Edward La Porte (b. 1840 d. 1915) - The Apple May Have Not Fallen Far From the Tree

Ah, those awkward few moments when you find out some nasty stuff about some of your ancestors when doing genealogy.

I came upon this recently when I was closing up some loose ends on my third Great Uncle, Edward La Porte - my 2nd Great Grandfather Moses La Porte's brother - both sons of Jules, who (I'm fairly convinced, but largely speculating) probably raped his neice and then fathered a few children with her after his wife died. But I digress.

I was trying to distinguish between two Edward La Portes, who were born roughly the same time period and both in Clinton County.  One, was the son of Nancy Beagle and Joseph La Porte.  That Edward is my 2nd Cousin 4x removed. The relationship isn't even through the La Porte line, but instead through the Masse lines.  But again, I digress.

The Edward who is my third Great Uncle shows in the 1880 census as a "prisoner," but doesn't say much else about him or about that. The prison in the census appears to be the Stearns County Jail near St. Cloud, Minnesota.  Thanks to Genealogybank.com, I found some explanation as to why he was there and frankly, sorta wish that I hadn't.

Perhaps even more bizarre and disturbing than this is something that appears later in the same newsaper:

WTF?  Some consolation - Edward is NOT a direct ancestor.

Cousins - L Ron Hubbard - Founder of Scientology

In the initial pages of "Going Clear," the book about Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and about Scientology, I noted that his mother was a Waterbury.  I have Waterbury's in my blood, so I did some poking.  Sure enough, Cousin Ron and I descend from the same Waterbury back in 17th Century Connecticut (see below, chain).

Notice any resemblance?

Layfayette Ronald Hubbard (1911 - 1986)

is your 7th cousin 3x removed

 

Ledora May Waterbury (1885 - 1959)

mother of Layfayette Ronald Hubbard

Lafayette O. Waterbury (1864 - 1931)

father of Ledora May Waterbury

Abraham D Waterbury (1824 - 1900)

father of Lafayette O. Waterbury

William Waterbury (1782 - 1829)

father of Abraham D Waterbury

William Waterbury (1756 - 1830)

father of William Waterbury

Thomas Waterbury (1719 - 1790)

father of William Waterbury

Thomas Waterbury (1687 - )

father of Thomas Waterbury

John Waterbury (1650 - 1688)

father of Thomas Waterbury

David Waterbury (1684 - 1710)

son of John Waterbury

Captain David Waterbury (1708 - 1760)

son of David Waterbury

Daniel Waterbury (1742 - 1798)

son of Captain David Waterbury

Jonathan Waterbury (1766 - 1825)

son of Daniel Waterbury

Amy Waterbury (1790 - 1863)

daughter of Jonathan Waterbury

Elias Blaney (1820 - 1900)

son of Amy Waterbury

George M Blaney (1857 - 1924)

son of Elias Blaney

Bessie Leona Blaney (1891 - 1962)

daughter of George M Blaney

Lloyd Vincent La Porte (1913 - 1992)

son of Bessie Leona Blaney

Ronald Lloyd La Porte (1940 - )

son of Lloyd Vincent La Porte

Michael Robert La Porte

You are the son of Ronald Lloyd La Porte

 

(links probably will not work unless you are invited to my ancestry.com tree)

Gilbert Jesse and Joseph Rock - Civil War Veterans

Two other 3rd Great Grandfather's, Gilbert Jesse and Joseph Rock, also served in the Civil War. Gilbert Jesse mustered in at Plattsburgh on the 14th of September, 1864.  His widow, Catherine "Kate" Jesse later filed for a widow's pension after he passed (after serving):

About a week earlier, on September 5, 1864, Joseph Rock mustered in as a Private, Company L, New York Volunteers:

Details of how a musket from his service managed to get separated from the military and end up in the hands of other ancestors is detailed here.

WWI Veteran, Orlando La Porte

My great grandfather Henry did not serve as far as I know.  His younger brother Orlando did, however. Here he is pictured below in a photo that I got from my "cousin" Kathy La Porte Marchacos:

During World War II, Orlando was also subject to what was commonly known as the "old man's draft" but was not called.  Note in his registration card below, he was 47 when he registered  The civil service law in effect at the time required registration of all men up to 64 years old!

I did Not Know My Uncle Ward . . .

Every story that I hear from my dad about my Great Uncle Ward is underlaid with the theme that, for any faults Ward had, he was nearly impossible not to like.

Also a veteran, I'm honoring Ward Gerald La Porte:

Uncle Ward was advanced to Quartermaster 3 in the U.S. Navy before he was honorably discharged. 

He and my grandpa Lloyd used to play in swing bands together. According to my dad, Ron La Porte, the news item above got one thing wrong -- apparently Ward's nickname was Pinky and his father Henry was "Skip."

For anyone interested or researching him, I have a handful of military records -- muster schedules, newspaper clippings, etc.

Lloyd La Porte - WWII

Continuing on with Veterans day, I'm recognizing La Portes and other ancestors who fought for the United States.

My grandfather, Lloyd La Porte served in World War II in Japan.  Pictured below in Tokyo, during the U.S. Occupation of Japan:

Looking a bit less relaxed and more official:

Prior to the War, he served as well:

Happy Veterans' Day

My 3GRGR, who doesn't appear to ever have been naturalized as a U.S. Citizen, fought in the U.S. Civil war -- enlisting separately, twice.

He mustered in as a private on May 16, 1861 in Company K of the 16th New York Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded July 19, 1861, at the Battle of Bull Run (Manassas, Virginia). He avoided enemy fire, but caught his own bayonet in the ass while his Company was retreating over a hedge wall.  He was honorably discharged on October 16, 1861.

A little over two years later, he mustered in as a private just after Christmas 1863 (December 28th). In this second tour, he was also a private but joined Company D of the 15th Cavalry Regiment, also of the New York Volunteers.

Four months after Lee surrendered to Grant, and three months after President Jackson declared an end to the insurrection, Julius mustered out on August 9, 1865.