Monday, June 13, 2011

Military Monday-Another VanBilliard Mystery

Yesterday, while I was looking for the VanBilliards on Find A Grave I found someone I have no idea who they are. It is Clare D. Vanbilliard, PFC U.S. Army. Clare died 10 Aug 1944 and is buried in Brittany American Cemetery, St James, France. On Ancestry I found the WWII Casualty Listing for this person and the U.S. Roster of WWII Dead. Then I did find their enlistment record. This gave me a birth year of 1924 and that they were born in Pennsylvania and enlisted in Allentown. There were some of the VanBilliards in that area.

So this gives me a couple of mysteries. First, I do not know who this person belongs to. And second, I do not know if this is a man or woman. Clare could be short for Clarence, but the Army records that I have found all say Clare. The records do say that Clare was in the 134the Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Div. and I do not think women would have been assigned to an Infantry unit in 1944. I could be wrong.

Anyway, I hope I can find out who this person belongs to! Should be fun!

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Sunday Obituary-George VanBilliard(another one)

George VanBilliard

Born:19 Sep 1864

Died:19 Jun 1935

I was going through Find A Grave this morning. I was looking for my VanBilliard line. And I found this obituary for George VanBilliard. Now this George VanBilliard is a first cousin to my great grandfather, George VanBilliard. I knew about this cousin but I did not have a death date for him. Now thank's to this Find A Grave posting by Richard H on 17 Feb 2006, I have all this information. And something I think is funny about these cousins was that not only did they share the same name but they were born 2 months apart. My George having been born 16 Jul 1864. But he died almost 5 years earlier, 10 Nov 1930. My George grew up in Pennsylvania and his cousin was born and raised in New Jersey so I wonder how well they knew each other.

George VanBilliard, a native of Springtown,Warren County, but for many years a residentof Annandale, Hunterdon County, where he was engaged in the general store business, died at 8 o'clock last evening, aged 71 years Mr. VanBilliard was a son of the late Mr. &Mrs. Oliver VanBilliard, for many years leading residents of Phillipsburg. His father served a term as mayor & for a long time was a Justice of the Peace.Deceased is survived by his wife, Mrs. LauraVanBilliard; 2 daughters, Mrs. Opal Apgar and Mrs.Meta Sutton, both of Annandale; & 2 brothers & asister, James VanBilliard in California; Wellington VanBilliard & Mrs. Irene Miller, both in Phillipsburg.He belonged to the Masonic Fraternity.Funeral services will be conducted at his latehome Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock by the Rev.Chester A. Moore, of the Annandale Reformed Church & interment will be made in the cemetery at Cokesbury. There will also be a Masonic service.
Easton Express
Easton, Pa
NJ News
Saturday, 20th July, 1935
page 8