Lee Earl Hefley in WWII

Lee Earl Hefley, Paratrooper WWII

Lee Earl Hefley enlisted in WWII on 13 June 1944 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas at the age of 27. He was married with one son 21 months old and his wife Irene was three months pregnant. Lee enlisted because he "wanted to help save his country." Lee was colorblind but passed anyway. He joined the paratroopers because they made $50 more a month. Lee came home on a surprise leave in December of 1944 and his new daughter was born that night.

Lee went to basic training and was assigned to Co. A, 156 Battalion, 92d, Training Regiment, Infantry Replacement Training Center at Camp Hood, Texas.

On January 24, 1945 Lee was in paratrooper training at Fort Benning, Georgia in the 2d Prcht Tng Regt.

"As the story goes," Lee's paratrooper group was putting on an exhibition for the president’s wife. The pilot let them off on the wrong side of the mountain. Lee's parachute caught in a tree and the jar made him go blind. He was in the hospital in Georgia where a young Doctor operated on his eyes and he got his sight back. His wife Irene never knew anything about this until he came home. For years he had to wear dark green glasses.

(I haven't been able to verify any information on this, I wrote for Lee's military record and it was destroyed in the fire.)

After that Lee transferred to training for Remote Control Turret Mechanic at Lowry Field, Denver, Colorado. His training was from 16 May 45 - 12 Sept 45. A description of the duties of a Remote Control Turret Mechanic can be found at The Military Yearbook.

The family says Lee worked for the rescue crew in the Everglades of Florida. They would go into the swamps and pick up planes and people after a crash. On one run into the swamp, Lee got to the plane and it was a relative. It may have been one of Henry Simpsons sons. Henry was a brother to Lee's Mother Grace Irene Simpson Hefley.

I have a letter written to Lee from his sister dated 15 December 1945 and addressed to Cpl Lee E Hefley 37745943, Sqd C box 198, Tyndell Field, Panama City, Florida. So he must have served time there.

Lee Hefley separated from the military on 4 June 1946 from Sep Cen CP Shelby Mississippi. He was in the 308th AAFBU. (Army Air Forces Base Unit)
He received ATO med: good cond med; World War II Vic med. He served 1 year 11 months and 22 days with no foreign service. His highest grade was Corporal.

I searched for infomation on the medals that Lee received and did not find much. I did find pictures on this genealogy site at the bottom of the page. It also shows the lapel pin Lee was issued. I don't know what happened to these medals as I have not seen them. I hope someone in the family still has them.

I am very proud of my grandfather Lee Hefley and his service to his county. His son (my father) joined the military and made a career out of it. Proud to be a military BRAT.

Fold3 Memorial Page for Lee Earl Hefley

Searching the 1940 Census

9 a.m. Monday morning and I was sitting at my computer in anticipation of the 1940 census being released digitally for the first time. Excitement turned to frustration after trying for hours to access the 1940 census to no avail. Six hours later familysearch.org had Kansas on line so I started with that state. I had already researched my ED's and knew the ED was the same for 1940 as it was in 1930.

 

I found my grandfather, Lee Hefley, single, age 21 and working 40 hours as a truck driver at Jacking Company. He was living with his parents John and Grace Hefley, and his older brother and sister. His grandfather, my great-great grandfather Arthur Hefley was also living in the household at age 82.

 

I knew Arthur originally owned the farm and his son John raised his family on the farm. What I didn't know was that the 1940 census showed John was renting it for $711. So Arthur continued to own it and just rented it.

 

I also found my great grandparents Adam and Ora Stegman in the 1940 Kansas census. My grandmother, Irene Stegman (who married Lee Hefley in August of 1940) was living at home and working as a clerk at a retail drug store. She had told me stories of working at the drug store and making ice cream. Each day she would decide what flavor to make, sometimes she would add pepperment or strawberries or whatever was at hand. What I didn't know is that she stated she worked 70 hours per week and made $327.

 

While I was successful locating my paternal grandparents, I wasn't successful locating my maternal grandparents, Joseph and Dessie Hardee in Texas. I checked the house they rented per the 1939 city directory, but someone else was renting the house. I checked the house they rented in 1942 but again someone else was renting it. I will have to wait for the index to come out.

Surname Saturday - Hardee

John Ziba Hardee is my earliest known Hardee. I have found Ziba in the 1830 Census in Monroe County, Alabama; in the 1840 census in Jordan, Coosa County, Alabama; and the 1850 Census in Hatchet Creek District, Coosa County, Alabama. I have searched the 1860 census and did not find Ziba or his family. I searched page by page of the Van Zandt County Census and no Hardee's were found. I searched most of the Coosa Co., Alabama Census and did not find Ziba Hardee.

Ziba's Timeline

From what I have read but not found sources for is that John Ziba Hardee was born in North Carolina and moved to Georgia with his father who may have been John Hardee. Here Ziba met and married his first wife Peggy Mitchel in 1813. Around 1821 they moved to Monroe Co., Alabama. Sometime between 1823-1825 Peggy died and Ziba married Tabitha Brooks about 1825 in Alabama. About 1837 they moved to Coosa Co., Alabama. Sometime after 1850 they moved to Van Zandt County, Texas where Ziba died in 1862 and is buried. Some of Ziba's sons served in the Civil War in Texas units and some served in Alabama units.

My Hardee Line 
Ziba Hardee born 1782 or 1794 in North Carolina
Tabitha Brooks born about 1810 in Baldwin Co.,GeorgiaMarried about 1825 in Alabama (Ziba's second marriage)

Willliam Thomas Hardee born 10 March 1836 in Hatchet Creek, Coosa Co., Alabama
Juda Frances Lee born about 1838 in Alabama
Married 19 November 1854 in Alabama

Samuel Burel Hardee born 26 January 1860 in Alabama
Georgianna Clarissa Ransom born 17 January 1870 in Texas
Married about 1887


Joseph Abraham Hardee born 6 January 1902 in Decatur, Wise Co., Texas
Dessie Pearl Galttana born 31 July 1902 in Chickasha, Grady Co., Oklahoma
Married 17 December 1923 in Fort Worth, Tarrant Co., Texas

Sunday Obituary - Stuby and Hardee

You never know what you will find in an obituary.
Sometimes you get very little information, such as the one for William T. Hardee:

14 April 1893  Dallas Morning News, p. 3

Waxahachie, Ellis Co., Tex., April 13 - W. T. Hardee died last night.

Well, that was helpful.

Sometimes you find a gem.
But, every once in a while you find one that really tells you what happens. Whether you want to know or not, such as the one for Andrew Stuby. Actually, I found two for Andrew and the first one gives you a taste and then the second one lays it all out.

The Alleghanian
Ebensburg, Pa.
Thursday, May 16, 1861
Volume 2, Number 39

Shocking Occurrence: A Man Cuts His Own Throat

  On last Friday, a man named Andrew Stuby, who resided in Carroll
township about two miles from the village of Carrolltown, committed
suicide by cutting his throat with a razor.  The cause assigned to the
rash act is said to be pecuniary losses growing out of the
mismanagement of business affairs. The deceased was about 50 years of
age, was married and had several children.  He formerly resided at
Number Six, this county and prior to that time, we believe, in
Hollidaysburg.

I found this second obituary while in Pennsylvania. I think it is the most descriptive and interesting obit I have found yet.

Obituary from the Democrat & Sentinel in Cambria County Pennsylvania, dated May 15, 1861 states:

Suicide - A man named Andrew Stuby, committed suicide at his residence in Carroll township on last Friday evening, by cutting his throat with a razor. He was alone at the time, his wife the only other member of the family at home, having gone to the barn for the purpose of milking. When discovered he was laying on his face, in a pool of blood, in front of a looking glass, dead. His hand still retained the razor with the rigid grasp of death. He attempted to drown himself a few weeks ago, and was supposed to be partially insane. He was a coal digger by trade and was employed until recently, by a firm in the neighborhood of Hollidaysburg. He lost about $600 recently by the failure of a former employer, a misfortune which seemed to prey upon his mind, rendering him gloomy and irritable and probably led to perpetration of the rash act. He owned considerable real estate in Carroll Township, and was in good circumstances. He was about 65 years of age, and leaves a wife, and a son about 16 years old.

Andrew Stuby's Story?
I still have lots of questions to answer about Andrew Stuby. From what I have learned so far: Andrew Stuby was born in Germany about 1800. He married Elizabeth and had one son with her named Jacob.  Elizabeth had been married before, possibly to John Stephens.  Andrew and Elizabeth are found in the 1850 census living in Juniata Township, Blair County, Pennsylvania with their eight year old son Jacob and two of Elizabeth's four children, John Stephens age 23 and Valentine Stephens age 14. Andrew and John are listed as miners. I could not find them in the 1860 census. The next time we are in Pennsylvania, I hope to do more research.

Stuby Line
Andrew Stuby b. abt 1800 Germany
Elizabeth (maybe nee Wagner) b. abt 1810

Jacob Stuby b. 1842 Pennsylvania
Margaret (nee Leslie) b. 16 Oct 1838 Carrolltown, Cambria County, Pennsylvania

George Stuby b. 9 May 1868 West Carrol Township, Cambria County, Pennsylvania
Madge Catherine Flanigan b. 27 April 1872 Diamondville or Mitchells Mill, Indiana County, Pennsylvania

Tuesday's Tip - FamilySearch.org is not all indexed

Ordering Microfilm
I decided I would check to see what microfilm the FHC had since it can now be ordered on-line. I searched for Shackelford County Texas and saw they had "Texas County Tax Rolls, 1846-1910." which included Shackelford Co. for the 1870's . I knew my ancestor Curtis Alexander Galttana lived there in 1870, but I did not know if he owned land, so I wanted to check to see.

I played around to see how to order and then I noticed a little note on the order site that said "...check for a digital copy before ordering." Humm...I had searched the name Galttana and spelling variations but had not seen anything with tax records.

FamilySearch.org records
So I went back to the home page of familysearch and scrolled down to the browse by location. I clicked on US, Canada, and Mexico and then searched Texas and there it was "Texas County Tax Rolls, 1846-1910." Digitized but not indexed.

My Ah Ha Moment
It was then that the light bulb went on and I realized not everything on familysearch is indexed. This is something I should have know but it just didn't sink in. Now, I will be going back and searching locations to see what else they have on my ancestors.

Research Time (I love researching)
So, I then happily spent time going through each year and looking for Galttana and his brother-in-law William Ledbetter.


What I found on Galttana
Curtis and his wife Synthia Galttana (spelled Goltatine on the census) are found in the 1870 census at  Besleys Creek, Shackelford County, Texas as a saltmaker. They lived next to William and Margaret Ledbetter (Synthia's sister) who owned the salt mine.

The tax records started with 1872, it is alphabetical and starts with J. So I found Ledbetter but no G's for Galttana. Then it skips to 1874, but no Galttana.

I first find him in 1875 and then every year till 1878. In 1879  and 1880 the property is listed under Mrs. C.A. Galttana. In 1881 no Galttana's are found.

So, if I ever get to the Shackelford County Courthouse I will look for property records for Curtis Galttana and maybe if I'm lucky they will have probate or orphan records for him and his children. (Or maybe one of my Texas cousins would want to take a trip to Shackelford Co. and check?? :)



Lesson
Realize not everything is indexed and you should always search the collections to see what is available. Lesson learned!

Finding your ancestors in the U.S. Census

The census can be one of the best places to find your ancestors. In the 1790 - 1840 the census only included the heads of household. But, from 1850 - 1930 the census included all members of the household and a variety of other useful information.

Most of the 1890 census was destroyed by fire, so most people will not be able to locate ancestors. The 1940 census will be available in mid April 2012, but will not include an index at first.

Always look for the latest census available for your ancestor, then work backwards. Looking in the census will provide you with a location for your ancestor so you can then search for other records in that location.

Be aware that census enumerators did not always get the information correct. Sometimes they were told wrong information and sometimes they wrote down the information incorrectly or how they thought a name should be spelled. So when you look in the indexes and don't find your ancestors don't give up. Try different surname spellings and keep an open mind about how your ancestor may be listed. Also, try different indexes from different companies.

Here is an example, my Great-Great-Grandfather Curtis Alexander Galttana is found in the 1870 census indexed with the name Goltahne. But, another company indexed it as Goltatine, which is the way I read it.

I was able to find Curtis Galttana because he was listed directly below his brother-in-law on the census. Which is another tip you should always do, when you find an ancestor on the census always look at the whole page and a few pages before and after to see if other family was living nearby. Many times families lived near each other.

This census also shows his occupation, which was a salt maker. He was working for his brother-in-law who owned the salt mine.

Searching the census is a great way to learn about your ancestors. Such as, name, age, spouse, children, occupation, home value, immigration dates, other marriages and much more.

Archives.com has recently announced the addition "of the complete U.S. Census to its already billion-record-strong database." Remember the census started in 1790 and currently  runs through 1930.

Thanks to geneabloggers for having a contest to win a year membership with Archives.com.

Black Sheep Sunday - John Galttana arrested for "Intoxicating Liquors"

Imagine my surprise when I found this article on my Great Grandfather John Galttana from Texas in1922.

Apparently, my grandfather and Mr. Miller were arrested for "possessing intoxication liquor for the purpose of sale"

I can just imagine my ggrandfather John Galltana and Mr. Miller sitting in the front of the wagon with their "load" tucked under blankets in the back, while driving their horses down Weatherford Road in Fort Worth.

My cousin (once removed from my Hardee side) Mary Galttana told me that her husband, "Bill" Galttana (also my first cousin once removed from the Galttana side) had told her about when the police came to the house and searched for the still. Bill was about eight years old and was scared to death with all the commotion. He said the police found the still and took it apart and hauled it away.

When I was in Fort Worth I went to the courthouse and asked how to get information on this and the lady took my name and number and said she would call me, but never did. I need to follow up on this because I would love to find out what happened. Did he serve time?

I had been told by family that John Galttana liked to party. The family would take the wagon to town and then the kids would be tucked into bed under blankets in the back of the wagon and then John would go off to party. I do not know if his wife, Mary Jane went with him or stayed with the kids. Then the next day they would pick up their supplies from town and head back home.

Here is the article transcribed:
Fort Wort Star Telegram Dated Jan 22, 1922, page 5

Thirty Gallons of Liquor and Still Captured
Thirty gallons of corn whisky loaded on a wagon which S.E. Miller and J.C. Galttana admitted was enroute to Fort Worth, were it was to have been sold, were confiscated on the Fort Worth-Weatherford road Saturday afternoon by Constable A. B. Carter of Azle and Constable  J. C. Payne of Newark.
Charges of possessing intoxicating liquor for the purpose of sale were filed in the Justice Court against Galttana and Miller. In statements they made to Assistant District Attorney Will R. Parker they admitted that it was "two run" corn and that they had intended it for the Fort Worth market.
A fifty-gallon still was taken by the officers. It was in Parker County near the county line and is believed to have been used in making the thirty gallons of confiscated liquor. It was still warm indicating that the thirty gallons had just been made.