Veterans Day: Honoring Roy E. Albers, World War II, U. S. Army

     Many of us know or can remember a veteran of World War II.  Not many are still with us, but they’re not forgotten.  The front page of the February 10, 1945, Indianapolis Star reflects on the circumstances for those service men and women.
    I’d like to share a brief history of one of those soldiers in our family, Roy E. Albers, who served in the 106th Cavalry of the 7th U. S. Army from 1943 to 1945.  I’m just getting to know Roy.  He was a cousin in a family line I didn’t know growing up.  Fortunately, my Albers family knowledge is expanding lately.  On Veterans Day 2016 it’s my pleasure to salute this family soldier. 
     Recently I was searching for Albers family news when a 1945 article about local soldiers appeared on my list.  There was young Pvt. Roy Albers’ photo and information about him being wounded.  Over the past few weeks, there’s a bit more added to this family story. 
      That newspaper story states that Roy was wounded in France on November 19, 1945, and that he sent his Purple Heart home to his mother in Indianapolis while he was in the hospital.  (You can read about Roy Albers in the news story below entitled “3 Soldiers, Chaplain Killed, 5 Are Missing. Click on the article to enlarge.) The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Services after April 5, 1917 has been wounded, killed, or has died after being wounded.   (History of Purple Heart Medal.)
 
   Additionally, I found a news item published on February 22, 1945, (below) telling of  Roy being awarded three Bronze Stars for participation in Normandy, Northern France and Germany. To shed some light on Roy’s circumstances within this time frame in World War II, I read online about the 106th Cavalry.   Following is an excerpt from the Wikipedia page of the 106th Cavalry Regiment:

“During what was said to be the worst winter in 30 years, the 1500 men of the 106th held up to 125-mile (201 km) of the front. Staying in contact with the XII Corps right flank to its north was difficult because its lines were so thinly spread. Maintaining relatively static lines from 20 September through 5 November, they took the opportunity to rotate the two squadrons in and out of the line as trench foot took its toll on the soldiers. On several occasions the 106th was ordered to counter German probing attacks.”

What an incredibly harrowing experience for this young man!
      Roy was born to Julius and Elsie Albers in Indianapolis on December 3, 1924.  When he enlisted in the U. S. Army at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis he was only 19.  He soon joined the 106th Cavalry,  a mechanized cavalry unit of the United States Army recognized for its outstanding action. They were often in the lead of other units in Europe, earning five campaign streamers and French government decorations. Lightly armed, they scouted ahead to fix enemy locations. There’s no doubt that he had a good deal of life-changing experiences in the two years before he was released from the Army on his 21st birthday (Yes, that’s the date on his records!).   Thankfully, he returned to his life in the States, later becoming a husband and father.  


  But wait!  I have another chapter of this Albers family story involving those of us still here.  Recently, I wrote a post about Julius Albers (Roy’s father) when I found news about his “neighborhood business” during prohibition.  (That story is HERE.)  I’m pleased to say that Julius’s story resulted in a new family connection. 
     Fortunately, a cousin who is Julius’s granddaughter and Roy’s niece, was reading online and found my blog.  And thankfully, my new cousin, Carol, decided to send me an email saying she enjoyed reading my family stories.  She and I are now sharing family knowledge, photos, etc.  Carol let me know that she has a special place in her heart for her Uncle Roy.  This is a sample of her thoughts about him: “I'm looking forward to reading about Roy.  He down-played a lot of the war stories.  He was quite the character - personality wise - loved to sing, drink, and have a good time. I remember Grandpa singing some, too, but he wasn't the singer.”  Having Carol’s personal remembrances of this soldier makes my Veterans Day story a notch better for me.
    
Thank you to Roy Albers and all our veterans for their service.  
   

If you have additions to this veteran's story, let me know. I appreciate you visiting Indiana Ties.
Nancy Hurley

Copyright © 2016, Nancy Niehaus Hurley

Memorial to Aunt Clara - Clara Elizabeth Kuhn, 1894-1947

   Who was Clara Kuhn?  She was a grandaunt of mine and a "grand" aunt to her nieces and nephews.  The children of Harry and Tillie (Kuhn) Weber have fond memories of Aunt Clara. She touched their lives considerably.  I've chosen to remember her on this Memorial Day, 2015. Tomorrow is the 121st anniversary of her birth.
    Clara Elizabeth Kuhn was born on 26 May 1894 in Indianapolis, Indiana, the eighth child of Charles A. and Mary Anna (Risch) Kuhn.  She was the only one of Charles and Mary's six children who lived to adulthood that didn't marry.  Clara was a lifelong resident of Indianapolis, working as a forelady for Eli Lilly company for at least 33 years.  Her grandparents were Martin and Katherine (Birkenstock) Kuhn and Mathias, Jr. and Julianna (Leppert) Risch, all immigrants from Germany to Indiana.  She died on 28 August 1947 at the age of 53.  For about the last 20 years of her life she lived with her widowed sister, Julia (Kuhn) Hinz, at 1514 South Talbott Street, near the church where their father's family held a membership since its establishment in 1875, Sacred Heart Catholic Church. 
    Clara Kuhn's nieces, daughters of Tillie (Kuhn) Weber, spoke to me of Aunt Clara. Following are a few of those memories from Gin, Peg and Rose.  First I'm including excerpts from the interviews I was fortunate to have with Gin and Peg about the family's history:
During our interview I asked Aunt Gin “Do you have any particular memories of any of your aunts or uncles?” She replied, “Yes, of my Aunt Clara, our maiden aunt. She lived with her sister’s family on Talbott Street near Sacred Heart. She worked her whole life at Lilly’s and never married. She gave us things we didn’t get otherwise. She was the one who would take us  downtown and do other things with us.”
And my piece of history from Aunt Peg goes this way: "Peg recalls Aunt Clara taking her and cousin Pauline Hinz downtown to Blocks for knitting lessons. They rode the streetcar downtown for these events since that was the way most people commuted. Not too many had cars in the 1920s and 30s. Aunt Clara was somewhat of a caretaker for the Weber children; I would surmise……perhaps gave moral support and some teaching in life skills. Peg says: 'She wanted to learn to knit. And she liked to take us along.  So we got to have lessons too.' "
I also remember that my mother, Rose Weber Niehaus, enjoyed her Aunt Clara.  The photo at above is from Mom's scrapbook.  It includes a nephew, niece and sister,  clowning with Clara.  They all seem to be enjoying some ice cream and a few laughs during an outing to Owen Park (Spencer County, Indiana) in September, 1936. I'm going to make a guess that another nephew and the son of Tillie, Bob Weber, took this photo. Bob would many times have been with these folks taking the snapshots. From left to right in the group is Dick Sauer, nephew of Clara; Rose Weber, niece of Clara; Clara Kuhn and Tillie (Kuhn) Weber, Clara's sister and Rose's mother.  

      It's clear to me that Clara Kuhn left good memories with her family and friends.  To take her family history two more generations, I'm including a relationship chart on the right for her great grandniece, Nikki Marcum, daughter of my sister, Linda.  I've enjoyed making memories with this niece, too.  Nikki has a birthday this week, May 28, so I'd like to say: 
Happy Birthday Nicole Denise!!

Thank you for visiting Indiana Ties,
Nancy

You can find more on the Kuhns at this link: Family Lines - Kuhn.
Or, Click here for another photo story about Clara and her sisters.
Copyright 2015 © Nancy Niehaus Hurley

Tribute to Janie (Stull) Hickman -- 1919 - 2015

     There are certain people that add their own special ingredient to our lives.  You know the ones.  They have a lasting smile that reflects in their eyes.  They have a quiet strength, so that you know you can always count on them.  And their sense of humor is ready to bubble up at any time.  These are among the qualities that I would list as Janie Hickman's.    I can see her now helping me fill in the blanks in our Niehaus family history.  Any time she could name the people in an old photo or provide details of a family story, she'd sit down and chat.  I even interviewed her a few years ago from Arizona during the winter so that I could complete a story for our newsletter.  Above all, she had a caring nature.  I know that my dad was happy to have her as a cousin and so am I.
     Janie left this world on February 11.  My condolences to her children, grandchildren and all who cared for her.  I feel sure there's a card game in heaven with a seat open for her.  May she rest in peace.

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Obituary published on indystar.com, 2/13/15:
Jane G. Hickman, age 95, a life-long resident of Indianapolis, died February 11, 2015, peacefully with her loved ones by her side. She was born on August 19, 1919, to Albert and Josephine Niehaus (Van Benthuysen) Stull. She attended Bluff Avenue Grade School and was a 1937 graduate of Southport High School. She was married to Gilbert L. Hickman, Sr. for 34 years until his death in 1976. Jane and Gilbert were parents to four children, Gilbert "Gib" L. Hickman (Tina), Trudy Harbison (William), Jacksonville, FL, Elizabeth "Libbe" O'Connor (Kieran), and Mary Graham (deceased).
Jane worked at Bluff Avenue Elementary School and retired from J C Penny as well as Indiana Heart Physicians, but managed to dedicate her time to volunteer at St. Francis Hospital off and on for over a period of 30 years. She loved to be involved where she could in making others lives a little bit easier and all the while making life-long friendships along the way.
Jane's life was centered around her love of Jesus and her love for her family. She was known for her great hugs and sense of humor. She was blessed to have eight grandchildren: Ann McDavitt, Mahomet, IL, Chris O'Connor (Cindy), Nathanial Grow (Peggy), Jasper, IN, Jill Hickman, Heather Harbison, Charlotte, NC, Darby O'Connor (Dana), Brooke Graham, and Kelley Hastings (Eddie), Jacksonville, FL. Great grandchildren include Ryan McDavitt, Olivia McDavitt, Kellen McDavitt, Mary McDavitt, Shalyn Grow, Gabriel Grow, Emma Grow, Lydia Grow, Darrick Teague, Jr., Holly Dray, Fairbanks, AK., Chloe O'Connor, Addie O'Connor, Caleb O'Connor, Alice O'Connor, Henry O'Connor, Ethan O'Connor, Will Hastings, Wyatt Hastings, Declan O'Connor, and Daelyn O'Connor. Her great-great grandchildren are Remi, Mossy, Kimber, and Steele Dray.
She continued throughout her life to spread as much love as she could to those whom she met...always for the underdog and always trying to be kind and giving, even at the end of her life. She was thoughtful of others, usually before herself, and had a sensitivity for trying to understand others and their problems. She had many trials in her long life, but managed somehow to stand up to them, being an example to others of her strength, her faith, and her will.
Those family and friends that she leaves behind will never forget her as her legacy of love will live on in all who were blessed to have known her.
Visitation will be held on Friday, February 13, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Faith Community Church, 6801 S. East Street, Indianapolis. Additional visitation will be held on Saturday from 12:00 p.m. until the time of service at 1:00 p.m. at the church. Arrangements have been entrusted to G. H. Herrmann Madison Avenue Funeral Home.
Jane will be laid to rest in Washington Park East Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to One Body Ministries, Inc., 3132 Carson Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46227. Online condolences may be shared with the family at http://www.ghherrmann.com.

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Janie is pictured in the above photos as follows:

-- with two of her children, Libbe and Gib, at the 2013 Niehaus family reunion. 

-- with her husband, Gilbert L. Hickman, Sr., Kemo.

-- with her cousin, Norris Niehaus, at the 2005 Niehaus family reunion.

You are more than welcome to leave your thoughts about Jane Hickman as a comment below. Thanks for visiting Indiana Ties. 

copyright © Nancy Niehaus Hurley

In Memoriam -- Michael Joseph Risch, A Hero

Today is our traditional Memorial Day, the last Monday in May.  We take moments to ponder, and be thankful for, the impact of family, friends and strangers on our lives.  May they Rest In Peace.
The ancestor I chose for this year’s Memorial Day story is Michael Joseph Risch, my first cousin twice removed, the cousin of my grandmother, Tillie Kuhn Weber and the nephew of Mary Anna Risch Kuhn, my great grandmother.  Michael was born 30 Nov 1888 in New Alsace, Indiana and died 31 July 1921, in Connersville, Indiana.  I don’t have confirmation yet that he was a veteran of World War I.  Although this photo on the left shows him in uniform, along side his wife and father.  Rather than as a war hero, I am writing his memorial today featuring his bravery in a matter that was completely unanticipated.  He gave his life in an attempt to rescue a drowning friend. 
Michael’s birthplace was in New Alsace, Dearborn County, Indiana, where his Risch grandparents settled upon immigrating from Baden, Germany in the late 1820s.  At about 20 years of age he moved to the second county north, Fayette.  There he married Clara Ariens.  Within the next seven years, Michael and Clara  had four children. 
Clara and these small children lost Michael when he was 32 years of age.  He drowned on July 31, 1921, in the feeder dam of the Whitewater River near his home in Connersville, Indiana.  Michael was out for a Sunday afternoon of fishing when his friend became distressed in the water.  He reacted quickly, as described well in the local newspaper:
“A Brave Effort”
“Risch fought courageously to reach the side of the drowning man.  Burdened by heavy clothing, Risch was almost exhausted when he reached the struggling form of Daniels.  But despite his state of exhaustion, he continued to try to quiet and calm the drowning man and, unconscious of his own perilous position and rapidly waning strength, he gripped Daniels hand or some portion of his clothing.  As it is told, during the struggle in the deep water, Daniels was partly revived and after Risch sank beneath the surface the other managed to reach a place of safety.  Men were soon on the scene, but they were too late.  When the body of Risch was placed upon the bank of the river, those attempting to revive him soon realized that the spark of life was extinct.”  
In honor of Michael’s heroism, The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission of Pittsburgh, PA, awarded a bronze medal and death benefits at the rate of $80 a month until his children were 16 years of age. 
I am sure this tragedy echoed within the family and friends of Michael Joseph Risch, from Fayette County to Dearborn County to Marion County, Indiana to Hamilton County, Ohio.  I don’t know how well, if at all, my grandmother knew this cousin who would have been one year older, living approximately 60 miles away.  Perhaps I’ll meet a direct descendant soon who will fill in more details.  If you are interested in the family information I have  so far surrounding Michael Risch, I would be happy to share.  
The decisions we make in a split second can effect not only our own lives, but those of many surrounding us.  In this case, due to his courage and loyalty, Michael’s life stopped early and abruptly and his friend’s continued.
Thanks for spending some  time at Indiana Ties! 

Family Memorial Day - Don Niehaus, My Brother

Don would have been 70 years old this month.  He left us two and a half years ago.   This Family Memorial post celebrates and preserves his life, in some small way.
I'm  going to keep this brief and light-hearted.  That's how he would do it.   

Don was  the eldest of the five children of Frank and Rosemary Niehaus and grew up on the south side of Indianapolis.  He attended St. Roch and Sacred Heart Catholic schools for 12 years.  Then he served in the Army Reserves before the Vietnam War ramped up.  I remember starching and ironing his uniforms for the weekend meetings. 

As our lives went by he wasn't one to visit much but could be counted on for holidays and other occasions, arriving with arms full of food and/or presents.   As a young person I remember him building and flying model airplanes and racing go karts.  He had an easygoing spirit, but could be irritated, especially by a younger sister. And he never lost that demeanor of a man of few words.  Although you could get him started telling stories sometimes.  

Don kept his life uncluttered but found ways to relax and enjoy after giving  his all in his job.  He worked for Hix Wrecker Service for over 30 years, with a short time at another wrecker service.  As a young person he had his Kroger job and a stint as a tool and dye maker for a few years. He grew to love fishing and kept his boat ready at all times in his "shop."  The shop is where he loved to collect, share, build and tinker with a wide variety of mechanical equipment that is beyond my description.  Fishing and hanging out at the shop seemed to make him happy. 

Friends talked about his loyalty and his nieces and nephews remembered him as a nice uncle. They think of him with a smile as they remember him taking a nap not long after our meal, in the midst of the clanking of dishes, card games, kids playing and cheering for the ball game. He could also play a mean game of Euchre or Poker if you just asked. We were all glad to see him whenever we did have get-togethers. 


It's not something you get used to...your brother absent from your life altogether. But I can say for sure, he's fondly remembered.

A memorial I wrote for Don in Feb 2010 and a short family history  are posted on our Family Stories page.  Click HERE if you would like to read them. There's more that could be said, but then this post wouldn't be as I promised.  Do you have a Don story or just a thought?  Feel free to leave your comment below.  R.I.P.

Copyright 2012 Nancy Hurley

John Niehaus: Memorial to my Grandfather

“He made coffee with milk and shared it with me as he was weaving in the basement.”  “Our grandfather was a sweetheart.”  These are just two of the memories of my grandfather collected from my cousins.  
It’s the 30th of the month and my Memorial Day Series is continuing. John Niehaus (he was not given a middle name) is the subject for June.  His birthday was July 4, 1889, soon to be 123 years ago.  He left this world at the age of 67 in 1956.  John first married in 1911 to Louise Albers, who I wrote about in my Ladies in My Line series earlier this month.  John and Louise had three surviving children when she died in 1919 and there were four children born to John and his second wife, Ruth.  It seems that universally memories of him brought/bring smiles for his children and grandchildren. 
John is in the front seat in the photo below with his son, Robert, on his lap.  My father, Frank, is the youngster standing behind him and Frank’s sister, Charlotte, is the young girl seated in the back. Two of his sisters, Minnie and Lena, are thought to be the ladies in the back seat, with his brother-in-law, Fred Kleinsmith, driving. John would have been a widower of about age 30 at this time.

John Niehaus in the 1950s

He worked as a garment cutter at C. B. Cones Overall Manufacturing Company for over 30 years and then for Chevrolet for the last seven years of his employment.  One of John’s favorite pastimes was weaving rugs, a skill he learned from his father, Joseph Niehaus, a German immigrant.  He kept his loom in the basement and enjoyed making rugs whenever he could find some time.  This is a memory that is vivid for John’s siblings, children and the grandchildren who were fortunate to share that experience with him.
Here’s another memory of John that’s a fresh one for me since I just heard it from my cousin, Sharon:   
“I remember when he was bedfast, not long before he died, he called me in to his room and asked me to get him the can of nuts on the shelf above his bed.  I reached up and got it and he asked me to open it for him.  Wellll, when I did, it didn't have nuts in it at all.........it had one of those spring loaded snakes in it and of course, I jumped and screamed and, bless his heart, he laughed and laughed.”
We are remembering you with that smile, Grandpa Niehaus.

If you wish to share a memory of John or say something in general about our family history, please let us hear from you in the comments section below.  Or you can email me at nancyhurley1 at gmail dot com.
For more genealogy information on John Niehaus, go to these pages.

Remembering Them and Celebrating Life

Memorial Day for our family history is on many levels "the day of the year."  So, how should I celebrate here on Indiana Ties?

A bit of history first: Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. As of 1971, by act of Congress, the date became the last Monday of May.

Today, most of us include moments of reverence and thankfulness for those who died for our freedom in our Memorial Day. But we have added many other types of weekend activities. And I think they all enhance the meaning, creating family history.  We have family/friend get-togethers. For those of us who grew up around or were fans of the Indianapolis 500-mile Race, we might have extra "Race Weekend" events. Across the country, there are tributes to all deceased veterans, including the traditional Air Force flyover at "the track."  Some of us make our visits to the cemetery and decorate the graves of our loved ones. Or maybe, the long weekend is a chance to just relax or plant flowers.  There are a lot of positive and exciting events connected with Memorial Day.  They can all be ways of celebrating life.

Now that I have my Indiana Ties blog, I've decided to add one more, for me that is.  I'm going to start my own tradition of  Family Memorial Days. After all, they are why I'm here.  On the 30th of each month I will write a memorial here for one of my family who was born or died that month.

I thought it appropriate that I choose as my first Family Memorial ~ Barney Kuhn ~ who died 25 May 1880 in Connersville, Fayette County, Indiana.  He was a Civil War veteran and my great uncle.  Barney did not die in the war but contracted a malarial type disease during his service in Louisiana. He died as a result of the disease that he fought for fifteen years after the war.  His widow proved, for pension purposes, by affidavits from those who served with him and doctors who treated him later, that his illness was connected with those miserable conditions that we know about from recounts of the Civil War.  He was 34 at the time of his death.

Barney, sometimes identified as Benedict, was born in Neustadt, Kurhessen, Germany in Aug, 1845.  He emigrated with his sister and brother in 1857.  Information is sketchy about his whereabouts between 1857 and 1860, but by 1860 he is in Connersville, Indiana, working and living on another man's farm.  He remains there waiting for his parents and other siblings to also arrive from Germany in 1862.

Barney was 19 years old when he enlisted in Co. A, 16th Indiana Infantry, in September, 1864.  He served until the regiment was mustered out in June of 1865. Most of that service involved duty in Louisiana.

After returning from the war, he was reunited with his parents and brothers and sisters in Connersville and went back to working as a farm laborer. From all indications he tried to make a normal life for himself, becoming a godparent for one of his nephews and seeking out a young woman to marry.  In 1870 he married Theresa Griener, a lady who had arrived in Connersville after the war.  Theresa and Barney's family grew to four children in the next ten years.  The records show that he was never fully recovered, having severe bouts of chronic pain in the stomach and bowels, enlargement of the spleen and bronchial cough.  He wasn't able to live out a full life with these afflictions and left his family without much means of support.  However, Theresa was able to attain a pension based on his medical problems and the circumstances of his death.

Barney Kuhn is buried in the City Cemetery, Connersville, Indiana.  R. I. P.