New Years Weddings in the 1890s

By Susan G Mathis

As the clock struck midnight to usher in a new year in the 1890s, couples embraced the idea of starting their lives together amidst the promises and resolutions that came with the dawning of a fresh chapter. New Year's weddings during this era were characterized by a sense of hope, optimism, and a touch of Victorian charm.

Venues adorned with winter florals, twinkling gas lamps, and the warm glow of candlelight created an enchanting atmosphere. The color palette reflected the season, with rich burgundies, deep greens, and touches of gold and silver adding a regal touch to the celebrations. The typical bridal silhouette featured high necklines, long sleeves, and voluminous skirts, epitomizing the grace and modesty of the time. Grooms complemented their brides with dark-colored suits, often accented with silk lapels and vests. Crisp white shirts, bow ties, and top hats completed the groom's ensemble, exuding a sense of formality and sophistication.

New Year's weddings were imbued with symbolism and a sense of renewal. The exchange of vows took on added significance, as couples pledged their commitment to one another on the threshold of a new year. Traditional wedding ceremonies were accompanied by the melodies of hymns and classical music, creating a harmonious backdrop to the sacred vows.

The stroke of midnight played a central role in the festivities, with couples often timing their nuptials to coincide with the turning of the year. As the clock struck twelve, the newlyweds would share their first kiss as husband and wife, surrounded by the cheers and well-wishes of family and friends.

New Year's weddings in the 1890s were celebrated with sumptuous feasts, featuring seasonal delicacies and festive treats. Champagne flowed freely, adding a touch of effervescence to the celebrations. The dining tables were adorned with crystal, silverware, and fine china, reflecting the opulence of the Victorian era.

New Year's weddings in the 1890s combined the richness of Victorian tradition with the optimism and hope associated with the turn of a new year. In Julia’s Joy, readers get to enjoy a New Year’s Eve wedding.

Have you been to a New Year’s wedding? Leave your answer or comments on the post below and join me on February 19th for my next post.

ABOUT JULIA’S JOY

Book 2 of the Love in a Lighthouse series:

When Julia Collins reluctantly sets foot on Sister Island, compelled by her grandmother’s will, she is intent on claiming her inheritance and moving on. But when she experiences the faith-filled island life and connects with the handsome lightkeeper, William, Julia finds herself confronting her open wounds from her parents’ deaths. Between a past betrayal and his chronic pleurisy, William Dodge, lightkeeper of Sister Island, wants nothing to do with love. But Julia turns his world upside down. But just as love begins to blossom between them, Julia is faced with a tempting proposal from a prominent Brockville family. Will she succumb to societal expectations or choose the richness of her island life and the love of the steadfast lightkeeper?

ABOUT SUSAN

Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than thirty times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has thirteen in her fiction line. Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan lives in Colorado Springs and enjoys traveling the world. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction for more.

The Grimm Brothers by Nancy J. Farrier

 What do you think of when you read the title, “The Grimm Brothers”? My guess is you imagine a volume of fairy tales, including popular favorites like Snow White, Cinderella, Rapuzel, or Hansel and Gretel. But how did those stories come to be? Who are the famous brothers behind the fairy tales?

 

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm 1847
By Hemann Biow, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

Jacob Grimm was born in January 1785, and his brother Wilhelm was born in February 1786. They were the 2^nd and 3^rd oldest of nine children, three of whom died as infants. When Jacob was six years old, his father accepted a position as city magistrate in Steinau, Germany. From 1791 to 1796, the Grimms lived in a nice house, with servants, a carriage provided, and tutors for the children.

 

Grimm house 1791-1796
Photo by Alexander Hoernigk, Wikimedia Commons 

Life took a downward turn in 1796, when their father died of pneumonia. The Grimms lost their home and all their luxuries, having to depend on the help of their grandfather and aunt. Jacob was now the oldest of the children and thus responsible for their welfare at age eleven. Wilhelm shared the responsibility with Jacob and for the next two years they listened to the advice of their grandfather.

 

In 1798, Jacob and Wilhelm’s aunt paid for their admittance to attend the Friedrichsgymnasium school in Kassel. The two brothers studied hard and were at the top of their class. They discovered a love of learning and went on to attend the University of Marburg where they studied law. It was here they had a professor who instilled a love of history and philology leading the brothers to study medieval German literature.

 

In 1805, Jacob had to quit his studies, taking a job with the Hessian War Commission. His family was in such extreme poverty that they had meager portions and only ate once a day. 

 

Drawing by Ludwig Emil Grimm - 1843
Wikimedia Commons

By 1808, Jacob quit the war commission and became a librarian in Kassel. His mother died, leaving him total responsibility for his younger siblings. Jacob was able to pay for his brother Ludwig to attend art school. Later Ludwig would illustrate some of their books, and he did sketches of his brothers.

 

While working at the library, they had a friend, Clemens Brentano, who asked them to collect fairy tales that he could use in a book. They sent Brentano copies of 54 stories. They were glad they sent the copies when Brentano lost the manuscripts they’d sent him. When Brentano lost interest in publishing the fairy tales, the brothers gathered the 54 stories, plus 32 more and published a first volume of fairy tales. They published another 70 fairy tales in 1815.

 

The original fairy tales were dark and never intended to be children’s literature. The stories were for adults and carried warnings within their text. Many of the stories were about the stark living conditions of the times. 

 

Front/title page of Kinder-und Hausmärchen
Illustrated by Ludwig Grimm, Wikimedia Commons

Hansel and Gretel, by Arthur Rackham 
Wikimedia Commons

An earlier story they published, The Children of Famine, started like this: “Once upon a time there was a woman with two daughters, and they had become so poor that they no longer had even a piece of bread to put in their mouths. Their hunger became so great that their mother became unhinged and desperate. Indeed, she said to her children, “I’ve got to kill you so that I can get something to eat.”

 

In their later life, Jacob and Wilhelm worked on writing a German dictionary. They were retired from teaching and writing fairy tales, enjoying the challenge of word studies. The dictionary was not complete when they died. Wilhelm died first in 1859 of an infection, and Jacob took his death hard. He became reclusive, working only on the dictionary, until his death in 1863.

Berlin Memorial Plaque, by OTFW, Berlin
Wikimedia Commons

 

The brothers had been so close all their lives, I can only imagine how hard it was for Jacob to lose Wilhelm. I remember reading Grimm’s fairy tales as a young girl and loving them. How about you? Do you like fairy tales? Are you familiar with them?

 

 

 

In December, I published my first fairy tale based book, a novella, Fairy Tale Christmas. This story is loosely inspired by Grimm’s fairy tale, Water of Life. You can find it here.

Princess Ivyana’s father, the King, is on his deathbed, and she and her sisters are given an impossible task: to find the Water of Life, the only known cure. But no one knows how to find this elusive water, and when her sisters go missing, Ivy is left as her father's only hope.

The only one willing to help Ivy is Kivin Tonnas, a lowly stable hand. Accompanied by Kivin and her maid, Ivy sets out on a dangerous journey to find the Water of Life. But Kivin harbors a secret, one that even he doesn't know. He is under a curse, and only Ivy can break it. As they journey together, their forbidden love grows, but will it be enough to overcome their differences? 

Nancy J Farrier is an award-winning, best-selling author who lives in Southern Arizona in the Sonoran Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats and dog, and spend time with her family. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.

Battle Hymn of the Republic a Hymn for the Ages

 

Today and for the next few months I plan to do a series on time honored hymns. Hymns are often sprinkled into more modern-day worship. Some are sung in the secular culture and have stood the test of time. I love to learn the story behind the worship songs we sing, and because this is a history blog, I’ll be sharing some of the original worship songs from yesteryear, the why behind them and a bit about their authors.
The Battle Hymn of the Republic by Julie Ward Howe is still sung today. Original written in response to hearing Union soldiers marching off to war singing John Brown’s Body.  A song retelling the death of a radical abolitionist. The first line being “John Brown’s Body lies a moulderin’ in the grave.” The song tells the story of Harper’s ferry where he was killed. Here is a link to the lyrics.

 Mrs. Howe and her physician husband Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe were living in Washington DC during the Civil War when a friend asked her if she couldn’t write better lyrics to the catchy tune. As a Christian who desired to see a world without war, she accepted the challenge. 

That night the lyrics came to her in her sleep. 

I awoke in the grey of the morning, and as I lay waiting for dawn, the long lines of the desired poem began to entwine themselves in my mind, and I said to myself,  “I must get up and writes these verses least I fall asleep and forget them1” So I sprang out of bed and in the dimness found an old stump of a pen, which I remember using the day before, I scrawled the verses almost without looking at the paper.  (quote taken from 101 Hymn Stories by Kenneth W. Osbeck)

The verses were first published in February 1862 in The Atlantic Monthly Magazine. She was paid five dollars.

The Battle Hymn of the Republic lyrics coupled with that catchy tune from John Brown’s Body  was performed for President Abraham Lincoln. He was so moved he asked that it be sung again. The verses focus on Christ as the coming King.  And became the marching song of the Union Army.  After the war it continued in popularity in churches and for gatherings. This hymn has stood the test of time being sung by large choirs across the nation and centuries.
Mrs. Howe had a heart for Christ, was an abolitionist and an active in women’s suffrage. She wrote many books, articles, and plays that have long sense been lost to us. But The Battle Hymn of the Republic remains iconic. At every one of her speaking engagements, she insisted it be sung. And at her funeral the four thousand attendees sang it as a sign of respect. She spent her life working for women’s rights. She died of pneumonia in October 1910 at the age of 91. 

Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory (Battle Hymn of the Republic)
By Julia Ward Howe
1.Mine eyes have seen the glory
of the coming of the Lord;
he is trampling out the vintage
where the grapes of wrath are stored;
he hath loosed the fateful lightning
of his terrible swift sword;
his truth is marching on.
Refrain:
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

2. I have seen him in the watchfires
of a hundred circling camps,
they have builded him an altar
in the evening dews and damps;
I can read his righteous sentence
by the dim and flaring lamps;
his day is marching on.
(Refrain)

3. He has sounded forth the trumpet
that shall never call retreat;
he is sifting out the hearts of men
before his judgment seat;
O be swift, my soul, to answer him;
be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.
(Refrain)

4. In the beauty of the lilies
Christ was born across the sea,
with a glory in his bosom
that transfigures you and me;
as he died to make men holy,
let us die to make men free,
while God is marching on.
(Refrain)

5. He is coming like the glory
of the morning on the wave,
he is wisdom to the mighty,
he is honor to the brave;
so the world shall be his footstool,
and the soul of wrong his slave.
Our God is marching on.
(Refrain)
Take from http://www.HymnSite.com

Over time the melody was given a new arrangement to accommodate a full choir and large orchestra, but Julia Ward Howe’s lyrics remain the same.

Here’s a YouTube link of a live performance

Cindy Ervin Huff, is a multi-published award-winning author. A 2018 Selah Finalist. She has a passion to encourage other writers on their journey. When she isn’t writing, she feeds her addiction to reading and enjoys her retirement with her husband of 50 plus years, Charles. Visit her at www.cindyervinhuff.com.

Cherishing Her Heart- releases February 21,2025

Dianna Pilson takes on a new identity as Susan Sullivan after escaping from the asylum her unsavory ex-husband put her in. She heads west with Fredrick Sullivan, her late father’s valet, pretending to be his daughter. They arrive in the small town of Cooperville, Kansas where Fredrick has kin.  Becoming a simple woman of a lower class is challenging. She has no domestic skills, but her new Papa and his family are right there to help and keep her safe. Changing herself is much harder than she imagined, but far better than a lifetime in an asylum.
Monty Summerfield, a wealthy businessman, moved to Coopersville to start over after his unscrupulous partner blew up the mine they owned with him in it. Assuming Monty was dead, he stole his identity and even his mail-order bride. After Ernie’s death, Monty has worked hard to regain his good name. Content as a bachelor, he focuses on building his business interests and helping the community. Then Susan Sullivan steps off the stagecoach. He’s captivated by her, but can he risk his heart and scale the walls she’s built around hers.
As danger lurks from Susan’s past, and Monty steps up to help, can she trust him? Will their only solution lead to a happily-ever-after or bring on more trouble?
Available for preorder. https://amzn.to/49n6z89

Soldiering--A Matter of the Heart

 By Catherine Ulrich Brakefield

    Joe Galloway hated wars but loved soldiers. This began his lifelong career as a war correspondent for the Vietnam War and every war in between, including Iraq. 

    He performed four tours in Vietnam, between 1965 and the fall of Saigon in April 1975. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for heroism while accompanying the 7th Cavalry Regiment into the 3-day war at Ia Drang against North Vietnam. 

    His heart, body and soul went every weary step with those 18- and 19-year-old heroes of Vietnam—and because of his commitment to this end, he has become the voice of the forgotten soldiers of this Vietnam generation of valiant Americans. 

    A proud descendant of Scottish ancestors who first found themselves in Ireland before migrating to the States, Joseph Galloway came from a colorful line of storytellers. So naturally, though he was unaware at the youthful age of eighteen, he was destined to become a journalist and writer. Only, at the time, he had his heart set on becoming a soldier in the Army like his father had been in World War II. 

    Joseph L. Galloway was born in Bryan, Texas, on November 13, 1941. After his father returned from the U.S. Army, they relocated to Refugio, Texas due to his father’s employment by Humble Oil.  Joseph worked on the high school newspaper, and graduated at seventeen, then went on to college. 

    As Joseph Galloway confirmed during a Veterans Radio show in 2009:

    “I was driven out of college by an early morning German language class taught by a portly lady with badly fitting dentures. In my view the class stood between me and joining the Army. I was seventeen. I had to browbeat my mother into agreeing to sign for me. 

    “We were two-blocks from the recruiting office in Victoria, Texas, when we passed the local newspaper. Mom said, ‘Joe, what about your journalism?’  I said, “Good call, Mom, stop the car.” I had been their campus stringer for those few weeks, and I walked in and asked if the editor had a job. He did and he hired me on the spot for $35 per week and a free subscription to the paper. I was on my way.” 

    Joseph soon outgrew that small-town paper and went on to work for the United Press International (UPI) in Missouri and Kansas. He was on his way all right—right into the Vietnam War where he wanted to be. 

    Those years in Vietnam shaped his life forever. Many of the men who fought in that war would agree with him. Joseph arrived in Vietnam in 1965. The United States was optimistic that the war would be over soon. After all, General William Westmorland promised so.

    In March of that same year, the U.S. Air Force began Operation Rolling Thunder. Over one hundred American fighter bombers attacked North Vietnam targets. They were supposed to bomb for only eight weeks—but this ended up continuing for three years. 

    During this same time, U.S. airstrikes began against the Ho Chi Minh trail. The constant bombardments did not halt the flow of soldiers and supplies from the North. American jets lost totaled five hundred that attacked this trail. American bombs were dropped in South Vietnam against the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army. After every bomb attack, the damage was immediately repaired by the North Vietnamese.  

    The U.S. total drop came to eight million tons of bombs. This is four times the tonnage that was dropped during World War II. Most American bombs were dropped in South Vietnam against the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army. The Vietnam War was the largest display of firepower in the history of warfare. 

    The time came in November of 1965 that the U.S. Army and the People’s Army of Vietnam butted heads with men and firepower in the Battle of Ia Drang. U. S. soldiers totaled 450 men of the First Battalion, Seventh Cavalry, under the command of Lt. Col. Harold Moore. They were flown in by helicopters. This was the first use of large-scale helicopter air assault, with Boeing B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers that could be called in at a moment’s notice. Landing, the men were immediately surrounded by more than 2,000 North Vietnamese soldiers. 

    Galloway was the only journalist to witness the actions of these heroic outnumbered Americans. How they persevered, sacrificing themselves for their comrades, these young men refused to give up against these insurmountable odds.

    To Galloway’s amazement, he was awarded The Bronze Star for a heroic act in the line of duty:

    “…Early On November 14, 1965, in the fury of the action, an American fighter bomber dropped two napalm bombs on the action, Battalion Command post and Aid Station area gravely wounding two soldiers. Mr. Galloway and a medical aid man rose, braving enemy fire, and ran to the aid of the injured soldiers. The medical aid man was immediately shot and killed. With assistance from another man, Mr. Galloway carried one of the injured soldiers to the medical aid station. He remained on the ground throughout the grueling three-day battle, frequently under fire, until the 1st Battalion, l7th Cavalry was replaced by other forces of the 1st Cavalry Division.”

    Galloway and Moore would after their Vietnam years co-author a book. Galloway spent many hours interviewing over one hundred men to confirm that the information he wrote was accurate. The book is entitled We Were Soldiers Once…and Young: Ia Drang—The Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam. 

    A motion picture was later adapted from this book in 2002, depicting the battle and the odds of them winning over such impossible odds. The true-to-life movie version stars Mel Gibson as Moore and Barry Pepper as Galloway. Galloway’s hard work was recognized admirably in this epic film. The factual event of this three-day battle portrays the heroic deeds beautifully of these young soldiers who were just out of high school—but ready to die for their country.

    In 2008 Galloway co-authored “We Are Soldiers Still: A Journey to the Battlefields of Vietnam.”

    “What I saw and wrote about broke my heart a thousand times, but it also gave me the best and most loyal friends of my life,” Galloway said during an interview with the Victoria Advocate, of the Texas Daily. “The soldiers accepted me as one of them, and I can think of no higher honor.”

    In the heat of battle during the Vietnam War, Galloway could be seen with a strap around his neck, his camera dangling, and a M16 in his hand. “They (North Vietnamese) were shooting at me,” Galloway said, “and I felt obliged, on occasion, to shoot back.”

    Galloway was the only reporter who braved the fire of the battlefronts. He preferred getting the truth firsthand. He would jump on board a helicopter flying to the battle site to drop off supplies and pick up casualties, he’d then help the wounded safely in and run up to the acting commander.  

    On one such incident, a Master Sergeant of the Special Forces told Galloway, “I have no vacancy for a reporter, but I’m in desperate need of a corner machine gunner, and you’re it!”  Galloway spent three days and three nights with that machine gun firing at all the little brown men outside the wire.”

    Galloway feels soldiering is a matter of heart. In Galloway’s words, “There is a sense about the soldier of selfless sacrifice. He isn’t in it for glory. There is no glory in combat. There is no glory in war. It’s a hard, bloody task that will leave you carrying the burden of memories that no one should see, especially when you are 18 or 19 years old…. I’ve counted it a privilege to have been allowed to stand beside them then, to stand beside them today, and they are my brothers. What can I say?”

Look for next month’s exciting conclusion of Soldiering—A Matter of the Heart.

   

LOVE'S FINAL SUNRISE: New Yorker Ruth Jessup and Amish-bred Joshua Stutzman lived in different worlds; their lives collided into catastrophic proportions battling wits against a psychopath and The New World Order...  Fleeing for her life and suffering from amnesia, Ruth finds herself in an hourglass of yesteryear. Can Joshua’s Amish ways help them survive these final three-and-one-half years? 

    To be honest, I’m not usually drawn to fiction. But for this no-nonsense nonfiction lover, Love’s Final Sunrise was a risk that paid off in full measure. I highly recommend this author’s way of weaving intrigue, romance, and Christian principles.  Lori Ann Wood

    Catherine is the award-winning author of Wilted

Dandelions, Swept into Destiny, Destiny’s Whirlwind, Destiny of Heart, Waltz with Destiny and Love's Final Sunrise and two pictorial Arcadia history books, The Lapeer Area and Eastern Lapeer. She has written short stories for Guideposts Books, CrossRiver Media Group, Revell Books, and Bethany House Publishers. Catherine and her husband of fifty-two years live on a ranch in Michigan and have two adult children, five grandchildren, four Arabian horses, three dogs, three cats, six chickens, and three bunnies. You can learn more about her at CatherineUlrichBrakefield.com 

https://homeofheroes.com/heroes-stories/vietnam-war/joseph-l-galloway/ 

Spotlight on the Brave War Veterans I Have Known

 By Mary Dodge Allen

L-R: daughter Alison Swengel, John Swengel, me, Bernard Hails

Honor Flight 2013 (author photo)

Since 2022, I’ve enjoyed being a blogger for HHH. Those who have read my posts know that I like to spotlight the unsung heroes and heroines - ordinary people who have shown courage in facing challenges to achieve worthy goals. All of them have secured their place in history by making sacrifices and applying their talents, through hard work and perseverance, to make this world a better place.  

WWII: John Swengel: 

John Swengel, U.S. Army 78th Division (family photo)

John Swengel was born in 1925 in Harrisburg, PA. In July 1943, at the age of 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, and he reported for basic training shortly after his 18th birthday. 

(John’s grandfather served in the Union Army during the Civil War. In 1864, he celebrated his 18th birthday on picket duty in Petersburg, VA. John’s father served in the U.S. Army during WWI and endured a mustard gas attack before his 18th birthday.)

John was trained as an infantryman with L Company, 309th Infantry, 78th Division, and he was shipped out to Europe in October 1944. In early December, just before John’s 19th birthday, L Company entered into active combat as they moved through the forest near Aachen, Germany. On the morning of December 16, 1944, as L Company was heading toward the town of Kesternick, the German Army launched a massive attack, now known as the Battle of the Bulge. 

John and his wife Delores were dear friends of mine from church. He shared his war diary with me. Here are excerpts about his battle experience on Dec. 16th: 

“We approached a pillbox (on the Siegfried Line) and were met with machine gun fire that stopped our advance... the 88’s started firing on us. I had gotten into an open field and there were so many shells landing, some close enough to throw dirt on top of me; and I was not able to move. I was terrified.

“We did not know that the 78th Division had been trying to capture the town since December 13th nor did we know that the road at the south end of town was to feed the “Bulge.” The Germans could not let us take the town and had to commit forces slated for the “Bulge” to keep us from capturing the town.”

John described the life-changing experience he had during this relentless shelling:

“I was raised in a strong Protestant environment. When I became a teenager, I spent a lot of time wondering if there was a God. So there I was, lying the field, terrified. I wasn’t aware that I knew the 23rd Psalm, but I found it was running through my mind. I felt that God was standing at my shoulder. With that feeling, my terror eased. I knew that I had no control over whether I would live or die; it was up to God. I had no feeling whether I would stay alive, but it didn’t seem to be a big problem; God was there beside me and I would accept whatever his will was. There were many times later that I would feel the same panic, but I knew then where to get my strength. I never had to wonder again about the existence of God.”

L Company moved forward. In early March, the day after the U.S. 9th Armored Division captured the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen, Germany, they were among the first to cross this damaged bridge:

“The Germans had loaded the bridge with explosives; the detonation had caused some structural damage but did not drop the bridge into the river. Hitler was very unhappy. The bridge did hang a little lopsided. [We asked] ‘They want us to walk over that?’ They did, so we crossed... with mortar shells and artillery shells dropping around the area.”

After several days of heavy fighting, John wrote: “When... I counted heads, there were 13 of us left from what had once been a 42-man platoon.”

John assumed the role of platoon leader, until reinforcements arrived. By the end of the war, he held the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was honorably discharged, and he received the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in combat. He married, raised five children, and worked as a civil engineer.

WWII: Bernard Hails:

Bernard with me at a Naval war memorial in Washington, DC (author photo)

Bernard Hails had recently turned 87, when I escorted him on the Honor Flight in 2013. He had a great sense of humor and an easygoing personality. I enjoyed being with him very much. Bernard was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama. Shortly after he turned 18, he joined the Navy and trained at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. From there, he was assigned to the USS Mount Baker, an ammunition supply ship that provided critical supplies to Admiral Halsey’s Pacific Fleet, during the major battles of 1944-45. 

Bernard was in the first group of 40 black sailors assigned to the USS Mount Baker, which already held a crew of 350 sailors. During the first three months, the black sailors were given a hard time by the other sailors, who didn’t think they could handle the job. But after they had proven themselves, things went more smoothly. Serving on an ammunition supply ship was an especially dangerous duty. If the ship had been hit, there would have been little chance of survival.

After the war, Bernard was honorably discharged at the rank of Seaman First Class. He settled in Detroit, Michigan, where he got a job at the Chrysler factory and raised a family. In 1976 he retired to Florida, and he passed away in 2021. 

WWII: The Dodge brothers:

No, they are not the famous Dodge brothers who founded a car company. They are my three uncles, who served in separate military branches during the war.

L-R: Gordon Dodge, John Dodge, Bill Dodge, Kenneth Dodge, and their father Bert Dodge (family photo)

Author Note: My father, Kenneth was the oldest. He tried to enlist in the Army, but he was already in his thirties, and his job with the U.S. Steel Plant was considered essential to the war effort.

Bill Dodge high school photo (family photo)

Bill Dodge, the youngest brother, joined the Navy in September, 1944 at the age of 17, and was trained at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. By the time he completed training, the Pacific war was winding down, so he was stationed at the Naval Hospital in San Diego, CA and served as a Hospital Corpsman, providing medical care to the wounded returning from the Pacific battle theater. 

After the war, he married, had three sons, obtained advanced college degrees and worked as a college professor. His love of boating continued throughout his life, and he and my aunt even lived on a boat for a few years. He passed away at the age of 87.

John Dodge, undated photo after the war (family photo)

John Dodge, who was five years older than Bill, left high school after the attack on Pearl Harbor and enlisted in the Marines. He went through a series of rough battles on the Pacific islands, including the major battles at Guadalcanal. After he was honorably discharged, he married, had a daughter, and worked at the local bank. 

John appeared to have retained his fun-loving sense of humor, but my Aunt Mary said he had screaming nightmares for years. On Halloween night, after handing out candy to the trick-or-treaters, Uncle John took a nap on the couch and never woke up. He’d had a heart attack at the age of 35, likely brought on by the PTSD he suffered after the war.

Gordon Dodge, U.S. Army Air Corps (family photo)

Gordon Dodge, two years older than John, enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1943, after completing business college. He had always wanted to fly, and he once told me that as a teenager, every time he saw a plane flying overhead, he’d wish he was in the pilot seat. 

After several months of training, he was assigned as a B-17 co-pilot, for the U.S. Mighty Eighth Air Force, 447th Bomb Group, 709th Squadron, stationed at Rattlesden AFB, England. From late 1944-1945, he flew 35 bombing missions over Germany.

Uncle Gordon was honorably discharged at the rank of Captain. He and my Aunt Doris raised two children, and he worked as an air traffic controller. He passed away at the age of 97 and was the last living member of his B-17 crew. 

Uncle Gordon is the inspiration for Grandpa Leo, a character in my award-winning book: Hunt for a Hometown Killer. He also appears in the sequel I am currently writing: Hunt for Hometown Justice. My website contains more information about these books, click here: Mary Dodge Allen, Author

Crew of the B-17 named: Blue Hen Chick

Front Row, L-R: Joe Trambley, (Tail Gunner); Max Shepherd, (Ball Turret Gunner); Olaf Larsen, (Radio Operator); Jim Shannon, (Engineer); Harold McKay (Armorer); Back Row - Standing, L-R: Gordon Dodge, (Co-Pilot); Wes Pitts, (Navigator); John Rosiala, (Bombardier); Ralph Minker, (Pilot).

Ralph Lee Minker, U.S. Army Air Corps (family photo)

My very first HHH post was an edited version of crew pilot Ralph Lee Minker’s diary, describing one of their missions. To read this blog, click this link: Into the Air Against Germany - Edited Summary of a B-17 Pilot's 20th Combat Mission

Through the Eighth Air Force, 447th Bomb Group website, I connected with Ralph Minker’s widow, Sandra, and we are now friends. She was able to meet my Uncle Gordon before he passed away. 

In 2019, we both had the honor of sitting in the cockpit of the B-17 named: City of Savannah, housed in the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum. The experience was powerful. Sandra was in the pilot seat, and I was in the co-pilot seat, and we both teared-up, thinking of Ralph and Uncle Gordon in the cockpit together during those dangerous missions.

L-R: Sandra and me in B-17 cockpit /The Tablet Honoring the Blue Hen Chick B-17 crew in the Memorial Garden at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum, Savannah, GA (author photos)

Of the more than 200 airfields used by the U.S. Eighth Air Force during WWII, only a few remain intact – including the airfield in Rattlesden, England where Uncle Gordon and his B-17 crew was based. 

My husband and I visited that airfield, which is now used by private glider pilots. It is hard to express the depth of emotion I felt as I stood on the control tower walkway and looked out at the runways. I thought about Uncle Gordon and all the other B-17 bomber crewmen based there. Many of them never returned.

Me, standing on walkway / The original control tower building at the Rattlesden, England airfield (family photo)

Vietnam War: Captain Joseph Milligan, U.S. Air Force:

USAF Captain Joseph Milligan / The POW bracelet I wore for over 2 years (family photos)

This POW bracelet bears his name and the date his plane was shot down over enemy territory, 5-20-1967. I got this bracelet during my last year of college, and I prayed for him every day for over two years. 

I was overjoyed when I read in the newspaper that he was one of the few POWs who survived and made it home! He had endured captivity and torture for nearly 6 years. I wrote to him, and below is his letter to me. An excerpt:

“Dear Mary, You will never fully realize just how much comfort the American people brought to the prisoners of war during their hour of need by wearing bracelets bearing the names of those prisoners. I am humbled, proud, and very appreciative that you wore a bracelet bearing my name. Thank you for your support. Yet, a simple thanks doesn’t seem like enough. Perhaps a simple tear would be a more descriptive expression of my gratitude. And, believe me, I’ve shed a few since returning home. “Homecoming” has been... the happiest moment of my life.”

Original letter I received from him (family photo)

Joseph married a nurse he met in the hospital, while he was recovering. He graduated from college with a degree in Veterinary Science and had a successful career, while he and his wife raised their family. I am happy to say Joseph Milligan and I reconnected as Facebook friends a few years ago.

These war veterans sacrificed so much as they served our country with honor. I salute each and every military service man and woman, past and present, with heartfelt gratitude. I also salute the doctors and nurses, the police, fire fighters and all first responders who put their lives on the line every day.

Abraham Lincoln expressed this gratitude eloquently:

“Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause.” 

_______________

Mary Dodge Allen is currently finishing her sequel to Hunt for a Hometown Killer. She's won a Christian Indie Award, an Angel Book Award, and two Royal Palm Literary Awards (Florida Writer's Association). She and her husband live in Central Florida. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Faith Hope and Love Christian Writers. 

Website: www.marydodgeallen.com

Recent release, anthology devotional: El Jireh, The God Who Provides

Mary's story, entitled: A Mother's Desperate Prayer, describes her struggle with guilt and despair after her young son is badly burned in a kitchen accident. When we are at the end of all we have, El Jireh provides what we need. 

Click the link below to purchase on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/El-Jireh-God-Who-Provides/dp/1963611608

Mary's novel: Hunt for a Hometown Killer won the 2022 Christian Indie Award, First Place - Mystery/Suspense; and the 2022 Angel Book Award - Mystery/Suspense.

Click the link below to buy Hunt for a Hometown Killer at Amazon.com:

Hunt For A Hometown Killer: A Novel: Allen, Mary Dodge: 9781952369704: Amazon.com: Books

Link to Mary's Spotlight Interview:   Mary Dodge Allen Author Spotlight EA Books

Florida’s Featured Author ~ Julia Daniels Moseley

The first time I moved to Florida, after spending the first three decades of my life in Midwestern farming communities, I quickly fell in love with the state’s golden sunshine; the mid-afternoon showers (that didn’t block out the sun’s rays); the complicated history of a harsh, unforgiving land; and the celebration of multiple peoples—including pirates, Florida “crackers” (cowboys), conquistadores, Seminoles, tycoons, inventors, crazies, and quite a few more.

While settling into our new home with our young family, I read all kinds of books—nonfiction and fiction—about Florida’s past. This was one of my favorites.

The Book

“Come to My Sunland”: Letters of Julia Daniels Moseley from the Florida Frontier, 1882-1886 is about a 19th century Midwesterner—a sophisticated writer and artist—who falls in love with her new home despite the isolation and hardship she experiences.

Here’s an excerpt from the back cover copy:

“A frontierswoman of culture and refinement, [Julia] made Florida not only a home, but a canvas on which she painted old scrub lands east of Tampa in the 1880s, with their wild fields and hammock oases, their passion flowers and butterflies, mockingbirds and larks, lake vistas and flaming sunsets.”

Quick Bio

• Born ~ August 7, 1849 in Illinois
• Parents ~ Carlos and Elizabeth Daniels
• Married ~ Charles Scott Moseley on May 18, 1876
• Children ~ Carl “Karl” and Hallock Moseley
• Died ~ August 7, 1917 (68 years old)
• Buried ~ Limona Cemetery, Brandon, Florida

The book’s introduction says this about Julia:

“The embodiment of great personal charm and fancy, she put her roots firmly down into the Florida soil. She was a Renaissance woman and a cosmopolitan in the wilderness” (p. 5).

The Legacy

Julia’s granddaughter, Julia Winifred Moseley, was the co-editor of the collection of letters along with Betty Powers Crislip. Both were officers of Timberly Trust, Inc., the organization tasked with preserving the Moseley homestead.

On March 21, 2019, the younger Julia’s 100th birthday was celebrated as Julia Moseley Day, The mayor of Brandon, Florida, read a proclamation that included this accolade: 

“Julia Moseley is the personification of a protector of Florida history.”

At that time, Julia Winifred Moseley still lived at “The Nest,” the home built by her grandparents in the 1880s. The fourteen-acre property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“When you pull into the property, it is as if you have been transported back in time. Most of the buildings on the property are original to the period of ownership. The main house still has the original wall covering which consists of palmetto fiber on painted burlap. This unique wall covering was taken down and exhibited at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893” (Osprey Observer).

Home Again

Last April I became a Florida resident for the third time. I’m home again, back to where sandhill cranes stroll through the neighborhood, a family of wild turkeys sometimes scamper across the road, and at least one alligator lives in the pond behind our house.

As a tribute to my adopted state, my posts over the next several months will highlight a few of Florida’s historic authors, artists, and architects.

A virtual tour of the Moseley Homestead can be taken at the University of South Florida’s Digital Heritage & Humanities Collections site.

The latest edition of “Come to My Sunland,” with an updated cover, is available on Amazon.

Johnnie Alexander is a bestselling, award-winning novelist of more than thirty works of fiction in multiple genres. She is both traditionally and indie-published, serves as board secretary for the Mosaic Collection, LLC (an indie-author group) and faculty chair for the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference; co-hosts Writers Chat, a weekly online show; and contributes to the HHHistory.com blog. With a heart for making memories, Johnnie is a fan of classic movies, stacks of books, and road trips. Connect with her at JohnnieAlexander.com.

Photo ~ Moseley Homestead (“The Nest’) ~ Photo taken by Ebyabe; used under CC BY-SA 3.0license. File:Brandon FL Moseley Homestead dwy01.jpg. Created: 9 July 2011. Uploaded to Wikipedia: 12 July 2011

Sources

Osprey Observer ~ https://www.ospreyobserver.com/2019/04/julia-moseley-celebrates-100th-birthday-at-her-family-home-known-as-the-nest/

USF Digital Heritage and Humanities Collections ~ https://dhhc.lib.usf.edu/moseley/