Veterans Day

Well I couldn't pass up posting on 11-11-11 and it's Veterans Day to boot!  My family is full of men and women who have served this country, beginning with King Phillip's War in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1670's, the French and Indian Wars, the American Revolution, the War of 1812, Civil War, both World Wars,  

Korea, Vietnam, and both Gulf Wars.

Here are some of the Veterans in my and my husbands family tree:

Phillip Rowell, son of Valentine, born in Salisbury, Mass, was a shipwright and innkeeper.  He was killed by Indians in 1690. See my Rowell post about this family.

Enoch Rowell and his son, also named Enoch, both served in the Revolutionary War.  They were at the battle of Ft. Ticonderoga in New York.  Enoch Senior died on the return journey to Candia, New Hampshire.

Benjamin Baker and his brothers also served in the Revolution, Benjamin died in 1790, having never really recovered by wounds suffered in battle.  It is said that he was at Bunker Hill and with Washington's forces in

 Cambridge.  Benjamin's daughter, Katherine, married Samuel Thornton II.

Bunker Hill

One interesting Thornton tidbit.  A nephew of the Honorable Matthew Thornton, signer of the Declaration of Independence, was tried and found guilty of treason.  It seems he was aiding the British.  He left the country after the war and lived in New Brunswick, Canada. ( Matthew was the brother of our ancestor Samuel I)

Rubin Thornton,  son of Samuel I, served in the War of 1812. After serving himself for sometime, he was released from duty after hiring a replacement for himself.

On my husbands side of the family is Joseph Oliver Rishiell, originally from Pennsylvania he moved out west and settled first in Henry County, Illinois. He was a private in the 42nd Illinois Infantry, serving for about one year. He was a farmer and later became a circuit minister. He died in Denver, Colorado.

 

John's Grandfather, Floyd Roberts, was in the Colorado National Guard and served as a Seebee in the Navy during WWII.  My Grandfather enlisted on 7 June 1918 and was released shortly after Armistice Day, in January 1919.  Both our fathers were in the military, John's in the Army, my father served more than 20 years in the Air Force.

 

One of my uncles was badly injured during the Vietnam War, and received a medical discharge from the Army.

I met my husband while we were both on active duty in the Air Force.  My sister in law was also in the Air Force.  

Currently, I have one nephew serving in the Army.  

Happy Veterans Day to all who proudly served this great country!

I am sure I have left out a lot of relatives and I will update this post when I have time.