Category: Research

UPDATED

March 27, 2024: Email response regarding an query I made for information from the E-J Tanner and Shoemake Archive:

Thank you for contacting the Syracuse University Libraries. I’m copying our Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) on this message, as this department maintains the papers of members of the Johnson family.

The SCRC appreciates your interest in our collections and your inquiry has been added to our reference queue. We receive a large number of reference questions and answer all inquiries in the order in which they were received. Please note that we prioritize inquiries from current Syracuse University affiliates (faculty, students, and staff).

Thank you for your patience. You’re welcome to contact us directly at scrc@syr.edu at any time if you have a question about the status of your inquiry.

Sincerely,

Abby

Abby Kasowitz-Scheer (she, her, hers)
Head, Department of Learning and Academic Engagement
Syracuse University Libraries

222 Waverly Ave., Syracuse, NY 13244
library.syracuse.edu

Syracuse University

This is the building where I believe the Gallsons lived in 1928/29 in Endicott, NY.  Its address is 200 North Street.  An early memory of Joan, was going up a flight of stairs to get to their home and at Christmas there was a Christmas tree at the end of the hall.

The Endicott City Directory of 1928 is below.  John Gallson is a tanner.

The Gallsons are also in the 1929 Endicott City Directory, although he is a shoe maker then. 

While looking in Google at early 20th century maps of Endicott, trying to find exactly where the house may have been, I came across this, also on North Street. the Endicott-Johnson & Co. Tanneries & Shoe Factories.

Below is a Google aerial view with the Tannery/Shoe Factory boxed on the right (currently BAE Aerospace Systems) and 200 North Street boxed on the left. 

From what I've read about this company, even though being a tanner was a very difficult and gruesome job, they treated their employees very well.  The Gallsons would have benefited from "the Square Deal", which included health care right at the factory. And they also made employees shareholders.  There's a lot of information about the company in 1928 and 1929.  It looks like in 1929, there was a downturn in shoe sales, so Grampa may have been laid off because he hadn't been there very long.  And since Grampa doesn't seem to have ever completed his Naturalization, he left Endicott.

Below is a excerpt from Wikipedia...

George F. and the Square Deal

The E-J story is dominated by George F. Johnson (1857–1948), or George F as he was popularly called, who rose through the shoe factory ranks to become the half-owner of E-J, and its highest executive until his death in 1948.

George F's reign was dominated by his Square Deal version of welfare capitalism that, like progressive movements of the early twentieth century, advocated providing parades and churches and libraries to "uplift" workers. George F's Square Deal consisted of worker benefits even in harsh economic times that were generous and innovative for their time, but also meant to engender worker loyalty and discourage unionizing. The company had a chess and checkers club.

For workers, the Square Deal consisted of a chance to buy E-J built and E-J financed homes, a profit sharing program, health care from factory-funded medical facilities and later (built in 1949) two worker recreational facilities. But the Square Deal was more than an employee benefit program. E-J and the Johnson family also provided or helped to finance two libraries, theaters, a golf course, swimming pools, carousels, parks and food markets, many of which were available to the community without charge. Reminders of the source of that generosity were inescapable:

Endicott was a community planned by E-J and incorporated in 1906. It was named after Henry B. Endicott (one of the grade schools was named Henry B,) who owned the business that became E-J. Lestershire was renamed Johnson City, New York in honor of George F. All of the tanneries and the vast majority of the shoe factories were located in Endicott with a few satellite locations in Johnson City and Binghamton. The Johnsons lived in Endicott and George F's mansion was donated to the Village after his death and became the public library. Most of the jobs were classified as "piece work." Racks of shoes moved through the factories with "coupons" attached to each rack. When the worker completed his/her operation on the rack of shoes, he or she removed the appropriate coupon which was worth a few pennies. At the end of the week the worker turned in his coupons from which the payroll department calculated pay. The work was hard and the pay was low, but the extensive benefits were offsets. The windows in the factories were painted so workers wouldn't be distracted by the outside. The company needed a large labor pool and initiated a recruitment program aimed at southern Italy and the Slavic countries and so Endicott became a small town with a rich ethnic mix. Many of the sons and daughters of these immigrants graduated from Union-Endicott High School and went on to become teachers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, and successful business people. Very few went to work in the factories.

Source: Endicott Johnson Corporation - Wikipedia

There's also a large document that is VERY interesting about the company and there's alot in it about what was going on with the company in 1928 & 1929.  www.ejhistory.org  In particular, Chapter 2 "The Rise of the 'Square Deal' " (starts page 37, and page 48 in particular), Chapter 3 "Workers and the Work" (starts page 63, particularly pages 77/78) and interesting pictures starting page 99.

Below are pictures from the document of men working in the tannery in 1930, the year after Grampa would have left.

😀There is also a vast amount of information about the tannery on the historical site for Endicott.

http://tomdef.com/history/Resources/resources.html

🤨After reading up on the Endicott-Johnson Tanners and Shoe Makers and watching this video, it begs the question: Why did the Gallsons leave on July 31, 1929 to head to Ontario. .🤞🤞On March 23, 2024, I emailed "Marlene" at the historical site to see if there's any chance that there's an employee record archive. UPDATE: Marlene isn't associated with this anymore, but she did pass along an email address of a contact from a Facebook page. See UPDATE at the top of the page.

Post UPDATED...

I finally have the death registration of Philip James Peters, Grandma Gallson's brother and Edith's twin. It say Philip died March 9, 1907, age 4, of acute capillary bronchitis, pulmonary congestion. Place of Philip's death is the same address as Grandma's birth.

Continue reading "Florence’s Family"

SEE UPDATE AT THE BOTTOM. 

The pictures below are the only toddler pictures we have of my Mom (Joan), Aunt Jean and Uncle Phil.  Its very odd there aren't more, because the picture of Grampa with Aunt Jean as a baby shows they had a camera.

Continue reading "John Alone With 3 Toddlers"

When I began researching my family history in the 1980's, the Pennell and Crew lineage were the first surnames where information was readily available. My Aunt Edna (Ollivier nee Smith) had been gathering information about her maternal heritage for years, before personal computers, printers and photocopiers and the internet, when researching involved a pen and a family group sheet. I visited her several times where she shared copies documents and letters, memories and family gossip. Those visits were great.

However, she only shared what was "respectable" and kept silent on anything that would disparage the family's reputation. As they say, history is written by the victors, so rarely the complete truth.

With that in mind and in retrospect, it was no surprize that Aunt Edna stuck with Pennell line and the Crew line. Although she had a lot of information about the Smiths, it was all from her memory and she didn't research the Smiths. I made the assumption that the paternal line was boring while the maternal line was more exotic, taking her to England and Australia.

Aunt Edna even invited an English couple to visit Canada when I was in my teens. She brought them all the way north to Porcupine, where we lived at the time, for an overnight visit. While I sat in the dining room listening to them talk, I had to keep asking my Mom what they were saying - I didn't understand a word, their cockney accent was so thick. I can't say for sure who they were, but they must have been George March and Margaret March (nee Sweetlove), as they sent Christmas cards and pictures to my parents for years after, and their daughter, Sandra Tongeman (nee March), corresponds with my sister, Carol. Margaret March's grandmother was Ann Charlotte Crew, sister of my Great-grandmother, Rachel Sarah Crew.

The story of the Pennells and the Crews is interesting, and I cannot relay the whole story without also adding in two more surnames - Hone and Bradfield.

In the late 1800's, the patriarchs of all four of these families were brick makers in London, England. As a matter of fact William Crew (Rachel, Susan, Maria and Eliza's father) was a "highly successful London brickmaker for whom Bradfield, Crew and Pennell had worked." (The Unreasonable Man: The life and works of J. J. C. Bradfield by Richard Raxworthy, page 13)

Canada - Pennell and Hone and Crew

What we know as fact...

Alice Maria Pennell was my grandmother and her parents were...

Richard William Pennell (b. Apr 2, 1834, Northfleet, Kent, England) was my great-grandfather.

Rachel Sarah Crew (b. Nov 3, 1834, Barnet, Hertfordshire, England) was my great-grandmother.

They were both buried at St. Margaret's cemetery in Rutherglen, Ontario, in 1916.

Richard was from a large family of about 10 children. Of particular note was Richard's brother Charles who married Rachel's sister Susan.

So, of Rachel's siblings, three sisters are of interest here. Susan who married Charles Pennell, Eliza who married James Hone and Maria who married John Bradfield.

In 1857, John and Maria Bradfield set sail for Australia on the S. S. New Great Britain. Two years later, in 1859, William Henry Crew (Susan's brother) and Charles & Susan Pennell, escorting William's 3-year-old daughter Elizabeth, followed the Bradfields on the S. S. Glentanner.

On May 11, 1871, Richard and Rachel Pennell, along with Eliza and James Hone, boarded the S. S. Niger departing Liverpool, and sailed to Quebec City, arriving May 29, 1871.

These families had the same dream - to use their skills and build brickmaking businesses.

Myrtle Connolly writes about the Pennell and Hone families coming to Canada...

They settled in Carleton Place, Ontario, where they established a brickyard. Lumber being the main source of building material and available, therefore was not a demand for brick. The settlers homes were mostly constructed with log timbers, this forcing the Pennells and Hones to take up farming at Rutherglen, where they obtained crown land.

Australia - Pennell and Bradfield and Crew

While being exceptionally innovative, William Crew, Charles Pennell and John Bradfield suffered the same fate. According to The Unreasonable Man: The life and works of J. J. C. Bradfield by Richard Raxworthy (page 13)...

Subsequently, they [Pennell and Bradfield and Crew] went into partnership to found one of the first mechanised brickmaking businesses in Queensland.

And William Pennell writes in 1969 to Myrtle Connolly...

Bradfield thought there would be a great scope for brick making business at Ipswich, some 20,000 miles from Brisbane. They were the first to manufacture machine bricks in the country. Unfortunately, timber was too plentiful and cheap at the time, and the bricks could not compete to any real extent.

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

When I found these, I wondered how Grampa Smith got the gas he would have needed to run his tractor.  But I then remembered that he likely used his team of horses.  In my memory, Dad had a team of horses - Duke & Bess - and only later had a tractor.

However, in my wondering thoughts, I did found this on the internet:

"If you were employed in a factory that supported the war effort, you were issued a “B” card, while doctors, nurses, farm and construction workers, and mail employees were issued a “C” card, each of which allowed them to buy up to 8 gallons of gas per week."

Its from an American site (https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2019/12/30/how-gas-rationing-worked-during-world-war-ii) but I'm imagining Canada would have a similar system in place.

Click on any of these to see a zoomed image.  Then click BACK to come back to this page.

 

The story we were told about Grampa Gallson leaving Estonia was that he stowed away on a ship headed for England and lied about his age.  The more likely story is that he lied about his age so that he could join a group of Estonians headed to Canada to work for the CPR.  

Below is an extract from the SS Columbia ship manifest, June 7, 1913, from Glasgow, Scotland to New York City.  He is grouped together with many others who all came via the same Steamline from Finland. And his ticket (41) number is sequential with the others.

Here is the arrival at Ellis Island. In 1913, Estonia and half of Latvia were sometimes called Lifland. Grampa, born in November 1896, would have been 16.  So he lied about his age.

Here is another extract from the same trip. I believe Alexander Matt was a recruiter for the CPR.

Below are the handwritten Oceans Arrivals at Ellis Island for the Columbia. Hard to read but here's what it says:

Name: Ounpuu Johannes; Age: 17; Sex: M; Married or Single: S; Occupation: Labr; Able to Read/Write: yes/yes; Nationality: Country of citizen: Russia; Race: Russian; Last Permanent Residence: Russia, Lifland; Name and address of nearest relative: Mich Ounpuu, Lifland, Kuressaare; Final Destination: Ont. Shapleau, CPR

Note:  #5 is Alexander Matt

Whether having a ticket to such final destination: Yes; Who paid: Self; Whether in possession of $50 and if less, how much? 25; Whether ever before in the United States: no; Whether going to join a relative or friend and if so, who: friend, Johannes Lonn, Shapleau, CPR, Ont. ...

Note: #5 Alexander Matt: He'd been to Shapleau, Ont CPR in 1909 and 1911

I emailed the CPR and the CPR Archives and neither of them kept any records of these recruitments.

Click here for images of Grampa Gallson's WWI documents.

Below is information that Wayne sent me and I stored for the future.

The 52nd Battalion, 1915-1919

No sooner had Canada entered the war against Germany and its allies in 1914 than it was decided to raise an expeditionary force for battle overseas. The local militia, which mustered the day after war was declared, immediately began a recruiting drive to bring itself up to strength, and there was no shortage of men willing to fight. By March 1915 the 52nd battalion was formed as the first complete overseas battalion from this region of Ontario and, in short order, the 52nd had recruited 47 officers and 1,898 other ranks many of whom came from the old 96th. Before the war ended, more than 4,000 troops were to pass through the battalion. 

Within days of arriving in France in February 1916 aboard a cattle boat, the 52nd moved to the front, and was thrust into battle at the Kemmel Sector in early March of that year. Over the next three years 140 officers and 2,819 other ranks were casualties in battles such as Mount Sorrel, Flers-Courcelette, Ancre Heights, Vimy Ridge, Avion, Hill 70, Passchendaele, Amiens, Damery, Scarpe, Drocourt-Queant, Canal du Nord, Cambrai, and Valenciennes. The survivors told stories of rat infested trenches, full of mud, of sleepless nights on ground sheets under single army blankets, and of ineffective rifles. One even recalled walking to the front without a helmet or gas mask, having been told to pick them up along the way from the casualties. 

The Lake Superior's (as they were affectionately known), had a reputation for independence and audacity; they would take a back seat for no one. Private W.C. Millar wrote of their encounter with the Imperial Grenadier Guards on a narrow road in the Ypres sector: 

When seeing a bunch of trench-mud stained, unwashed Canadians coming along, the sergeant-major in charge of the Guards shouted out, in a voice which only an Imperial sergeant-major can assume, "Make way for the Guards, Make way for the Guards!!!". Our lieutenant who, I have no doubt was seeing visions of a talk and possibly a bottle of champagne when we reached our billets, refused to be impressed, and made this characteristic reply: "To H--l with the Guards! Carry on, Fifty-second". Needless to state the 52nd "carried on" and for once in their lives, the Guards took the side of the road for the Canadians. 

The 52nd left France with 380 decorations, including a Victoria Cross won by Captain Christopher John Patrick O'Kelly at Passchendaele in 1917. Its battle honours were subsequently carried by Port Arthur's Militia unit, the First Battalion, the Lake Superior Regiment. 

Here's where the 52nd Battalion sat in the heirarchy:

3rd Canadian Division

The 3rd Canadian Division joined the Canadian Corps in June 1916. 

  a.. 7th Brigade 

    a.. Royal Canadian Regiment 

    b.. Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry 

    c.. 42nd Battalion: Royal Highlanders of Canada 

    d.. 49th Battalion: Edmonton 

  a.. 8th Brigade 

    a.. 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles 

    b.. 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles 

    c.. 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles 

    d.. 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles 

  a.. 9th Brigade 

    a.. 43rd Battalion: Cameron Highlanders 

    b.. 52nd Battalion: New Ontario Regiment 

    c.. 58th Battalion 

    d.. 116th Battalion: Ontario County Infantry 

Grampa's return from the war is interesting in that it lists what his position was.  You can see his entry on the SS Olympic ship from Southampton to ____ (I'll find it).  He is listed as SPR, which is an acronym for a Sapper.  Thanks to Wayne, I found out what a Sapper was.

I watched a movie once where the sappers were pushing bombs under the barbed wire with long poles attached to them with a string to fire it. Once they got the bomb under the barbed wire, they would pull the string and hope they blew up the barbed wire and not them selves. Some times the string would get hung up on something as they pushed it in and the bomb would go off and blow them up.

**Sap:the extension of a trench to a point beneath an enemy's fortifications

Middle French /sapper/, from Old Italian /zappare/, from /zappa/ //"to make furrows with a hoe"

This is a link to a hoard of document Donna was able to get from .... somewhere .... regarding the 52nd Battalion which was Grampa Gallson's Battalion (WWI).  The order of them is not likely logical was Word exported the documents in alpha order.  To be honest, I'm not sure what the first page would be.

CLICK HERE FOR 52ND BATTALION DOCUMENTS

Johannes' (John Gallson) Father

The following is from Malle Jaagoa - May 13, 2002.  Its the register of births and christenings of year 1865.  It is from the church.

The first 2 columns translated = day and hour of the birth

For Mihkel Õunpuu translation = 25 Sept afternoon

The third column translated = day of christening (there were 3 children christenings on the same day) which was 29 September

In 1865, Estonia used the old Julien calendar.  The Gregorian (New Calendar) wasn't adopted into the Russian Empire until Feb 1, 1918.  The difference is 13 days.  The birth dates of people born before February 1, 1918 were recalculated, and 13 days were added to the original birthdates.  Therefore, 13 days added to 25 September 1865 = 7 October 1865

Continue reading "Mihkel Õunpuu"

 These are records from the archives in Tallinn that Kaido Õunpuu got for me in 1988.  Kaido is Eduard's son.  I put on the pictures of Karl and Aliise.  You can view all the children in the Photo Gallery.

Continue reading "John’s Estonian Family"