THE BRICK WALL STANDS

[Redtail1949]

Glad it did and I will be sending more as I get it together. Some will be the actual Census Records which provides names ages mother father states of birth occupations and so on. I will search today for the Spanish American War Records  for your folks.

The keys family is in my data base. John W. Keys was the first husband of Florence G. Doyle married November 26, 1879 in Polk County. They had at least one child named Jurusa W. Key born December 1880. The parents of John W. Keys  his fathers name is not known his mother was Carloine Andres and they had two children Elziabeth born about 1851 and John W, born about 1852.

This family owned the Keys Hotel.

After her husbands death and I do not know how or excactly when he died. She married William T. Epperson on January 13, 1886 in Polk County, Texas.

So know you see the relationship with that Hotel.

one thing that is noticable in your family lines is that many early deaths in various familues and the kids would be raised by various relatives and in some cases makes it very hard to figure out as these kids were not adopted by law ...there were no such things then. They were taken in and just started using the new family last names making it appear they were their children when they were not. This happened in the Close family line with the early deaths in Galveston. When this happens sometimes all along someone thinks a certain person is their Grandfather when in fact they were their great uncle or maybe not even a blood relative.

William T. Eppersons father was Thaxton L. Epperson was a Veteran of the U.S. Mexican War of 1846-1848 and fought under the Texas Flag as a 1st. Lt. Company B. Texas Mounted Volunteers and fougth all the way into Mexico City. Along with Robert E. Lee and Grant no less the opposing Genreals of the Civil War. Thaxton went in toi the service of TEXAS in Two seperate units one out of Polk county for six months then he reuped as we say into the 20th Texas and fought in Major Campains under John Bell Hood across the south.
You indeed have a lot of history from both sides of your family.

You have given me all i need and that was your thanks you owe me nothing...glad to help.

[Redtail1949]

Was your father a Prisoner of War During World War II? I have some stuff that I believe is him in which he was reported as a Prisoner of War by the Red Cross out of Switzerland that he was a prisoner as of Oct 31, 1944 U.S. Army Air Corp Corporal? do you know if this is him?

[williamlayton]

Yup that is him but he was a tech sgt.
There is an interesting story that goes with this.
My fathers plane was disabled during a raid and they landed near the Swiss border and made it into Switzerland.
Backtracking----before the mission he was not scheduled to go. At the last minute he was sent on the mission. he did this without the usual money they were issued for such missions.
When they escaped into Switzerland he had no money and this was necessary to move around and get help from the underground.
He contacted the International Red Cross and wired my mother for some money---which she sent thru the Red Cross.
A couple of weeks went by and the usual Lt. showed up and handed my mother the usual letter saying he was missing in action.
My mother laughed and it made the Lt. angry. My mother told him that the Army may not know where he is but I do.
Send THAT also.
As to the Keys Hotel and the Eppersons---my story was somewhat incorrect it was Mrs Epperson that told my mother that she never loved Mr Epperson--it wa a marriage of convenience.
Blessings

[Redtail1949]

I will send that little deal on being a prisoner it is just a two or three sentence deal taken from some report filed. If I find anything else on it I will send it too.
 hope you got the newspaper that showed H.W. Close being exhumed and taken to Albany.

[williamlayton]

Got that and enjoyed.
BTW---got any ideas on how to get my fathers war/service records?
Blessings

[Redtail1949]

Yep but read this:

Another catastrophic fire occurred on 12 July 1973 in St. Louis, Missouri, at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC). Between 16 and 18 million official military pension records were destroyed and many more were damaged. For many of us whose ancestors and relatives served in the United States Army and Air Force in the 20th century, the loss is horrendous. It is estimated that 80% of the records for Army personnel discharged from 1 November 1912 to 1 January 1960, and 75% of the Air Force personnel records for personnel discharged from 25 September 1947 to 1 January 1964 (with names alphabetically after Hubbard, James E.) were lost.

The records from World War II service can be difficult to replace, but there are alternative records used by the NPRC to reconstruct general information and to respond to inquiries.

NOW HERE IS WHO YOU CONTACT:

If you are a veteran or next-of-kin of a deceased veteran, you may now use vetrecs.archives.gov to order a copy of your military records. For all others, your request is best made using a Standard Form 180. It includes complete instructions for preparing and submitting requests. Please Note: All requests must be in writing, signed and mailed to us at the address shown below.


National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records
Address
National Personnel Records Center
Military Personnel Records
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100

[Redtail1949]

I have acces to alot of the alternative records they talk about. I also read alot of the combat after action reports by commanders in the field. sometimes I have been very lucky and found the daily report that showed or commented about one of my kin in a battle. problem is that it requires your reading it all.

I am now reading the actual surviving records of enlistment of soldiers in 1836 in the newly formed Republic of Texas. I had started by lookin for the actual records of your kin Thaxton L. Epperson in the U.S. Mexican War 1846-1848. I think I migh just find some stuff on him. as he served with my kin in that War and I found mine.

I get sidetracked sometimes as I have some many kin in those Wars that I come across him and follow him out. then i get back on track.

[Redtail1949]

williamlayton:

go to this website it gives all the information you need to know as the next of kin to obtain all you want (of what they have). you will need service number of your kin birth and death dateds as well as Death Certificate. The death Certificate number is on the records I sent you and they will be in Liberty County Courthouse. If you do not have you can order or go down there and get them.

I did this on several of my kin and I found a lot of good stuff...wounds...decorations..citations even after action reports used to award medals. so it may be well worth it if they have that stuff.

[Redtail1949]

HERE IS THE LINK---Sorry sign that my mind is going forgot to past it in....lol


http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/