Wow; it has been awhile since I posted anything. I have been working on my DAR application and walking a lot; my excuses for not posting!
I told of Elmer's marriage to Rose Buser in a past entry. I have now received, after months of waiting, the Naval records of Elmer Ellsworth and herein is the tale of his Naval career.
After Rose's death in November, 1903, Elmer Lines traveled at some point to San Francisco and enlisted on December 9, 1904, in the U S Navy at Rate of Painter 3rd Class. His enlistment papers (copies of which are in my possession) stated he was born on Febuary 24. 1882, he was 22 years and 9 months of age; he was 5 ' 4 1/2 " tall, weighed 150 lbs; had brown eyes and dark brown hair and a ruddy complexion. He had a scar on the back of his left hand. He resided in Mt. Joy, Pa, directly prior to his enlistment. His brother Harry Lines from Mt. Joy was noted as his next of kin. His signature (quite elegant cursive writing) was required on this paper to avow his Oath of Allegiance.
On another enlistment record it notes 'marks etc., since enlistment, or not previously noted;
scar, left eyebrow; scar right shoulder, Butterfly each shoulder; eagle and 2 flags chest; Sailor and Indian girl left leg; dagger & flower right leg. An ulcerated tongue was also noted, but Elmer was physically qualified for reenlistment.
I told of Elmer's marriage to Rose Buser in a past entry. I have now received, after months of waiting, the Naval records of Elmer Ellsworth and herein is the tale of his Naval career.
After Rose's death in November, 1903, Elmer Lines traveled at some point to San Francisco and enlisted on December 9, 1904, in the U S Navy at Rate of Painter 3rd Class. His enlistment papers (copies of which are in my possession) stated he was born on Febuary 24. 1882, he was 22 years and 9 months of age; he was 5 ' 4 1/2 " tall, weighed 150 lbs; had brown eyes and dark brown hair and a ruddy complexion. He had a scar on the back of his left hand. He resided in Mt. Joy, Pa, directly prior to his enlistment. His brother Harry Lines from Mt. Joy was noted as his next of kin. His signature (quite elegant cursive writing) was required on this paper to avow his Oath of Allegiance.
On another enlistment record it notes 'marks etc., since enlistment, or not previously noted;
scar, left eyebrow; scar right shoulder, Butterfly each shoulder; eagle and 2 flags chest; Sailor and Indian girl left leg; dagger & flower right leg. An ulcerated tongue was also noted, but Elmer was physically qualified for reenlistment.
The USS Independence (1814) was the first ship of the line in the Navy, launched 22 June 1814 and finally used as a receiving ship until being decommissioned 1912. A receiving ship was one that was used to house sailors until they were transferred to another ship. Elmer was stationed in San Francisco from Dec 9, 1904 to on the U S S Independence, where he served until May 2, 1906. It was berthed at Mare Island in California. Commanding Officers during his tenure on board were: J T Burnett, W. T Burwell, A G Rogers and Giles B Harbor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Independence_(1814)#Decommissioning_and_fate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Independence_(1814)#Decommissioning_and_fate
U S S Lawton , where Elmer Lines served from April 5, 1906 to May 2, 1906. Commanding Officer John F Parker.
Keel laid as YUMURI in 1889 at John Roach and Sons, Chester, PA.
Acquired by the US Navy on 19 APR 1898
Refitted as Auxiliary Cruiser and renamed BADGER
Commissioned 28 APR 1898
Decommissioned 31 OCT 1899
Stricken 23 MAR 1900
Transfered to the War Dept. 7 APR 1900
Refitted as Transport and renamed LAWTON
Returned to US Navy on 12 NOV 1902
Commissioned 18 APR 1905
Decommissioned 17 NOV 1906
Stricken 24 APR 1907
Sold to Pacific Mail Setam Ship Co. and renamed Rose City 1907
Passed to various other West Coast companies from 1909 to 1929
Cut down to Barge 1930
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/badger/badger.htm
Keel laid as YUMURI in 1889 at John Roach and Sons, Chester, PA.
Acquired by the US Navy on 19 APR 1898
Refitted as Auxiliary Cruiser and renamed BADGER
Commissioned 28 APR 1898
Decommissioned 31 OCT 1899
Stricken 23 MAR 1900
Transfered to the War Dept. 7 APR 1900
Refitted as Transport and renamed LAWTON
Returned to US Navy on 12 NOV 1902
Commissioned 18 APR 1905
Decommissioned 17 NOV 1906
Stricken 24 APR 1907
Sold to Pacific Mail Setam Ship Co. and renamed Rose City 1907
Passed to various other West Coast companies from 1909 to 1929
Cut down to Barge 1930
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/badger/badger.htm
Elmer Lines was transferred to the U S S Adams and served on this ship from May 3 1906 to March 6, 1908.He transferred to this ship from the USS Lawton in Samoa . On June 30, 1906 where his pay rate was changed to Painter 2nd Class, and served there until December 31, 1907.
A little history of this ship:
On 7 October 1898, the warship was recommissioned, Comdr. George M. Book in command. Adams returned to sea on 24 March 1899 with a full complement of recruits embarked for training. She arrived at Magdalena Bay for the usual month of drills at that location. On 4 May, she stood out of the bay for the portion of the training cruise that took her to Hawaii. Her visit to the islands lasted from 26 May to 19 June and included stops at Hilo, Lahaina, and Honolulu. Adams returned to the west coast of North America on 13 July at Port Angeles, Washington. A week later, she embarked on the Canadian leg of the voyage. Adams entered San Francisco on 26 July.
Apprentice training cruises along the west coast, punctuated by periodic voyages to Hawaii, occupied her time until the beginning of 1904. She returned to San Francisco from her last training cruise on 14 March 1904 and disembarked the apprentices for distribution throughout the fleet. At that point, Adams began fitting out for an extended tour of duty as station ship at Samoa. She stood out of San Francisco Bay on 24 April 1904 and, after sailing by way of Honolulu, entered port at Pago Pago at the beginning of June. Adams remained on station at Samoa for three years. On 17 June 1907, she set sail to return to the United States by way of the Indian Ocean, the Suez Canal, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean. On 21 November 1907, while Adams was completing the last leg of her voyage home, the Navy Department decided to loan her to the State of Pennsylvania as a school ship. She arrived at League Island, on 19 December 1907; and she was placed out of commission there on 31 December 1907.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Adams_(1874)
The USS Lancaster
Elmer Lines was stationed on this ship from December 31, 1907 to March 6, 1908 and again on December 4, 1908 to December 8, 1908.
After the outbreak of the Spanish–American War, Lancaster recommissioned 5 May 1898, sailed on the 19th, and arrived on the 31st at Key West, Florida, where she served as station ship during the conflict. Departing Key West 18 August, the ship arrived at Portsmouth 3 September. Assigned to duty as a gunnery training ship, Lancaster departed Portsmouth 8 January 1899 and cruised along the Atlantic coast and in the West Indies. From 3 June 1900 to 4 March 1901 she made a cruise to European waters, returning to the United States via the West Indies and La Guaira, Venezuela. She continued cruising the Atlantic training landsmen until she decommissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard 1 May 1902 . Lancaster served as receiving ship at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, 16 November 1903 to 31 March 1912.
You will recall that a receiving ship was one that was used to house sailors until they were transferred to another ship.
Elmer Lines was stationed on this ship from December 31, 1907 to March 6, 1908 and again on December 4, 1908 to December 8, 1908.
After the outbreak of the Spanish–American War, Lancaster recommissioned 5 May 1898, sailed on the 19th, and arrived on the 31st at Key West, Florida, where she served as station ship during the conflict. Departing Key West 18 August, the ship arrived at Portsmouth 3 September. Assigned to duty as a gunnery training ship, Lancaster departed Portsmouth 8 January 1899 and cruised along the Atlantic coast and in the West Indies. From 3 June 1900 to 4 March 1901 she made a cruise to European waters, returning to the United States via the West Indies and La Guaira, Venezuela. She continued cruising the Atlantic training landsmen until she decommissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard 1 May 1902 . Lancaster served as receiving ship at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, 16 November 1903 to 31 March 1912.
You will recall that a receiving ship was one that was used to house sailors until they were transferred to another ship.
The U S S Prarie carried government exhibits to France at the turn of the 20th century for the Paris Exposition. She was recommissioned at Boston on 9 November 1901 as a training ship, and remained with this mission until she was decommissioned at Boston on 14 June 1905.
She was recommissioned 26 September 1906 at Boston as a transport and was attached to the Atlantic Fleet. She protected American interests in Cuba, March to April 1907. Later, she resumed her training duties with the naval militia from May to September 1907, July to August 1908 and July to August 1909.
Elmer Lines was stationed on board from March 6, 1908 to December 3, 1908. Commander was Albert Ackerman, USN (USNA 1880) from 8 September 1906 -28 January 1909
He remained on the U S S Prarie until December 3, 1908 when he was again transferred to the U S S Lancaster for 5 days prior to his Honorable Discharge on December 8, 1908 at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia (where the U S S Lancaster was docked at League Island)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Prairie_(AD-5)
She was recommissioned 26 September 1906 at Boston as a transport and was attached to the Atlantic Fleet. She protected American interests in Cuba, March to April 1907. Later, she resumed her training duties with the naval militia from May to September 1907, July to August 1908 and July to August 1909.
Elmer Lines was stationed on board from March 6, 1908 to December 3, 1908. Commander was Albert Ackerman, USN (USNA 1880) from 8 September 1906 -28 January 1909
He remained on the U S S Prarie until December 3, 1908 when he was again transferred to the U S S Lancaster for 5 days prior to his Honorable Discharge on December 8, 1908 at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia (where the U S S Lancaster was docked at League Island)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Prairie_(AD-5)
The Navy (at that time at least) and specific to Elmer in his rate as Painter, had marks for proficiency in rating (pay grade and rank) mechanical ability, marksmanship small guns, sobriety, obedience, recommendation for honorable discharge, rating best qualified to fill, and recommendation for reenlistment. His final average over the four years of his enlistemnt was a 4.8. His initial enlistment rating (rank) was Painter 3 C and his final rank was Painter 1C.
Marks scaled from 0 = very bad to 5=Excellent.
His final marks:
proficiency in rating (pay grade and rank)= 4.7
mechanical ability= 4.5
marksmanship small gun=B
sobriety=5
obedience=4.9 (He received a warning on May 11, 1908 for being 1/2 hour late on returning from leave
recommendation for honorable discharge= yes in all reviews
rating best qualified to fill= went from Painter 3rd Class to Painter 1st Class
and recommendation for reenlistment=yes in all reviews.
At the time of his Honorable Discharge his address was 466 Manor Street, Columbia , Lancaster County, PA.
By looking at his records, I have assumed a few things regarding his carreer in the Navy. He did not drink excessively, he was excellent at following orders, he worked hard enough to raise his pay rate and rank from Painter Class 3 to Painter Class 1 in four years. I think it must have taken some concentration as I recall when Marty Cassel was in the Army he might, though I am vague on this recollection, have advanced one pay grade or rank in two years through all his diligence and attention to duty.
Additionally, Elmer must have been some form of hell raiser. I am basing this on his myriad tattoos and his additional scars; one on his shoulder and one above his left eye. I do not even want to think about any causes for an ulcerated tongue.....
I do not know when or why Elmer moved to Reading. I know that Hattie's mother died in 1898 and her father died in 1906 and she was left on her own, as was her sister Irma (who is noted as a boarder in the 1910 census and in the January 1920 Reading census, and married in Michigan in September 1920 to Charles Long). Hattie is noted in her wedding announcement in the Reading Times in 1909 as living at 634 Locust Street and Elmer as living at 544 Buttonwood Street. I don't know where anyone lived after the household of Rebecca and Daniel Boyer Siegfried broke up after the death of Daniel in 1906 through the documentation of the census of 1910. I know Rebecca, Hattie's Grandmother, moved to 503 South 12th Street, Reading, to live with her son Daniel P and his wife, Ida Mae Siegfried, nee Stump, because her address in 1907 was documented on her death certificate. Harry Boyer Siegfried (erroneously noted as Howard by the enumerator) in the 1910 census (also erroneously noted as having been born in Iowa by the transcriber) was a boarder in York, Pa, where he stayed on in that county and married Edna Morris and subsequently moved to Ohio. [NOTE TO SUE: There was a Ralph C Gernert also noted as a lodger in the same house with Harry Boyer Siegfried in 1910 in York.]
It is the little lost time-frames between any official documentations (marriage licenses, censuses, church records) that make me a little crazy and wish I could go back in time or find a diary or something so I could fill in the blanks {where did the Siegfried children live between the breakup of the household and the next census records?; did they stay together?; how did Elmer get to Reading and why did he come there?; how did Irma get to Grand Rapids and why did she move there?; how did Harry get to York and why did he move there?}
I can sometimes fill in the blanks factually but when I can't I can always create my own scenario until proven incorrect;)
Love and hugs to all