Military Week 2014 - Friday - Gold Star Mother

Ethel I. Davis
1897-1963
Mount Olivet Cemetery
Frederick, Frederick County, Maryland

I have not seen too many Gold Star Mother emblems in my journeys but came across this at Mount Olivet Cemetery recently.

So to all the mothers who have had to lost sons and daughters for this country, your loss is our loss.  

Military Week 2014 - Wednesday - Robert Bruce Reifsnider

Robert Bruce Reifsnider
August 22, 1896 - October 4, 1918
Emmitsburg Memorial Cemetery
Emmitsburg, Frederick County, Maryland

I recently explored a new (to me) cemetery and as I was leaving, I noticed this headstone. I recognized the name as being on the World War I Memorial in Memorial Park in Frederick, Maryland.

I was able to find an article in the local paper about his death. We take for granted today the ability to find out about events around the world in seconds. Private Reifsnider's parents had to wait three months to find out about their son's death.

Gettysburg Times
Gettysburg, PA
January 14, 1919

DEAD THREE MONTHS

____________

And Parents just now Receive Official Notification.

     Two months ago the name of Robert Bruce Reifsnider, Smithsburg, Md., appeared in the overseas' casualty list. He had died of disease on October 4, according to the report.
     At Emmitsburg Mr. and Mrs. Kester Reifsnider sent a son, Robert Bruce Reifsnider, away to war last September a year ago and when they read the name of Robert Bruce Reifsnider, Smithsburg, in the casualty list they became very much alarmed. Mrs. Reifsnider felt that possibly the War Department had made some mistake and that it was her son who had died in France of disease.
     So worried did the mother become that she made inquiries at Smithsburg about a certain Robert Bruce Reifsnider who, according to the casualty list, had died of disease. She was told at Smithsburg that there was no such person by that name who had gone to war from there. And up until a few days ago Mr. and Mrs. Reifsnider have been very deeply concerned about their son.
     Friday they received a telegram from the War Department which stated that their son, Robert Bruce Reifsnider, had died in France on October 4 of bronchial pneumonia.
     The last heard from him was some time in September. At that time he said he was well and happy.
     Young Reifsnider was 22 years old. He trained at Anniston, Ala., and embarked for France during the middle of the summer.

Military Week 2014 - Tuesday - Memorial Park - World War I

For this year's Military Week leading up to Memorial Day I will be posting various memorials and headstones I have come across.  For this week, I will be posting the names of the war dead.  For Veteran's Day, I will post the names of those who served.  Thanks to Heather Wilkinson Rojo of Nutfield Genealogy for the challenge!

This is the monument located at Memorial Park, Frederick, Frederick County, Maryland dedicated to World War I soldiers.  It was erected in 1926 so of course it dedicated to those who served during the "Great War". It also reflects racial inequalities of the times which is why when I first saw "Colored" by a few names I was a bit shocked. Then I remembered the time period and thought thank goodness times have changed!

This Monument Was Erected In Honor Of The Sons And Daughters Of Frederick County Who Served Their County In The Great War 1917-1918

SURNAME	LAST NAME	NOTES
Adams	Lewis R
Akers	Byron V
Alder	Albert Garland
Armstrong	Clarence D
Baker	Murray
Beachley	Hobert McKinley
Bennett	Morris W
Bentzel	Arthur H
Bopst	Thomas R
Bunke	William
Burke	Harry C
Burke	Jesse D
Burns	Jesse L
Carroll	Frederick F
Claggett	Honore Martin
Corun	Hugh
Darr	John D
Dertzbaugh	William Lee
Elder	Francis Zavier
Etzler	Morris
Eyler	Benjamin F
Firor	Carl Lawrence
Firor	Paul
Fraley	William
Gelwicks	Charles Francis
Graham	Wilber Ecker
Hahn	Martin Luther
Haller	Norman C
Harper	Earl J
Hargett	Harvey Lycurgus
Hoffman	Roy
Hooper	William Shuff
Huffer	Roy C
Jacobs	Charles Winfield
Keenan	A D
Kelbaugh	Roy O
King	William C
Kline	Benjamin F
Koogle	David F
Lewis	Gaither Leon
Lowry	Henry
Lutz	Martin Luther
Martin	Roland Wordsworth
McNalley	Frank T
Mercer	Jacob
Monath	Walter A
Morningstar	George S
Myers	Walter Thomas
Ohler	Vernon Ross
Peugnet	Charles P E
Ponton	Andrew J
Pryor	Jesse
Quinn	Leonard Melville
Reed	Benjamin
Reifsnider	Robert Bruce
Ricketts	William
Roeber	George W
Rowe	Francis E
Saunders	George C
Schley	John Reading
Selby	Leslie F
Shankle	Daniel Austin
Shaw	George S
Smith	Guy Austin
Smith	Harry Beachley
Smith	Herman E
Staley	Franklin L
Steadman	Howard W
Stitely	Clifford Martin
Streams	Charles	Colored
Stull	Raymond C
Toms	Stanley M
Walker	Charles
Watkins	Russell J
Waters	James Somerset
Webb	John R
Wheeler	Nevel E
Wilhide	James Edward
Williams	George	Colored
Wise	Alva E

"At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Shall Remember Them."

May 1, 1993 - Bernard Daniel Nikirk

Bernard Daniel Nikirk
August 9, 1909 - May 1, 1993
Christ Reformed Cemetery
Middletown, Frederick County, Maryland

Frederick News
May 3, 1993