In This Issue

For Your Interest
Words From The Reunited
Letters to the Archivists
Photo of the Month
Pick and Shovel
What's New In The Database
Recognize These Faces
Dead Ringers
Feature Article - Lost Bible Finds Its Home

What's New on the Site?

Genealogy Books

Christmas time is fast approaching. Purchase your genealogy enthusiast's gifts via DeadFred and support a worthy cause!

You may have noticed that there is now a list of 3 books at the bottom of the search results pages which are related to your search. Please support DeadFred by purchasing your genealogy related books, CDs and maps using the search feature at the bottom of our results pages. The commission we earn off of this feature helps us maintain and improve the site as well as purchase more photos to send home to their rightful families!

Try it now by typing in a surname, place, or keyword here:

User Poll

366 - 375 Ray Family

These are my great great grandparents ....can you tell me how you found out who they were? What a find... Thanks! I knew they were my Gr. Gr. Grandparents I just did not expect to find a photo of them online...along with a photo of my great great uncle Noah Ray and his family... I am thrilled about it.

376 & 377 Albert & Lillian Hudson

Albert & Lillian were my great grandparents. I live in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

378 Viola Hickstein

Viola, according to my records, would be my Grandfather's cousin.

379 Alexander Peebles Kelso

You have a photo of Alexander Peebles Kelso as a freshman from the class of '06 at Washington & Jefferson on your site. He was a first cousin to my great grandfather. Son of Alexander Peebles Kelso, Sr. and Louisa Bolton. Born 10/12/1886 in Saharanpur, India, where his parents were Presbyterian missionaries. He did go on to graduate in '06 with an A.B., he got his B.D. from Western Theological Seminary in 1910; he was also a Rhodes Scholar and received an A.B. from Oxford in 1912. He later served as a Presbyterian pastor in Mt. Pleasant, PA and as a Professor of Biblical History & Literature at Milliken University in Decatur. Ill from 1918-1925. On Oct. 17, 1914 he m. Clarice Ridley Wharam. I believe he is the second from the right in the top of the photo on your site. I can send you his Milliken faculty photo if you're interested. You have a great site, thanks for sharing the photos and data. Fred Kelso

380 Mary F Marriott

Would it be possible to get a higher resolution copy of photo of 14382.jpg (Mary Marriott, 1914)? You could email it to me directly. She was my grandmother, and we don't have many photos of her. Regards, Angela Hoffmann

381 Merle Burris

Merle Burris was the sister of my grandmother, Erma Burris.

382 & 383 Walter & William Felton

I returned the photo to one of their nephews, who does genealogy. He was able to share the photo with the living son of one of the men. Robin Palmer

384 Gottfried Belter

Hello. My name is Heather (Carter) Free. I am the granddaughter of Curtis Carter and Vera Weter. Curtis's parents were Grandville Carter and Rachel BELTER. Rachel's father was Gottfried Belter. I think this is him cause he looks just like the picture I have of Gottfried. I was wondering if you would be interested in contact. I do not have a lot about the Belter line and everything I have has come from a grand uncle. I would love to hear back from you on this. This family came from North Dakota to Oklahoma, settling in Clinton, Custer, Oklahoma. I would be overjoyed to hear from you! Heather Free

385 Stephen Lisecki

This is documentation of my grandfather. I have been searching so long for information on my fathers family and I am so happy to find this. My father passed away when I was little (edward Joseph Lisecki) and My grandmother Tilli Lisecki In 1980 before I got interested in this. I would be so grateful if you can send this information to me. I can supply you with any information that you would need to verify. This is a wonderful website and I thank God that it was there for me to find this information. I called both of my brothers and they are extremely happy. This is the only photo that we will have of him.

386 Espedito Locantore

This is a picture of my grandfather! I was wondering where it came from, and if it is possible for you to send me a copy to give to my father. He doesn't have many pictures of his father and I'm sure he would love to have it. Thanks, Carla Locantore-Hann

Do you have a reunion story to share? Email us at reunions@deadfred.com.

Letters To The Archivists

Linda writes:

On the back of photos developed circa 1940 through the 50's, there are numbers and sometimes, numbers and letters. I think these are codes that identify the year, month and possibly day the film was developed. How do I break the codes? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Whether you have a bone to pick or a eulogy to offer, send your thoughts to letters@deadfred.com.

Submitted by Nicholas Lancaster - grandson of Bob White.

Bob "Whitey" White DFC

A Rear Gunner looks back after Sixty years
Written by CLIFFORD CAMPBELL
Dunchurch, Ont.
(courtesy of Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum)

During 1944 I made 37 trips over Germany, Belgium, and France, transportation being provided by the RCAF in what became known as "Halibags" Halifax bombers operating out of Canadian Six Group and stationed at Tholthorpe, Yorkshire. Our crew were members of #420 "Snowy Owl" Squadron and shared the aerodrome with #425 Squadron better known as the "Alouettes".

I write this piece in honour of Pilot Officer (then Sergeant) Bob "Whitey" White DFC, who was the designated mid-upper gunner in the crew in which I was the rear gunner, although at various times he and I would exchange positions. Our Captain was Warrant Officer Bill McAdam, DFC.

Bob White was very keen and very sharp. My recollections of him here begin with a part of his personal story, which he shared with me in answer to my question about some prominent scars on his left forearm. Bob lived in the West Midlands, and while still too young to join the RAF, endured an enemy bombing in which he sustained the injuries but, nonetheless, crawled under a shattered building to rescue, from the arms of her dead mother, a baby girl whom he kept track of for the rest of his life (Bob passed away in 1995).

On May 27, 1944, we were assigned to bomb Bourg Leopold in Belgium. On the way out to the target area the German fighters were both present and busy and I personally witnessed a total of nine of our aircraft go down. In one case, the fighter must have followed his victim's descent, for I could see tracer bullets pouring out of the bomber's rear turret right until the bomber hit the ground and disintegrated in a ball of flame.

About five minutes after we had made our drop and headed for home our mid-upper turret burst into action. My turret was facing directly to the rear and before I could swing to starboard it was all over, but I did manage a glimpse. It seems the JU 88 had made a 90 degree turn towards us on our starboard beam. The gunner's response to that move is a "no deflection" shot. What I could not see, Whitey and the co-pilot (Bombardier) could. What they reported at the later debriefing was this. "The Junkers starboard engine burst into flame and then a piece of the tail section flew off." I saw him wiz by behind us and that was it. How badly he was damaged we shall never know, but we escaped!

The following month on June 12/44, our target was Cambria in France, and the drop zone was lit up like a Christmas tree. On our way out of the target I clearly saw and reported the presence of a Focke-Wulf 190, whose nose was painted white. The fighter flew West to East right through the illuminated area. We subsequently altered course and headed North West for the English Channel. About half way there, the mid-upper turret once again came to life, and while I was again out of position I saw the tracer from Whitey’s guns over my left shoulder. The German had fired his first burst just above his target. Whitey's response must have spooked him into making a steep bank to his port side. Since he had come in from the starboard beam his subsequent bank exposed his belly to a fusillade of ammo, and I could see our tracer actually bouncing off his underside! We had been told that the 190 had a protective lead shield and here was proof enough; but its effect was to make us feel as if we were fighting a war with popguns. However, I can imagine the German pilot could hear the multiple thuds in his cockpit, and if he reached home safely that night, I guarantee he had to change his underwear!

Bob White went on to join the Pathfinder Squadron after he completed his tour with us and finally did receive his well deserved Distinguished Flying Cross.

It is a matter of interest that the Cambria raid referred to above was the same raid during which Air Gunner Andrew Mynarski, VC, lost this life in a heroic attempt to save that of a fellow crew member, following an attack by a JU 88. I suppose every age has its heroes. We certainly had ours!

Send your comments to photo@deadfred.com.

Thanks for all the guesses as to what the gentlemen in last month's photo (located here) were about to do.
Some of your guesses:

• We all ordered mail order brides from the Sears, Roebuck catalog a couple of months ago....and all we got was these here pumpkins.
• I think the men are in a contest to see who has the heaviest pumpkin and are waiting in line for their prize to be weighed.
• I think that they are going to get on a bridge and drop them!
• Either eat or jack-o-lanternize them.
• Throw them!
• If these fellows are like some of our current University of CA students, they are about to do a "pumpkin drop" from several stories above the ground.
• Looks like maybe they were going to a "pumpkin chuckin" contest. Or maybe they are going to put them in a contest?

School Roster - 1910 King City Elementary, MO
Maryvillian Annual 1924, Maryville, MO

http://www.deadfred.com/surnamePersR.php?ID=47190
c1900 Stylish Baby
Photo Number: 29213
Eau Claire, WI USA
Comments: Found in an Antique Store in Duluth, MN

http://www.deadfred.com/surnamePersR.php?ID=47194
c1890s Very young Girl
Photo Number: 29217
Eau Claire, WI USA
Comments: Found in an Antique Store in Duluth, MN

http://www.deadfred.com/surnamePersR.php?ID=47214
c1890 Young Woman
Photo Number: 29232
Iola, WI USA
Comments: Found in an Antique Store Duluth, MN

http://www.deadfred.com/surnamePersR.php?ID=47223
c1890 Two Men
Photo Number: 29241
Iola or Manawa, WI USA
Comments: Found in an Antique Store Duluth, MN

http://www.deadfred.com/surnamePersR.php?ID=47267
c1880s Family
Photo Number: 29283
Duluth, MN USA
Comments: Found in an antique Store Duluth, MN

http://www.deadfred.com/surnamePersR.php?ID=47324
c1890s Two Boys
Photo Number: 29333
Detroit, MI USA
Comments: Found in an antique store Duluth, MN

http://www.deadfred.com/surnamePersR.php?ID=47336
Photo Number: 29342
Hull, Yorkshire England
Comments: This wedding shot is of my maternal family, I just do not know who they are.

http://www.deadfred.com/surnamePersR.php?ID=47341
c1890s Young Man
Photo Number: 29347
Detroit, MI USA
Comments: Found in an antique store in Duluth, MN

http://www.deadfred.com/surnamePersR.php?ID=47350
Photo Number: 29356
Fremont, OH United States
Comments: Found in the photo album of Mary Edna Bannon (b.1893-d.1982) Norwich, Ontario

http://www.deadfred.com/surnamePersR.php?ID=47356
Photo Number: 29362
Norwich, Ontario Canada
Comments: Found in the photo album of Mary Edna Bannon (b.1893-d.1982) Norwich, Ontario

http://www.deadfred.com/surnamePersR.php?ID=47546
c1890s Young Man
Photo Number: 29498
MO
Comments: Photographers name is hard to read looks like BADE
Purchased at the Jesse James Antique Mall, St Joseph, MO 11/2/2004

This month's Dead Ringer was submitted by a subscriber.
Who do you think he looks like?

Send your guesses to ringer@deadfred.com.

Last month's Dead Ringer:

It seems the majority of us thought she looked like Demi Moore.

Here are all the guesses ordered by number of responses:

Demi Moore
Meryl Streep
K.D. Lang
Helen Hunt
Jodie Foster
Debra Winger
Cybill Shepherd
Mona Lisa
Wallis Simpson (The Duchess of Windsor)

Internet brings lost Bible back to FS woman
Reprinted with permission
By Pam Cloud Smith, TIMES RECORD

Some say the bridge to our future is gapped by advanced technology. But for one Fort Smith woman, that technology brought her pieces of her past.

Carolyn Meek Nelson of Fort Smith recently met Bert and Ethel Dawson of Alvin, Texas, who, for the past 50 years, have been holding a part of Nelson's family history. The Internet brought them together.

In the 1950s, Bert Dawson bought an old family Bible for $5 at an Independence, Mo., Goodwill store. He said he bought the Bible because it had an Apocrypha, which includes some books between the Old and New Testaments not commonly found in most Protestant or Jewish versions of the Bible.

Upon closer examination of the Bible, which was published in 1817, Dawson discovered a family record of the Bible's owner, John H. VanDyke, starting with his marriage to Pheba Martin in 1816.

An interest in genealogy inspired Dawson to attempt to find members of this VanDyke family. For years, Dawson said he has been exhausting genealogy resources, even employing the services of an amateur genealogist in Liverpool to find one of the VanDykes.

It wasn't until a neighbor suggested using the Internet that Dawson was successful in locating Nelson.

"We came back off a vacation and there was an inquiry on the VanDyke line on the Internet," Nelson said of her and her husband, Dell. "These people said they had a VanDyke Bible, owned by John H. VanDyke, and (he) was my great-great-grandfather."

Nelson said the Dawsons phoned her July 4. "He said they felt very sure we should have the Bible," she added.

Several e-mails and phone calls later, the Dawsons paid the Nelsons a visit July 31 and delivered the Bible to their Fort Smith home.

"They had a family reunion the end of July in Oklahoma City," said Nelson. "On Monday, they came to Fort Smith and brought (the Bible) to us."

Turning the brittle, yellow pages of her great-great-grandfather's Bible was like thumbing through a history book. Nelson said her mother, DeWanda VanDyke Meek, was never interested in genealogy, so she's had to really dig to locate any pieces of her family's past.

"Actually Dell does about all of this genealogy work," Nelson added. "Dell had e-mailed (the Dawsons) all of our history on the VanDyke side."

Nelson said the births, marriages and deaths of her family are handwritten in the tattered, 183-year-old Bible from 1818 to 1908.

Catching up on her family history, Nelson also was able to verify a few names that had been listed incorrectly in other resources.

"We found the original spelling of Pheba was with an 'a,' not an 'e' like we thought," Nelson explained. "My great-grandfather, we had him as George Marshall (VanDyke). His real name in the Bible is George Martin VanDyke.

"That makes more sense, because his mother was a Martin," she added.

The last entry, in 1908, records the birth of Pinkney D. VanDyke, one of George Martin VanDyke's brothers and Nelson's great-great uncle.

"We think probably his family had the Bible," Nelson opined. "Nobody must have been interested in the Bible, because all those things were taken to the Goodwill."

Nelson is glad to have her great-great-grandfather's family Bible now safely in her hands. Dawson is glad he was able to assist in getting the Bible back to its rightful family.

"It's amazing that the powers of the Internet could do this," Nelson said. "I was amazed there was still a Bible that old around."

Reporter's e-mail: psmith@swtimes.com

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