Honoring MY Veterans

This was meant to be a Veterans Day post but the more I researched, the more ancestors I discovered who were Veterans. Not wanting to leave anyone out, I delayed the post until I could do a more thorough job. Finding my first DAR ancestor made me so proud... so imagine, as you read this, how much my heart swells with pride at the list of names below. They are MY heroes.

As a young mother I became acutely aware of the price of freedom when I married the son of a man killed in Vietnam. I like to think that Papa Ned would have been so proud of my boys. I tried to raise them with a keen sense of patriotism and awareness of his sacrifice - their sacrifice as well - and I wonder how different our lives would have been if he had lived.

It wasn't until I was older, a single mom without an income, that I really got to know my Uncle Bruce. He was in Vietnam when I was born (or around that time) and it wasn't until I was a thirty-something working in his State Farm office that I began to understand the impact that his military service had on him.

My grandmother's archives contain a good bit of information about my grandfather, Bruce Gant Sr who served in World War II. Grandma herself worked in the Pentagon and was heavily invested in the war effort. I dearly love stories of WWII and the sacrifices all Americans made to support our men "over there".

My mom's brother, Uncle Bill, wrote today on his facebook wall about their Uncle Paul Jackson who found in George Patton's 3rd Army and went across the Channel in the Normandy Invasion on June 6, 1944. He was wounded by friendly fire in France and made it home safely.

Great-Great-Great Grandfather Cordy Bullock was listed on a 1864 census of men available for the Georgia Militia. I don't know if he served, I suspect he did.

Great-Great Grandfather Elias Gant fought for the Union in the Civil War.

Although born in Canada, 3x Great Grandfather Abraham Clow fought in the Civil War.

3x Great-Grandfather William Worden fought in the Wisconsin 15th Cav. under General Sherman. He died in Rome, Georgia in 1864 and is buried in the National Cemetery in Marietta, Georgia.

Great-Great-Great Grandfather Sam Pennington registered for the Union Army in Missouri in 1861. He received a pension of $17 a month that transferred to his widow upon his death in 1914.

4x Great Grandfather John Glaze served in the War of 1812 and also in Cobb's Legion in the Civil War.

4x Great Grandfather Christopher Lowery is documented as having military service but it is unclear to me if he served in any war.

5x Great-Grandfather John DeGraffenreid served in the War of 1812.

5x Great Grandfather Aaron Cleveland and 5x Great Grandfather Thomas Maddox both bravely served in our fight for independence.

5x Great-Grandfather Thomas Glaze appears to have received a pension for military service and the time frame looks to have been in the Revolutionary War.

5x Great-Grandfather Philip Combs received land in reward for military service although it's unclear if that was for the Revolutionary War or War of 1812.

5x Great-Grandfather James Lowery appears on a list titled, "US Marshals Return of Enemy Aliens and Prisoners of War" from the War of 1812. I'm not sure if that means he was on the wrong side...?

6x Great-Grandfather William Pennington is listed on the war rolls as well.

7x Great-Grandfather James Caudill, Jr's gravestone indicates he was in the war.

8x Great-Grandfather Benjamin Adams served in the war from his home state of New Hampshire.

5x Great Grandfather Gabriel Walls served in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.

5x Great Grandfather Henry Baugh received a pension for his service in the Revolutionary War.

5x Great-Grandfather James McCubbin's wife received a widows pension from his service in the Revolutionary War.

5x Great-Grandfather John Cook's heirs received a land grand as a reward for his service.

7x Great Grandfather James Spelman received a pension from the Revolutionary War.

7x Great-Grandfather Samuel Whitney served in the Connecticut Militia in the war.

5x Great-Grandfather James Roach was a drummer in the Virginia Militia.

6x Great-Grandfather David Cesar is listed in the Post-Revolutionary Volunteer Army with service in the year 1794.

6x Great-Grandfather Johann Phillipi is listed on the Revolutionary War rolls but there is a question about his service as it lists him as "unfit".

6x Great-Grandfather Robert Caldwell is an approved patriot by the Sons of the American Revolution.

7x Great-Grandfather Col. Benjamin Seawell also approved by SAR.

Also 6x Great Grandfather Col. Samuel Mott.

5x Great-Grandfather John Alderman, Sr. also has approval by the SAR as having served in the 1st North Carolina Regiment of the Continental Army.

6x Great-Grandfather Abraham Palmer is listed among Revolutionary War graves.

5x Great-Grandfather Henry Clow  immigrated to America in 1774, becoming a farmer at New Paisley in New York State.  Before long, with the beginnings of the American Revolution taking place, Henry attempted to escape to Canada but was taken prisoner and confined to gaol (jail) in Albany.  After escaping from gaol, Henry joined Captain William Fraser's company of Royal Rangers.  He served under Fraser, Daniel McAlpin and Edward Jessup until being discharged in 1782. Not all fought so... um, valiantly. 

He's not the only Loyalist ancestor I have. 6x Great-Grandfather Simon DeForest was imprisoned for his political beliefs and was shot trying to join up with the British in 1777. 

7x Great-Grandfather Timothy McGinnis died in the French and Indian War in the Battle of Bloody Pond at Lake George, New York. His widow, Sarah Kast became a Loyalist during the Revolutionary War and fled to Canada where she is considered a heroine. 

8x Great-Grandfather Lieutenant Joseph Palmer also saw action in the French and Indian War protecting forts in his home state of Connecticut. 

I'm sure there are more but you get the idea. I'm proud of the rich history of patriotism and sacrifice in my family. I'm a day late but Happy Veterans Day to those of you who have served to protect and defend us all. May God Bless you.