November 11: Kewaunee County Veterans

Today we pay tribute to our country's veterans. Kewaunee County's first veteran was Major Joseph McCormick, a veteran of the War of 1812. McCormick is buried at Algoma's Evergreen Cemetery.

Stories told by Indians aroused the curiosity of  Manitowoc resident McCormick who in 1834 visited what is now Algoma to observe the area and locate lands. He and his companions sailed up the, now Ahnapee River - so much wider and deeper in those days - to present day Forestville. They were impressed by the thick cedar and hemlock along the slow moving river and by the hardwood and pines on higher ground. Although the men told stories of fertile soil and abundant game in the beautifully timbered area, it too 17 years for the first settlers to arrive.

Scots-Irish Joseph McCormick was born in Pennsylvania in 1787. He was an expert river pilot who ran lumber from New York to the Chesapeake Bay. After serving in the War of 1812, he went to Indiana and then Manitowoc. At 84, he was the oldest (at that time) person ever elected to the Wisconsin Assembly in 1870. When he was 87, the Enterprise said he was "just as fresh and vigorous on public matters as he was 50 years ago." McCormick died in 1875.

Nine years after Kewaunee became a county, the Civil War broke out. When the war was over, of the 408 Kewaunee County men who served, 65 (13%) died. Almost twice as many died of disease than were killed in battle. Many were buried where they fell. Most of the Civil War veterans in Kewaunee County cemeteries are identified by the Civil War marker on the grave site or attached to the stone. Following the Civil War, county residents planned a memorial in honor of those who served. By the time the memorial was erected in front of the courthouse, the U.S. had fought a new war and the monument was also dedicated to those who had served in the Spanish-American War

Looking at the draft lists, it appears that about 1,200 county men were eligible for duty in World War l. A little more than half that number served in “the war to end all wars,” but then came World War ll. Just as the Civil War and World War l before it, just about every family in the county was affected. It wasn't long before Korea, and then Vietnam. There were actions in Somalia, Grenada and wars in the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan. Kewaunee County residents have always served.

 

 

Last year Wisconsin Public Radio joined the effort to find a photo for each of the 1,244 Wisconsinites listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington D.C.  This blogger was asked to join one of the "A Face for Every Name" project workshops. WPR's Jeffrey Potter just emailed the group saying, "As of September, more than 700 photos have been found, including more than 115 in the past year!  While we're proud of that progress, there are more than 400 photos remaining to be found in locations throughout the state.  Some communities, like Milwaukee, are missing more than 100 photos.  But others, like Racine, Eau Claire and Appleton are just missing a handful of images." Jeffery went on to say, "We need your help.  We're hoping that you will help us spread the word and sign up to search for photos in your community and around the state.  This summer, we worked with our partners to develop a strategy that would minimize confusion and anxiety for families and friends who lost loved ones in the war.

Coordinating efforts statewide.  We have a master list from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) in Washington D.C. and our regional manager in Green Bay, Ellen Clark, is coordinating efforts statewide.  She can help you find names and details for those who still need a photo associated with their name.  We are also coordinating our efforts with Don Jones, a Vietnam War veteran who is working on the project through Wisconsin Public Television.  Don is well networked with veterans organizations statewide."

WPR updated their webpage: wpr.org/veterans.  

As Potter said, "We are committed to finding a photo for every single Wisconsinite listed on the Wall.  We can't do this without your help and you won't have to do it without ours.  Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television, WUWM and Milwaukee Public Television are working together to support this effort."

If you'd like to see the "virtual wall" or find out what's going on, check the web links. There are ways to help and to be informed.

All photos were taken at the Evergreen Cemetery in Algoma and are courtesy of T. Duescher.

Information on McCormick comes from An-An-api-sebe: Where is the River? Note: Door County historian Hjalmar Holand wrote in his History of Door Co., the County Beautiful, that McCormick was given the rank of Major in the war with Mexico. If McCormick was just under 90 when he died, he would have been about 60 when the Mexican War began in 1846, which seems impossible.