This fallen hero was the descendant of an American Revolutionary War patriot and early settler of Tuscarawas County. He would make his sacrifice in a war to preserve the nation his ancestor helped create. The Blickensderfer family arrived in Tuscarawas County, Ohio with the arrival of Christian Blickenderfer, Jr. (1753-1820) and his family who purchasedContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Private Francis Blickensderfer”
Tag Archives: Veteran
Fallen Heroes: Private Walter A. Smith
The Smith family had travelled thousands of miles to raise a family far from the wars and poverty of eastern Europe, only to have one of their sons give the ultimate sacrifice on a far-off battlefield in France. After John Smith (1869-1953) and his fiancé Mary (1869-1925) married in 1886 in Poland, they wasted noContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Private Walter A. Smith”
Fallen Heroes: Specialist 4 Donald Eugene Allan, Jr.
Typically when I look at the short life of a fallen hero, I trace his roots in the community along his paternal line. In the case of this Vietnam War fallen hero from Midvale, I chose to follow his mother’s family instead. The Chaney family arrived in Ohio in the early 1800s with the migrationContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Specialist 4 Donald Eugene Allan, Jr.”
One House’s Story: Captain Oliver C. Powleson
I frequently pass this well-maintained home on my walks around New Philadelphia and wondered about its history. I had no idea that it had been the home of one of New Philadelphia’s heroes of the American Civil War and a later Mayor of the City of New Philadelphia. A note about addresses: House numbers andContinue reading “One House’s Story: Captain Oliver C. Powleson”
Fallen Heroes: Private First Class John W. Rector
It was the nature of the conflict in Korea that the front lines shifted dramatically, often making it difficult to recover the the bodies of fallen heroes. This Newcomerstown fallen hero, and paratrooper, did not return home for almost five years following his death. The Rector family appeared in Ohio with the arrival of WashingtonContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Private First Class John W. Rector”
Fallen Heroes: Private Thomas J. Forbes
This family had two older sons, both of whom volunteered to serve in the United States military during World War Two. Each would be sent to the Philippines to combat the Japanese, and each would die while a prisoner-of-war. This is one of those sons’ stories. Determining when this branch of the Forbes family treeContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Private Thomas J. Forbes”
Fallen Heroes: Corporal William Hickman
I discovered when researching the Hickman House in Bolivar that one of the family members had served, and sacrificed, during the Civil War. Needless to say, I wanted to learn more about this fallen hero’s story. The Hickman family arrived in Ohio in 1844 when Daniel Hickman (1804-1886) and his family settled on land inContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Corporal William Hickman”
One House’s Story: The Hickman Family
As one travels along Interstate 77 north of Bolivar one can see, especially in the winter, an abandoned house sitting amongst overgrown trees and bushes along Sherman Church Road. This windowless and empty shell was once a family’s home, and that home has a story to tell. A note about addresses: House numbers and streetContinue reading “One House’s Story: The Hickman Family”
Fallen Heroes: Bugler Victor J. Mattevi
This fallen hero’s parents immigrated from Europe in order to provide a better life for their future children in America. Unfortunately, one of their sons would return to a Europe at war and make the ultimate sacrifice. Celeste Mattevi (1868-1940) was born in the southern part of the province of Tyrol in what was thenContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Bugler Victor J. Mattevi”
Fallen Heroes: Private Oscar F. Nicewander
This fallen hero from the hamlet of Dundee had barely been in service three months when he made the ultimate sacrifice in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The Nicewander family came to Ohio from Pennsylvania in the first half of the 19th century with the arrival of Peter Nicewander (1809-1882). The family originally settled inContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Private Oscar F. Nicewander”
Noel B. Poirier 