Fitzie

I'm scanning some photos that belonged to my husband's grandfather.  Among them was a small photo labeled "Fitzie"

William Patrick Fitzgerald was the commander of Company M of the 26th Yankee Division.  He was killed in action in the fighting at Vaux.  In a letter Irving wrote home:


France, Aug. 3, 1918

My Dearest Mother;

I suppose you are looking blindly for mail from me, but to tell you the truth, I have been to busy lately that I haven't even had time to sleep, because it certainly wasn't safe to so go sleep where we were for fear we should never wake up again.

Things were certainly flying around for a while, take it from me. I came to near never seeing you people again that there was no fun in it. Quite a few of the boys are gone now. It is certainly too bad. We had quite a fight over here and the men in Co. M showed the boche that they were there all right, although we lost the best lieutenant in the regiment and Ma, he died in my lap. Just think of it!

He and I and a fellow by the name of Finnegan who lives in Gorham st. near Davis square, started out after a holeful of Germans, The lieutenant and I were in a shell-hole. Finnegan was right beside us. The lieutenant threw two bombs and was going throw a third when they saw us and shot him.

He fell on me and I was pretty shaky for a second, but soon got my nerves together and Finnegan and I started after them. All of a sudden I heard Finnegan's rifle shoot and then I saw the German who shot the lieutenant fall. Finnegan shot him through the chest—killed him as dead as a door-nail.

Then we started after the rest. We crawled in pretty close and the Germans saw us coming. They knew that if they didn't give up they would all be killed. So they came out with their hands up to Finnegan and myself. They were all crying, afraid we were going to kill them. We would have done so only there wasn't enough ammunition in my rifle so we took them prisoners, seven of them. So you see I didn't come over here for nothing.

Well, mother, I have good news for you this time. I am appointed the company clerk now and take care of all the company's paper work, which is some job just now as everything is upside down on account of being in the trenches. I have a typewriter and everything that goes with a real clerk, so you see I am slowly going up and will be at the top soon.

Tell grandpa I thought of him when I was capturing the prisoners and if I had some more bullets I would have shot one for him.

Your loving son,

IRVING

From the Gold Star Record of Massachusetts:

Fitzgerald, William Patrick, First Lieutenant, Inf.; killed in action 15 July, 1918, at Vaux.

Enl. 9 March, 1908, Co. G, 9th Inf., M. V. M. Served on Mexican Border. Served as Corporal, Sergeant, and 1st Sergeant. Commissioned 2d Lieut. 22 May, 1916, Mass.N. G. Drafted into Federal service as 2d Lieut. 5 Aug., 1917, Co. G, 101st Inf., 26th Div. 1st Lieut. 23 Jan., 1918. Overseas 7 Sept., 1917.

Born 15 Dec, 1890, at Auburn, son of William Patrick (died 1900) and Catherine (Burke) Fitzgerald; brother of Daniel John (School of Military Aeronautics, Princeton, N. J.), Edward (Marine Corps, A. E. F.), Thomas Raymond (U. S. Navy), Joseph U. (Co. G, 101st Inf., 26th Div.), and Charlotte (wife of Richard A. White of NewYork). Married Mary Agnes Kelliher. Attended Massachusetts Agricultural School. Machinist.
Cited in G. O. No. 74, 26th Div., 1918; For gallantry and meritorious service. Recommended for posthumous award of D. S. C, for action at Vaux, 15 July, 1918; also for Croix de Guerre for action at Chemin des Dames 29 Feb., 1918.

In the photo you can see the tents where they slept in the woods.  Reading a newspaper sitting on a chair with his coat hung on a tree.  Guns at the ready..........

Lieut. Raymond B. Messer

Ray Messer was a student at Lowell Textile Institute class of 1917.  He was the son of Mr. & Mrs. Bradley A. Messer of 63A Street in Lowell.  He died in an airplane accident in France.  Messer Square was dedicated October 14, 1923 and is located at the junction of Chelmsford, Powell and Plain Street.  I found this drawing in the Lowell Sun March 13, 1955.

Here is the square enlarged so you can see it better:

I've been through this intersection many times but I never knew it was Messer Square.  Next time I go through this intersection I'll think of Ray Messer.  What would he have done with his life if he hadn't been killed in France fighting for our freedom?

Babe Ruth WW1 Draft

I wrote a guest post on Dave McKean's Lowell Irish blog today about Babe Ruth's visit to Lowell for the St. Patrick's School Alumni Banquet.  Give it a look at:  http://irishlowell.blogspot.com/

Dave does a great job researching and preserving Irish history in Lowell.  When he hooks up with Walter Hickey they are unstoppable.

Although not specifically Lowell related, I thought I'd post Babe Ruth's WW1 Draft Registration.

Courtesy - The National Archives

Note:

What is your present occupation? - Baseball

By whom employed? - Boston American

Where employed? - Fenway Park

Courtesy - The National Archives

Babe Ruth did not serve in either World War but he did his part by using his celebrity to raise money for the war effort.  Even in 2012 people are still fascinated by Babe Ruth!

The Sinking of the Lusitania and the Lowell Connection

RMS Lusitania - Cunard Company

On May 7, 1915 the British steamship Lusitania was torpedoed by a German u-boat off the Irish coast on its way from New York to Liverpool.  The ship sank in 18 minutes with many Americans on board.  The United States had not entered the World War and would not for another two years.  Many people think that this event turned the United States against Germany.

On board the ship were four people with Lowell Connections.

First class passengers, Dr. Frederick Stark Pearson and his wife Mabel Ward Pearson.  Both born in Lowell they were married January 5, 1887.  Dr. Pearson, a Tufts graduate, was a highly successful engineer and entrepreneur who financed and built the Medina Dam in Texas.  Pearson, Texas is named for him and Natalia, Texas is named for his daughter.  They also had two sons.  They were residents of New York and also had homes in Great Barrington, England and Spain.  Their bodies were found and returned to New York for burial.

A second class passenger, Mrs. Jane Goodchild Worden of Riverside Street in Lowell.  Mrs Worden was traveling to Ireland to bring her aged mother back to Lowell to live.  Her body was never found.

Third class passenger Walter Dawson, an English native, resided in Lowell and worked at the Lowell Bleachery.  He made the trip to England to tend to his sick mother.  He survived.

The first to die from Lowell in the Great War were travelers not soldiers.  

Memorial Day

The United States declared war on Germany April 6, 1917 as a direct result of German submarine warfare.  America had finally joined the Allies.  Neutrality was no longer feasible.  American lives and property had been lost.

In Lowell, many men had already joined the Canadian, British, French and Polish armies.  They could not wait. Private James McClennan of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces was killed in action April 7, 1916.

Over 6,799 Greater Lowell men and women served during the World War.  176 died either in training, illness, accident or killed in action.  They died defending our freedom.  We owe them a lot.

Thank you.

Look up your WW1 Ancestor in 1940 US Census

The 1940 US Census was just released on Monday, April 2nd by the National Archives.  The US Census is released to the public after 72 years.   This is a great census to find your parents, grandparents and/or great grandparents. 

Many genealogy sites are rushing to get  these records on line as fast as possible.  Ancestry.com already has all the states up on it's site for free until April 10th.  You can also find them here:

• http://www.ancestry.com/1940-census
• http://www.familysearch.org/
• http://stevemorse.org/census/unified.html
• http://1940census.archives.gov/getting-started/

All the sites are also working on an index so that you can search by name.  In the mean time if you know your ancestor's address you can search by enumeration district. 

Use the tools at the bottom and put in the cross streets.  If you know where they lived in Lowell you should be able to narrow it down to one enumeration district.  Keep a window open with google maps to help you out.  Remember that some street names have changed.  University Avenue used to be Moody Street in 1940.

It is a great resource for researching your WW1 ancestor.  My husband's grandfather, Irving Loucraft, a Sergeant in the 101st Infantry served with distinction in France during WW1.  He survived the war and was the holder of the Purple Heart with 2 clusters and the Silver Star.  Here he is in the 1940 Census in Lowell on Walker Street with his family.

1940 Census Image - Walker Street Lowell, MA
Irving Loucraft and family
E.D. 18-95

Lowell Doughboy Statue -Tribute of a Greatful Neighborhood

The Lowell Doughboy Statue is located at the intersection of Fletcher and Willie Streets in Lowell, MA.  It was dedicated June 3, 1923 in an impressive ceremony attended by thousands of people.  The square is located in front of the current Lowell Firefighters club.  They have an impressive mural which gives the statue a unique look.  This location used to house the Marine Club, The Broadway Social Club and  Butler Volunteer Firemen.  It was the Broadway Social Club who was responsible for purchasing and dedicating this monument.

The monument honors 36 acre men who gave their lives during World War One.  Imagine 36 men from one small neighborhood paid the ultimate price.  This shows the impact this war had on the city of Lowell.

 South Side -

"TO LIVE IN HEARTS WE LEAVE BEHIND IS NOT TO DIE"

April Joseph

Murray Stephen A

McDermott James C

Toner William H

Gearin George E

Mitchell William J

Michalopoulous Athenasios

Roy Charles J

Theodorou Christos

Wilber William F

Alix Armand

Chaput Philip

East Side  - "LEST WE FORGET"

Connolly John L

Flannery Edward J

Cranna John

Ricard Leo A

Manning Thomas M

Quinn Edward F

Kelley Duncan

Georgulias Efstrafios

Lyons John A

Worthy Joseph

Fletcher Carl E

Muraswsky, Joseph

West side - "LEST WE FORGET"

Wallace Charles

Trainor John J

Warren John M

Ryan John H

Mansour George

Macheras Elias

McCellen James W

O'Brien John A

MacLean A Stewart

O'Donoghue Michael T

Longtin Charles J

Ayotte Arthur J

At the statue dedication Major Edward L. Logan, Mayor John J. Donovan and Congressman John Jacob Rogers spoke.  I think the Congressman said it best,

"Let this statue be always a beacon star which will help you to strive onward that the lives of those it honors may not have died in vain."

Also known as Connolly Square named for Private John Leo Connolly,  Co. M 101st Regiment killed in action  - 23 Oct., 1918 at Belieu Bois, France.  Born 3 Aug., 1893, at Lowell, son of Michael and Bridget (Brown) Connolly (both born in Ireland); brother of Rev. Edward B. Connolly, O.M.I., of Colorado Springs, Colo., Frank, Henry J., Raymond, and Mary (wife of Fred Provencher). His occupation was a shipper at the Baker Chocolate Company, Boston.