Category: Military

The EARLY SETTLERS ASSOCIATION OF THE WESTERN RESERVE is a voluntary organization of people who are interested in studying, preserving and commemorating the history of the Connecticut WESTERN RESERVE and early Cleveland.

FOSTER, WILLIAM ADELBERT (17 Feb. 1915-2 May 1945) was a private in the U.S. Marine Corps during WORLD WAR II who was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor on the Island of Okinawa. William, one of 6 children, was born in Cleveland, to Charles J. and Alma Messzik Foster.

The FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR PEACE JUBILEE was held on Monday, 10 Apr. 1871, to celebrate the German victory ending the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). Cleveland's German societies began planning the celebration in Mar. 1871, electing Rev. Dr. JACOB MAYER of the Tifereth Israel Congregation as president of the committee organizing the event.

FREY, FRANZ (FRANK) XAVIER (8 Dec. 1837-13 March 1900), recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for service during the CIVIL WAR, was born in Zurich, Switzerland, emigrated to the U. S. prior to the war, and settled in Cleveland. He enlisted in the 37th Volunteer Infantry at Cleveland 16 Oct. 1861 and was promoted to corporal 25 July 1862.

GLEASON, WILLIAM J. (2 June 1846-20 Jan. 1905), volunteer CIVIL WAR soldier and first president of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument Commission, was born in County Clare, Ireland. His parents, Patrick and Margaret Gleason, moved to Vermont when he was 6 months old, and shortly thereafter to Cleveland.

The GOVERNORS' CONFERENCE, held in Cleveland on 3 May 1861, served as a platform for the governors of Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan to urge a more aggressive war effort against the rebellious South. Concerned about access to the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, Ohio Governor William Dennison convened the conference to coordinate the wartime activities of the midwestern states.

The GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC (GAR) was a national association of Union Civil War veterans, founded in Springfield, IL, in 1866. Ten states, including Ohio, and the District of Columbia sent representatives to the GAR's first national convention in Indianapolis, IN, in Nov. 1866. The first meeting of the Dept. of Ohio, GAR, was held in Jan. 1867 in Columbus.

GRAYS ARMORY, built by Cleveland's long-standing private military company, the CLEVELAND GRAYS, has served as a meeting lodge and assembly hall for that group, and also as a stage for a wide variety of events.

The GREATER CLEVELAND VETERANS COUNCIL, formed in 1946 to unite Cuyahoga County veterans in their concern for and discussion of national, state, and local legislation that affects veterans' benefits. Member organizations are the VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, American Veterans of World War I, and American Veterans of World War II.

HALLORAN, WILLIAM I. (23 July 1915-7 Dec. 1941), a young journalist who was Cleveland's first WORLD WAR II casualty, was born to Lawrence and Stella (McGuire) Halloran and raised on Cleveland's west side.

HAMPSON, JAMES B. (1841-28 May 1864), a volunteer CIVIL WAR officer killed in action during the Atlanta Campaign in Georgia, was a printer by trade, who was listed as 4th corporal of the CLEVELAND GRAYS in June 1860. He enlisted in Co. E, 1st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for 3 months' service, 23 Apr. 1861.

HARD, GEN. DUDLEY JACKSON (4 Aug. 1873-9 Oct. 1950), military leader, was born in Wooster, Ohio to Curtis V. and Adeline Jackson Hard and graduated from the College of Wooster (1893). In 1894 he joined Cleveland Light & Power Co. which, in 1893, had bought the Williams Publishing Co.'s small steam-engine electricity business for its immediate neighbors.

HAYR, JAMES (1 July 1838-1 Aug. 1927), a volunteer CIVIL WAR soldier and early custodian of the SOLDIERS & SAILORS MONUMENT, was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He and his family moved to Niagara Falls, N.Y., in 1851. He worked as a painter in Rochester, New York City, and Cleveland.

HAYWARD, WILLIAM HENRY (6 Dec. 1822-1 Mar. 1904), Cleveland printer, organizer of the CLEVELAND GRAYS, and Civil War Army officer, was born in Lebanon, Conn., to John and Maria (Whedon) Hayward. He moved to Cleveland with his family in 1825 via the Erie Canal and lake schooner. At 15, he began work with Sanford & Lott in printing.

HERRICK, JOHN FRENCH (23 Feb. 1836-5 July 1909), volunteer CIVIL WAR Army officer and attorney, was born in Wellington, Lorain County, Ohio, to Ephraim and Chloe Wilcox Herrick. He attended Oberlin College (1856-62), and raised Co. D, 87th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in Lorain County and was appointed captain.

The HIBERNIAN GUARDS, a Cleveland-based independent military company of Irish-American volunteers, made its first public appearance during the July 4th parade in 1847, under the direction of Capt. P. A. McBarron. It was extremely active in the 1850s under Capt. William Kinney, establishing an armory on Oregon St. (Rockwell Ave.) and holding annual parades, dinners, and balls.

HINMAN, WILBUR F. (1841-21 March 1905), born in BEREA, was a volunteer Army officer in the CIVIL WAR. He enlisted in the 65th Ohio Volunteer Infantry for 3 years on 12 Oct. 1861, serving as 1st sergeant until promotion to 1st lieutenant of Co. E on 16 June 1861. He was wounded at the Battle of Chickamauga, Ga., 19 Sept.

HUGHES, JOHN ARTHUR (2 Nov. 1880-25 May 1942) Congressional Medal of Honor recipient for service during the landing at Vera Cruz, Mexico, was born in New York City, enlisting in the U.S. Marines there on 22 April, 1914.

INFLUENZA PANDEMIC OF 1918-1919.  In 1918 Cleveland had to cope with two major global events.   One was the first WORLD WAR, a conflict that the United States entered in April 1917.   Nearly 41,000 Clevelanders would serve in the armed forces and 1023

INGALLS, DAVID S., SR. (28 Jan. 1899-26 Apr. 1985), the U.S. Navy's only WORLD WAR I flying ace, was born in Cleveland to Albert and Jane (Taft) Ingalls. He enlisted in the 1st Yale Naval Aviation Unit when the war started. Ingalls graduated from Yale in 1920 and from Harvard University with a law degree in 1923.

INGRAHAM, TIMOTHY was born in Massachusetts in 1810. In 1832 he migrated to Cleveland. He became secretary of the Ohio Canal Packet Company and later was a principal in the firm of Standart, Ingraham and Company, forwarding a commission merchants. He served on the City Council as a Whig and was secretary of the Mutual Protecting Society.

The JEWISH WAR VETERANS, POST 14, CLEVELAND, OHIO, was a unit of the oldest active veterans society in the U.S. It was organized in Nov. 1919, having been formed at a meeting protesting the pogroms and murders of Jews in Poland. The group was incorporated on 3 Feb. 1920 as the Cleveland Jewish War Veterans. Colors were presented to the post on 7 May 1921. Founders of the post included A. I.

JOHNSON, EARLE LEVAN (29 Jan. 1895-16 Feb. 1947), developer of the national civil air defense system, was born in Great Barrington, Mass., to Levan and Nellie Ann Johnson. He moved with his family to Lake County, Ohio when he was 8. He graduated from Ohio State University in 1917 and returned to the family farm in Lake County.

The JOINT VETERANS COMMISSION, founded in the 1920s, consisted of the following veterans' groups: the Army & Navy Union, USA; the United Spanish-American War Veterans (now defunct); the Jewish War Veterans; the Polish Legion of American Veterans; the Catholic War Veterans; the Marine Corps League; the Military Order of the Purple Heart; the Legion of Valor; and the

KELLER, WILLIAM G. (19 April 1876-20 Sept. 1963), a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for service during the SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR, was born in Buffalo, New York, where he enlisted in the U. S. Army.