Author: joelowry1982

Fire Reported!

joelowry1982 Lowry, Paternal

On 26 October 1979, around 7:30 a.m., heading south on Glenwood Avenue in Youngstown are a young couple en route to their jobs as teachers at Saint Charles School in Boardman. Approaching the intersection of Glenwood and Breaden Street, they notice smoke coming from the local grocery. With a fire station just blocks away, the husband speeds the car to report the alarm.

In 1979, this was Youngstown Fire Department’s Engine 13, a 1974 Mack CF. Photo by Bill Friedrich.

The men of Engine Company 13 quickly take down the run from this verbal report and scream down Glenwood to the scene. Only the scene can’t be found. “What’s the address that couple gave us?,” the men no doubt shout to each other. “Glenwood and Woodland” was the reply. For twenty minutes, firefighters searched the area of Glenwood and Woodland with no luck. They wouldn’t see the smoke pouring from the grocery at Breaden and Glenwood until it was called in by the shop’s owner, coming to open for the day.

Photo from the Youngstown Vindicator, October 26, 1979, by Paul R. Schell.

Eighteen firefighters battled the blaze for thirty minutes before it was brought under control. An electrical short was determined as the cause.

The Vindicator article is quick to quote the fire chief, who in turn is quick to blame these unnamed do-gooders for reporting the wrong address. Or did they? My parents Pat and Becky Lowry, who were this unnamed couple, swear they correctly directed the firefighters. The fire chief fails to mention that his men traveled five blocks past the fire in their search. The Vindicator got two days out of the story, publishing a follow-up on October 30. My parents continued to work that morning, the unnamed fall guys for this accidental fire.

Sources:
“Fire Destroys Soutside Market,” Youngstown Vindicator, Section 1, Page 1. October 26, 1979, accessed December 8, 2012. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DkZJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-IMMAAAAIBAJ&dq=youngstown%20fire%20glenwood%20breaden&pg=1861%2C4119115
“Short Circuit Blamed for Fire at Esmail’s,” Youngstown Vindicator, Section 1, Page 6. October 30, 1979, accessed December 8, 2012. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EkZJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-IMMAAAAIBAJ&dq=youngstown%20fire%20glenwood&pg=3697%2C5622773

Wordless Wednesday – So Young and In Love

joelowry1982 Lowry, Wordless Wednesday
Taken around 1956, my grandparents Chuck and Jean Lowry are goofing off as usual. These are two of my favorite photos of my grandparents. I never looked at the two photos together until just this morning when I realized they were wearing the same outfit and thus, these photos were most likely taken on the same day. My dad, Pat Lowry, is the kid on the porch. One of his brothers or sisters is on the other side of the screen door.
About:
Wordless Wednesday is usually just a quick post with a photo and a caption. Nothing special, just something fun to look at and look back on…

Military Monday: Charles J. Lowry Wounded!

joelowry1982 Lowry, Paternal

I am fortunate to have numerous records, photos and information regarding the military service of my grandfather, Charles J. Lowry. Chuck had a long career as a Federal employee, which included almost two years in the United States Army.

Charles was wounded on 28 August 1944 during the early stages of Battle for Brest, France when a hand grenade detonated near him, causing the ammunition he was carrying to explode and sent shrapnel fragments into his legs. He had been in France for eight days and on the front line for three hours. He was lucky if he knew the first names of the men he was fighting with. Friendships were non-existent for replacements (later called reinforcements because of the harsh connotation of the word ‘replacement’ in a military unit that had suffered casualties). The chance a replacement would be wounded or killed in his first 14 days of combat was nearly 70%.

A scrap of paper was found among the documents from Chuck’s time in the service providing a timeline from the time of injury until he was provided definitive care. He was hit at 7:35 a.m. and stated he spent three hours in a ditch before he was picked up. Chuck had previously told me that he was lying in a ditch during that time, taking cover from German fire. By 3:30, he was removed to the 101st Evacuation Hospital, which operated in France in 1944. The ‘666th Air Strip’ was probably the 666th Medical Clearing Company, operating evacuation flights from Morlaix, France (about 36 miles from Brest) back to England. Once in England, Chuck was treated by the 128th General Army Hospital. He stated it was near Devizes, but the 128th was situated near Bishopstrow, about 20 miles away. It was a week from the time of his injury until he was able to have surgery that provided traction to his femur injury.

A letter dated 24 November 1944 from Major General James Alexander Ulio, the Adjutant General of the Army indicating that Chuck is ‘convalescing’ at the hospital in the Theatre of Operations (England).

He was then transported to England for care and eventually to Billings Army Hospital at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis where he spent nearly a year in recovery of his wounds.

During his rehab at Billings, Chuck was featured in the newspaper taking part in a typing class. I’m not sure what newspaper this is.
Chuck’s Honorable Discharge papers from the United States Army dated 18 October 1945.

Census Sunday: 1940 Raymond Wolford Family

joelowry1982 Census Sunday, Maternal
Relationship to me:
Raymond Hudson Wolford (1909 – 1970)
father of:
Barbara Jean Wolford
mother of:
Rebecca Ann Witt
mother of:
Joseph Patrick Lowry

State: Colorado
County: Denver
Enumeration District: 16-219A
Sheet No.: 61B
City/Township: Denver
Ward: 5
Address: 1020 Logan Street (map)

Raymond H Wolford, Head, male, white, 30 years old, married, attended school through H-2 (sophomore year), born in Kansas, on April 1, 1935 lived in Topeka, Shawnee, Kansas, works 44 hours a week as a stock clerk in a department store, worked 52 weeks in 1939.
Caroline Wolford, Wife, female, white, 29 years old, married, attended school through H-1 (freshman year), born in Kansas, on April 1, 1935 lived in Topeka, Shawnee, Kansas. Does not work outside the home.
Betty Jane, Daughter, female, white, 8 years old, single, has completed 2nd grade, born in Kansas, on April 1, 1935 lived in Topeka, Shawnee, Kansas.
Barbara Jean, Daughter, female, white, 8 years old, single, has completed 2nd grade, born in Kansas, on April 1, 1935 lived in Topeka, Shawnee, Kansas.

This is the family of my grandmother Barbara Jean, her twin sister Betty and their parents Raymond and Caroline. My grandma and her sister recently celebrated their 81st birthdays. My great grandma Caroline Porubsky Wolford lived until 2003 and although she lived most of her life in Topeka, Kansas, I was fortunate enough to have met her several times. The only other great grandparents alive in my lifetime were my great grandfather Francis Witt (who died in 1992) and his wife Helen Bixler (who died in 1985).

I have to admit that when I found this record, I was surprised that it was a Denver census record. I have vague recollections of my grandmother saying she lived in Denver, but I spent hours scouring Topeka, Kansas for her 1940 census record. An Ancestry.com hint led me to Denver. It sounds like I have some questions to ask at Christmas!

Sources:
1940 U.S. Federal Census, Denver County, Denver, population schedule, Enumeration District 16, Sheet 61B, Dwelling 169,. Raymond H. Wolford; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 30 September 2012), citing National Archives microfilm publication Roll T627_490.

Shopping Saturday: Free Milkshake!

joelowry1982 Lowry, Paternal, Pepperney
Lowry’s Frozen Custard owned and operated by my grandfather Charles James Lowry (1924 – 2007) and was a staple of Youngstown’ North Side for many years. After closing the Belmont Avenue location, Chuck relocated the business to 1427 Logan Avenue. It was closed in 1982 and the building torn down in the mid-2000’s after being vacant for many years. Over the years, Chuck also owned the Isaly Dairy store at the corner of Benita and Ohio Avenues, and in 1970, opened PizzaLane at the same location.

While grandma Lowry is offering, step right up for a buy-one, get-one milkshake or sundae! Mary Margaret Pepperney Lowry, Chuck’s mom, saying hello through the window of the original Lowry’s Frozen Custard on Belmont Avenue.

Treasure Chest Thursday: William Pepperney

joelowry1982 Paternal, Pepperney

A few months ago I wrote about my great uncle Fred Witt, a Skokie, Illinois firefighter. I was excited to learn that he isn’t the only firefighter in my family’s past. William Pepperney, my 2nd grand great uncle, served as a Pittsburgh fireman for at least 30 years. Thanks to the help of several distant relatives and members of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire, in the last week I’ve been able to piece together much of William’s career. As a firefighter myself, having this information is a treasure.

William Pepperney was born 24 Dec 1875 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Frank Pepperney, Sr. and Margaret Buhl Pepperney. As a 24-year-old in 1900, he was a brass polisher living with Jacob Bahle and their family at 832 Perry Street. This Jacob Bahle is probably one in the same as my third great-grandfather and the father of William’s aunt Mary Bahle Pepperney.

On 17 September 1905 (or 28 January 1907, depending on the source), William joined the Allegheny Fire Department. William spent his entire career at the fire station in Troy Hill, on Pittsburgh’s North Side. Before being annexed by Pittsburgh in 1907, Allegheny was a separate city. He was assigned to the ladder truck with Engine 11.

After the 7 December 1907 annexation, the truck was known as Truck Company P then Truck 16. In 1910, William is living at 2011 Straub Lane with his wife Caroline. After 1924, it was Truck 51 before the city gave the truck companies the same number as the engine companies they were quartered with, now numbered Engine 39.

The 1930 City Directory lists him at 1954 Ley Street, just two blocks from his firehouse at Ley and Froman Street. His wife Caroline passed away on August 11, 1937. William married Mary Swanger on November 16, 1940, interestingly listed as his housekeeper in the 1940 census. He passed away on December 26, 1946, when he was struck by a car in front of the fire station.

William’s fire station, Station 39, served Troy Hill for 104 years until 21 March 2005 when it was closed during a round of budget cuts.

William Pepperney (right) with an unknown firefighter. The hat badges in the photo indicate it was taken before July 1916, when a new style of badge was introduced.
Relationship to me:
William Pepperney (1875 – 1946)
son of:
Margaret Buhl (1849 – 1923)
mother of:
George Peter Pepperney (1871 – 1962)
father of:
Mary Margaret Pepperney (1902 – 1980)
mother of:
Charles Edward Lowry (1924 – 2007)
father of:
Patrick Edward Lowry
father of:
Joseph Patrick Lowry
Sources:

Gary Stephens [(email address for private use)] to Joseph Lowry, email; 20 November 2012; “Re: William”; privately held by Joseph Lowry, [(Email Address) & Street Address for private use,] Sterling, VA.

“In Troy Hill, a community’s beacon to go dark tomorrow,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 20 March 2005, (http://www.post-gazette.com : accessed 22 November 2012),

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/in-troy-hill-a-communitys-beacon-to-go-dark-tomorrow-574674/

James Pepperney, [(email address for private use)] to Joseph Lowry, email; 21 November 2012; “William Pepperney”; privately held by Joseph Lowry, [(Email Address) & Street Address for private use,] Sterling, VA.

John Gombita, Pittsburgh, PA,  [(email address for private use)] to Joseph Lowry, email; 14 November 2012; “PBF History – William Pepperney”; privately held by Joseph Lowry, [(Email Address) & Street Address for private use,] Sterling, VA.

Tombstone Tuesday – Elmer Pepperney – Veteran’s Day Edition

joelowry1982 Paternal, Pepperney, Tombstone
Photo from FindAGrave.com by Des Philippet.
Elmer Pepperney was 21 years old and apprenticed to be a plumber when he enlisted in the Army on 18 November 1942. He was the son of Andrew Bernard and Lena Reiber Pepperney, and with his sisters Savilla and Norma, they lived in the Troy Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Elmer completed schooling through 7th grade before having to leave to learn a trade.
 
After going through boot camp, Elmer was assigned to Easy Company, 394th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division. The 99th Infantry Division was involved in some of the heaviest yet least reported fighting of the Battle of the Bulge. While officially the nickname of the 99th was the ‘Checkboard Division,’ they were called the ‘Battle Babies’ because of their inexperience in combat.
 
On 18 December 1944, Easy Company found itself at the center of an attack in the area of Elsenborn, Belgium. Elsenborn was on the northern flank of the German offensive, a last-ditch effort to stop the Allied advance and push them back into France.  The lines were incredibly thin against the 277th Volksgrenadier Division and 12th SS Panzer Division, with only one fighting man for every 300 feet of ground.
 
Pvt. Jerome Nelson was in Elmer’s company and tells the story of his final engagement:
“There are, no doubt, many stories about various units that participated in the Bulge that no historian has ever written, only the surviving veterans will remember them. I am sure the story of Company E is not much different or unique than others.
Company E was part of the lost battalion that held the line for 60 hours. Companies on each flank were heavily hit, especially B Company.
Enemy small arms fire kept us well occupied. It knocked out our BAR, another round ricocheting off BAR Sgt. Sandridge’s helmet, leaving him speechless. Pfc. Stanley Krol was feeding his mortar non-stop. Platoon T/Sgt. Wallace called for artillery fire on our own positions, both received citations.
To make matters worse, we had to physically constrain our battalion commander, who was determined to surrender. He later was relieved of command.
In the meantime, our planes (three) began a strafing run on the enemy and one crashed 75 yards to our front. Enemy patrols did get through our thinly held line and captured about six men.
Later we fought our way into Murringen but were ineffective because of fog and disorganized German units with their continuous shoutings. All this time we had no idea what was going on elsewhere and thought it was only a local fight.
After nearly three days defending our position, hungry, sleepless and totally exhausted, we began a withdrawal. Capt. McGee, S-2, would lead the column, including stragglers, to Rocherath, Elsenborn. What happened next was pure hell!
Friendly fire from our 155s was called to cover our exit from any German pursuit. The rounds fell short, decimating many troops on that dark December night.
There are no words to describe the carnage, chaos and mass confusion. There was no escape. Moans from the dying filled the night. John Smith (Smitty) and I were rear guard and we stumbled over the men. Because of our injuries we remained with these casualties. The next morning we were hurt by more fire before we miraculously limped cross country to Rocherath. We had no idea where we were. How we made the one-and-one-half-mile walk alive, I will never know.
In 12 days we sustained 87 casualties. Those KIA that night were Austin Burdick, Victor Carpenter, Rupert Harper, Peter Hubiak, Paul Kelly, John Klein, Forest Liston, Robert McNeil, Thomas Olds, Elmer Pepperney, Everet Pierce, Peter Raguckas and John Ryan. Herman Beck, Ewing Fidler and Raymond Sutton had been KIA earlier.
I have the official morning reports.The video, “Return to the Ardennes,” by Dick Byers narrates this action.
I would like to give a proud salute to these courageous men for their sacrifice – only remembered best by those who were there. Except for a Purple Heart, these men never received any awards. Many historians fabricate reports of the snow and cold. There was no snow in our area. I have friends who were at St. Vith, Bastogne and other areas and they tell me there was no snow. It came about a week later.”
 
Elmer is buried at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial in Henri-Chapelle, Belgium, alongside 153 other members of the 394th Infantry Regiment and 7,991 other service members killed during World War II.
His grave is located at Plot B, Row 2, Grave 38.
 
Sources:
“The Untold Story of E/394.” Checkerboard. 99th Infantry Division Association. Web. 7 Nov 2012. <http://99div.com/direct/the_untold_story_of_e_394+3cbun+54686520756e746f6c642073746f7279206f6620452f333934>
 

1940 U.S. Federal Census, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Pittsburgh, Enumeration District 69-692, Sheet 3B, Household 56, Andrew B. Pepperney; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 November 2012), citing National Archives microfilm publication T627, Roll 3673.

“Elsenborn Ridge,” Wikipedia. Web. 12 Nov 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsenborn_Ridge>

“99th Infantry Division (United States),” Wikipedia. Web 12 Nov 2012 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)>

Chuck Lowry in the ‘Ursulinian’

joelowry1982 Lowry, Paternal, Photo Friday
The Ursulinian is the yearbook of Ursuline High School in Youngstown, Ohio. Lowry’s have been appearing in the ‘Ursulinian’ for 70 years. Probably their first appearance was a 1939 class photo. Chuck Lowry (1924 – 2007) was in 9th grade. Can you find him without using the key on the right?

The 1941 Ursulinian featured this tennis team shot, and the yearbook makes it seem that it was Ursuline’s first. Chuck was a tennis phenom and would go on to win accolades across the city for his abilities at the sport.

Mystery Monday – Who Murdered John A. Witt?

joelowry1982 Maternal, Mystery Monday, Witt

On 29 September 1942, 78-year old shopkeeper John A. Witt woke around 6 a.m. and shortly thereafter lit the furnace in his grocery store that also served as a post office substation. It was probably a routine that played itself out hundreds of times during the 40 years he was a shopkeeper in the Brushton neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Brushton was a mostly German and Irish enclave in east-central Pittsburgh where John no doubt knew most of his customers. He may have even known his last customer.

John was born on 25 November 1863 in nearby Butler, Pennsylvania. His father Martin had emigrated from Hessen, Germany in 1832 and John grew up in a city caked in coal dust under the glow of steel mills. He married Johanna Thaner and together they had a large family of girls with son John Jr stuck in the middle.

The details are sketchy and the verdict unknown, but on that fall day in 1942, John Witt was shot and killed by an unknown assailant in his store. The motive has yet to be discovered. The cash was still in the register; the stamps still in the drawer. His daughter found him slumped against the wall, shot in the abdomen and finger. He was dead upon arrival at Pittsburgh Hospital.

My limited research on John’s death has not turned up any information on who may have committed this crime or if they were ever charged, but this is a story that I certainly hope to learn more about.

Relationship to me:
John A Witt (1863 – 1942)
son of:
Martin Witt (1830 – 1921)
father of:
Joseph F Witt (1868 – 1943)
father of:
Francis John Witt (1899 – 1992)
father of:
Howard D Witt (1929 – 2001)
father of:
Rebecca A Witt:
mother of:
Joseph P Lowry

 

(click to enlarge)

UPDATE 7/19/15: For more information on John Witt’s death, see my follow-up post here: https://lowrygenealogy.com/2013/03/11/mystery-monday-who-murdered-john-a-witt-part-2-the-autopsy-report/

Sources:
“Grocer’s Death Laid to Bandit.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1 October 1942. Accessed 5 November 2012. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j7pRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=D2oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5430%2C712430

“Aged Grocer Fatally Shot in Bruston.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 30 September 1942. Accessed 5 November 2012. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jrpRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=D2oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4023%2C937851

Obit of the Day: Margaret Pepperney Lowry (1902 – 1980)

joelowry1982 Lowry, Obituary, Paternal, Pepperney
Mary Margaret Pepperney is my great grandmother. She was born in Charleroi, Pennsylvania on 21 Dec 1902 before marrying Charles Edward Lowry on 22 Aug 1922 in Leetonia, Ohio. The 1940 Census has Margaret, Charles and their son Charles J. living at 207 Thornton Avenue in Youngstown. She died on 5 Apr 1980 in Youngstown. This obituary appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Great grandma Lowry at the family custard stand on Belmont Avenue.
Sources:
Mary Margaret Lowry obituary. Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland Plain Dealer. 7 Apr 1980. (Available at: http://phw02.newsbank.com/cache/arhb/fullsize/pl_011022012_1951_12744_356.pdf ($))