UPDATE & PHOTO on my WWI Harmonica : A HAPPY ENDING!

[creskol]

I put in blue what I can decipher. Any help on the rest would be greatly appreciated.

I left the photo large so you could see the detail, so you might have to use the scroll bar.

[hombre_de_plata_flaco]

1st St 55 Pioneer Infantry

[Goldwind]

maybe...1st Lt.

[creskol]

I think you are right..

C.G. Howe, 1st Lt., 55th Pioneer Infantry

Now I just have to find a good WWI data base

[Bramblefind]

It might be this man-

this says the NY 74th became the 55th Pioneer

http://www.schistory.net/campwadsworth/unitsnon.html

55th Pioneer Infantry: Formerly 74th New York Infantry. Composed of 18 officers and 172 enlisted men after reorganization. Commanded by Colonel Arthur Kemp and filled to wartime strength with draftees. The regiment left Camp Wadsworth on September 3rd with 3548 officers and men.

1 NAME Clifton Glynn /Howe/

1 NOTE S. A. R. (Sons of the American Revolution?)
2 CONT Mexican Border Service 74th Inf. N.Y. N.G. 1st Lt. 356th Inf.
2 CONT A.E.F. Capt. Co. G., 174 Inf. N.G. to 1925
2 CONT Children members of C. A. R. (Children of the American Revolution?

2 CONT Death Notice from Buffalo Evening News of Jan. 29, 1979:

2 CONT Howe -- Clifton G.
2 CONT Of Grand Island, Jan. 27, 1979, husband of Lila Braun Howe; father o
2 CONC f Mrs. John (virginia) Hoffman of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Mrs. Dougla
2 CONC s (Carol) Emore of Danberry, Conn., and Mrs. Graham (Lee) Harris of Gr
2 CONC and Island; also survived by five grandchildren. No prior visitation
2 CONC . Private funeral services will be held at the convenience of the fami
2 CONC ly. Flowers gratefully declined. If desired, expressions of sympathy m
2 CONC ay be offered to Kenmore Presbyterian Church, Memorial Fund, Delawar
2 CONC e Ave., Kenmore, N.Y.
1 BIRT
2 DATE 20 Oct 1894
2 PLAC Buffalo, NY

1 DEAT
2 DATE 27 Jan 1979
2 PLAC Buffalo, NY

[creskol]

WoW .. THANKS! Where did you find that info?

I will be sure to follow this great lead!

[Bramblefind]

great - I hope it works out

I just did a trail of googling and ended up with this family tree data base for that info:

http://howehome.net/howeweb/ged/howe.ged

[creskol]

great - I hope it works out

I just did a trail of googling and ended up with this family tree data base for that info:

http://howehome.net/howeweb/ged/howe.ged

UPDATE: Bramblefind's information has allowed me to track down this soldier's only remaining daughter. The name is on the back of a harmonica, which is currently in my possession, that Lt. Howe had given to one of his grandsons in Cleveland 50 some years ago. I bought it from an antique dealer in Pennsylvania and I hope to be returning it to the rightful custodian within the near future.

[coin digging]

Wow, now that is awesome! Well done and hope to hear about your future meeting and how it went!

[Bramblefind]

Creskol - That is fantastic! Such a wonderful thing to do When you return it please do update again. I think that would surely deserve an honorable mention on the forum

[Breezie]

Fantastic!!!! I'm voting banner for Honorable Mention. Whether it is a class ring or a harmonica, a return still deserves an H.M. Breezie

[jeff of pa]

UPDATE: Bramblefind's information has allowed me to track down this soldier's only remaining daughter. The name is on the back of a harmonica, which is currently in my possession, that Lt. Howe had given to one of his grandsons in Cleveland 50 some years ago. I bought it from an antique dealer in Pennsylvania and I hope to be returning it to the rightful custodian within the near future.

keep us updated

[creskol]

UPDATE: Bramblefind's information has allowed me to track down this soldier's only remaining daughter. The name is on the back of a harmonica, which is currently in my possession, that Lt. Howe had given to one of his grandsons in Cleveland 50 some years ago. I bought it from an antique dealer in Pennsylvania and I hope to be returning it to the rightful custodian within the near future.

keep us updated

Will do, Jeff.

[creskol]

The harmonica is on it's way home. Here is an email I got from Lt. Howe's daughter and son-in-law.
I excused the offer of $25.00. I asked for a photograph of them when reunited with the harmonica.

[creskol]

Here are some photographs of the harmonica being returned.

[creskol]

Thank you all for your nice comments.

As soon as I get the photograph from them with the harmonica, I will post it and won't bore you with anymore posts about it .

[mojjax]

Wonderful research , amazing ,

[bradyboy]

Guess Im missing somthing here
The scratches look recent, I see no patina in the etching from wear
I would expect the marking to be more black, rather than white.
Am I wrong?
Brady

[creskol]

Guess Im missing somthing here
The scratches look recent, I see no patina in the etching from wear
I would expect the marking to be more black, rather than white.
Am I wrong?
Brady

Yup .. you are wrong.

[Bramblefind]

Awesome! Thanks for posting the correspondence

The research on my part was just a lucky combination of Ancestry.com, google and a little puzzle solving.

Glad to have a small part in this and am very impressed by how you were able to track them down and make contact. Great job!