a little camp history - wordpress.comnovember 2015 a little camp history this is an early photo of...
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Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
A little Camp History
This is an early photo of the Camp and Auxiliary
at the dedication of the monument to the orphans
of Civil War who lived in the orphanage in
Dayton, Pa.in June of 2002.
It was 25 years ago that the Sarah A Crawford
Aux 43 was re chartered in June 1990. In 1988
the Auxiliary ladies started to sign and join with
John T Crawford Camp. The David Star camp in
Pittsburgh Pa was our home base. The John T
Crawford (who was with the 63rd Pa. Reg.)
Camp 43 joined with the David Star Camp after
15 men and 15 women were signed up. We
(women) had our membership by Sept 1989
but it took Pa. Department until June 1990 for
men and Aug 1990 for Pa. Department Auxiliary
to come and re-charter the Camp and the
Auxiliary.
While both the sons and Auxiliary were still with
David Star Camp, the members were working on
putting up a tombstone for Marie
Tepe (Viviendier - Woman soldier in the Civil
War) at St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery.
On September 25 1988 it was placed in Carrick
Pa. This is Marie's photo of her tombstone.
Marie during the Civil War and Marie later in
life in 1890's at a reunion of veterans.
Meeting 2nd Sunday every month, 2PM Covenant Center, N. Water Street Kittanning.
Web Site - http://www.suvcwcamp43.wordpress.com
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
In 1992 National Encampment was held in
Pittsburgh Pa by the David Star Camp.
In 1993 in Washington DC we marched in the
celebration of the anniversary of the Grand
Review Parade with all Departments and
Nationals.
Our Auxiliary and Camp have been
remembering both ladies and men in Blue and
teaching the life of that time period 1861 - 1865
the home life, showing them off to war the men
and drummer boys, and ladies in blue.
There are 2 of our men playing in a 105th
Wildcat Band on original instruments
and now our Auxiliary's past Sec. for 8 years
plays on her Boxwood Clarinet
There were 6 members of our Camp in the movie
Gettysburg, and 2 with Gods and Generals
We have gone to schools to tell about our local
history and about Camp Orr training Camp in
Kittanning Pa near the Allegheny River.
We women had teas with fashion shops of the
1860's apparel and made quilts and worked
together to have
Rest on Arms Memorial placed at the Clark
House in Indiana, Pa. for the county's soldiers.
One of our women have portrayed and dressed as
Sarah A Crawford and shared about her life. We
women have done fashion shows, were
Laundresses with the 78th Pa. Inf. and portrayed
the poor widow in black forever.
In 1992 Harry Waltenbaugh built his cannon and
Harry Jr built the mortar and both were fired at
Fort Armstrong Folk Festival. Both Camp and
Auxiliary were at Freeport Pa with National
Little League Baseball Teams (Union boys in
blue playing Rounders which was the beginning
of baseball.
We observed Memorial Day by going to
the cemetery for fallen soldiers, the men fired
their weapons and playing taps in memory of
those Boys in Blue who had died in battle and
followed by the ritual ceremony of the
organization.
On Veterans Day we marched in the Parade in
Indiana, Pa. to remember all the living soldiers.
The drum and fife high school musicians
accompanied us in the parades.
Both organizations have individuals who
received 25 year pins this year to wear on the
badges. We have lost many sisters in death and
have a memorial to them on our web site.
We placed flowers on grave stones at grave
rededications for soldiers whose graves from
the Civil War 1861 - 1865 and dedicated
monuments in Kittanning Park, Camp Orr, the
training camp for the 78th Pa. Infantry and 103rd
Pa. Regiment, Dayton Orphanage in our local
area. See photo above with Auxiliary and Camp.
This past August at the Fort Armstrong Folk
Festival the women (as part of the Ladies Aide
Society) portrayed the 1860's women in her
parlor in her home as it would have been in the
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
1860's making supplies and necessary items for
the soldiers to be shipped to the soldiers.
Fort Armstrong Folk
Festival
The Sarah A Crawford Auxiliary 43 were part of
the annual Fort Armstrong Folk Festival in the
Kittanning park beside the Camps tent.
We made a ladies parlor the way it was in early
1860's during the Civil War with a spinning
wheel, oak claw foot dining table, 2 ladies
sitting chairs, one and 1863 original and one a
reproduction, 2 original chairs, a spittoon that
would have been used if a man came to visit,
our rosters to celebrate our 25th anniversary as
an Auxiliary and many photos, our auxiliary
quilt, and a period carpet on the ground.
We had many new visitors come to talk with us
and a few relatives came to visit a stereograph.
We sipped tea in our china cups and
had a good time sharing what women did to help
the Boys in Blue during this time.
In attendance to help were Peg Krecota, Trinette
Frerotte, Judy Peat, Shelly Krecota, Samantha
Eckler who dressed and donned the persona of
Sarah A Crawford
and shared her story with the public. We had a
visitor, Mr Jerry Lenevit who is a seasoned wool
spinner who was interested in our original
spinner and gave
Samantha some advice on a few things that need
changed.
Sarah had the opportunity to be in the red brick
house across the street and visit it. This is the
home that we believe to be where Sarah lived
with her
sister, Amanda between the years of 1910 -
1912, according to records in the Kittanning
Courthouse.
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
The passing of a great
Living Historian –
James Getty “Lincoln”
James A. Getty, 83, of Gettysburg, died Sept. 26,
2015 in Gettysburg.
Getty was born on Jan. 17, 1932 in Fairbury, Ill.,
the son of the late James Andrew and Olive A.
Getty. Getty grew up in Colfax, Ill., and
graduated from Colfax's Octavia High School.
He received his Bachelors of Education Degree
(Music) and his Master of Music Degree from
Illinois Wesleyan University.
Jim met his wife Joanne at IWU, and they
married on Jan. 19, 1952 in Grandview, Ill.
Getty began his professional vocal music career
when he sang for two summers with the St.
Louis Municipal Opera chorus beginning in
1950, just before entering college.
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
He served in the U.S. Navy from 1952-1956,
serving in the Korean War as a radioman on the
minesweeper USS Swift 122.
Getty taught high school choral music in
Lincoln, Ill.; St. Charles, Ill.; Old Greenwich,
Conn.; Annandale, Va.; Sandusky, Ohio and
Naperville, Ill. At the collegiate level, Getty
taught choral music at Lincoln College, Lincoln,
Ill.; Bowling Green State University (Firelands
campus); and the University of Maine at Orono.
Getty directed numerous church choirs
throughout his career, including the choirs at
Zion Lutheran Church in Sandusky, Ohio; and
Lower Marsh Creek Presbyterian Church in
Gettysburg.
Jim and Joanne toured Europe on three occasions
with high school choral music students. The
choirs were composed of a 40-voice nucleus
from Getty's high school choirs, along with
select students from high schools across the U.S.
The choirs performed in Germany, Austria,
Switzerland, Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy and
the Netherlands. Getty's final two tours abroad
were with the American Youth Symphony and
Chorus.
Getty was the general manager at the children's
theme park Fantasyland in Gettysburg for several
summers before he moved to Gettysburg, in
1977 to start a small theatre called A. Lincoln's
Place. There Getty performed his one-man show
in a business that he and his wife created.
For the past four decades, Getty's full-time
vocation was the study and portrayal of Abraham
Lincoln. Over the years, Jim touched countless
thousands of lives with his vast knowledge of
all-things Lincoln. Getty would often present his
programs over 500 times each year to visitors to
Gettysburg, and to students in schools. Jim later
developed a leadership presentation specifically
for corporate executives and government leaders,
where audiences were able to capture the lessons
of history and apply them in today's business
environments.
Perhaps the signature piece of Getty's
presentations was the "press conference," where
"the President" willingly opened the floor to
questions from the audience. Many newspaper
and magazine columnists have written about
Getty's Q & A sessions. One wrote, "The depth
of his (Getty's) knowledge was astounding. None
of our questions had stumped him the crowd had
not presented him with particularly easy issues."
Getty delivered the Gettysburg Address at the
National Cemetery in Gettysburg each year on
November 19th for several decades.
Getty presented his program at the Reagan
Presidential Library, and had spoken before the
Indiana and Pennsylvania State Legislatures.
Getty delivered his Lincoln performances for the
Delta Steamboat Company's Civil War paddle
wheel cruises from 1994-2006.
Getty's voice is that of President Lincoln at the
Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Getty received the Meritorious Service Award
from the Grand Army of the Republic Sons of
Union Veterans in 2014. That year, Jim also
received the prestigious Nelson Current Award
from the Lincoln Forum.
Getty was a life member of Phi Mu Alpha Music
Fraternity, American Choral Directors
Association, Sons of Union Veterans, American
Legion Post #202 (Gettysburg), The Lincoln
Forum, Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania,
Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia,
Adams Country Historical Society, and a life-
and charter-member of A. Lincoln Presenters.
Jim was a member of the Gettysburg Travel
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
Council. He was a member of the Gettysburg
Presbyterian Church.
Getty is survived by his wife, Joanne; son,
Charles Andrew Getty (Amy) of Fremont, Ohio;
daughter, Margot Diane Good (Mark) of
Stoutsville, Ohio; daughter, Marla Suzanne
Getty of Powell, Ohio; and son, James David
Getty of Columbus, Ohio. Also surviving are
grandchildren, Michael Getty (Mary Beth),
Jimmie Getty (Holly), Robert Furgeson (step-
grandson), Jesse Poole, Kevin Poole (Ashley),
and Kathleen Lowe (James), as well as several
great-and great-great-grandchildren.
Getty was predeceased by his parents,
granddaughter, Joni Elizabeth Poole, and sister-
in-law Beverly Deterding.
Jim had a passion for Major League Baseball and
the Chicago Cubs. He enjoyed classical music,
his Navy buddies, college football, and a cold
bottle of Anchor Steam from San Francisco. And
oh my, how he loved the sweet smell of a new
car.
People who knew Jim Getty knew of his love for
his wife and his family. They knew of his love
for a great joke and storytelling. They knew
when he made a friend, he made a friend for life.
Here is the photo of the Aux and Camp at the
Slifer Mansion in Lewisburg with the 78th Pa.
men John Crawford Camp 43 and Auxiliary 43
at the Slifer Mansion in Lewisburg when Mr.
James Getty as President Lincoln was there in
the early 1990's. The Crawford men where the
honor guard for Mr. Lincoln where he dined and
had a speech for those in attendance. This photo
shows him on the porch of the mansion where
most are visible and Jason Krecota is behind
Mr. Lincoln (his drum can be seen behind Mr.
Lincoln's feet. The other auxiliary ladies and
camp men were there also. Bob Slifer was part of
the Camp 43 at that time and his ancestors
owned the Slifer home. It was an honorable day
for all.
Victorian Mansion pictured in Godey"s Lady"s
Book in 1862 Lewisburg Pa
Eli Slifer (1818 - 1888) became quite involved in
politics"Secretary of the Commonwealth
Pennsylvania in 1860"
Robert Slifer a member of John T Crawford
Camp #43 (SUVCW) Had is Family Reunion
June 26, 1993 James A Getty recreation of
Abraham Lincoln
The 78th Members of SUVCW from Kittanning
Pa were James A Getty Honor Guards
Program Designed by Betty L Cook (in blue
dress)
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
This photo below is from left to right Harry
Waltenbaugh, Jr., Clyde Thompson the bearded
gent of the 78th, Christopher, Jason and Darrin
Krecota, Mr. Getty, and Harry Waltenbaugh Sr.
This event was on June 26, 1993.
Some of the contingent that was present at the
funeral service for Jim Getty are pictured below.
Among these was Joe McShane from Camp 43
and his wife Cindy.
Alcola Park Event
The Sarah A Crawford Auxiliary 43 ladies took
part in the New Bethlehem historians debute of
their new book written about the soldiers from
northern Armstrong County and Clarion
Counties Civil War Solders who took part in the
Civil War. They gathered a lot of information
and photos about these brave Boys in Blue and
put together a very nice tribute to them.
Samantha Eckler, Trinette Frerotte, Peg Krecota
and Mindy Eckler all came and shared their
knowledge of what women's roles were during
this time at home and contributing towards the
battles along with the men. They showed what a
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
soldiers box from home would contain and how
it was shipped, including food. They showed the
clothing of the period and how women
maintained at home while the men were serving
their nation. Donned in patriotic flags and
colors, they had the fly decorated how it would
have been during the early 1860's. Samantha
donned the role of Sarah Crawford in dress also.
and told the public some things about hers and
Johns lives.
Sam McKissick and Richard and wife Ellen
Essenwein took part showing the weaponry of
the time and information about soldiers serving
from the Armstrong County area and answered
questions from the public. Below are photos
gathered from Saturday Sept 19 in the Red Bank
Park. The group of historians served us food
during the day and talked with the public about
their book. The historians gave the Auxiliary
and Camp a nice donation for our efforts that
day.
We enjoyed their company and glad to have
made some new friends. .
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
The Auxiliary
celebrates 25 years
Sarah A Crawford Auxiliary # 43 celebrated 25
years as an auxiliary at their last meeting. In the
photo are from left to right are Peg Krecota (with
25 years) Mindy Eckler, President, Trinette
Frerotte, VPresident,
Mary McKee, Judy Peat. Ellen Essenwein was
there but left before we took the picture. It is
good to serve the auxiliary with these ladies.
Ligonier Parade
October 10th
On Saturday, October 10th Trinette Frerotte,
Samantha Eckler, Peg Krecota, Mindy Eckler
and her husband Norm took
part in the annual Ligonier Day Parade with
100,000 in attendance. The crowds cheered
loudly and with great gusto
for the participants in the parade with marching
bands, drum and fife, bagpipers. antique cars and
tractors and fire engines with over 100
participating groups.
There was almost an electric feeling in the crisp
fall sunny shine day air! We visited a yarn shop
prior to the parade
and got our photos taken. Celebrating our 25th
year as an auxiliary and listed with the parade
participants in the magazine given
to the crowd, we were received warmly by the
onlookers and glad to have Norm walk with us.
Peg was dressed all in black mourning
Mr. James Getty, the Mr. Lincoln known well
over the past 40 years for his wonderful first
person Mr. Lincoln. We draped our banner in
memory of him as our CW brother from Camp
112 in Gettysburg. Samantha dressed as Sarah A
Crawford and shared Sarah's story to those who
asked. The Birden's CW drum and fife corps
walked behind us and marching to their music
was indeed a pleasure. Trinette was happy to
walk the parade route but by the end of the long
parade, we were all pretty much tuckered out and
welcomed a bench to sit on for a while. A good
time was had by all and a generous donation was
given to our auxiliary for our participation from
the parade committee!
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
Auxiliary Officers
The list of officers for the Auxiliary this year is
as follows:
Mindy Eckler, President,
Trinette Frerotte, Vice President
Shelly Krecota, Secretary/Treasurer
Trustees, Peg Krecota, Mary McKee
Counselor, Peg Krecota.
All were installed in Nov meeting and Shelly and
Peg to be installed at Dec. short meeting.
Veterans Day Parade
in Indiana
And on Nov 11th in Indiana Pa. our auxiliary
marched in the Veterans Day Parade with a good
crowd watching. Here a few photos pre parade.
Great grandpap John with Duncan (Shelly's
grandson) before he went into the wagon to ride
in. And Trinette and Peg before parade began. In
the parade were
Peg Krecota carrying the Auxiliary 43 flag,
Trinette and Mindy carrying the banner, Shelly
pulling the wagon with her grandson Duncan
riding in it, and Leah (Shelly's daugher) with
her son Landon walking in the parade under her
cape, Katie ( Chris Catalfamo's daugher) and
Mary McKee sitting watching the parade along
with John Krecota and Norm Eckler (Mindy's
husband)
watching the parade. No photos taken of group
while marching in the parade found yet.
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
The sisters of the Sarah A Crawford Aux 43
shared Veterans Day in Inidiana and Blairsville
Pa. by marching in the parade in downtown
Indiana and a windy high hill in Blairsville, Pa.
honoring nurse Mary Downey who is buried in
the SS Jude & Simon Cemetery along with her
husband Jacob who both served in the Civil War
as a nurse and a steward in a Catholic Hospital in
Chicago, Illinois.
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
An email from a passed on sister, Chris
Catalfamo to Mindy a few years ago asking if the
Auxiliary could do something to repair her
gravestone and have a ceremony to honor her as
a nurse in the Civil War. After a few years of
investigating Mary's history, a descendant of the
Downeys could not be located after much
research, but a ceremony was planned to honor
Mary and the sisters did such a service on Nov
11th afternoon. A ceremony was conducted by
the sisters and red white and blue flowers were
placed on her gravestone to represent the
auxiliary and a floral basket was placed on her
grave from the auxiliary. A GAR marker was
put by her gravestone with an American 50 star
flag. Words were shared by Shelly Krecota, an
RN nurse by profession about life and duties of a
Civil War nurse. Peg Krecota shared about Mare
Tepe who performed as a nurse also in her
viviendiere duties. Since we did not have a
descendant to ask permission to repair her
gravestone, we felt it was our duty to honor
Mary Downey for her service at this time..
Perhaps with this information there might be
someone who knows of a family member and
hopefully it can give us a bigger picture of her
life and family. A brief article was written in the
Indiana Gazzette and you can read it in the
Indiana Gazette web page and the Blairsville
weekly on line newspaper. .Mary was born in
1833 and died Sept 12, 1912.
Here are photos from the Mary Downey
ceremony on Veterans Day by the Auxiliary
Leah and Duncan being very still during the
ceremony.
The photo above is from L to R: John Krecota,
Norm Eckler, Mary McKee, Shelly Krecota,
Trinette Frerotte, Mindy Eckler, Peg Krecota.
Photo taken by Leah Freeman, Shelly's
daughter.
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
Remembrance
Weekend at
Gettysburg
A couple of the Camp 43 members along with
other members of the SUVCW attended the
events at Gettysburg during the Remembrance
weekend. Among these were Joe Rupp, Joe
McShane, and Slim Bowser.
Question from the last
meeting
Do you know who was the “last surviving
soldier” of the Civil War from your county?
Sad news to report
We received the following message from Mindy
and Shelly recently:
It is with great sadness that our fellow sister,
Jane Jacoby, passed away on Monday,
November 23rd at the Communities at Indian
Haven.
After reading her obituary....this lady was a great
mentor and member of numerous organizations
and will be greatly missed. Her complete
obituary is in the Indiana Gazette.
Peg Krecota and Mindy Eckler went to the pay
their respects on Wednesday evening. After
speaking with the family, they are requesting in
lieu of flowers that our organization make a
donation in Jane's memory to the Indiana
Historical Society.
Sincerely,
Shelly Krecota
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
Flag Flying Days for
2015
The following list is the official United States
Flag flying days for the year 2014.
January 1 - New Years day
January 19 - Martin Luther King Day
February 12 - Lincoln's Birthday
February 22 - Washington's Birthday
May 8 - VE Day
May 10 - Mothers Day
May 17 - Armed Forces Day
May 25 - Memorial Day
June 14 - Flag Day
June 21 - Fathers Day
July 4 - Independence Day
September 2 - VJ Day
September 7 - Labor Day
September 11 - Patriot Day
October 12 - Columbus Day
November 3 - Election Day
November 11 - Veterans Day
November 26 - Thanksgiving Day
December 7 - Pearl Harbor Day
December 25 - Christmas Day
Information provided by Sue Bowser
Elected Camp Officers
Commander – Sam McKissick
Senior Vice Commander – Tim Nupp
Junior Vice Commander – Dan Klemens
Secretary – Richard Essenwein
Treasurer – Brian Barraclough
Camp Council – Michael O’Connell, Jason
Krecota, Joe McShane
Appointed Camp
Officers
Chaplain – Dan Klemens
Patriotic Instructor – Joe McShane
Guide –
Guard – Brian Barraclough
Color Bearer –
Graves Registration, Historian, Civil War
Memorials, Eagle Scout Coordinator –
Richard Essenwein
Signal Officer – Joe McShane
Auxiliary Officers
President – Mindy Eckler
Vice-President – Trinette Frerotte
Secretary/Treasurer – Shelly Krecota
Trustees – Linda McKissick
SUVCW website
Our new website is located on the internet at the
following address-
http://www.suvcwcamp43.wordpress.com
Please visit this site when you can.
The Sarah A Crawford website –
http://sarahacrawfordaux43.wordpress.com/
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War –
National Website -http://www.suvcw.org/
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War –
Pennsylvania Department Website -
http://pasuvcw.org/
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
John T. Crawford Camp #43
Sarah A. Crawford Auxiliary
Kittanning, Pennsylvania November 2015
Scheduled Meetings
Regular Monthly Meetings (2:00 PM):
January 11th
February 8th
March 8th
April 19th
May 17th
June 14th
July 12th
August 9th
Sept. 13th
October 11th
November 8th
December 13th