I know I blogged about Grandad Lines’ Naval career in an earlier blog, but this perusal of his records gave me pause when I came to his body “marks” on his discharge papers. I noted them before, but it did not provoke an “ah hah” moment then.
It is not just this generation that likes tats, apparently.
As I was saying, I was taking another look at the enlistment record of Elmer Ellsworth Lines, the maternal Grandfather of the Lilley siblings. He enlisted in the Navy in San Francisco, California on December 9, 1904, shortly after the death of his first wife, Rose Buser Lines. He lived in Oil City, Pa at the time of his wife’s death, in November 1903. Maybe he hitched across the country after she died? I do not have a clue in regards to that, nor on how or why he left Lancaster County after the death of his father, Christian, in 1902, and wound up in Oil City, far to the north of Lancaster County. That is just wondering on my part and has little to do with the focus of this blog as I occasionally meander through many thoughts at one time.
Elmer Ellsworth enlisted as a painter. I guess ships need painting, too. I knew from my Mama, Anna May Lines Lilley, that Grandad Lines was a paperhanger and painter so it makes sense. When he filled out the enlistment papers he advised he was born in Columbia, Pa ( I always thought it was Conestoga Corners, PA) on February 24, 1882. It also gave a physical description of E.E. I never met the man, as he died in 1936, but I have seen pictures of him. The one at the top is circa 1909. His Enlistment Record lists his height at 5’ 4 ½ “. weight 150; Brown eyes, dark brown hair and a ruddy complexion. (Red glow of health according to Merriam Webster. I would not have imagined he was only 5’ 4 1/2”. He presents himself as bigger, to me.
E. E. served on 5 different ships during his term of service, as noted in that earlier blog. His health ranged from very good to excellent on his reports. He was never on any ship’s sick list.
When he entered the service, E. E. was noted as having a small scar on his left hand. When he was discharged after his four year enlistment, the “marks since his enlistment” were noted as; scar left eyebrow, scar right shoulder and ...wait for it, wait for it…. A butterfly on each shoulder; eagle and two flags on chest; sailor and Indian girl on left leg; dagger and flowers on right leg and ulcerated tongue. I am thinking, despite his small stature, he was one tough dude. All those tattoos, scars and ulcerated tongue and not one sick day taken on his tour.
He was promoted from Painter, 3rd class to Painter, 2nd class. In fact, he was apparently quite good at his job. There is a letter in his file dated October 8, 1908 from the Commander of the U.S.S. Prairie which advised “Referring to the Enlistment record of E. E. Lines, Painter 2nd Class, forwarded herewith.
2. The allowed compliment of the Prairie does not permit of Lines being advanced to 1st Class and although it would be regretted to lose him, it is recommended that either he be advance in excess or exchanged to some vessel where he can get a deserved promotion.”
Shortly thereafter he received a recommendation for advancement which reads; “Respectfully returned to the Commanding Officer, U.S.S. Prairie;
1. The Chief of Bureau directs me to state that in view of the exceptional record and special recommendation in the case of Elmer Ellsworth Lines, Painter 2nd Class, he may be tated a Painter, 1st Class and temporarily retained on board in excess of compliment.”
In his records, his proficiency rating was at the lowest a 4 (very good) and was generally noted as 5 (excellent). In his four years of enlistment he was given a warning once, for overstaying a leave by ½ hour. His final rating for conduct (sobriety, obedience, promotionability, etc.) was a 4.8. It was recommended that he was a candidate for reenlistment, which he obviously did not opt to do, and on December 8, 1908 he was Honorably Discharged from the Navy.
I have a photo of Grandad Lines in his uniform, which I would have loved to include in this blog, but unfortunately it it hanging far up on my wall and not easily accessible. Should I ever have the gumption to climb a ladder and take down the picture, I will scan it and post it.
The point of this whole blog was not just that Grandad Lines was an exemplary sailor, but that he, as do his descendants, seemed to enjoy tattoos. It is obviously not just a sailor thing, as many of my nephews, great nephews, my sons and my grandson and an ex-son-in-law, my daughter and my nieces and great nieces, have gotten tattoos. Perhaps it is an inherited ‘like’?
Love and hugs to all.