Military Monday – George Washington’s Bodyguard - Samuel Callender

Samuel Callender 1756 - 12 Mar 1830

Sadly, I haven’t had much time to work on my genealogy research lately, but today while I was cleaning off my desk I took a break and started clicking on those leaves on Ancestry.com on my husband’s genealogy.  His family history is so rich and full of interesting characters.  I have long been interested in his two times great-grandmother Elizabeth Mariah London Johnston, daughter of  Truman Beauman London and great-granddaughter of Samuel Callendar.  I have been planning for some time to write about Eliza Maria as she was known, but today as I was looking at her family tree I noticed the shaking leaf on Samuel Callendar who would be my husband's five times great-grandfather, and realized there were six (6) hints.  Although I had added him to the family tree some time ago, I had never really paid much attention to his line.  Imagine my surprise to realize that he was a Revolutionary War veteran, but not only that, according to Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards; he was a body guard to George Washington!

The burial card states he was buried in Montdale Cemetery in Montdale, PA in Lackawanna County.  At first I could not find a cemetery with that name in Lackawanna County, but after a few minutes of searching I finally discovered he was already listed on Find-A-Grave in Scott Valley Cemetery in Montdale, Lackawanna County, PA.  Click on the link to see the great picture of his stone which also mentions his service and duty as body guard to George Washington.

What another great find in my husband’s family history!  Of course, as usual, I am more excited about it than he is……sigh.

Military Monday - Cadet Clark Hildinger of Trenton, NJ

From the Trenton Evening Times 15 Oct 1933 - Clark Hildinger, son of Charles and Helen (Dunn) Hildinger theater owners of Trenton, New Jersey.  Clark attended the Staunton Military Academy at Staunton, West Virginia.

In 1942, J. Clark, then aged 25 and an executive with his family's theater chain, left for armed forces as evidenced by this article in the Trenton Evening Times 16 Apr 1942.  He was honored in a surprise reception by 50 of his associates including his mother, his cousin Charles F. Sweet who worked for the Hildinger enterprises for many years.  Also, attending was David R. C. Johnston, Clark's uncle who was married to Mary Elizabeth Hildinger, sister to Clark's father Charles Hildinger.  David worked for the Hildingers for many years as a theater manager first starting at the old Park theater which later became the Rialto and later as manager at the Strand.  David Johnston was my husband's great-grandfather.

 

In March of 1943 J. Clark was promoted from private to corporal and headquartered at Fort Dix.  Upon his return to Trenton after his service he again took up his position as an executive with the Hildinger Theater enterprises.

Military Monday - Hershel Stanley Hall - The Gallant 30

The Gallant 30 - First Bahamas Contingent to Join British West Indies Regiment During WWI

The following is a copy of a picture taken of the first Bahamas contingent that joined the British West Indies Regiment during World War I in 1915.  This picture was actually taken right before they sailed for England from Nassau on 9 Sep 1915.  My husband's maternal grandfather, Hershel Stanley Hall, is pictured on the far left.  He was just seventeen years old when he left for the war.  His name was spelled on the original roster as "Heisal S. Hall."  He returned home on 19 Jun 1919.  Original source of this picture is unknown, the copy being in my mother-in-law's family possession for many years.