Below is a Timeline of John Gallson’s life as my sister, Donna and I have been able to put together using military and life documents. There are many interesting things in this table, some surprizing and some trivial. For me, the most significant year is 1930. Gramma Gallson was committed to a mental asylum in December of 1929. Mary moved in with the family sometime in 1930, with Donald age 2, and gave birth to Jackie AND was pregnant with Jimmy by February 1931.
| Date | Description | Extra details |
|---|---|---|
| 11/25/1896 or 11/13/1896 | born | Mustjala, Saarma Island, Estonia (birth registration Tallinn) discrepancy in birth date is likely because in 1918 Estonia switched from Julian calendar to Gregorian |
| 6/13/1913 | departed Glasgow, Scotland on board Ship Columbia bound for New York | age 17, Finland; with many other Estonian men bound for work with CPR in Chapleau |
| 6/16/1913 | arrived Ellis Island, NYC; destination Shapleau, CPR, ON; | Labourer, Russia, Lifland, father Mich Ounpuu; $25 cash; friend Johannes Lonn |
| 3/10/1916 | Attestation Paper – in Webbwood, used name John Gaallson | born – Arensburg, Mustel, Palrapelle. Father – Mich Gaallson, Arensburg, Palrapelle (Finland, Russia) |
| 3/10/1916 | 119th Overseas Battalion. Badge # 754360. Height 5’9″, Fair, Light Blue eyes, Fair hair, RC | birth date – November 18th, 1896. Trade – Lumber Jack, weight 155 (another card states b/d 11/13th,1896) |
| 3/10/1916 | Joined on enlistment 119th Overseas Battalion | |
| 3/10/1916 | Webbwood | Enlisted – trade Lumberjack |
| 3/10/1916 | T.O.S. (Taken on Strength) of a unit | Unit: 119th Battalion |
| 3/15/1916 | D.O. 24 of 15-3-16 (Daily order) of a unit | |
| 3/30/1916 | Anti-Typhoid Inculations | |
| 3/31/1916 | Paid from Mar 10th | sig or rec’t |
| 4/17/1916 | Anti-Typhoid Inculations | |
| 4/30/1916 | Paid | sig or rec’t |
| 5/31/1916 | Paid | sig or rec’t |
| 6/22/1916 | Vaccinations | Right arm |
| 6/30/1916 | Paid | sig or rec’t |
| 7/31/1916 | Paid | sig or rec’t |
| 8/8/1916 | Sailed from Halifax | S.S. Metagama |
| 8/8/1916 | Halifax | 119th Bn – Embarked Canada |
| 8/8/1916 | Unit Sailed | |
| 8/8/1916 | Paid to | N |
| 8/19/1916 | Liverpool | Disembarked England |
| 8/19/1916 | Arrived in England | S.S. Metagama |
| 9/13/1916 | Anti-Typhoid Inculations | |
| 10/2/1916 | Mil Isol Hosp A’shott | Mumps – List # 18 [Mumps vaccine not avail. until 1960’s] |
| 10/2/1916 | Mil. Isol. Aldershot | Parotiditis (Man Rgt) – List No 18 |
| 10/2/1916 | OC 119th Battn – Admt’d Isol Hosp. Aldershot | Bramshott – 1-10-16, D.C.L. #18 PtII D.O. # 187 – Mumps |
| 10/25/1916 | Dis ed – A’shott | Rubella – List # 27 [Rubella vaccine not avail. until 1960s] |
| 10/26/1916 | Army will bequeath estate to Miss Gladys Hall, 83 Blackfriars, London | Witness by McAdam, Sault Ste. Marie and Archibald, Seaforth. |
| 10/26/1916 | OC 119th Battn – Discharged, Isol Hospital | Aldershot – 25-10-16 DCL # 27 Pt II C.O. # 208 |
| 11/28/1916 | Bramshott Camp | 119th Bn – Proceeded overeseas for service with 52nd Bn – Part II D.O. No.236 |
| 11/28/1916 | 52nd Battalion Canadian Infantry | Theatre of War – France. Home address: Gen Del, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. |
| 11/28/1916 | transferred – 52nd Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force | |
| 11/28/1916 | OC 119th Battn – Transferred to 52nd Battn | Bramshott Pt II DO 236 WTR |
| 11/29/1916 | O.C.C.B.D. – Landed in France | Taken on Nom. Roll |
| 11/29/1916 | strength 52nd Cdn. Bn. | Pt II D.O. d/ 4.12.16 |
| 12/3/1916 | O.C.C.B.D. – Left for Unit | Nom. Roll |
| 12/4/1916 | OC 52nd Battn – Taken on strength | Field, 29-11-16 Pt II DO 60 |
| 12/6/1916 | O.C. 52nd Bn. – Arrived Unit for duty | B.123 d/9.12.16 |
| 1/4/1917 | ad 16 Genl – Le Treport | V.D.G. [Venereal Disease Gonorrhea] – W3034 #190 |
| 1/5/1917 | 16 Genl to 39 Genl – Le Havre | V.D.G. [Venereal Disease Gonorrhea] – W3034 #195 |
| 1/5/1917 | No. 39 Gen.,Le Havre | List No A244 & A245 – W3034 # 192 |
| 1/29/1917 | 39 Genl – forfeits Fld Allw. Is placed under stoppage of pay at the rate of 50 cents per diem while in Hspl | 01643 ConSect 2396. P II # 11 2/2/17 6-1-17 to 29-1-17 (24 days) |
| 1/29/1917 | 39 Genl – V.D.G. [Venereal Disease Gonorrhea] | to Rfts. Havre – W3034 #218 |
| 1/30/1917 | CBD – Canadian Base Detail | T.O.S. – UR |
| 2/5/1917 | 42 CCS (Aubigny) – forfeits Fld Allw. Is placed under stoppage of pay at the rate of 50 cents per diem while in Hspl. | 01643 ConSect 2463 P II # 75 16/2/17 1-1-17 to 3-1-17 (3 days) |
| 2/5/1917 | OC 52nd Battn – Discharged General Hospital | Havre 17-1-17 – CL A262 90 VDG [Venereal Disease Gonorrhea] |
| 2/9/1917 | CBD – left for unit | Field UR |
| 2/12/1917 | OC 52B – joined unit | Field – B213 |
| 52nd Batt’n was part of the 3rd Division under Major Gen. Lipsett, CMG | and was part of the Gun Co. in the 9th Brigade under Brig. Gen. F. W. Hill | |
| 3/10/1917 | 52nd Batt’n moved | Villers au Bois where it seems they were billeted |
| 3/11/1917 | 52nd Batt’n moved | from Villers au Bois to “line” |
| 3/22/1917 | 52nd Batt’n moved | to Bruay |
| 3/29/1917 | 52nd Batt’n moved | Bruay to Villers au Bois |
| 4/1/1917 | 52nd Batt’n moved | to the front line |
| 4/3/1917 | 52nd Batt’n | raiding enemy trenches, emptying “saps”. Grampa was a “sapper” |
| 4/9/1917 | Attack on Vimy Ridge | |
| Sometime here, 52nd Batt’n headed to Ypres, Belgium | Battle of Passchendaele at Ypres, Belgium | |
| 10/26/1917 | SW head – ad 11CSA to CCS ( Brielen ) | AB6/a8636 |
| 10/27/1917 | SW head – ad 44 CCS to 33 AS ( Brielen to Bethune) | AB6/a8979 |
| 10/27/1917 | SW head – ad 83 Genl | W3034/a9201 |
| 10/29/1917 | No 14 Mil Can Gen Eastbourne | S.W. Head Sev. -List No B53 – W.O. List 4454 |
| 10/29/1917 | Admitted Eastbourne – DeWalden Court – Hosp | Wounded (SW) head (scalp) 26 X 17, bone just groved, no cerebral ????, f.b. removed. Wd cleaned |
| 10/29/1917 | T.Bipped, Wound looks clean. | |
| 10/29/1917 | SW head – posted Man Regl Dep S’cliffe | W3083/4301 PII 102 17/11/17 |
| 11/2/1917 | Examined for re-engagement | |
| 11/4/1917 | Cable 12/4 M.6294 – Notified Next of Kin | Adm.Mil.Hosp.Eastbourne.Oct.29th.17. GSW.Head. |
| 11/4/1917 | Eastbourne | Healing |
| 11/5/1917 | Discharged from De Walden Court Eastbourne Hosp -S.W. Head – clean – looking well | 7 days in Hospital |
| 11/5/1917 | Admission to Red X Hosp. Cantelope Rd., Beahill ?? – S.W. Head | (Could be Red Cross Hospital, Cantelupe Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, UK |
| 11/6/1917 | Wound of R Mid-parietal region, large enough to hold a pidgeon’s egg. Bottom of wound slightly sloughy, sides healthy. Filled up with Bipp. (Bismuth iodoform paraffin paste) Man heavy & slow of speach, does not complain of headache. Eye movements of pupils normal | |
| 11/6/1917 | MRD (Minimal Residual Disease?) | T.O.S. – Igt 29-10-17 PtII O 42 B 20-12-17 |
| 11/6/1917 | MRD – TOS ex 52nd | Rgte Pte 29-10-17 – 82 Pt II Q102 D/17-11/17 Pt # O242 |
| 11/10/1917 | A.T.S. 500 units | Anti Tetanus Serum I.P.(A T S) |
| 11/17/1917 | wound healing rapidly under BIP: allowed to go out | |
| 11/18/1917 | ATS 500 units | |
| 11/26/1917 | wound quite healed | |
| 12/9/1917 | MR – 52 7 ?? C.G.H.Eastbourne | 14-12-17 CL B 93. SW Head Sev. |
| 12/12/1917 | wound has healed up nicely: this man is of Scandinavian origin and slow in understanding English which makes him appear at times to be mentally dull. | |
| 12/13/1917 | Discharged from Red X Hosp. Cantelope Rd., Bexhill ?? – S.W. Head – site healed | 38 days in hospital |
| 12/13/1917 | Admission to No. 14 Canadian General Hospital, Meads, Eastbourne, Sussex – S.W. Head | S.W. Head Sev. (Man Rgt) |
| 12/14/1917 | No. 14 Can Gen Hosp Eastbourne, Sussex | Transferred from V.A.D. Hosp. – Bexhill, Quite Recovered, D.I. category |
| 12/14/1917 | No. 14, CGH Eastbourne | SW Head Sev – List No B93 – W.O. List 8427 (Man Regt) |
| 12/17/1917 | Boarded – No 14 Canadian General Hosp Eastboure, Sussex | Category – DT (the T has a dot above?) |
| 12/21/1917 | Dischaged – OverSeas Casualty – Place in Hospital – 7 | DT 1st Can Com Depot (note small dot above the T) |
| 12/21/1917 | Discharged – D.I. | to D T (note small dot or # 1 placed above the T) |
| 12/21/1917 | Discharged from No. 14 Can Gen Hosp, Eastbourne, Sussex – S.W. Head | transfer from V.A.D. – no disability – 9 days in hospital |
| 12/24/1917 | Discharged, Eastbourne | SW Head Sev – List No B90 – W.O. List 2048 |
| 12/26/1917 | MRD – O/C to 1st C.C.D. | 21-12-17 Pt II O 291 |
| 12/27/1917 | Discharged | S.W. Head – List No B98-2 |
| 12/27/1917 | MR – 52 Dis ex C.G.H.Eastbourne | CL B – 98 |
| 3/4/1918 | Admission to Canadian Hospital, Etchinghill, Lyminge – V.D.G. [Venereal Disease Gonorrhea] – primiary Syphillis | |
| 3/5/1918 | Can Mil Hos Etchinghill Lymenge Kent | V.D.G. (Man Regt) – List No C161 – W.O. List 13811 |
| 3/12/1918 | Disease contracted at London | Primary sore appeared |
| 3/13/1918 | Canadian Hosp Etchinghill, Lyminge | Placed on Syphilis Register |
| 3/13/1918 | 1st Canadian Convalescent Depot | |
| 3/13/1918 | Treatment – Urine – Normal, Intravenous .3 Diarsenol | Diarsenol is arsenic |
| 3/14/1918 | Treatment – Intramuscular injection | T (with dot above and below right top of T) dose of Metallic Mercury in grains |
| 3/18/1918 | Admitted to Canadian Hospital Etchinghill, Lyminge – Full course treatment W.O. | |
| 3/18/1918 | Treatment – Urine – Normal, Intravenous .3 Diarsenol | |
| 3/22/1918 | Treatment – Urine – Normal, Intravenous .3 Diarsenol + intramuscular injection | T (with dot above and below right top of T) dose of Metallic Mercury in grains |
| 3/26/1918 | 1st CCD – admitted from Eastbourne 21.12.17 | DO # 284a 29/12/17 |
| 3/26/1918 | Having been over 21 days in Etchinghill C.L.K.ceases to be attached to this Depot | effective 4.3.18 |
| 3/26/1918 | St Martens Plains | DO # 83 |
| 3/27/1918 | MRD – Ceases on com 1st C.C.D. | S’cliffe 2.3.18 Pt II 86 1st CCD Pt II DO 83 d/26.3.18 |
| 3/27/1918 | M.R.D. Cease Com to 1st CCD | Shorncliffe 4.3.18 – Part II 86-10 |
| 3/27/1918 | M.R.D. Adm C.M.H. Etch.Hill | Shorncliffe 4.3.18 – Part II 86-11 |
| 3/28/1918 | Treatment – Intramuscular injection | T (with dot above and below right top of T) dose of Metallic Mercury in grains |
| 4/4/1918 | Treatment – Urine – Normal. Intramuscular injections + .5 Galyl | T (with dot above and below right top of T) dose of Metallic Mercury in grains |
| 4/11/1918 | Treatment – Urine – Normal. .4 Galyl & Intramuscular injections | T (with dot above and below right top of T) dose of Metallic Mercury in grains |
| 4/18/1918 | Treatment – Intramuscular injection | T (with dot above and below right top of T) dose of Metallic Mercury in grains |
| 4/24/1918 | Discharged from Can Hosp., Etchinghill, Lyminge – V.D.G. [Venereal Disease Gonorrhea] | 52 days in hospital – discharged as cured |
| 4/25/1918 | Discharged, Etchinghill | VDG – List No C194 – W.O. List 4654 |
| 4/25/1918 | Can Etchinghill Lymenge Kent – Disc | VDG – List No C199-1 |
| 4/25/1918 | Treatment – Urine – Normal, Intravenous .6 Diarsenol + intramuscular injection | T (with dot above and below right top of T) dose of Metallic Mercury in grains |
| 4/26/1918 | Admitted to 1st C.C.D. From Lyminge | D.O. Pt II, No 114 |
| 4/30/1918 | MRD – On com 1st CCD S’cliffe | Seaford 24.4.18 Pt II 120 ist CCD Pt II DO 114 d/26.4.18 |
| 5/2/1918 | Treatment – Urine – Normal, Intravenous .5 Diarsenol + intramuscular injection | T (with dot above and below right top of T) dose of Metallic Mercury in grains |
| 5/14/1918 | Ceases to be attached on proceeding to Rly. Tho. Purfleet | D.O. No. 132 |
| 5/15/1918 | Depot CRT – T.O.S. From M.R.D. | Purfleet 14-5-18 DO 135 & MRD DO 137 ? = 17.5.18 |
| 5/15/1918 | CRT Depot – Taken on Strength from M.R.D.on reporting from 1st CCD S’cliffe | Purfleet 14-5-18 Pt II D.O. 135 |
| 5/17/1918 | MRD – Ceases on com 1st C.C.D. | Seaford 14.5.18 DO 137 |
| 6/8/1918 | Mil H. Purfleet | V.D.G. [Venereal Disease Gonorrhea] – List No C228 – W.O. List 19387 |
| 6/10/1918 | Admission to Canadian Hospital, Etchinghill, Lymine – Gonorrhoea | |
| 6/11/1918 | Can H. Etchinghill | V.D.G. [Venereal Disease Gonorrhea] – List No C229 – W.O. List 19554 |
| 6/14/1918 | Slight defects but not sufficient to cause rejection | THB/2 (could be Total Hemoglobin) |
| 6/20/1918 | Slight defects but not sufficient to cause rejection | THB/2 (what does “slight defects” mean) |
| 8/10/1918 | Discharged from Can Hosp., Etchinghill, Lyminge – Gonorrhoea | 62 days in hospital – 3rd attack – discharged as cured |
| 8/12/1918 | Discharged, Etchinghill | V.D.G. [Venereal Disease Gonorrhea] – List No C281 – W.O. List 7319 |
| 11/24/1918 | Examined or Discharged by a Medical Board | Station – Purfleet Isocs |
| 12/7/1918 | CRTD [Canadian Reserve Training Depot] – SOS [Struck Off Strength] on trans from OMFC [Overseas Military Forces of Canada] to CEF [Canadian Expeditionary Force] in Canada | Purfleet 7-12-18 Pt II 0 339 |
| 12/7/1918 | Sailed for Canada | Ship: Olympic; Rank “Spr” (SAPPER); residence: Sault Ste. Marie |
| 12/7/1918 | From O/S – Taken on strength No. 1 District Depot London, D.O. 248 | |
| 12/14/1918 | R/C then #232 over 26 | ?? |
| 1/6/1919 | DO6 – Daily Order (of a unit) | # 1 DN |
| 1/7/1919 | SOS Dis -Struck off strength(of a unit) – discharged | Dem 06 |
| 1/7/1919 | Discharged on Demobilization; tattoo reg. #119 on Lt. arm, scar on forearm & scalp | London, ON; 119th Battalion. C.O.M.F.; age 22, 5’9″, blue eyes, Lumberman |
| undated | Index card with John’s US Military number on it | Adah, Fayette, PA, USA |
| 6/10/1919 | arrived in Buffalo, NY; claims DOB is Nov 13, 1896 via Grand Trunk Railway | address: 1320 Water Street, Wheeling, West Virginia; last foreign residence: Toronto |
| 12/16/1920 | Declaraton of Intention – USA Naturalization Service | District Court of US, Wheeling West, Virginia; address: 1320 Water Street,Wheeling, West Virginia |
| 12/18/1920 | Enlistment Record; US Army #6476877 – Pt. – took travel pay, enlisted for 3 years | Ft. Thomas, Campbell Co., KY; $142.25 + bonus $90.00; Howitzer Co. |
| 12/29/1920 | Dec 16, 1920 documents he declared he had NEVER been treated for Gonorrhea, never been hospitalized or treated by a physician | to Wheeling, West Virginia; for service in 6th Infantry Camp Gordon, GA for 3 years |
| 12/29/1920 | Assigned to co. “E” 5th Infantry, Camp Jackson, SC Howz. Co. 6th | Marksmanship, gunner qualifications or rating: R.N.B.; Main Occ: Labourer 7 years, odd jobs heavy lifting $45/wk |
| 1/14/1921 | Permanent marks and physical defects | Right chest ?M, Left abdomen RM, Lt Arm Arm Tattoo 119, Rt Back Bmk (birthmark?) 1/2″ D. (diameter?) |
| 1/14/1921 | Vaccinations: Typhoid, paratyphoid,others | Wheeling, WV; Friend: Mrs. Nora Tucker, R.F.D.1, Mystic, Georgia |
| 2/1/1921 | Promoted | Grade: RMB Pvt (Put) |
| 3/11/1921 | Promoted | Grade: RMB Pvt 1cl (Put) |
| 5/10/1921 | Change of address | Howitzer Co. 6th Inf., Camp Jackson, SC, USA |
| 7/9/1921 | Honorable Discharge from US Army, 6th Infantry, Howitzer Co., camp Jackson, SC, USA | Reason: reduction of army; character: excellent; Address: 1320 Water St., Wheeling West Virginia |
| 11/15/1921 | Change of address – NOTE: double “a” gets dropped from document – Gallson | 165 East 128th St., New York, NY, USA – This is when he may have met Florence |
| 3/7/1922 | Marriage to Florence M. Peters, age 25, Manhattan, NY | address: RFD#1, Pateson, NJ, USA |
| 1/10/1923 | Jeanette Ellen born; baptized April 15, 1923 St. Mark’s Episcopal Church | Waterville, Main |
| 1/25/1923 | Desp. | Regn. No. 75832 |
| 25/11/1924 | US Dept of Lab letter requesting $1.00 fee; to Zolfo Spring, Florida | for copy of Declaration of Intention for Naturalization |
| 1/4/1925 | Joan Vera born | Wauchula, Florida |
| 3/18/1926 | Phillip John born | Zolpho Springs, Florida |
| 4/6/1927 | Letter from US Dept of Labour, to Zolfo Springs, Florida | acknowledging $1.00 received for copy of Naturalization Intention |
| 4/11/1928 | Listed in directory of Endicott – Binghamton, NY | tanner, 200 North with Flora |
| 4/12/1929 | Listed in directory of Endicott – Binghamton, NY | shwkr (shoeworker), 206 North with Flora M. |
| 7/21/1929 | border crossing from US to Canada, thru Niagara Falls | John, Florence, Jean, Joan, Phil; to Lot 15, Conc. B, Widdifield Twp., North Bay, ON |
| 12/21/1929 | Florence is admitted to New Toronto Mental Asylum | |
| 1930 | Jean, Joan & Phill are disbursed to “foster” homes | |
| 1930 | Mary & 2-yr-old son Donald move in with John and children | Donald died in 1950 at age 22. His obit says he lived in Mattawa for 20 years. |
| 1930 | Mary gives birth to Jackie | Listed on census as “John” |
| 2/15/1931 | Mary becomes pregnant with Jimmy | 13 months after Florence’s admission to hospital |
| 6/1/1931 | Widdifield Census | Mary is “housekeeper”, Donald Morrison and John Morrison are her sons. |
| 11/15/1931 | James “Jimmy” born | |
| 1935 | Barbara born | |
| 9/18/1937 | Hilda born | |
| 5/19/1939 | May “Maisey” born | |
| 1942 | Elizabeth “Betty” born | |
| 11/9/1945 | Florence transferred to St. Thomas | |
| 1946 | first dated letter to Eduard in Estonia | refers to a previous letter containing information about John’s “first wife” having mental problems |
| 11/30/1947 | John got up in the morning and disappeared | according to newspaper article |
| 12/13/1947 | Reported missing and OPP were searching for him. Article states “There is a possibility that he is an amnesia victim as he suffered shrapnel wounds in the head while serving in World War 1.” | “Mattawa Man Is Reported Missing” North Bay Nugget |
| 11/28/1948 | John is either still in hiding or went into hiding a 2nd time in Goulois River, Algoma. | answered letter from Joan, expressing that he didn’t want to be found. |
| 12/17/1948 | Letter to Joan from Goulois River, Algoma | answered letter from Joan |
| 1950 | Donald dies in car accident | |
| 2/9/1960 | Florence dies in St. Thomas | |
| 1946 to 1977 | John corresponds with brother Eduard, sister Aliise, brother August all in Estonia/Germany | Language gradually becomes more formal and letters shorter |
| About 1975 | John living in rooming house in Mattawa; taken home by Jean | John and Mary legally marry around this time |
| 10/28/1975 | Mary applies for “Delayed Statement of Birth” for herself | Assumption: to legally be able to receive John’s supplemental penion should he die and to be beneficiary of the Gallson farm and to receive death benefit |
| 3/24/1978 | John dies in North Bay |