepper, Jacob (1661–1739) | Father Rale’s War |
| Pepper, John Quincy (1826–1913) | Civil War | |
| ** | Pepper, Joshua (1721–1808) | Revolutionary War |
| Pepper, Minos (1791–1860) | War of 1812 | |
| Prettyman, Donald Irvin “Don” (?–?) | World War II | |
| Prettyman, George Irvin “G.I.” (1887–1977) | World War II | |
| Prettyman, George W (1847–1865) | Civil War | |
| Prettyman, James C “Jim” (ca1920–?) | World War II | |
| Prettyman, Jerome Patrick “Jerry” (1925–1965) | World War II ? | |
| Prettyman, Jesse Willard (1922–1995) | World War II | |
| Prettyman, John G “Jack” (ca1923–1944) | World War II | |
| Prettyman, Richard Francis “Arch” (1921–1989) | World War II | |
| ** | Prettyman, William Eugene (1919–1998) | World War II |
| ** | Price, Richard (1757–1834) | Revolutionary War |
| Priest, Joseph (1641–1697) | King Philip’s War | |
| Proszek, Stanislaus “Stanley” (1919–2003) | World War II | |
| Putnam, Lieut. Thomas (?–?) | Colonial Militia (MA) ? | |
| Putnam, Sgt. Thomas (1652–1699) | Colonial Militia (MA) ? | |
| Ranum, Arne Nelson (1845–1898) | Civil War | |
| Rice, Charles Delos (1830–1862) | Civil War | |
| Rush, Alexander W (1831–1864) | Civil War | |
| ** | Scott, Hiram (ca1815–1865) | Civil War |
| ** | Scott, Horace L (ca1842–1870) | Civil War |
| Severn, Clifford Leroy (1896–1982) | World War I | |
| ** | Severson, Sever (1828–1864) | Civil War |
| Shearer, William Christian Jr. (1759–1830) | Revolutionary War | |
| Smith, Lt. Col. William Stephens (1755–1816) | Revolutionary War | |
| ** | Snider, John Sr. (1743–1830) | Revolutionary War |
| Spencer, Fredrick “Fred” (1897–1918) | World War I | |
| Stebbins, Lieut. Thomas (1620–1683) | Colonial Militia (MA) ? | |
| Stewart, Abraham Williamson (1828–1910) | Puget Sound War | |
| Stewart, William McCallen (1794–1885) | War of 1812 | |
| Stokes, Nathan (1818–1901) | Civil War | |
| Stokes, Milton Burton “Bert” (1879–1971) | World War I | |
| Stone, Archibald (1735–1811) | Revolutionary War | |
| Switzer, James Morris (1910–1984) | World War II | |
| Thayer, Capt. Ebenezer (1692–1777) | Revolutionary War | |
| Thayer, Peter Sr. (1737–1805) | Revolutionary War | |
| Thayer, Peter Jr. (1755–1820) | Revolutionary War | |
| Thayer, Col. Sylvanus (1785–1872) | War of 1812 | |
| Thompson, Knudt Tostensen (1832–1910) | Civil War | |
| Tracy, Lieut. Hezekiah (1736–1817) | Revolutionary War | |
| Treat, Governor Robert (1622–1710) | King Philip’s War | |
| Turner, Col. Seth (1727–?) | Revolutionary War ? | |
| VanWinkle, Cyrus (1805–1879) | Civil War | |
| Vinton, Charles Albert (1832–1904) | Civil War | |
| ** | Vinton, Lieut. David (1726–1791) | Revolutionary War |
| ** | Vinton, Seth (1756–1848) | Revolutionary War |
| Wadsworth, Brig. General Peleg (1748–1829) | Revolutionary War | |
| Warren, Jacob (1983–) | Iraq War | |
| Watson, Elbert Joseph “Al” (1927–2007) | Peacetime service ? | |
| Whitmore (Wetmore), Jabez Jr. (1766–1843) | Revolutionary War | |
| Wichers, Jean Harrold (”Harold Gene”) (1923–2011) | World War II | |
| Wichers, Reanon Cornelius (1919–2007) | World War II | |
| ** | Wise, Thomas (1726–1800) | Revolutionary War |
| ** | Wolcott, Justus (1735–1831) | Revolutionary War |
| ** | Woodruff, Benjamin (1744–1837) | Revolutionary War |
| Yapp, James L (1920–2009) | World War II | |
| Yapp, Ray Rush (1923–1993) | World War II |
Thank you for your service, your sacrifices, and for the roles you played in forming, developing, and protecting our country.
Without your collective efforts, our country would not have endured nor even existed.
Jack and I just read this and were amazed. He wants to check out the website now too. Thanks for going to the trouble for us. Jack says it’s very impressive how you did this.
Thanks, ma!
Wow.
That’s what I said when I first became interested in family history! It can be intimidating at first, but when you start to learn about these people and the times in which they lived, history really starts to come alive and make sense.
Dang auto correct
Pickles? (code for “What *are* you talking about?”)
Thanks for putting this together! I was surprised to see how many family members we have that have served. Service is such a selfless and great sacrifice. Thank you to all who have served.
Hello,
I am writing to inquire about your ancestor Thomas Wise. I am a rookie when it comes genealogy. I believe that Thomas Wise was my 6th great grandfather. I would love to email with you if possible.
Wes
Nice to meet you, potential 7th cousin! I’ll be happy to talk with you further. I’ll send you an email to start the conversation.
Michael
Hi while searching the web on information on my husbands great grandfather, Elphenus A Burton I notice you have him listed under the veterans. Is he a relation to you or any of your family. Thanks
Hi Cherie,
Yes, while not a direct ancestor, Elphenus is indeed a relative. His grandparents (James Harkcom and Margaret Mary Snyder) are my 4th-great-grandparents, so Elphenus is my first cousin, four times removed.
Michael