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FOLLIS Families | ||
| in the United States of America | ||||
| by descendant Stanley J. Follis | ||||
| Page: | Home • Service • Military Service | ||||||||||||||||||||
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A sad irony well known by anyone who has searched for documents in the Colonies is encountering the all too familiar refrain that the records were lost in the Civil War or destroyed by the British in the Revolutionary War or War of 1812. While we try to honor our military veterans, particularly our ancestors, anger rises to hear that British or Civil War soldiers used church and courthouse documents to start their morning coffee on the campfire or out of spite. How ironic they might have been destroying the documents of their own ancestors who had moved west a generation or more before. The same problem is encountered in Europe when reading accounts of how records back into the thirteenth and fourteenth century were lost in the Allied bombing of Germany in World War II. This is particularly frustrating when it is realized that most public records were kept in the local churches and not courthouses as in America. In the 21st Century during the Iraqi Freedom and War on Terror era, we often hear how the Vietnam veterans, of my generation, were dishonored by society on their return from war. A fair share of the blame goes to veterans of World War I and II, named by Tom Brokaw as the Greatest Generation, who refuse admission to their political veteran associations such as the American Legion to "peacetime" veterans such as my father. Through no choice of their own, my orphaned father who joined the Air Force at age 17 in the late 1940's during peace time when the Air Force became a separate branch of service, with other peacetime veterans are denied admittance to "veteran" organizations by the "war veterans". It is unfortunate that today's Memorial and Veteran Day celebrations draw small crowds compared to earlier generations, but veterans share some of the blame along with the rest of society. Memorial Day, originally Decoration Day was started May 30, 1868 after the end of the Civil War. Anthony and Samuel, brothers of my great-great-grandmother Amanda KELKER helped to purchase and install several stone war memorials in early Fort Wayne, Indiana. We glorify the past we never knew, especially in the era of movies and television where history is rewritten to glorify a past that never was. Too many take movies and television as fact, when it is almost always 100% fiction. Anyone who studies history, especially genealogy, quickly discovers that the majority of the population never served in any war. In fact service in the "great" wars of our history such as the Revolutionary and Civil Wars often had service times as short as three months with the ability to pay someone else to serve in your place common until the 20th Century. Even those who served three months in those great wars could serve without ever firing a shot at the enemy! Most American's never learned this part of our war history, assuming the past was similar to the present. The internet provides many new technologies and amazing ways to honor our veterans. A moving video on YouTube is Remember Me!. Last Surviving United States War Veterans Family members who served in the:French and Indian War 1754-1763From Wikipedia: "Fort Forman (also spelled Furman or Foreman) was a stockade fort erected by Captain William Forman at the beginning of the French and Indian War situated three miles north of Romney on the South Branch Potomac River near Vance on WV 28. Fort Furman was in use from its construction in 1755 until 1764. Later, from Hampshire County in 1777, William Foreman led a company to the Ohio River for the relief of Fort Henry at Wheeling. Forman’s party fell into an ambuscade by Native Americans at "McMechen Narrows" on the Ohio near Moundsville. Twenty-one of the Virginian's were killed at the first fire and several men were badly wounded. This ambuscade is known as "Foreman’s Defeat."
Go to my separate pages: Revolutionary WarWar of 1812Civil War 1861-1865Library of Congress Spanish American WarSpanish American WarArthur FOLLISA granduncle of Wabash County, Indiana was the first son of Thomas Jefferson FOLLIS Jr. and his first wife Cynthia HUDDLESTON. He was an Eagles Lodge state president in 1935 and local secretary, belonged to the Moose Lodge, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. David Kinsey WAUGHA second cousin twice removed he served in Company G 160th Indiana Infantry under Captain Joseph R. Harrison. His name is on the large concrete war monument at the Columbia City, Whitley County, Indiana Courthouse. World War I 1917-1919Andrew and Frank J. DEITSCHELNephews of the Schneiders, they were born in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Their parents were born in Germany before they arrived in America in 1881. The brothers fought in France quite possibly against their cousins and their parents former German neighbors? Leland Othneal 'Lee O' EIKENBERRYFifth cousin once removed, was an aviation pioneer from Carroll County, Indiana. Served from Howard County, Indiana. Uncle of Merle EIKENBERRY who ran the Eikenberry Funeral Home. Lee was friends with Eddie Rickenbacker, Capt. Jimmy Doolittle and Col. Roscoe Turner, with over 15,000 hours of flying in 32 years. A World War I pilot, he owned the first plane in Carroll County in 1920. He carried passengers and stage air shows at Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky fairs. He died November 17, 1970 age 77 years and is buried in Flora, Carroll County, Indiana. "The Indiana book of records, firsts, and fascinating facts" by Fred D. Cavinder states "was the first man to fly a plane with retractable landing gear." Also "was the greatest barnstorming pilot on record. He made 17,000 flights carrying 32,000 paid customers during the 1930's...also set a record in a Waco 3-place biplane by flying it 928 hours without an overhaul in an era when overhauls were required after 100 hours in the air." He also set the endurance record for keeping a Piper Cub aloft by a Hoosier set in Muncie circa 1925 keeping the plane aloft for 3 weeks by refueling with 5 gallon cans of fuel hoisted from a moving pickup truck. Buried in Flora, Carroll County, Indiana. Cecil M. FOLLISSon of Arthur FOLLIS who was in the Spanish American War, Wabash, Wabash County, Indiana, belonged to the American Legion, was past master Rubecon Lodge No. 495 FAM Detroit, Michigan. Fred SNYDER (SCHNEIDER)My granduncle was in the U.S. Navy not sure if he was in W.W.I., he died in 1922. Peter SCHNEIDERAnother granduncle, brother of Fred is buried in the Arlington National Cemetery section 17 Last Surviving World War I Veterans listed by Country Harry Patch, the Last of Britain’s Army Veterans of World War I, Is Dead at 111 World War IILocal Heroes - Frank Gray Column - June 14, 2009 'Just Dad' D-Day Hero Our modern protestors who exercise their First Amendment rights to free speech comparing current events to Adolph Hitler insult those who gave their lives for that freedom as well as the millions who died and suffered during and for a generation or more after the war. Allan E. EGOLFFifth cousin of Churubusco, Whitley County, Indiana died in action on the battlefield in France March 20, 1945. He had written his wife the day before that he was near the Alps mountains in Italy. He is buried in Christian Chapel Cemetery, Merriam, Noble County, Indiana with hundreds of other relatives. Frank FOLLISMy uncle of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Louis FOLLISMy uncle of Fort Wayne, Indiana and Coral Springs, Florida. Served three years in the Pacific Theater in the U.S. Marine Corps. Ora FOLLISA second cousin once removed, enlisted in Wells County, Indiana. Howard GRISSOMy half second cousin twice removed a Second Lieutenant killed June 13, 1945 in India. He was a pilot on a B-24 bomber in the Army Air Force. Gerald A. KELKERA third cousin killed at the Battle of Luzon his name is listed among the missing buried at sea on the "Tablets of the Missing" at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines. Garth TUCKERA third cousin once removed, related through the KINSEY families, was shot and killed in Fort Wayne, Indiana November 5, 1972 when leaving his brother's house he tried to stop an armed robber from stealing his girl friends purse. Robert P. REIKENSMEIERA first cousin once removed from Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana was killed in France August 25, 1944. His brother Paul REIKENSMEIER was my first source for the Thomas Jefferson FOLLIS father and son generations. Roger REESEA third cousin twice removed killed September 20, 1944 in action with the 359th infantry of the Third Army near Metz, France. Lloyd TIMMONSA first cousin twice removed killed in the Southwest Pacific in November 1944 along with his brother from Marion, Grant County, Indiana Edwin H. TIMMONSA first cousin twice removed was killed in Europe December 12, 1944 along with his brother from Marion, Grant County, Indiana Benjamin ZEIGLERMy uncle of Whitley County, Indiana won a purple heart as a medic. Raymond ZUMBRUNA third cousin once removed died July 9, 1944 in Arizona in an army plane crash. He was an air force flight instructor Before You Go - tribute song video to the aging and dying World War II veterans. Peacetime VeteranMy father James FOLLIS served in between wars from 1946-1949 in the Army Air Force. He was stationed at Dayton, Ohio and Mitchel Air Force Base, Long Island, New York, were he was appointed a corporal March 24, 1949. The Air Force became a separate branch of the military September 17, 1949. Our FOLLIS ancestors and many other families lived near Dayton in Montgomery County, Ohio in the 1800's. Isaac FALLIS and family are buried in the FALLIS Cemetery which is the logo at the top of the web page just a few miles east of Dayton, Ohio. Our FOREMAN ancestors lived on Long Island when they came from England to the new world in the 1600's. Korean War"The Forgotten War"Robert P. GAGNONHusband of my first cousin Colleen WORRELL of New Haven, Allen County, Indiana a Marine Corp veteran, past commander VFW Howard Bandelier Post 2457. Both are deceased. Vietnam WarBefore You Go - tribute song video to the aging Vietnam Veterans Klaus Dieter EGOLFFifth cousin, a 20 year old medic who was in Vietnam less than a month when his parents received word of his killed in action. From Churubusco, Whitley County, Indiana. Buried in Christian Chapel Cemetery, Merriam, Noble County, Indiana. James Henry ZUMBRUNFifth cousin once removed, a 26 year old, 3rd voluntary tour of duty, Silver and Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Special Forces Green Beret killed January 10, 1970 when his observation plane was shot down over Vietnam. Name on Vietnam Wall at Footnote.com and My Armed Forces Thomas ConnellA friend in college whose brother went to Vietnam where he was killed May 13, 1969 and never came home. 2001-present Afghanistan and the War on Terror and the TalibanAllen County, Indiana 21st Century Veterans' Honor RollNephew Jason Burns was a Marine. Fifth cousin General Karl EIKENBERRY, certainly is not following the non-military peaceful ways of the Church of the Brethren origin of our EIKENBERRY ancestors. His father's obituary October 12, 2006 helped to connect him to the family tree, using census records and the Peter EICHENBERG family history book.
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