Frank Aldrich and sons (or is it grandsons?). I recognize the handwriting on the back of the photo as Aunt Ethel's. She also lists the following names: Frank, Arthur, George and Charlie.
Carolyn notes that Frank Aldrich (sitting) is shown with his sons (not necessarily in order): George, Eli Royal (great name!), Frederick and Charles. She notes: "Frederick was the son in the service who died young. It was thought he died when they tossed him in a blanket, on board, at sea, a tradition when passing or reaching a certain destination, and his injury was a result of this action. He was very young. Our grandmother, Carrie [Aldrich Waite], was the oldest in the family."
The seated patriarch is surrounded by his four sons, not grandsons. I always knew the lad 2nd from the right to be my maternal grandfather Eli Royal Aldrich (Roy), father of my mother Pauline Ida Aldrich. In volume III of the George Aldrich Genealogy (Descendants of George Aldrich of Mendon, Massachusetts) by A. James Aldrich (1977) the same picture appears and lists the standing boys L-R as Frederick, George, RRoyal [sic/mistake/misprint] and Charles. Sisters, not pictured, were mentioned in text on the same page, 156, as Minnie Ethel of Worcester and Mrs. Carrie M. Waite of Hubbardston. Family lore had it that underage Frank ran off to join the Union Army during the Civil War and he was a drummer boy. His family tracked him down and brought him home but when he was of legal age he joined up again and caught a musket ball in the knee at Gettysburg which left him with a permanently stiff, straight leg and lifelong pension. I think this story somewhat muddled-- like on my father's side, my aunt insists a great uncle won the first Victoria Cross awarded in World War I. He was certainly an early hero but the first VC went to an Irishman in the British Army I believe. (Regular people know the big names like Gettysburg, Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, etc., and the VC and the facts meander to such devoid of ill intent of the family memories.) Frank was in a Rhode Island Light Artillery unit according to government records and as far as I could tell, they were not at Gettysburg though they did see action and were lucky with light casualties. My mother used to talk about how as a girl, her grandfather Frank used to lead the parades in Beverly, Massachusetts on Veteran's Day and other observances, even though he had a bad leg. So I guess we can believe that much as accurate. Also, that he took my grandfather and the other boys out west on a prairie schooner for some time--I think you have that story. Some of the color to that tale was that Frank was fed up with things after the war and was striking out for a new life but in reality he seemed to be an adventurer and very inventive, returning home after broadening his sons' experiences and toughening them up. Please note that I'm writing from memory, and so all the usual caveats apply. --Dan W.
Carolyn notes that Frank Aldrich (sitting) is shown with his sons (not necessarily in order): George, Eli Royal (great name!), Frederick and Charles. She notes: "Frederick was the son in the service who died young. It was thought he died when they tossed him in a blanket, on board, at sea, a tradition when passing or reaching a certain destination, and his injury was a result of this action. He was very young. Our grandmother, Carrie [Aldrich Waite], was the oldest in the family."
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ReplyDeleteThe seated patriarch is surrounded by his four sons, not grandsons. I always knew the lad 2nd from the right to be my maternal grandfather Eli Royal Aldrich (Roy), father of my mother Pauline Ida Aldrich.
ReplyDeleteIn volume III of the George Aldrich Genealogy (Descendants of George
Aldrich of Mendon, Massachusetts) by A. James Aldrich (1977) the same picture appears and lists the standing boys L-R as Frederick, George, RRoyal [sic/mistake/misprint] and Charles.
Sisters, not pictured, were mentioned in text on the same page, 156, as Minnie Ethel of Worcester and Mrs. Carrie M. Waite of Hubbardston.
Family lore had it that underage Frank ran off to join the Union Army during the Civil War and he was a drummer boy. His family tracked him down and brought him home but when he was of legal age he joined up again and caught a musket ball in the knee at Gettysburg which left him with a permanently stiff, straight leg and lifelong pension. I think this story somewhat muddled-- like on my father's side, my aunt insists a great uncle won the first Victoria Cross awarded in World War I. He was certainly an early hero but the first VC went to an Irishman in the British Army I believe. (Regular people know the big names like Gettysburg, Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, etc., and the VC and the facts meander to such devoid of ill intent of the family memories.)
Frank was in a Rhode Island Light Artillery unit according to government records and as far as I could tell, they were not at Gettysburg though they did see action and were lucky with light casualties. My mother used to talk about how as a girl, her grandfather Frank used to lead the parades in Beverly, Massachusetts on Veteran's Day and other observances, even though he had a bad leg. So I guess we can believe that much as accurate. Also, that he took my grandfather and the other boys out west on a prairie schooner for some time--I think you have that story. Some of the color to that tale was that Frank was fed up with things after the war and was striking out for a new life but in reality he seemed to be an adventurer and very inventive, returning home after broadening his sons' experiences and toughening them up.
Please note that I'm writing from memory, and so all the usual caveats apply.
--Dan W.