Remembering Dad and Pearl Harbor: Naval Mobile Hospital # 2

Under construction - Naval Mobile Hospital #2 

Whit Criswell Bryan standing next to
buildings at the Naval Mobile Hospital #2

In late November 1941, the Pearl Harbor Naval Hospital was over capacity and a mobile hospital was being constructed with prefabricated building segments.

My father, Whit Criswell Bryan, was transferred from the U.S. Naval Hospital in Pearl Harbor to the Naval Mobile Hospital #2 on December 1. However, he had been working at the site of the hospital since at least mid November of 1941. He, along with other enlisted personal, and officers (including doctors), was assigned to quickly complete the hospital. Pearl Harbor was bombed before the hospital was completed. 

According to Bob Brunner, a fellow pharmacist mate, the location of the hospital allowed a view of the bombing. Dad told me that the beds in the hospital were given to the patients while the Navy personal slept in trenches. 

The following commendation was found in his military record.

January 9, 1942
Commended for zeal and initiative displayed during long and arduous hours working continuously without liberty from 19 November 1941 to 6 December 1941 in order to establish this hospital and for diligently assisting in completing preparations for the care of 110 casualties following an enemy air attack on Pearl Harbor, T.H. on 7 December 1941.

Dad saved this wonderful article about the Naval Mobile Hospital #2. The date of the article is unknown, but from ads on the back, I know that it is a newspaper published in Hawaii. Author, Bob Trumbull, worked at the Honolulu Advertiser. 

Diana

© 2015

Sources

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn.

Mobile Hospital #2, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Navy Medicine Historical Files Collection - Facilities - Mobile Hospitals 12-0270-001. "12-0270-001 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!." 12-0270-001 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2015.  <https://www.flickr.com/photos/navymedicine/8253012532/in/album-72157628320849325/>.

"Last witnesses | Memories of Pearl Harbor attack | Military | pilotonline.com." Last witnesses | Memories of Pearl Harbor attack | Military | pilotonline.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2015. <http://www.pilotonline.com/news/military/last-witnesses-memories-of-pearl-harbor-attack/article_ef2088e6-b8a8-5c9e-aab7-8663dbe8dd03.html>.

Friday's Photo: Thankful!

That's me with Mom!

Yesterday was a quiet Thanksgiving at my home. Several of the regulars were missing. Mom, a key player in our Thanksgiving feasts, was one of those missing as she is recovering from a major surgical procedure. 

I am so thankful for my wonderful mother and thankful that she is recovering beautifully. I look forward to our feast on Christmas Eve when she will again be a key player!

Diana

© 2015

Honoring Our Veterans - 2015

Veterans Day Poster Gallery - 2015 Poster

Today is Veterans Day, a day that we honor our veterans. Veterans Day, originally Armistice Day,  began after WWI to honor those who fought in "The Great War." In 1954, November 11th became Veterans Day, an official United States holiday, honoring all armed service veterans. 

Today, I am posting a list veterans from the various branches of my family tree; many who did not serve in traditional U. S. armed forces. Most served during wars and some volunteered while others did not.  I add to this list as I find more ancestors and post the list every year. If you know of others, please comment below or send me an e-mail. 

Whit Criswell Bryan, USN - WWII, Korea, Vietnam

Elizabeth Bryan, USN

William Joseph Quinn III, USA - Korea, Vietnam

James G. Richardson II, USA

John Joseph Quinn, USA - WWI

Charles Giddens, USA and USN - WWI, WWII

Mitchell Giddens, USA - WWI, WWII

Joseph Oscar Noah, USA - WWI

Terrell Bryan, CSA - Civil War*

Tilman Capers Bryan, CSA - Civil War*

Joseph B. Bryan, CSA - Civil War*

George Luellen Giddens, CSA - Civil War*

David Crockett Giddens, CSA (POW) - Civil War*

James Thomas Giddens, CSA - Civil War*

Henry Clay Giddens, CSA - Civil War*

John William Giddens, CSA - Civil War*

Seth H. Davis USA, Civil War

Simon Baker Bryan, Georgia Militia - Second Seminole War

James Bryan, Georgia Militia - Second Seminole War

John Regan, Georgia Militia - Second Seminole War

John Giddens, NC Minutemen - American Revolutionary War

Ralph Regan, NC Militia - American Revolutionary War


*I didn't know if I should include my ancestors who fought in the Confederate States Army, but found the following at the Sons of the Confederacy website: 

"First, and most significant is the fact that by Public Law 85-425, May 23, 1958 (H.R. 358) 72 Statute 133 states –“(3) (e) for the purpose of this section, and section 433, the term ‘veteran’includes a person who served in the military or naval forces of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War, and the term ‘active, military or naval service’ includes active service in such forces.”

"As a result of this law the last surviving Confederate Veteran received a U.S. Military pension until his death in 1959, and from that day until present, descendants of Confederate veterans have been able to receive military monuments to place on graves from the Veteran’s Administration for their ancestors. A Confederate Veteran should therefore be treated with the same honor and dignity of any other American veteran."

Diana

© 2015

Friday's Photo: James Anderson Bryan, 1858 - 1885

James Anderson Bryan 1858 - 1885

James Bryan, 1815 - 1881

To many, this above tintype copy has been known as James Bryan, born to Reddick Bryan and his first wife in 1815.  I was very pleased to know that I had a photo of James as a young man.  This copy was sent to me by distant cousin and labeled “Jim Bryan, Aunt Josie Cook's adopted father.”  James and his wife, Alice Mary Wimberly, did not have any children of their own, but adopted two of the children of Joseph Bryan and Sarah Margaret Wimberly.

When I sent this to Maureen Taylor, photo expert, to compare with the men in a Civil War picture, she stated that due to the clothing style, the tintype was taken in the late 1860s or sometime in the 1870s; the man looked much too young to have been born in 1815.

During my second visit to see Marguerite Cook Clark's collection, I looked specifically for this photo and found the photo below. 

Albert Bryan 1883 - 1975

So, who was Uncle Jim? And, what about Albert? Marguerite Cook Clark's collection contained a photo of Albert Bryan. According to The Wimberly Family History, James Anderson Bryan and his wife, Sarah Frances Nix, were the parents of Albert Brown Bryan.  They lived in Bienville Parish and James was a son of Joseph Bryan and Sarah Margaret Wimberly. James Anderson Bryan would have been 20 years old in 1878 and could easily be the person in the above picture. 

Albert was only two years old when his parents died of influenza. His only sibling died - unnamed as an infant. Albert was raised by James' brother, Augustus Reddick Bryan, and his wife, Erie Ontario Nix. 

This, as most other photos in the collection, were labeled by Marguerite's mother, Maggie Martin Cook. As she was just a year younger than Albert, she wouldn't have known her Uncle Jim Bryan, but definitely knew her cousin, Albert, and his adopted family. 

Diana

© 2015

Sources

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Marguerite Cook Clark. Accessed April 28, 2014 and September 14, 2014. Used with permission.

Photographs from the the collection of Mary Smith. Accessed December 2004. Used with permission. 

Wimberly, Vera. Wimberly Family History: Ancestors, Relatives, and Descendants of William Wimberly, Pioneer from Georgia to Louisiana, 1837. Houston, Tex.: D. Armstrong, 1979. Print.

Friday's Photo: Regan United Methodist Church

The following was written in one of my great-great-grandmother's obituaries. 

Her house was the preacher's house, where they always received an old fashioned Methodist welcome. Being the daughter of a Methodist preacher, she both reverenced and loved the men of God. It was a source of evident gratification that she once entertained Bishop Morris on one of his overland trips to Texas. 

Elizabeth Span Regan Bryan's father was Joseph Regan. Bishop Frances Asbury, a pioneer bishop of American Methodism, wrote that he preached at Riggin's {Regan's} Chapel and dined at the home of Joseph Regan on February 3, 1803. 

Joseph Regan died in 1843. His sons, Eli and Neill Regan, donated the land for the present day site in 1847 and in 1890 the current church was constructed. 

I attended the 21st Regan Reunion last weekend along with about 40 other Regan family descendants. I learned quite a bit and met many nice distant cousins. I was especially surprised to learn that Regan was pronounced Ree-gan by most family members. I always assumed it was pronounced Ray-gan. 

Thank you to the organizers for their hard work. I hope to attend the 22nd! 

Diana

© 2015



Sources

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn.

"Randy's Cousin Web Page - Person Page." Randy's Cousin Web Page - Person Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2015. <http://regan.org/genealogy/all/all-o/p4.htm#i396>.

"Regan United Methodist Church | Methodist church in Lumberton, NC | Powered by Net Ministries." Web. 30 Oct. 2015. <http://netministries.org/see/churches/ch00240>.

Friday's Photos: Elizabeth Span Regan Bryan

My great-great-grandmother was Elizabeth Span Regan, daughter of Joseph and Dorothea Regan. She was born October 20, 1798 in Robeson County, North Carolina. Elizabeth married her cousin Joseph Regan, moved to Georgia, and after his death in 1820, married Reddick Bryan in Pulaski County, Georgia. She spent almost 20 years in living with her family in Georgia (primarily Houston County) before moving to Northwest Louisiana with her family in 1838. Elizabeth remained in Louisiana until her death in 1877. She is buried in the Bryan Cemetery in Bienville Parish. 

This weekend, I will be attending the 21st Regan Family Reunion at the Regan United Methodist Church in Lumberton, Robeson County, North Carolina. This will be my first time in attendance and I know that I will learn a little more about my great-great-grandmother's family. 

For other posts about Regan family, click on the links below. 

Sunday's Obituary: Dr.Span Ragan

Friday's Photo: Amelia Regan Baker - She kept in touch with family.

Friday's Photo: Dorothy Emily Regan

From the Files of Marguerite Cook Clark:Alice Davis Regan

Diana

© 2015

Friday's Photo: Joseph B. Bryan or James Bryan?

Joseph B. Bryan

The above photo was sent to me by two different distant Bryan cousins very early in my research. Both identified the man as Joseph B. Bryan, son of Reddick and Elizabeth Regan Bryan.  

I received permission to post these on my web pages. Many copied it and added it to their web pages. And, it can be found many times over at Ancestry.com along this older, well documented, photo of Joseph B. Bryan. 



I had no reason to question this photo's identity, until last spring when I saw this identical photo in the collection of Marguerite Cook Clark.  

Was this Joseph B. or James? James was half-brother to Joseph B. and about 10 years older. 

To be honest, I was much more interested in the Civil War picture found in the same collection. I knew there was a mistake, but planned to worry about it at a later time. 

I enlisted the help of Maureen Taylor, photo expert, to help me compare family pictures with those in the Civil War photo. I sent her these photos of "Joseph B." and others, but the outcome was not what I expected. Instead of matching my family photos to the Civil War photo, she found discrepancies in the said identities of some of my photographed men. 

According to Maureen Taylor, these men were not one in the same. One of the reasons is the beards were so different. Men's beards have a pattern that don't change with age. 

Maggie Martin Cook, mother of Marguerite Cook Clark, labeled this photo Uncle Jimmie Bryan. She did not know her Uncle Jimmie Bryan. She was born in 1887 - three years after his death in 1884. She did know her grandfather, Joseph B. Bryan. She was about 20 years old at the time of his death. Maggie had many photos of James' wife Alice and was almost 30 years old when Alice died in 1916. 



Seen below, these photos of a younger James Bryan and his wife, Alice Wimberly, were also found in Marguerite Cook Clark's collection and labeled Uncle Jimmie Bryan and Aunt Alice Bryan. 

The above photos were also found by Vera Wimberly, compiler of The Wimberly Family History, in Josie Bryan Cook's album.  A very dark Xeroxed copy of these photos along with photos of Josie and her brother, John Terrell Bryan, are in Mrs. Wimberly's files in a library in Conroe, Texas. Above the photos were the names James Bryan and Alice Bryan. Josie and John were the biological children of Sarah Wimberly Bryan and Joseph B. Bryan and the adopted children of Alice Wimberly Bryan and her husband, James Bryan. 

And, these colorized photos were sent to me by another descendant of this family soon after I found Marguerite Cook Clark's collection. These framed pictures were identified on the back as James Bryan and Alice Bryan.

My conclusion? The photo, at the top of this post, is not Joseph B. Bryan, but instead, his half-brother, James Bryan. And, I have many corrections to make. 

Diana

© 2015

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Marguerite Cook Clark. Accessed April 28, 2014 and September 14, 2014. Used with permission.

Photographs from the Frye Family Collection. Accessed January 12, 2015. Used with permission.

Photographs from the collection of Mary Smith. Accessed December 2004. Used with permission. 

Miss Mary M. Barnett is my name and America was discovered by Christopher Columbus - a document found in Elbert County court records

This is not my family, but very a appropriate post for Columbus Day. 

Miss Mary M. Barnett was practicing her penmanship on this paper found while searching Georgia records, at FamilySearch.org; specifically in Elbert County Records, 1790-2002 Court records - Miscellaneous court records - box 13 1790-1900.

Mary M. Barnett's document was found, on page 401, in a  
file marked Settlement with Harris March 31, 1841. 

Written across the paper is thought to be "H. R. Barnett" and "DEEds."  The middle initial is not legible. In the same file was a Judge H. M. Barnett's application to the estate of Sarah Thorton in January 1855. 

If you had family that lived in Elbert County, you definitely need to check out these "browse only records" at FamilySearch.org. I spent several snow days last year browsing thousands of pages while looking for Hairstons. I found only a few documents, but it was well worth my search!

Diana

© 2015

Sources

"Georgia, Elbert County Records, 1790-2002," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-22959-11994-8?cc=2071974&wc=M77X-G66:355761601,355761602 : accessed 25 May 2015), Court records > Miscellaneous court records box 13 1790-1900 > image 395 of 469; Elbert County Probate Court, Elberton.

"Georgia, Elbert County Records, 1790-2002," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-22959-11993-33?cc=2071974&wc=M77X-G66:355761601,355761602 : accessed 25 May 2015), Court records > Miscellaneous court records box 13 1790-1900 > image 397 of 469; Elbert County Probate Court, Elberton.

"Georgia, Elbert County Records, 1790-2002," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-22959-11400-34?cc=2071974&wc=M77X-G66:355761601,355761602 : accessed 25 May 2015), Court records > Miscellaneous court records box 13 1790-1900 > image 401 of 469; Elbert County Probate Court, Elberton.

Friday's Photo: Who is this young man?

This photo was sent to me by a descendant of Alice Amanda Bryan (daughter of Terrell Bryan and Harriet Albritton) and John R. Hammett (son of Dorothy Bryan and Robert E. Hammett). If he is family, he may have lived in Bienville Parish or Natchitoches Parish in Louisiana. 

I've had difficulty dating the clothing. Any ideas?

Diana

© 2015

Friday's Photo: Fun in NYC

Doris Staubach and a statue at Audubon Terrace - Oct. 1950

When this posts, I will be on my way to NYC for a few days so thought that a few NYC photos would be appropriate. 

These photos of my mother-in-law, Doris Staubach Quinn and her friends, were taken at Audubon Terrace in the Washington Heights neighborhood of upper Manhattan - not far from Doris' home on West 153rd Street. 

Doris wrote, "Madelyn, Me, and Nancy - Fall 1950"

Doris wrote, "MaryLou, Nancy, Me - Fall 1950"

Nancy, October 1950

Doris wrote, "Madelyn, me, Mary Lou  October 1950"

Nancy, Madelyn, Mary Lou

Mary Lou - October 1950

Diana

© 2015

Friday's Photo - Three Civil War Soldiers

Isn't this a fabulous picture! It's not mine but from the collection of Marguerite Cook Clark. She was the great-granddaughter of Joseph B. Bryan. It's not marked, but I can am going to assume that these men are from or at least lived near Bienville Parish, Louisiana. 

This could be three of the Bryan brothers. Tilman, Joseph, and Terrell Bryan fought in different units. James was in the home guard. Or, maybe some of the Regan brothers - the three oldest died in the war. Catharine Amanda Bryan's husband, James C. Watts fought for a year. James Pittman, husband of Georgia Ann Frances Bryan, died on the battlefield. Thomas Jefferson Martin, future son-in-law of Joseph Bryan, also served. Then you have Hammetts, Wimberlys, Albrittons, and many other in-laws and friends. So many possibilities!!

Are there any other Bryan descendants with photos from the Civil War? If so, let's share and compare. 

___________________

Almost a year later, one of these soldiers was identified. Click on Friday's Photo: Thanks to Facebook, a Confederate Soldier is Identified.

Diana

© 2015

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Marguerite Cook Clark. Accessed April 28, 2014 and September 14, 2014. Used with permission.

Good Things Come To Those Who Blog!

A dead computer and a busy work schedule kept me away from my blogging for the last three weeks, but that didn't stop the continual stream of good things from appearing in my mail.

I have heard genealogy blogs referred to as "cousin bait." Both my website and blog have netted me a good number of new found cousins, but I receive good things from both family and non-family members.

Here are three of the good things I received in the last few weeks.

Danny M. wrote to tell me in the 1970s his family had lived a house featured on my blog (and once owned by my great - uncle, Charles Giddens). He labeled my photo and I learned a little more about the house. Click here to see more about the house. 

Second cousin Jane sent me candlesticks painted by my father's first cousin, Laura Wylie - affectionately known as "feather girl" on my blog. Thank you, Jane!

For more about Laura read the posts below. 

Friday's Photo: Laura Isabel Wylie Boyers

Friday's Photo: Feather Girl

Friday's Photo: Feather Girl Revisited

Two weeks ago, Google sent me an alert. My name was newly posted on the Internet.  A click took me to the Clare Champion, a newspaper published in County Clare, Ireland, and an article about Kinvara (in County Galway) during the War of Independence. My husband's grandfather, William Joseph Quinn, was a member of the Kinvara Volunteers. His service was written about in the Clare Champion along with the information in my blog. Click here to read the story. 

Here are nine posts about William Joseph Quinn's service during the War of Independence. 

The Irish Uprising

The Irish Uprising: Obtaining the Records

The Irish Uprising: 1914 and 1915

The Irish Uprising: 1916

The Irish Uprising: 1917 to 1919

The Irish Uprising: 1920

The Irish Uprising: 1921

The Irish Uprising: The Quinn Home

The Irish Uprising: Michael Fahey

Diana

© 2015