Researching an ancestor who was in WWI America

upncmnhistori

Hi is there a list to view those who enrolled themselves during WWI my ancestor enrolled himself but because of a fargus veins he could not join but by the time he did it was near the very end of WWI.

johnny_doyle

there are US WW1 draft cards on ancestry.com and fold3.com is a US archive site that has a lot of WW1 service personnel information. in other instances you stumble across info - just been given a book re Galway and WW1 and while it focuses on those in the British army and Royal Navy it does have an interesting list of those from Galway who were in the US services.

upncmnhistori

Would that be William Henry's book 'Galway and the Great War'? I would be grateful for what the name of the book is. I must look at that site fold3.

johnny_doyle

yes, spot on - William Henry's book.

upncmnhistori

Thank you

johnny_doyle

feel free to pop your chaps name on here and we'll see what can be found about him.

upncmnhistori

A William Killeen who went to America during WWI but I don't want to put to much on here in public domain for 'genuine' reasons.

johnny_doyle

with birth set as Ireland, the WW1 draft records throw up only 1 William Killeen and it has him registered in Kings, New York.

US 1910 census has a William Killeen in Kings, New York born Ireland 1889

my subscription for ancestry doesn't allow me to see the records themselves so can't add any more I'm afraid.

upncmnhistori

Thank you Mr. Doyle. I really appreciate that. This may be of interest to you self google the words Familysearch.org you can get various records online of Irish ancestry free that is

johnny_doyle

I hit the jackpot a short while back using familysearch.org hunting for an elusive relative. Found him on there in the US Navy in New York in 1862. Was then able to use Fold3 to find a US Navy pension for his widow in 1894/5.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=niland&GSfn=hugh&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=81047464&df=all&


There are more and more records being digitised and always worth going back a while later to sites you've searched previously to check again.

upncmnhistori

funny enough I had an ancestor that went from this country to the US Navy. I got his burial card off the massachuttess maritime museum I think or massachuttess military I forgot.

Ponster

Based on Johnny's info I got his draft card :

http://pastelink.me/dl/0a74f0

Says he's from Mayo. Would that be him?

if so then he traveled to the USA in 1911, listing his father as Patrick.

Ponster

Now I realise that you may not want to give out any information about William or other members of your family but could you answer this question?

If the William above in yours then do you know of a Della Killeen, born 1889 in Claremorris, Co. Mayo? She's also travels to the USA and in 1923 gives her fathers name as William Killeen (not yours of course). The interesting this is that Ancestry has her U.S. Passport Application which has her photo on it and it's rare that I come across a photo of someone.

upncmnhistori

No not a Mayoman Galway man that is where I will leave it at - I am just looking for guidelines how to find military ancestors quicker but I have got great help on this forum though.

Ponster

upncmnhistori wrote: »

- I am just looking for guidelines how to find military ancestors quicker but I have got great help on this forum though.

Did you mean for that to come off as insulting? What did you expect from the forum ?

upncmnhistori

Of course not I am very grateful for the help. I research genealogy all the time and would like to find out new stuff. I would never insult anyone that is trying to help me with research - I was just keeping privacy details away at the same time. Nothing to insulte very grateful for the help as I said.

Ponster

Ok, I understand

My ancestry account is up to date so if you need to see any WWI draft papers then let me know (there wasn't just 1 W.K. born in Ireland signing up for the war which is why I asked if he was from Mayo).

upncmnhistori

Ponster the William Killeen was from Park, Athenry , Co. Galway that went to the states during WW1 era. He enrolled but had fargus veins was rejected but by the time he was accepted it was towards the end of the war secondly I am only going about oral accounts of my third cousin who is in her 80's that remembers this stuff.