Events
What motivates people to make changes to their lives? Some changes are so personal and intimate that, unless they are recorded, we can never really know what moved the people to make them. Some changes are made as a result of events outside of the control of the individuals named in these pages. These events touched them somehow.
The Connecticut-Pennsylvania conflict.
In 1662 King Charles II of England granted land north of the Susquehanna River to Connecticut, even though this part of America was controlled by the Dutch. Nearly 20 years later, in 1681, Charles included this same area in the grant to William Penn. The land in north-eastern Pennsylvania surrounding the Susquehanna River began to be settled by colonists after treaties with Native Americans were purchased in the middle 1700's. Colonists from Connecticut settled there as early as 1754.
King George III confirmed Connecticut's claim but, after the Revolution, Congress overturned this ruling and favored Pennsylvania's claim. Finally in 1799, when the Wyoming Valley become part of Pennsylvania, the Connecticut settlers received legal titles to their land and became Pennsylvanians. This opened up opportunities for settlement in Pennsylvania from Connecticut.
See: Connecticut Susquehanna Settlers at this link. And again here. And here. More stuff here. Maps here.
The Revolution.
All of the family were supportive of the American revolution, at least I don't find records of Loyalist leanings. Ebenezer Wood and his son Stephen fought as soldiers in the Continental Army. Ebenezer was a captain, Stephen a corporal.
The American Civil War.
Frank Caywood and George Wheeler participated in the war as soldiers in the United States Army. George enlisted in the 56th Pennsylvania regiment in 1861 and was wounded at the Second battle of Bull Run. George was discharged in late 1862 or early 1863, disabled by his wound. Frank enlisted in Company A of the 12th New York cavalry as a teamster and was discharged with a disability in 1863. He enlisted again in the 184th New York Infantry in 1864 and was mustered out in June 1865. More on the 12th New York Cavalry.
The First World War.
Ralph Wheeler served in Company C of the 104th Field Artillery at the battles of the Meuse-Argonne and St. Mihiel. He first enlisted in the New York National Guard, Battery C, 1st Field Artillery on November 12,, 1909. He served with the U. S. Punitive Expedition to the Mexican Border in 1916. He was still enlisted in April 1917 when the Army reorganized and the 1st Field Artillery Regiment became the 104th. He shipped out to Europe in June 1918 on the U.S.S. Calamares. He returned with his unit in March 1919 aboard the U.S.S. America History of the 104th Field Artillery in World War I.
In 1662 King Charles II of England granted land north of the Susquehanna River to Connecticut, even though this part of America was controlled by the Dutch. Nearly 20 years later, in 1681, Charles included this same area in the grant to William Penn. The land in north-eastern Pennsylvania surrounding the Susquehanna River began to be settled by colonists after treaties with Native Americans were purchased in the middle 1700's. Colonists from Connecticut settled there as early as 1754.
King George III confirmed Connecticut's claim but, after the Revolution, Congress overturned this ruling and favored Pennsylvania's claim. Finally in 1799, when the Wyoming Valley become part of Pennsylvania, the Connecticut settlers received legal titles to their land and became Pennsylvanians. This opened up opportunities for settlement in Pennsylvania from Connecticut.
See: Connecticut Susquehanna Settlers at this link. And again here. And here. More stuff here. Maps here.
The Revolution.
All of the family were supportive of the American revolution, at least I don't find records of Loyalist leanings. Ebenezer Wood and his son Stephen fought as soldiers in the Continental Army. Ebenezer was a captain, Stephen a corporal.
The American Civil War.
Frank Caywood and George Wheeler participated in the war as soldiers in the United States Army. George enlisted in the 56th Pennsylvania regiment in 1861 and was wounded at the Second battle of Bull Run. George was discharged in late 1862 or early 1863, disabled by his wound. Frank enlisted in Company A of the 12th New York cavalry as a teamster and was discharged with a disability in 1863. He enlisted again in the 184th New York Infantry in 1864 and was mustered out in June 1865. More on the 12th New York Cavalry.
The First World War.
Ralph Wheeler served in Company C of the 104th Field Artillery at the battles of the Meuse-Argonne and St. Mihiel. He first enlisted in the New York National Guard, Battery C, 1st Field Artillery on November 12,, 1909. He served with the U. S. Punitive Expedition to the Mexican Border in 1916. He was still enlisted in April 1917 when the Army reorganized and the 1st Field Artillery Regiment became the 104th. He shipped out to Europe in June 1918 on the U.S.S. Calamares. He returned with his unit in March 1919 aboard the U.S.S. America History of the 104th Field Artillery in World War I.
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The Second World War.
My mother's brother, Dorrance, and my father and his brothers, Fritz, Ralph and Richard fought in this war. Dorrance served in the Navy with Motor Torpedo Boat (PT Boat) squadron 22 (RON22). My father, Donald, served with the 104th Field Artillery of the 27th Division, New York National Guard. and fought in the Pacific on the islands of Saipan, Guam and Okinawa.
Donald enlisted in 1940, at the age of 19, and trained at Pine Camp in South Carolina. His unit was moved to Camp Hahn, California and Camp Ord, California. He shipped out in February 1942 on the USS President Johnson (previously christened Manchuria ). After 14 days at sea he disembarked at Hilo, Hawaii. For the next year his unit built gun emplacements around the island. In the spring of 1944 they left Oahu from Pearl Harbor on the LST 272 enroute to Saipan. On Saipan his battery manned 3 105 mm howitzers. Donald drove a track. While on Siapan he saw an antitank gun fire a round down the barrel of a Japanese artillery piece. He saw the fighting on Tinian and the July 7 Japanese banzai attack. In August his unit moved to Espiritu Santo where they built a rest camp. They stayed until February 1945 when they began to assemble for the assault on Okinawa. They participated in the assault at Red Beach and in the heavy fighting during April 1945.
My mother's brother, Dorrance, and my father and his brothers, Fritz, Ralph and Richard fought in this war. Dorrance served in the Navy with Motor Torpedo Boat (PT Boat) squadron 22 (RON22). My father, Donald, served with the 104th Field Artillery of the 27th Division, New York National Guard. and fought in the Pacific on the islands of Saipan, Guam and Okinawa.
Donald enlisted in 1940, at the age of 19, and trained at Pine Camp in South Carolina. His unit was moved to Camp Hahn, California and Camp Ord, California. He shipped out in February 1942 on the USS President Johnson (previously christened Manchuria ). After 14 days at sea he disembarked at Hilo, Hawaii. For the next year his unit built gun emplacements around the island. In the spring of 1944 they left Oahu from Pearl Harbor on the LST 272 enroute to Saipan. On Saipan his battery manned 3 105 mm howitzers. Donald drove a track. While on Siapan he saw an antitank gun fire a round down the barrel of a Japanese artillery piece. He saw the fighting on Tinian and the July 7 Japanese banzai attack. In August his unit moved to Espiritu Santo where they built a rest camp. They stayed until February 1945 when they began to assemble for the assault on Okinawa. They participated in the assault at Red Beach and in the heavy fighting during April 1945.