“I went out of my tent and saw about twenty flying machines”

~ Dayna Jacobs - "On Granny's Trail" ~ 6 Comments

5th letter in a series.  To see other letters click: 1, 2, 3, 4

[Letter from Private Allen L. Gooch to his family in Arizona during World War I.  Transcribed by Dayna Gooch Jacobs and in her possession. Slashes indicate line breaks on original letter.]

Friday 7. 18

[probably June 7, 1918]

Mother and All,

Well we stoped/ at last, sure saw/ some sights on/ the road, Sailed/ about twenty five/ miles down the/ Hudson bay.  We/ are here waiting/ for more equipment/ such as shoes and/ sixshooters.  Soon/ as we get them we/ will go over, it/ may a week/ and it may be/ a month. But/

[p 2]  mother I don’t/ dread it as I/ thought I would/ it seams so/ much different/ than I thought/ for, every boy in/ this camp that/ I talk with wants/ to go and cant/ hardly wait for/ the time, we got/ here last night/ and it went to/ raining rained/ untill about 4 oclock./  This eve I went to/ sleep about two/ was so tired from/ such long ride,/ I dreamed I was/

[3] in Duncan with/ doll under a large/ tree watching some/ flying machines./  And one turned to/ a bird came down/ and set near my/ head, I awoke and/ I heard an aufal/ noise all was out/ side and the sun/ was shining.  I went/ out of my tent and/ saw about twenty/ flying machines/ some was about/ one hundred feet/ from the ground/

[4] others was so high/ they looked like/ birds.  I have/ been watching one/ particular one all/ eve.  He sure can/ pull off some/ stunts.  I also saw/ all kinds of ships/ passed under the/ Brooklyn bridge/ and three others/ almost as large./  This friend of mine/ from hachita is/ a sergeant in my/ troop he is getting/ me a twenty four/ hour pass and I/ am goeing to N.Y./ City tomorrow And/

[5] take in the sights./  I wont have time/ when I come back/ through on my/ way home.  I don’t/ know when that will be.  But I am/ sure it will come./  I am satisfied very/ well with my troop/ don’t think there is/ a department I would/ like better.  So/ don’t worry about/ me and write soon./  I may get mail/ here before we/

[p 6] over.  Will write you when I leave.  And as soon as you get a card that my ship has landed then you can write me using this ad—  Private Allen L. Gooch Troop A, 314th Military Police, 89th Division.  American Expeditionnary Forces.

Will close with best wishes

Guess you will get the allotment next month.

Tell all goodbye for me and be good

Private————

Troop A 314th Military Police

89th Division

Camp Mills, New York

A Few Interesting Timeline and Map sites

~ Dayna Jacobs - "On Granny's Trail" ~ Leave a comment

I’m posting links to a few animated maps and timelines, and mapping sites with a twist, like the U.S. History Primary Source Timeline, America’s Best History Timeline, World History Timeline, New York Times Immigration Explorer,  History Pin, and Timeline of Events in the West, There are lots of these kinds of timelines out there (just do a search in any browser), so find one you like and put it in your genealogy toolkit–handy sites that help you organize and interpret your research.

Having a historical timeline in your toolkit will help you understand the events that affected your ancestors’ lives, and can give you clues about what kinds of records to search.  Was there a war going on? Did the creation of a territory provide opportunity for free land?  Did world events stimulate immigration from certain countries?

Along with historical timelines for the nation, consider finding or creating state and county timelines, and always create a timeline for a family.  That should be one of the first things you do as you begin your research, but it can also be something that will help you when you are well down the road in your research and may have come to a dead end.

Integrate your family timeline with county, state, and national timelines and you may be surprised at the new ideas that emerge for your research.

TIP:  Keep your genealogy toolkit handy by creating a “Toolkit” folder on the “favorites” or “bookmark bar” in your internet browser, or create a  “Toolkit” folder in the Evernote program.

“Write me offen I am a little homesick…”

~ Dayna Jacobs - "On Granny's Trail" ~ 4 Comments

Here is another in a series of letters I am posting, from Private Allen L. M. Gooch to his family back home in Arizona during World War I.  This letter was written while he was still in training at Funston, Kansas, but we begin to see indicators that he will soon ship out…

To see other letters click here: 1 2 3

[Transcription of letter from Private Allen L. M. Gooch to his parents, 29 May 1918, Camp Funston, Kansas, letter in possession of Dayna Gooch Jacobs, King City, California.  Envelope missing. Might actually be two different letters, with the second beginning on page two below.  Slashes in the transcription indicate page breaks.]

Funston, Kans

May 29. 18

Dear Mother,

Your letter of the/ 26th received this morning/ and as we are not/ doeing any thing I will/ answer it rained all/ [crease in paper – illegible] night and we wont do much today/ we turned in our horses/ Monday packed our/ saddles and all/ equipments are getting/ ready for a move./ expect to leave soon/ after the first.  But/ have no idea where/ we will go.  This troop/ expects to go to France/ in the near future/

[back of page] as they are real/ trained/ and fully equipped./  But I don’t/ dread it near as/ much as I thought/ I would, for there is/ not so much danger/ in our line of duty/ every boy in this/ troop is crazy to/ go and I had just/ [crease in paper – illegible] Of course you know/ how bad I hate to/ leave you all.  And/ had much rather be/ with you.  But I am/ here till the war is/ over and ready to/ do my duty what ever/ it may be.  The only/ thing I dread is getting/ over there.

I am very glad you [page missing]

[page two.  This may be from an entirely different letter, as the folds in the paper are different.  Also, the previous page appears to be continued on a different page, but this one is numbered “2”, and there is no writing on the backs of pages 2-4.   The pages were found together so I am transcribing them together for now.]

I taken out a ten/ thousand dollar insurance/ today. Costs me $6.65 per/ month, if I get killed/ you and daddy will/ draw $57.50 per month/ for twenty years./

I also got the allotment/ which takes $15.00 of my/ wages the government/ gives you ten apiece/ so you will get a/ check for $35.00 per month./  So I am satisfied now/ $7.35 will be my wages/ and that is all I kneed/

[page 3]  if I don’t get to work./  But I think I will/ get to work when I/ get back to the barricks/ which will be about/ ten days I think.  Will/ get 75 per cent of what/ I make and get out/ of some of this hard work.

There has been one/ boy die from this/ Co. from knocklation/ and there is several/ in the hospital.  I am/ standing it fine except/ my left ankle is/

[page 4] very weak and sore./  But guess I will get/ over that./

Had my picture taken/ last night.  Am sending/ you one.  Send one/ to Bob and tell him/ to write.  That I will/ write him when I get/ time.  Write me offen/ I am a little home sick/ tell hazel to write if she/ likes. And give her a/ picture./

Yours with love,

Private Allen L.M. Gooch

47th Co. 164th DB

Detantion Camp #2

Funston, Kans.

Friday Finds: Nevada in Maps – topographical, mining, historical, and Sanborn fire insurance maps

~ Dayna Jacobs - "On Granny's Trail" ~ Leave a comment

Those of you researching in Nevada will be excited to discover “Nevada in Maps” online, through the University of Nevada, Reno.  This database is available on the Nevada Historical Society‘s website under “digital collections.”

Take your pick from topographical, Sanborn fire insurance, mining, historical, highway, and state land plats:

If you have never seen a Sanborn fire insurance map you are in for a treat.  You can see the details of every block in a city, like this 1885 map of downtown Carson City:

Notice the Opera house, wagon shop, millinery, candy store, tailor, and barber, among other shops.  In residential areas the homes and outbuildings can be seen, and you can see every nook and cranny of your ancestor’s neighborhood.

Sanborn fire insurance maps are available for other states and cities, but can sometimes be hard to access online.  This Nevada collection is a real find!

Check out the Library of Congress  Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps Online Checklist .  The L.O.C. has over 675,000 sheets of Sanborn maps!  Those that are out of copyright (printed before January 1st, 1923) are scanned and available online via links in the checklist.

To find a Sanborn map for a town or city that is not available online at the Library of Congress, just Google it.  You may have access through a state library or university collection, or through a terrific website like “Nevada in Maps.”

“…Can throw a captain in the guard house if we see fit…”

~ Dayna Jacobs - "On Granny's Trail" ~ 7 Comments

This is third in a series of 14 letters I will be posting—letters which were written by WWI Private Allen Lee Millard (“Nig”) Gooch to his family back home in Duncan, Arizona.

To read other letters in the series click below:

1    2    3    4   5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14

[Letter from Pvt. Allen Lee Millard (“Nig”) Gooch to his family in Duncan, Arizona, written 18 May 1918 at Funston, Kansas.  Transcribed by Dayna Gooch Jacobs. Slashes indicate page breaks. Original spelling and punctuation.]

May 18, 1918

Troop A 314th M.P.

Funston, Kans

Dear Mother and All,

Well as I have changed/ my address had better write/ you again.  Have been/ looking for a letter from/ you for the past week/ have only got one/ since I have been gone/  I was transferred Friday/ to the Military Police/ [p2] troops and I think I will/ like it fine consider/ myself lucky for every/ one in the 34th Co./ went to the infantry/ but me. The M.P./ are the army Police/ they guard camp, street/ car lines and towns/ for twenty miles/ around just like/ police in a city/ and one good thing/ [p3] if we are on guard/ we are boss.  Can throw/ a captian in the guard/ house if we see fit/ or any other man except [President] Wilson.  When/ we drill we are mounted/ I will get a horse tomorrow/ I think.  When on guard/ we cary a pistol and/ a club and a rifle/ when mounted.  In France/ we will guard the/ [p4] soldiers camps and/ prisoners, also do/ scouting.  We are here/ in Funston in nice/ barrick’s it is far/ more comfortable than/ those tents.  They all/ seam to think we/ will leave here soon./  But have no idea/ where we will go./  I have been having/ a time with my ankles/ they gave away about/ [page 5 missing]

[page 6]… for miles with/ soldiers and weman/ as today is visitors/ you friends can/ come and eat dinner/ with you and go/ most any where/ if the M.P.s will let you pass./

I saw so many/ mothers wives and, sweethearts walking/ [p7] around with tears/ in their eyes that/ I had to come back/ to the barrack.  I thought/ of many things that/ there is no use to/ mention.

All of the boys in this/ troop seem to be/ content and are very/ good natured.  There/ is several here from/ New Mexico that/ [p8] say they know me/ but I don’t remember/ them.  There is one/ here that I know/ well from Hachita/ he is a orderly/ sergeant in this troop/ and I am glad of it/ he said any time I/ wanted a twenty four/ hour pass to let him/ know.  Well I written/ such long letter to/ doll [his girlfriend] that I am tired./ [p8] [sic]  Will close and write/ more latter.  As I know/ theres a letter from you/ at detention camp.  They/ will transfer it soon/ I guess.  Tell the girls/ to write offen and/ don’t worry about me.

Love to all

Chears

Private Allen L. M. Gooch

Troop A 314th M.P.

Funston, Kans.