From Japanese Internment Camps to Combat, Part I

Relocation (Internment) Camps

Genealogy in America is getting even more interesting with the popularity of Japanese-American research. In Feb 1942, abt. 127,000 Japanese, two-thirds native born citizens, were removed to “relocation camps.” Of course the animosity toward Japanese and others of Asian descent did not begin with the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor. Anti-Japanese hysteria and paranoia were fueled by the early California Alien Land Laws of 1913 and 1920, and the Asian immigration prohibition of 1924.

Even WWI Japanese American veterans were subject to imprisonment at the relocation camps.

In 1945, Japanese Americans were allowed to return to the West Coast and in 1946 the last camp was closed.  But their history includes imprisonment in racetracks stables and other temporary locations while waiting for the building of the ten relocation camps.

Ten camps were established:

Central Utah, October 1945 (Topaz)

Colorado River, November 1945 (Poston)

Gila River, November 1945 

Granada, October 1945 

Heart Mountain, November 1945, Volumes I and II 

Jerome, June 1944 

Manzanar, November 1945
Minidoka, October 1945 

Rohwer, November 1945 Tule Lake, March 1946, Volumes I and II 

Researching Relocation Camp Records
WWII evacuees were taken from California, Oregon, and Washington (not Hawaii). There are several record collection held at the National Archives (NARA) and digitized on ancestry.com:

Final Accountability Roster

• Japanese Americans Relocated During WWII Record Group 210, NARA - College Park
  Japanese-American Internee Data File, 1942-1946 [Archival Database]; Records About Japanese Americans Relocated During World War II, 1988-1989; Records of the War Relocation Authority
• WWII Japanese-American Internment Camp Documents, 1942-1946Field Basic Documentation of the War Relocation Authority, 1942-1946; National Archives Microfilm Publication C53, 115 rolls; Records of the War Relocation Authority, Record Group 210
• Final Accountability rosters of Evacuees at Relocation Centers, 1944-1946).Final accountability rosters of evacuees at relocation centers, 1944–1946. Microfilm publication M1965, 10 rolls. Records of the War Relocation Authority, Record Group 210.

Additional Resources

Sgt. Kazuo Komotu

While families remained in the barbed wire camps, over 3,600 Japanese Americans from the mainland were released from their internment to serve in the US military. Be sure to read, FromJapanese Internment Camps to Combat, Part II, Nisei in European Theater for tips on researching Japanese soldiers in WWII.

7 Links for Data and Information

1. Go for Broke: Fold3.com 
2. George Takei Tedx : Why I love a Country that Once Betrayed Me
3. Japanese American National Museum
4. Behind the Barbed Wire
5. Japanese-American Internment, U. S. History.org
6. University of Hawai’I , Archives and Manuscripts
7. Japanese American Veterans Collection

Kathleen Brandt

a3Genealogy.com

Accurate, accessible answers

What Does Church Research Mean?

Inside and Out

Researchers rely heavily on church records. Historical church records may be available to document the birth, baptism, marriage, deaths, confessions of ancestors, and more. Experienced researchers would never overlook these records. But often they forget to go beyond the books. What’s in the yard of the church? What’s in the edifice? Are there hints to our ancestors' lives?

Recently on a pre-Revolutionary War project, a trip to New York answered many of my questions. Beginning with the gate of St. Paul’s Chapel - Trinity Parish, the invitation to enter was full of intrigue. The cemetery shared secrets, and the interior of the church held family plaques that answered questions. With some analysis, a colorful tapestry of family connections and histories were learned.

Walls and Plaques

  

On the walls of the church a plaque proffers dates and names, cause of death, place of origin, and father’s name. What a great confirmation! We have discovered the same types of wall tributes in AME Zion churches of North Carolina, small town churches in Scotland Missouri, and so many more! So researchers should not underestimate the walls of older churches.

Cemeteries and Headstones

Capturing scripts on tombstones are not optional, but essential,  as they too may reveal a bit more about your ancestor. Of course, most know the value of FindaGrave.com and BillionGraves.com, but take time to read the words for hints. It's not often you get an invitation to "follow" your ancestor!

Behold you See as you Pass By

As you are Now so Once was I

As I am Now you soon will Be

Prepare for Death and Follow Me.

For some, the tombstones are actually wonderful substitutes for a written obituary with detailed family information.

Jacob Kemper, son of Daniel and Jane who 

departed this life Dec 10^th 1793, aged 21 years 3 months…

Checklist to Uncover Church Information

1) Books/Records

2) Walls / Plaques (and artifacts)

3) Church Cemetery Headstones

Kathleen Brandt

a3Genealogy.com

Accurate, accessible answers

Note: The examples above are from St. Paul’s Cemetery. The a3Genealogy project and client are not discussed or revealed in this article/post. 

2014 Presentation Calendar

Check Calendar Frequently!

Kathleen Brandt Speaking Calendar
January
    20  Stephens College
               Keynote Address: The Invisible Staircase: Realize Your Dreams 9:00am - 10:00am
               You Are A Pioneer: Readying Yourself for the Open Territory Ahead 3:00 - 4:00pm

February
      6   Midwest Genealogy Center, Missouri
                Researching the Road to Freedom 7:00pm

March 
       8  Genie Tech Spring Seminar: Midwest Genealogy Center, Missouri
                DNA Research: Spit or Swab? 1:00 - 2:00
     21  GenealogyKC
                 Keynote Speaker: Leaping Over Brick Walls 7:15 - 8:15
                 Military Records Destroyed  5:15 - 6:15
     22  GenealogyKC
                 Tech Toys for Genealogists  11:45 - 12: 45
                 Sharing Our Ancestors 1:30 - 2:30
June 
    21 Midwest Computer Genealogists, Raytown, MO
             DNA for Genealogists: Spit or Swab? 9:30am - 10:30 am
July
    31  Columbia Mo, Public Library, Friends Room
              DNA for Genealogists 7:00-8:15
October 
   10-11 Iowa Genealogical Society
             Keynote Speaker

   18  5th KansasAncestor Fair, Topeka,  Kansas History Museum

             DNA for Genealogists: Who? What?, When? Where?   

To Book Kathleen, Call 816-729-5995            

(Revised 1 Jul 2014)
               

Using American Legion Records

What These Records Tell Us?

Few realize that the American Legion was actually chartered by Congress in 1919, and even fewer realize that the U. S. Veterans Bureau (“forerunner of the Veterans Administration) was created, August 1921, due to American Legion efforts. The American Legion, spearheaded by 20 officers who served in the American Expeditionary Force that led to the “Paris Caucus” 15 March,1919 has resulted in the presence of local Posts in small towns and urban cities across America. Each state is represented by Departments, plus posts in the District of Columbia, France, Mexico, Philippines, and Puerto Rico (total of 55). The American Legion's primary concern is the “social and political interests of veterans.”

Preamble to the Constitution of The American Legion
For God and Country

We associate ourselves together for the following purposes:

To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America

To maintain law and order

To foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism

To preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the Great Wars

To inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation

To combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses

To make right the master of might

To promote peace and goodwill on earth

To safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy

To consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness

How to Research

The American Legion Weekly [Volume 1, No. 19 (November 7, 1919)]

• National Headquarters Library: Indianapolis, Indiana
• Legions Digital Archives: 575 digitized magazines from July 1919- April 1949
• American Legion Weekly, and American Legion Magazine not completely digitized as of this writing. 
• Department Archives. Each state has a Department which hosts its own website. The Departments also holds Post’s charter information http://www.legion.org/departments
• Local museums, libraries, and State Archives
• Newspapers. The American Legion news and the various Posts’ activities were essential during war times.

What to Expect

State Departments are independent, but researchers may verify the following:

Duryea, PA American Legion

• Early membership of ancestor. Know that  State Departments (or National) will release membership lists. However, we have been quite successful in discovering comprehensive membership lists from early newspapers.
• Charter information to include date of charter, or date of charter cancellation
• Family release/correspondence. Post names are independently created to honor a deceased war veteran or hero. Today, the family must agree to the use of the veteran’s name as Post, but earlier Department records may not have a letter, as it was not required.

Researchers can learn of charter information from the Departments and local newspapers. If you suspect the post was named after your ancestor, the family letter, post history, and local membership can assist you in your research once you have obtained your ancestor’s military file. Most Posts honored those who were killed in action (KIA), prisoners of war (POW), or was an hero like Dorie Miller as played by Cuba Gooding, Jr. in Pearl Harbor.

African American Posts

Just like the early war troops, the American Legion struggled with the decision to establish segregated posts or to exclude “Negro” soldiers from membership. The compromise was to allow each state to set the policy.  Researchers from early wars may find that American Legion posts were either integrated, segregated but sponsored by a White Post, or even perhaps the black soldiers were excluded from membership altogether.

The St. Louis, MO, Tom Powell Posts No. 77, one of the oldest Black Post (if not the oldest) was organized 17 Sept 1919. However, most of the American Legion “colored” charters were established during WWII era and often under the sponsorship of an already established White posts, like that of Post 7, Rudolph Lambert, Port Arthur, TX.,who sponsored the “Colored Post” of Port Arthur, 7A.

As American Legion Departments allowed, these Colored posts became independent posts as did Colored Post 7A who was accepted as Post 816, Lawrence Broussard, on 23 July 1954. Both the Rudolph Lambert and Lawrence Broussard posts were named to honor deceased war veterans.

And the Women?

American Legion Auxiliary, also founded in 1919 was established “as a civilian association for women to support the American Legion. Again check your local museums and libraries. The Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin holds records from 1920-2009 for the American Legion Auxiliary.  The American Legion National Headquarters in Indiana does not hold a complete library of the Auxiliary publications.

Kathleen Brandt

a3genealogy.com
Accurate, accessible answers

Looking for Naturalization Proof - Civil War Era?

Christopher Cratin [?], Patrick McInerney, John West
Mathew Lecheue, Isaiah Molesdale

Civil War Records with Hidden Treasures

Surely the seasoned researcher has located ancestors’ naturalization records and references in WWI and WWII military files. The a3Genealogy blog has several posts that may give you hints to these searches. Visit the Immigration/Naturalization tab. Here are two war references that may lead the researcher to modern war naturalizations: Not Just Military Files; Ancestor Citizenship and the Law, Part I. But, when it comes to verifying your Civil War era ancestor who was naturalized during the turmoil, especially in border states, you may wish to check Provost Marshal Records.

Substitute for Destroyed Court Records

For those not familiar with Provost Marshal Records held at the Regional NARA offices, this collection is a treasure trove filled with original documents and correspondences. Most of all, these original records are a great substitute for those county and state court records that were destroyed by war and fire during the Civil War. One would not expect for war records to give dates of naturalization (first or final) papers, but actually naturalization records and dates of effect were of great interest to the Provost Marshal for the meeting county quotas.

What to Expect

Expect the name, date of Final Paper (Naturalization) and county to be included in the correspondence. As quoted, Special Orders No. 10, Dept. of War the names and residences of persons “who have taken out their final papers of citizenship” were requested.* This data was retrieved from records of the Circuit Courts or relevant courts of the county.

Special Order 10

Tips to Research

The Provost Marshal General’s Records, Record Group-RG 110, have not yet been thoroughly indexed, but are archived by counties, districts, and sub-districts. An example of the collection may look like this (as found in the National Archives - Kansas City):

RG 110 Records of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau (Civil War)

Creator: War Department. Provost Marshal General's Bureau. Office of the Acting Assistant Provost Marshal for Missouri. 2nd District. (This would include south St. Louis city and counties south of that.)

Series title: Letters Received, 1863-1865

National Archives ID: 2767320 (http://research,archives.gov/description/2767320)

Record Type: Tri-folded loose sheets

Researchers will find this collection chocked full of information on the politics, social history and community while fishing through the letters, status reports, wartime requests, etc. But, it’s worth your time. Not only is there a strong possibility for you to find your ancestor’s First or Final Naturalization paper referenced complete with dates as registered in the court, but you may also uncover information on your struggling family, community epidemics, deaths of family members, etc.

One affidavit, literally listed the status and service of every man in Union Missouri, Franklin County. The purpose of was to prove that Union, Missouri furnished more than two thirds of all of its able-bodied men to serve in the U. S. government. The list included the white and “colored” men who served. It also listed the men that had yet to serve, but were subject to military duty.  

*Original Special Order has not yet been located, but referenced in the photo as provided. NARA-KC, June 2014.

Kathleen Brandt

a3Genealogy.com

Accurate, accessible answers

Englishmen Exempted from Civil War?

NARA-KC, RG 110 Provost Marshal General's Bureau (Civil War)

Consul, Please Verify I’m Not an American!

U S. citizen, single men between the ages of 20 and 45 and married men up to the age of 35 were registered for the draft. This included the immigrants who had quickly become American citizens and living in the northern states. All were subject to the 3 March 1863 Civil War Military Draft Act or Enrollment Act. Over 23%, about 516 thousand of the Union soldiers were immigrants: 170 thousand from Ireland, about 50 thousand from England, Scotland and Wales, but only about 10 thousand Englishmen served in the Civil War.

   

Englishmen in the Civil War

NARA-KC, RG 110 Provost Marshal General's Bureau (Civil War)

Military researchers and family genealogists are often seeking answers to why their perfectly aged, healthy ancestor did not serve in the  Civil War. It can be baffling.  But, was your ancestor able to prove his loyalty to his home country as did Robert M. Booth of Jefferson City, Mo?

Most Englishmen did not classify themselves as immigrants, but as temporary workers in the U.S. on behalf of British companies. Many Englishmen did not become American Citizens during war time, and they expected to be exempt from the draft.

Consulate Correspondence

Robert M. Booth was a person claiming to be a British Subject, and the British Consulate of Chicago confirmed his citizenship by writing to the Provost Marshal General of Missouri. In Missouri, the British Consulate had quickly strengthened their St. Louis office to protect their subjects and their property. Booth was “exempt from military duty in the United States” and was issued a Certificate of British Nationality.

But, Certificates Not Always Enough to Exempt

NARA-KC, RG 110 Provost Marshal General's Bureau (Civil War)

It was common for men of foreign birth to avoid conscription by not completing the citizenship process or by claiming their alienage. But, across the nation, from Georgia and Kentucky to New York, certificates of nationality were ignored or trashed by enrollment officers, sometimes resulting in arrests. Twenty-six hundred protection papers were issued from the British Consul of Philadelphia  before the Enrollment Act. Yet, many draft enrollment officers ignored these certificates since long-term residents (citizens or not) had “enjoyed the benefits of living in the U.S. [and] should not be exempt.”  Whereas in Philadelphia most protection certificates were ignored, in Missouri they were often honored.

For More Information

Visit Regional National Archives, RG 110, Records of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau (Civil War)

The British Foreign Service and the American Civil War, Eugene H. Berwanger

Civil War Conscription Laws, Library of Congress

Kathleen Brandt

a3genealogy@gmail.com

Accurate, accessible answers

Exempted from Civil War as a Contractor?

Example of Office of Commissary of Exemptions, Mo
Missouri Digital

5 Places to Research in Missouri

Right age, good health, no substitute or logical reason! Why was your ancestor exempted from the Civil War? As genealogy researchers we find, in some cases, our ancestors’ disappearance from Civil War records to be baffling. But maybe we haven’t unearthed all the records.  Have you reviewed the Office of Commissary of Exemptions records?

Office of Commissary of Exemptions

In Missouri Commissaries of Exemptions were appointed for each county for Enrolled Missouri Militia
(E. M. M.). A large number of men were exempted from serving in the E.M. M. and the Enrolled Military (E.M.) due to contractor service. 

Correspondence: Provost Marshall, RG 110, NARA-KC

In 1864, the Secretary of the Navy sent a request to the Secretary of War that contractors building the “Monitors ‘Etlah & Shiloh’ be exempted from being mustered into service” until the “sister” gunboats were completed. Union Provost Marshal General, James B. Fry, responded to the Secretary of Navy. “The Secretary of War did not deem it expedient to grant this request.”  Yet, the workers were exempted, from 1864 to the end of the Civil War.

Exempted for U. S. S. Shiloh and U. S. S. Etlah  Construction

The U. S. S. Etlah: Navsource Online

Etlah and Shiloh construction workers, like John Carroll of St. Louis, was exempted from Mo. Militia Service by the Office of Commissary of Exemptions. Alex G. Hequembdurg of St Louis was also exempted as were many others. Many records are held in the Missouri Union Provost Marshal Papers: 1861-1866, but researchers must be patient in uncovering their ancestor’s documents, as not all have been indexed/cataloged.

Background Information

The U.S.S. Shiloh and U.S.S. Etlah were “sister ships. Construction of these “iron-clads” began in 1863, but were not completed until the end of the War. Neither saw action. For more information visit the St. Louis’ Ships of Iron, Missouri Civil War Museum at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis.

Know that the Etlah was renamed Hecate in 1869 for a short period, before returning to its original Native American name of Etlah (“white lily”). And Shiloh was renamed Iris in 1869.

5 Places to Research Your Mo. Exempted Ancestor?

1. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies, 1861-1865, NARA, RG 45, www.fold3.com/
2. List of Officers of the Navy of the U. S. and the Marine Corps from 1775 – 1900
3. NARA – KC, Missouri Record of the Provost Marshall General’s Bureau (Civil War), Letters, 1863-1865, RG110
4. Missouri Historical Society Archives, St. Louis, Mo. Visit the Guide to Civil War Manuscripts.
5. Midwest Genealogy Center, Missouri Military, Civil War, Commissaries of Exemptions, E. M. (microform)

Kathleen Brandt

a3genealogy.com

Accurate, Accessible Answers

a3genealogy@gmail.com