Any ideas as to how I can track down a lineal family member for this veteran?

[creskol]

Found this pocket bible in a small cardboard box and would like to track down a descendant to return it to.
Thanks for any help or thoughts.

 

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[Bramblefind]

I found the WWI Draft Card for a Robert Edwin Miller b. 11/7/1887 it is dated June 5, 1917 and he says he is 29 and single. He says he was born in Baltimore, Maryland and is presently living in Duluth, Minnesota and is the minister at the First Methodist Church.

His signature

I'll see what else I can find...

 

[creskol]

Cool! The signature is a dead match! Thanks!

 

[Mackaydon]

He's listed here: http://bluejacket.com/usn_chaplains_1917-1939.html
Noted as a Methodist (Northern) minister in 1917.
Also noted the entry is sourced to The Chaplin's Division, Bureau of Navigation.
And here's the history of the vessel on which he served:
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-o/bb12.htm
Don.....

 

[daroofa]

Nice piece of history

"Ohio sailed out of Hampton Roads on 16 December 1907 with the battleships of the Atlantic Fleet. Guns crashed a salute to President Roosevelt while he reviewed the "Great White Fleet", as it began the cruise around the world, which - perhaps more than any other single event - marked the emergence of the United States as a major world power."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ohio_(BB-12)

 

[lennon631]

Re: Any ideas as to how I can track down a lineal family member for this veteran

Ok, so far found out that the U.S. had FIVE different ships by the name USS Ohio, HOWEVER, going by the date, narrowed it down to his ship, link below. The ship was scrapped in 1922 but the ships bell is held at the Ohio Historic Society, POSSIBLY they can give you records of crewmen (just a guess).....Still digging. Nice find by the way. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ohio_(BB-12)

 

[creskol]

Thanks for the replies everybody .. The links have made for some very interesting reading.
I have been trying to find some info on Ancestry, Roots web, etc., but to no avail.
I will follow up on some of the leads you all have provided.
Thanks again!

 

[Bramblefind]

I found some more info-

This is from the 7/12/1921 Baltimore Sun

The most recent info I found so far is a 9/5/1942 Seattle Times newspaper article that said Commander Robert Edwin Miller, Navy Chaplain, performed a marriage ceremony in the Puget Sound Navy Yard.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I dont know where you found it but unfortunately much of this kinda stuff is thrown in the trash and family members are not interested. I used to work at an assisted living facility and could not believe the personal items discarded after a family members death.

 

[creskol]

I dont know where you found it but unfortunately much of this kinda stuff is thrown in the trash and family members are not interested. I used to work at an assisted living facility and could not believe the personal items discarded after a family members death.

This is very true .. to a degree. I have witnessed it also. But, I have also seen some bitter battles over the very scenario, where what one family member, usually a spouse or parent, proclaimed to be junk and tossed in the trash, another family member coveted and became pretty irate because they had no say so in, or knowledge of, such an act. It has been my experience that very few families stand united in the decision to toss or sell a deceased family member's belongings. At any rate, I thought I would give it a shot just in case there there might be an interested party, just as I did with the dog tag I found and returned.

 

[DCMatt]

Just a thought...

I know we don't stand on such ceremony in today's world, so my interpretation may be wrong. But this bible is "Presented with Compliments of" the chaplain, not "to" the chaplain. I suspect this was a pocket bible given to a sailor by Miller and it did not belong to him personally.

Even so, if someone had an item with my grandfather's signature in it, I'd think I'd like to have it.

DCMatt

 

[creskol]

Just a thought...

I know we don't stand on such ceremony in today's world, so my interpretation may be wrong. But this bible is "Presented with Compliments of" the chaplain, not "to" the chaplain. I suspect this was a pocket bible given to a sailor by Miller and it did not belong to him personally.

Even so, if someone had an item with my grandfather's signature in it, I'd think I'd like to have it.

DCMatt

That's a Very good point DCMatt .. I read it a thousand times and didn't catch that.

 

[Mackaydon]

DCMatt
Good catch, and I agree.
The paragraph below the Chaplain's signature also suggests and requests that the recipient of this Bible (not the Chaplain) read the Bible daily. My guess is this Bible, and many others similarily inscribed, were given out aboard the U.S.S. Ohio on Christmas Day, 1917 just prior to their religious service.
I also believe that any relative to a sailor who served on the 'Ohio' at that time would have a great interest in acquiring this Bible.
BTW, in 1917, 'Ohio' was employed as a training ship, based at Norfolk, Virginia.
Don.....