Donald Charles Fletcher was born to the youngest daughter of Clifford Romaine Fletcher and Margaret Edna Cowan on October 16, 1950 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan.  As a young child, he went to live with his Uncle Bill Fletcher and family in Miami, Florida.  Don was the perfect addition to this family and when Bill tried to look into adopting Don, about the same time that Don’s mother married, she chose to have Don move back to Michigan, where he was adopted by his step-father, Jerry Thomas McFarlin.

At the age of 7, he was blessed with a half-sister, whom he loved dearly and spoke of often.  When he was nearly 13, his half-brother was born.  Don did not have many happy childhood memories that he shared with us.  By 1970 Don entered the military, moved to Kansas, and legally changed his name to Bishop.  Don had a second half-brother who was born after he moved to Kansas.

The following is a collection of the memories that were shared at Dad’s funeral.

A Celebration of Life for Don Bishop
October 16, 1950 – November 3, 2005

In the 1970’s, Don was kinda wild.

Don met Connie Laughlin at the apartment complex where they both lived. Connie asked the landlady to introduce them and her response was “Oh, no honey, you don’t want to meet him. He’s not your type.”

During the early years, the couple was young and foolish. Doing young and foolish things for that era. They married after knowing each other for only 3 months. Everyone said that it wouldn’t last. Well, it did… 35 years.

Don held several jobs during those younger years. He always managed to be employed. Some jobs were not that good and some didn’t pay that well, but he always brought in a paycheck.

By mid 1976, they had two girls that Don totally adored. He had a hard time showing affection in his early days. By him receiving affection from his new family and friends, he then learned how to give affection back. This took many, many years.

His form of discipline was “the look”. When dad got that look, the girls knew that he meant business.

Don never met a person that he didn’t like… except for a few of the boyfriends that came around. Once he became your friend, he was your friend for life. When Don and Connie married, he not only married Connie but her entire family. He was loved dearly by his extended family.

He was always willing to help whoever asked. Asking for nothing in return. He helped around the house doing laundry, dishes, vacuuming and anything Connie would ask, he would do. Yes, even windows. He was always right there helping the girls with school projects.

Don loved to party and he usually was the life of the party. Even though Connie would be mad and upset, that didn’t stop him any at all.

During these party times, he could be heard yelling “GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM!” after the movie with the same name. Or he would say, “I’ll drink to that!”  YYYOOOOOOOOO was another favorite of his.

He was daring as well. He’d do anything that anyone suggested or mentioned, just to prove that he was a macho man. That included attempting an Evil Knevil motorcycle turn in front of Sonny and Alan. Hitting the wrong brake, the bike stopped and Don went flying over the handle bars on to the hood of the truck. Coming back to the house, he was bleeding and limping along. He made an ER visit that is still memorable to this day. This was one of many ER visits that Don made while visiting family in western Kansas.

At Christmas in 1972, the family received a Santa that sang “Jingle Bells.” As the girls grew older, he would take this Santa to their doorways and turn it on. Even as late as two years ago, he would have Connie call each of them and he would play that Santa. It became a family ritual.

He took pride in decorating the outside of his house. He would start decorating in November and would continue to add decorations throughout December. Many times these additional decorations would blow the breakers.

When Connie worked the 3-11 shift at the hospital while the girls were school age, he fixed them beanie-weenies. He added baking soda so that it wouldn’t be gassy for the girls. Not knowing exactly what baking soda did, the beanie-weenies were horrible. The girls remember that to this day and always laugh about his cooking abilities or I should say his cooking inabilities. He was dynamite with the grill though.

Don loved sports. During the ‘70s and ‘80s, he was a devoted Royals baseball fan. We attended many games since he lived in Kansas City. He would also watch all the games on TV or listen to them on the radio. When the Chiefs got started, he watched all of their games. His deepest love of sports was for the KU basketball. Don and Connie were able to attend all the home games in 2003. He loved every minute of those games. Their computer room is decorated with KU memorabilia, many that Don had picked out or that his girls had given him.

As time passed and the lottery and gambling became legal in Kansas and Missouri, his enjoyment turned to this. He loved to go to the boat and he would go every chance he got. When the power ball started, he picked his numbers that are still used to this day. Whenever Don and Connie went out of town, he always had to make sure that he had his picks for the time that they would be gone. When he was in the hospital, he would always make sure that either one of the girls or Connie would get his picks. He made Connie promise that she would continue to get his picks even after he was gone. For the first few years, she did continue to get the picks, but as the economy turned, and things began to get tight, she knew that he would understand.

When he became sick, it was very hard on him. He had to give up his job with KDOT. Losing the contact of his work buddies was very hard. He would often call and chit-chat about the projects they were doing. He wasn’t strong enough to drive to a site to visit. The inability to be functional and work was extremely hard on him. He even had difficulty doing the little “honey-do’s” that Connie left for him to do so that he just wouldn’t sit. Often these little jobs took all day, but he got them done. The last two weeks he was bothered by the fact that he could no longer do much to help me around the house. He was told not to worry about it, but he did.

Every time his son-in-laws would come over, he would have a list of stuff for them to do. Many of which wasn’t necessary or important. But, it was important to him and they obliged him.

Don and Connie adopted a 5 year old black lab, Cooper, to keep Don company. Cooper and Don would often drive up the road or to the grocery store so that Cooper could get her daily ride in.

When KU won the 1988 NCCA basketball tournament, her dad took his youngest daughter, Michelle, to Crown Center to get the champion tee-shirts. He even let her stay home from school to do this.

For the last couple of weeks Don was reminiscing about the times that he had to take on Paula’s boyfriends. He was protective of his girl.

His greatest thrill of all was being able to be here and see the birth of his first grandchild. He called her “his little angel”.

Now, at the age of 4, Abby refers to Don as “Mimi’s PawPaw” (Mimi being her word for her Grammy Connie). Abby knows that Mimi’s PawPaw is in heaven and that when she sees the stars, it means that he is watching her.

Funeral Card

On behalf of the family, we wish to express
their gratitude for your many kindnesses
evidenced in thought and deed, and
for your attendance at this service.

---

GOD SAW

God watched you as you suffered
And knew you’d had your share
He gently closed your weary eyes
And took you in His care
God has you in His keeping
We have you in our hearts
Your memory is our keepsake
With that we’ll never part
God saw you getting tired
And a cure was not to be
He put His arm around you
And whispered, “Come with Me.”
With tearful eyes we watched you
And saw you fade away
Although we loved you dearly
We could not make you stay
A golden heart stopped beating
Hard working hands now rest
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes the best.

---

In Memory of

DONALD C. “DON” BISHOP

Date of Birth
October 16, 1950
Detroit, Michigan

Date of Death
November 3, 2005
Lawrence, Kansas

MEMORIAL SERVICE
1:00 p.m. Monday, Noevember 7, 2005
Warren-McElwain Mortuary
Lawrence, Kansas

OFFICIANT
Angela Lowe, Chaplain

INURNMENT
Oak Hill Cemetery
Lawrence, Kansas

---

Obituary

1950-2005
LAWRENCE

LAWRENCE JOURNAL WORLD
Thursday, November 10, 2005

Donald C. Bishop, 55, Lawrence, died Thursday, Nov. 3, 2005, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. Memorial services were held Monday at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence. He will be inurned in Oak Hill Cemetery.

Mr. Bishop was born Oct. 16, 1950, in Detroit, Mich., the son of Jerry and Mary Ellen Fletcher McFarlin. He moved to Kansas in 1969, where he lived in the Kansas City and Lawrence areas. He was an engineer technician for the Kansas Dept. of Transportation from 1998 until the present. He formerly worked for the Lanter Trucking Co. in Edwardsville.

He married Connie Laughlin July 10, 1970, in Lawrence. She survives at the home. Also surviving are two daughters, Paula Hawk and Michelle Spiess, both of Edwardsville; his parents; two half-brothers, Michael McFarlin, Tempe, Ariz.; and Jerry McFarlin, Jr., Taylor, Mich.; half-sister, Susan Proto, Taunton, Mass.; and one grandchild, Abby Spiess.

The family suggests memorials to the Lawrence Memorial Hospital for the benefit of the Oncology Unit or the charity of the donor’s choice and may be sent in care of the Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th St., Lawrence, KS 66044-3402, (785) 843-1120.

Julia Ann Corel & Willis Myers

I found this photo and obituaries for Julia Ann Corel Myers and Willis Myers on Find A Grave on July 24, 2009.  Corel Cousin Bobby Dobbins Title had added the obituaries, and Find A Grave member, June, had added the photo.  I am currently working on a page for Julia and Willis, so I will not share a story about them on this Tombstone Tuesday.  I have gotten caught up in Willis’ Civil War service, but I hope to have the page for this couple completed within the next week.

I will share, that from what I have read, I can imagine that Julia and Willis met before the war broke out, while Julia was visiting her aunt Cosby Jane Corel Justice or perhaps her aunt Nancy Maryland Corel LaHay.  After the death of Julia’s parents, Henry Highland Corel and Nancy Matney, sister Margaret lived with aunt Nancy Maryland and sister Louisa lived with aunt Cosby Jane.  Both aunts lived in close proximity to China Campbell Myers Yates and Abel Yates, mother and step father of Willis Myers.

Willis and his brother, Williamson Silas Myers, both enlisted in military service on July 13, 1861 for 3 year terms.   By March 1862, when the 9th Kansas Cavalry was officially organized, both brothers had been promoted to Corporal in Company A of this regiment.  No evidence of a muster out date has been found for Willis, but it is likely that he mustered out with his brother and the rest of Company A on November 19, 1864 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.  I can envision the joy that Julia must have felt upon Willis’ return from the war.  The couple surely must have been deeply in love, as they were married just over a month later on December 27, 1864.

CHETOPA ADVANCE
Friday, September 25, 1903

Willis Myers, one of the old time residents of Chetopa, died at Welch, I.T. Monday, September 22, aged 65 years. The body was brought to Chetopa Wednesday and was interred in Oak Hill Cemetery, Rev. J. R. McFadden conducting the service at the grave. Mr. Myers left a widow and four children, Ed Myers, Nevada, Missouri; Mrs. Will Columbia, Chetopa; Mrs. Roqua Milner, Ardmore, I.T.; and Mrs. Gertrude Crotty, Butler, Missouri.

MRS. JULIA MYERS DIES AT DAUGHTER’S HOME
CHETOPA ADVANCE-CLIPPER
Thursday, October 16, 1930

Mrs. Julia Anne Myers, aged 86 years, 8 months and 19 days, died Tuesday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. W. H. Columbia. She is survived by one son, E.W. Myers of Nevada, Missouri, three daughters, Mrs. Columbia, Mrs. Charles Milner of Ardmore, Oklahoma, and Mrs. John Crotty of Nevada, Missouri, eight grandchildren. Funeral services were held at the home yesterday afternoon, Rev. Harry Weed officiating and burial being in Oak Hill Cemetery. The son and one daughter, Mrs. Milner, were unable to be present on account of illness. Mr. Myers died September 20, 1893.

Julia Anne Correll was born January 25, 1944, in Wheeling, W. Virginia. When she was 5 years old she moved with her parents to Lawrence, Kansas, where she grew to womanhood. December 27, 1864, she was married to Willis Myers at Lawrence. To this union were born five children, one of whom died in infancy. Mrs. Myers was a member of the Christian Church and active in its service until a few years ago. She was a charter member but demitted April 2, 1887, after she moved to Chetopa.

John Beasley Corel

John Beasley Corel was the sixth child and fourth son born to Emma Augusta Miller and James Henry Corel (son of James Pickens Corel) on Monday, June 27, 1904 at 3 PM in Wakarusa Township, Douglas County, Kansas¹.  I often wondered where the middle name of Beasley came from….

In early March 2009, I was surfing Ancestry.com and seeing if I could make any connections with aunts and uncles from previous generations when I found the husband of Emma Miller’s sister, Louisa Miller.  Louisa had married John H. Beasley about 1888.  This was quite a find for me, as although Emma and James had 8 children, only 3 of the children had appeared to be named after other family members.

That John Beasley Corel was named completely after his uncle explains why he had a nickname, if not the reason for the nickname.  Jiggy, or as his wife often called him, Jigs, is a nickname that is still attached to him today, more than 60 years after his death.

John Beasley lived with his parents in Wakarusa Township, Douglas County, Kansas through, at least, 1925 where he is shown on the Kansas Census².  On June 4, 1927, John Beasley Corel married Miss Gertrude Nichols of Pawnee County, Kansas in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri³.  The couple may have met while John Beasley was serving in the Kansas National Guard.

On August 21, 1928 John was in an unfortunate accident as described by this article from the Thursday, August 23, 1928 Lawrence Daily Journal-World in Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas:

COREL’S CONDITION
PROMISING TODAY
Guardsman Wounded by
Machine Gun Bullet
Is Resting Easily
PRIVATE SMITH HURT

Sergeant John C. Corel, of Co. H. 137th infantry, a Lawrence, Kansas National Guard unit encamped at Camp Whitside, near Fort Riley, Kans., was reported this morning as resting easily after being wounded with a machine gun bullet Tuesday. The bullet struck Corel in the right chest and lodged behind a rib on the right side of his back, according to George Reed, deputy sheriff, who was at the camp yesterday.

A report from the camp this morning stated Corel spent a restful night in the Fort Riley hospital last night, and that if complications do not occur, the injured man will recover. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Corel, of route 2, Lawrence, expected to start for Lawrence today.

Same Bullet Hit Two Men

The accident occurred when a machine gun in a truck was discharged. The bullet struck Private Emmett Smith in the foot and then struck Sergeant Corel in the right chest.

The force of the bullet knocked Corel down, according to accounts from the camp, but the sergeant got up and was looking after Smith when the pain in his chest caused him to fall again. The wound in Smith’s foot is slight, according to the report.

In speaking with my grandmother, Billie Hahn Laughlin – a niece of John Beasley Corel, about this incident, her recollection was slightly different than this report.  From what she had been told as she was growing up, John was struck by shrapnel while training for World War I.  She recalled that John’s face was also struck by the shrapnel and that he grew a mustache (such as he is sporting in the photo on the left) to hide his wound.  Billie went on to explain that the wound to John’s chest was so extensive that he ended up losing a lung.

As you can see, this photo is from 1937.  Pictured from left to right are Charles Wesley, Eugene William, James Henry, Glenn James, and John Beasley Corel.

I have not been able to figure out what happened with John’s wife Gertrude.  There is no mention of her in the article reporting the accident at Fort Riley.  I have not been able to locate either John or Gertrude in the 1930 census.

Reverend Ernest Jones married John Beasley Corel and Katheryn A. Reeves on January 8, 1941 in Richmond, Ray County, Missouri⁴.  The couple soon had a daughter, Glenna Kay Corel.

Sadly, the story of John Beasley Corel ends much too quickly.  John passed away on August 10, 1946 in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas.  The following is transcribed from a newspaper clipping with a date handwritten of 8/10/46.

To Hospital Tuesday

John Corel, 42 years old, Sunflower Village, DeSoto, Kas., died early today at the University of Kansas hospitals where he was admitted Tuesday. He leaves his wife, Mrs. Kathryn Corel, and a daughter, Glenna Kay Corel, both of the home; his father, James H. Corel, Lawrence, Kas.; three sisters, Mrs. George Dunkley, Lawrence; Mrs. Kathryn Hahn, Lawrence; Mrs. Herbert Buchanan, a resident of the state of Nevada, and three brothers, Charles Corel, Arthur Corel and Eugene Corel, all of Lawrence. Private graveside services will be held at 5 o’clock this afternoon in the Oak Hill cemetery, Lawrence.

These five cases of infantile paralysis were reported:

Ralph Nesbit, 13 years old, son of Mr. and Mrs. Red Nesbitt, Parkville, Mo., in the General hospital.

Flora Mae Hedrick, 14, of Stotesbury, Mo., in the General hospital.

John Hogan, 12, son of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Hogan, Polo, Mo., in the Menorah hospital.

John Beeks, 14, son of Mr. and Mrs. Claude Beeks, Baldwin, Kas., in the University of Kansas hospitals.

Lyle Hunter, Edgerton, Kas., in the University of Kansas hopsitals.

—
DELAY A FAMILY REUNION
—
Polio Case Leads to Postponement at Oak Grove

The thirty-second annual Webb family reunion, which was scheduled for tomorrow in Webb park, near Oak Grove, has been postponed until September 15, because of a case of infantile paralysis in Oak Grove. The victim is Donna Owings, 5 years old, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walker Owings.

Henry H McGlothlin, © All rights reserved

This photo was taken by John Jackson at Pleasanton Cemetery, Pleasanton, Linn County, Kansas on August 19, 2007.

A few years after his father remarried in Kentucky, Henry H. McGlothlin went back west to live with his grandmother in Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas¹.  By Spring of 1864 Henry is living in Olathe, Johnson County, Kansas when he enlists into Company K of the 15th Kansas Calvary Regiment².

The 15th Kansas Calvary dealt with a minor skirmish from time to time while patrolling the Kansas – Missouri border.  October 19, 1864, Major General Alfred Pleasonton and 7,000 cavalrymen were chasing down the infamous Confederate General Price through western Missouri when about 2,000 cavalrymen from the 15th headed towards Lexington, Lafayette County, Missouri to aid in slowing down the Confederates³.  The Union was defeated at Lexington, and the Kansas Militia retreated and the next day arrived at the Little Blue River, eight miles east of Independence, Jackson County, Missouri.

A small force was left at the Little Blue Bridge to keep the Confederates from crossing, while the Kansas troops were ordered to Independence.  On the 21st the Kansas Militia was ordered to return to the Little Blue, where it was discovered that the small force had retreated from the prime defensive hold when faced by the numerous Confederate soldiers.  The Union forces tried to take back the defensive location along the river, but a five hour battle took it’s toll on the smaller army and the Union was forced to retreat to Independence⁴.  The following day, the Army of the Border, which included the 15th Kansas Calvary, established a strong defensive line along the Big Blue River when they were attacked and pushed back from Byram’s Ford, where General Price was able to ford his men and cattle across the river.

The Border Army retreated back to Westport, Jackson County, Kansas as General Price crossed the river.  General Alfred Pleasonton was close behind Price and easily defeated the Rebel division left to protect Byram’s Ford on October 23, 1864⁵.  General Price continued to move his Confederate Army towards Westport, deciding to take on the Army of the Border before dealing with General Pleasonton’s force closing in behind him.  The battle that took place at Westport on October 23, 1864 would have more soldiers than any other battle west of the Mississippi River (about 40,000).  The Army of the Border attacked the Confederates across Brush Creek at Westport.  The Rebels were holding off the attacks until the Union reinforcements from the Big Blue River as well as General Pleasonton’s army reached Wesport.  General Price had no choice but to retreat south.  The Battle of Westport was the deciding factor on the success of Price’s Missouri Expedition.  From this day on, the Confederates were in retreat^6,7.

Two days after the Battle of Westport the 15th Kansas Calvary was among the troops that followed Price’s army south to Mine Creek in Linn County, Kansas⁸.  Although outnumbered more than two to one, the Union forces were able to take control of the area and about 600 Confederate prisoners after only thirty minutes of battle⁹.  The following year was rather uneventful for the 15th Kansas Calvary.  The regiment mustered out on October 19, 1865¹⁰.  During his service, Henry H. McGlothlin was promoted to First Sergeant¹¹.

More can be read about Henry H. McGlothlin on his page here on the Corel Cousins website.

Shadrack McGlothlin, © All rights reserved

This photo was taken by John Jackson at Pleasanton Cemetery, Pleasanton, Linn County, Kansas on August 19, 2007.

Shadrack McGlothlin was the youngest child of Jemima Corel and David McGlothlin, born in April 1847 in Tazewell County, Virginia.

At the age of 16, Shadrack mustered into Company F of the 45th Kentucky Mounted Infantry in Ashland, Boyd County, Kentucky on November 2, 1863¹ to fight with the Union in the Civil War.  Many documents have Shad listed as “Shadrack McGlathlin”.

By 1885 Shadrack moved his family to Pleasanton, Linn County, Kansas², where his older brother, Henry H. McGlothlin had settled.  Shadrack remained in Pleasanton until his death on February 4, 1906.  More can be read about Shadrack McGlothlin on his page here on the Corel Cousins website.

Francois E. LaHay

Francois E. LaHay was born to Marie Aubuchon and Toussaint LaHay about 1829 in St. Genevieve, Missouri.  By 1855 Toussaint and his children moved to Douglas County, Kansas, to do their part in seeing that Kansas became a Pro Slavery state¹

Nancy Maryland Corel married “Frank” LaHay on December 19, 1856 in Douglas County, Kansas².  In 1858 the couple had their first child, Oliver “Ollie”.  A couple of years later in 1861 their daughter Ella was born.

The happiness of this young family was not meant to be.  On April 17, 1862 the Lawrence Republican newspaper ran a notice that Francois LaHay of Clinton Township, Douglas County, Kansas died on the 9th of April in Missouri from lung fever.

Oliver "Ollie" and Ella LaHay

Two years later, in the Thursday, February 11, 1864 edition of the Kansas Weekly Tribune, a notice was printed that Ella LaHay had died at the age of 2 years, 5 months, 9 days.  Three weeks later on March 3, the Kansas Weekly Tribune reported that Olla LaHay, son of Nancy LaHay, died on March 1, aged 6 years, 1 month.

The three LaHay’s were laid to rest on the family plot on the land of Toussaint LaHay.  In 1972 the family was moved to the Clinton Cemetery to make way for the Clinton Dam and Resevoir³.

Thomas Stuart McGee

Thomas Stuart is the youngest son born to Olivia Gillespie Corel and John Jacob McGee.   He was born July 21, 1881 in Wakarusa Township, Douglas County, Kansas.  Thomas was only 7 when his father, John Jacob, died.

In 1900 Thomas Stuart is living with his brother, Richard Oney McGee in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri¹. Ten years later Thomas Stuart is still in Kansas City, but now living with his mother, Olivia Gillespie Corel McGee, his aunt, Nancy Maryland Corel Dobbins, two brothers, Albert Edward and Oliver Corel McGee, and a cousin, Ada Corel, granddaughter of Margaret McGee and William Corel².

As you can see by this grave stone, Thomas Stuart McGee was a soldier during World War I.  In researching for this blog post, I have found that Thomas enlisted in the military long before war broke out.  Thomas first enlisted with the Missouri National Guard and was placed as a Private in Battery B, First Battalion, Field Artillery on June 14, 1905 and was promoted to Corporal in less than a year, on March 14, 1906.  Thomas received an honorable discharge after his first term and he reenlisted on June 14, 1908 and was promoted to Sergeant on October 15, 1909.  Thomas again received an honorable discharge and reenlisted on June 14, 1911.  He was promoted to 1st Sergeant on June 24, 1912.  Thomas once again reached his expiration of term of service and reenlisted on June 14, 1914 as a 1st Sergeant.  For a reason I have not been able to find as of yet, one month later on July 14, 1914, Thomas is shown as a Private.  Then the reference I have found gets really confusing!  It is shown that on August 18, 1914 Thomas is a Sergeant and on the same date he is shown as a Mess Sergeant.  Four days later on August 22, Thomas is once again a Sergeant for a couple of weeks until September 8, when he is shown as a Stable Sergeant.  October 1, 1914 Thomas is once again a Sergeant.  He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant of Battery B, First Battalion, Missouri Field Artillery on June 22, 1915.  On June 18, 1916 President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation calling National Guard units into federal service after Pancho Villa attacked the camp of the 13th Calvary and the town of Columbus, New Mexico on March 9, 1916.  2nd Lieutenant Thomas S. McGee was fourth in charge of Battery B, First Battalion, Missouri Field Artillery.  The battery arrived at Camp Clark, Nevada, Missouri on June 22, 1916 and was mustered into federal service on June 25.  They arrived at Laredo, Texas July 5, 1916 and remained on duty until December 18, 1916, when the battery moved to Fort Riley, Kansas where they were formally relieved from federal service on December 22³.

On July 18, 1917 the Missouri Field Artillery Regiment joined other regiments from Missouri and Kansas to form the 35th Division of the National Guard for service in World War I⁴.  The Missouri State Archives shows a “Thomas B. McGee” born July 21, 1881 in Lawrence, Kansas, residing at 205 N. Monroe Street, Kansas City, Missouri, was inducted on August 5, 1917⁵.  August 5 was the same day that the 2nd Missouri Field Artillery was mobilized⁶.  The 35th Division was organized at Camp Doniphan, Oklahoma in August 1917 and trained there until April when the troops headed for the ports of New York and Philadelphia.  The Missouri State Archives shows that Thomas McGee left the United States on May 20, 1918 and he returned on April 20, 1919.

On September 28, 1918, Captain Thomas S. McGee of Battery B, 1st Battalion, 129th Field Artillery successfully led his Battery to victory over a hostile battery in a small clearing in the Argonne Forest in Charpentry, France⁷.  On October 2, 1918, the 35th Division was relieved of its station in the Argonne Forest by the 1st Division.  Captain Thomas McGee, along with Captain Marks and Chaplain Tiernan, was the last to leave the forest from the 35th Division⁸.  November 10, 1918 Captain McGee received a phone call requesting that Battery B fire on a German machine gun nest that was firing at the 322nd Infantry.  Seventeen rounds was all that Thomas McGee needed to secure the area⁹.

The orders to return home were received by the 129th Field Artillery on April 8, 1919.  The men traveled home on the recently acquired North German Lloyd S. S. Zeppelin in the ship’s maiden voyage across the Atlantic.  The ship left France at 1:09 PM on April 9, 1919. The men awoke to find themselves in the outer harbor of New York on Easter Sunday, April 20, 1919.  Later that day they were settled into Camp Mills, New York where they remained for the next ten days.  The Regiment then split into two groups on April 30, the first was led by Colonel Smith to travel via the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the second was led by Major McGee to travel the Grand Trunk Railroad to Chicago.  Major McGee’s charges reached Niagra Falls on May 1 and Chicago on May 2, 1919, where they then traveled the Chicago and Alton Railroad into Kansas City.  At 7 AM on the morning of May 3 the soldiers arrived at Union Station in Kansas City where they spent the next several hours being honored and meeting with family and friends.  At 2:00 that afternoon, the men loaded the train once more for Camp Funston at Fort Riley, Kansas for final inspections and such.  On May 6, 1919 the final discharges were issued and the 129th Field Artillery ceased to exist as a formal organization¹⁰.

Neither the Missouri State Archives nor Lee’s book specify when Thomas S. McGee received his promotion from Captain of Battery B, 1st Battalion to Major of 2nd Battalion of the 129th Field Artillery, but both do confirm that he did rank as Major at the end of World War I.

Thomas seems to have disappeared from most records after his military service.  The only other documentation I have found this far is that Thomas S. McGee married Margaret Francis Riley on May 10, 1930 in Clay County, Missouri¹¹.

On March 25, 1949 Thomas Stuart McGee died at Research Hospital in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri from cerebral thrombosis with infection, hypertension, and vascular disease.  Thomas was a retired heating engineer  living in North Kansas City, Clay County, Missouri at his time of death.  His body was removed to Oak Hill Cemetery, Douglas County, Kansas on March 28, 1949¹².

William J Puckett

Today’s Tombstone Tuesday is from ‘Corel Cousin’ Cathie Dixon Constable and is of William J Puckett, first husband of Louisa Corel.  William was born December 21, 1820 in Virginia.  It is believed that his parents were Rhoda Francis Newby and Lewis Puckett.

Louisa Corel and William Puckett were married December 18, 1842 in Tazewell County, Virginia^1,2.  The couple would have 13 children, 8 of which were born before the family settled in Wyandotte County, Kansas in December 1857³.

On August 15, 1862 Louisa and William’s two oldest children, Henry and Joshua Jeremiah, enlisted in the Twelfth Regiment of the Kansas Volunteers.  Joshua would make it back home, but Henry was one of 16 men in his regiment to die of disease⁴.  Henry died December 10, 1863 at the Fort Scott Hospital in Bourbon County, Kansas.

In 1871 William Puckett moved his family to Wilson County, Kansas, near the border of Woodson County, Kansas⁵.  This would be where William Puckett would live out his days.  William died April 8, 1887 and is buried at the Little Sandy Cemetery, Wilson County, Kansas.

W. Conrad Hahn

As I try to keep themes going, as much as I can, this Tombstone Tuesday post is a follow-up to my post last week in Smile for the Camera ~ A Noble Life.

William Conrad Hahn was born March 19, 1903 in Bartlett, Labette County, Kansas to Margaret Violet Burns and Adam Hahn.  After his mother, Margaret Violet Burns Hahn, died in 1915, Con, as he was often called, is found in  Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas with his aunt, Pearl Lois Burns Burke, and her family in 1920¹.  In 1925, he is back in Labette County, Kansas with his father, step-mother, and siblings².

On September 11, 1927 he married Kathryn Corel, granddaughter of James Pickens Corel, in Lawrence, Kansas.  They soon moved to Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, where Con supported his wife working as a clerk³.  Kathryn and Con had two children, Billie Kay and James Conrad.  In 1938, after the death of Kathryn’s mother, the young family moved to Lawrence, to help take care of Kathryn’s father, James Henry Corel, and the family farm.

Once their children were grown and having children and grandchildren of their own, Kathryn and Con would often spend winters in Florida.  The couple was at their winter home in Polk County, Florida when Con passed away from heart failure on April 27, 1978⁴.  His body was returned to Kansas and he was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery at the Corel family plot on May 1, 1978.

McGee Monument

Since I have been researching my McGee/McGhee line this week, I thought I would continue with the McGee’s today on Tombstone Tuesday.  Those of you who have been to the old section of the Oak Hill Cemetery in Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas, should recognize the McGee monument.  I remember that when I was quite young, I was fascinated by this monument, and thought it would be cool if I was related to the people buried there.  Today, I am proud that my 4th great grandparents are among those buried at this monument.

Unfortunately, I do not have very good photos that document this monument, but I am able to share with you the many inscriptions on this monument.

East Side of Monument

• James McGee, died August 19, 1876, aged 79 years, 10 months
• Mary, wife of James McGee, died July 14, 1872, aged 66 years, 5 days
• John J., 1864 -
• Myrtle H., 1869 – 1932

South Side of Monument

• Thomas S. McGee, Oct 28, 1834 – Dec 4, 1914
• Rebecca Ann, July 31, 1844 – Apr 12, 1926

West Side of Monument

• John J. McGee, Apr 9, 1836 – Nov 22, 1888
• Olivia Corel, Jan 14, 1838 – Nov 27, 1917

North Side of Monument

McGee Monument

• A. N. McGee, died July 16, 1869, aged 36 years, 16 days
• Sarah McGee, died Oct 30, 1874, aged 32 years, 18 days
• Catherine McGee, died Mar 6, 1863, aged 18 yrs, 6 mos, 9 days
• John J., son of A. N. & J. McGee, died Sept 16, 1868, aged 1 yr, 6 mos
• James C., 1858 – 1884
• Albert E., 1873 – 1925
• Lena A., 1869 – 1937