Woonsocket, Rhode Island: The Most French City in the United States
In 1913, Woonsocket, Rhode Island had a higher percentage of French-speaking inhabitants in its population than any other American city. Its deep French Canadian roots are still visible today. Read More
Upcoming Online Author Event
Alex Prud'homme with Dinner with the President: Food, Politics, and a History of Breaking Bread at the White House
Join Alex Prud'homme as he invites readers into the White House kitchen to reveal the sometimes curious tastes of 26 of America's most influential presidents. Register Now
Share your thoughts about the survey at weeklygenealogist@nehgs.org. Responses may be edited for clarity and length and featured in a future newsletter.
Last Week's Survey:
Were Any of Your Ancestors or Relatives Imprisoned While Serving in the Military?
Total: 3,677 Responses
53%, At least one of my ancestors or relatives in the military was a prisoner of war.
3%, At least one of my ancestors or relatives in the military was imprisoned by his/her own side.
<1%, I was imprisoned while serving in the military.
43%, I don’t think any of my ancestors or relatives were imprisoned while serving in the military.
9%, At least one of my ancestors or relatives serving in the military guarded and/or escorted prisoners.
Readers Respond
Kelly Mooney, Orleans, Massachusetts: My great-great-grandfather, John Mooney, was an Irish immigrant and tailor in Bangor, Maine. At age 37, John enlisted in the Union army and served with the 30th Maine, leaving behind his pregnant wife Mary and six children. John was reported by his Captain as “killed in action” following his second battle (Pleasant Hill, Louisiana), prompting Mary to apply for a widow’s pension. Before Mary could collect, John resurfaced in New Orleans as part of a prisoner exchange. John rejoined his regiment and served in Virginia and Georgia until August 1865. He returned home to find that Mary had died two weeks earlier, leaving him a widower with seven children.
Doris Phillips, South Windsor, Connecticut: My ancestor Duncan Stewart (1623-1717) fought in the Scottish army against Cromwell in the English Civil War. He was taken prisoner at the Battle of Dunbar in Scotland in 1650 and marched south to prison in the beautiful Romanesque cathedral at Durham, England, then sent to the Colonies on the infamous prison ship Unity. On arrival, Duncan was sold to a farmer in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Freed after eight years, Duncan married a servant in the farmer's house. They had twelve children and lived into their 90s.
Karen L. Pogoloff, Newport News, Virginia: Near the end of the Korean War, my father, then 2nd Lt. Boris Pogoloff, was assigned to the Explainers Section, United Nations Command Repatriation Group (NCREG) in Munsan-Ni, Korea. His job was to interview 22 American prisoners of war who refused repatriation, inform the prisoners of their rights, and encourage them to return home. The American prisoners refused to attend interviews until demands of their fellow South Korean prisoners were met. Under the terms of the Korean armistice, the 90-day explanation period ended without the interviews.
Gail Lee, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania: My grandfather, Leslie F. Zimmerman, a chaplain with the Army Air Corps, was stationed in Manila when the Japanese attacked on December 8, 1941. He endured the Bataan Death March and two Japanese “hell ships,” and was then imprisoned. During his 3 1/2 years in prison, he wrote a diary on the backs of soup can labels, which he buried. The diary was returned to him several years later, while he was serving with the Air Force in England. The original diary is held at the Air Force Library at Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama.
Game Changer: Witness Stones Project Dennis Culliton shares how he and his eighth-grade students began the Witness Stones Project in Guilford, Connecticut, in 2017. An image of a memorial stone can be seen here.
Spotlight: Newspaper Archives, Oconto County, Wisconsin
by Valerie Beaudrault
Oconto County is located in northeastern Wisconsin and seated in Oconto. This newspaper archive, comprising seventeen titles from 1859 to 1948, includes contributions from Oconto County libraries, genealogical societies, and historical societies. Search by keyword across the entire database at once or within an individual newspaper title, and limit results by publication date. You can also browse the collection. Click the Help tab for additional information about how to search. Search Now
We’ve recently added a new sketch to Early New England Families, 1641-1700, featuring Edward Jackson and his family. Jackson lived in Whitechapel, London, England before setting in present-day Newton, Massachusetts around 1642. Search Now
Free Video from American Ancestors
Getting Started in Lithuanian Family History Research
In this webinar, Genealogist James Heffernan provides an overview of Lithuanian immigration to the United States and explains what types of records exist and how to get started with Lithuanian family history research. Watch Now
Planning for the Future?
Name Your Beneficiaries Today
Non-probate assets such as an IRA, 401(k), or life insurance policy are not covered in your will or trust—you must name beneficiaries separately. Our friends at FreeWill.com have provided a free and secure online tool to guide you through naming beneficiaries for your non-probate assets. Learn More
