World War I, also called the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, began in Europe in 1914. But it was not until April 6, 1917—100 years ago—that the United States Congress declared war against Germany. The American Expeditionary Force was organized and sent off to France to join … Read more
JACKSON, CHARLES WALTER (1885-1922). Second lieutenant, American Expeditionary Forces, Aero Squadron. Jackson was born in New York City. The 1910 census shows that he lived on Avenue N in Brooklyn with his widowed mother and two older sisters on Avenue N in Brooklyn; that census notes that his mother had twelve children, seven of whom … Read more
As per the census of 1880, Abbe lived in New York City with his mother and siblings, was single, and was employed by the Atlantic White Lead Works. On January 27, 1881, he married Ida Beulah Patten in New York City. As per his family’s genealogy, he worked with the Atlantic White Lead Works where … Read more
Since 2002, hundreds of volunteers have worked in Green-Wood’s Civil War Project and have identified over 5,000 people interred at Green-Wood who played a role in the Civil War. Volunteers identified these individuals, located their graves, wrote their biographies, did follow-up research on them, and rewrote those biographies. We now share these biographies with you. … Read more
Baker’s application for an invalid pension was approved in 1892, certificate 360,471. The 1900 census listed him as employed as a driver. His last residence was 546 Hart Street in Brooklyn. After his death from Bright’s disease in 1901, Cornelia Baker applied for and received a widow’s pension, certificate 540, 978. Section 135, lot 14964, … Read more
BERGEN, ADRIAN VANDEMEER (1841-1893). Major by brevet; first lieutenant, 139th New York Infantry, Companies G and D; private, 3rd Regiment, New York State Militia, Company B. Born in Flatbush, Brooklyn, and employed as a clerk, he first served for three months in the 3rd Regiment in 1861. He re-enlisted as a second lieutenant at Brooklyn … Read more
1890 Brooklyn Directory. He may have been the George Boetner, a Brooklyn resident, listed on the 1890 Veterans Schedule who was shot through the body and spent four months in Andersonville Prison in Georgia. In 1890, the census listed him as a cycle machinist. The Brooklyn Directories for 1892-1894 and 1894-1896 list him as a painter; … Read more
BROCK, THOMAS (1824-1885). Corporal, 173rd New York Infantry, Company A. Born in England, Brock enlisted at Brooklyn as a corporal on September 4, 1862, mustered into the 173rd New York on October 30, and mustered out on October 18, 1865, at Savannah, Georgia. Brock applied for and received an invalid pension in 1876, certificate 176,461, … Read more
Returning to civilian life, Calhoun’s career was quite extensive. He worked as a railway survey artist, photographer, writer and special artist for Harper’s Weekly and the Philadelphia Press. A member of the Union Pacific survey party led by General Wright and Dr. William Bell through Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado in the 1860s, he befriended … Read more
A manufacturer of telegraph instruments and a pioneer in the electric light and telephone industry, Chinnock began his career as a telegrapher and then became an associate of Thomas Edison. In 1869, he received a patent for an oil can that contained an internal tube. On December 26, 1878, he applied for a patent to … Read more