In honor of Memorial Day tomorrow I thought I would mention my ancestors who gave their all for our country. I have at least one ancestor who has fought in every war since colonial times. Although many fought in these wars, only a few have been killed. So I remember those brave men who gave us the freedoms we have today!
Hugh Alley Sr (1608-1673) ~ He immigrated from England to Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts in 1637. In the fall of 1672, the Native Indians conducted raids of several growing towns. Many settlers were killed as a result. Believing that the Indians had declared war on them several men from the nearby towns banded together to fight those who had attacked. During one skirmish on January 25. 1673 Hugh was killed. He is my 9x Great Grandfather.
George Parrott (1746-1777) ~ He enlisted at the start of the War in 1775 serving under Captain John Tipton. He participated in many battles including the Battle of Brandywine and the Battle of Paoli. On October 4, 1777, he fought in The Battle of Germantown. The Continentals lost 152 men that morning including George. Many soldiers were buried in mass graves, some were buried in local cemeteries. There is no known record of the disposition of George’s body. George was 31 years old and had never been married nor had any children. He is my 3x Great Uncle.
Charles “Boy” Combs (1843-1869) ~ On March 12, 1862, 19-year-old “Boy” enlisted in Company B, Indiana 27th Infantry Regiment. He then proudly marched off to War wearing the blue uniform of the Union Army. At the Battle of Antietam which was the single bloodiest day in American military history, “Boy” was injured along with 9539 other soldiers. Over 2000 Union soldiers were killed. Although he survived the War he never completely recovered from the wounds that he received in the Battle of Antietam. He spent the next 4 years fighting a reoccurring infection. On January 2, 1869 “Boy” died from the infection. He is my 3rd cousin.
William J, Register (1915-1944) ~ He joined the army in 1939 at the age of 24 at the start of WWII. He went through basic training and was stationed at Fort Hood Army base in Killeen, TX. He was trained to drive and maneuver the tanks and to fire them with accuracy. In 1942 he was shipped to England. On June 6, 1944, William along with countless others landed on the beaches of Normandy and there his life ended. His body was never found. He is my 2nd cousin.
I am a professional genealogist, writer, photographer, wife, mother, and grandma. I have two books available on Amazon.com: Your Family History: Doing It Right the First Time and Planning Your Genealogy Research Trip. You can also connect with me via Facebook or Twitter.
Genealogy With Valerie 