tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034998384799920884.post2139373987939072468..comments2024-03-26T12:01:39.690-07:00Comments on A Family Tapestry: And What Was He Doing There ?Jacqi Stevenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03471698670217119444noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034998384799920884.post-21911234576272518532014-03-19T07:51:38.500-07:002014-03-19T07:51:38.500-07:00Weirdly, his height and weight match those where i...Weirdly, his height and weight match those where it is listed in "immigration" (ships entering/leaving the US). I'm baffled. Could non-US citizens register for the US draft? He doesn't appear to have been naturalized until much later...Intense Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08441598926026727682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034998384799920884.post-8402536361590733782014-03-19T07:45:19.801-07:002014-03-19T07:45:19.801-07:00A clarification that helps not... The WWII draft ...A clarification that helps not... The WWII draft cards for PA where scanned in poorly. The second page of the draft card shown in the image is for the PREVIOUS person - so Micheal's card is on the next page. He did NOT register in Pittsburgh, but rather in Forest County.<br /><br />"Note regarding the images for the states of DE, MD, PA, and WV: These four states were microfilmed at the National Archives in such a way that the back of one person’s draft card appears in the same image as the front of the next individual’s card. Thus, when viewing the scanned image of each person's original draft card you will see the correct front side of each person's draft card, but the back side of the previous person’s card."<br /><br />His real card <br /><br />https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11804-149541-85?cc=1861144Intense Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08441598926026727682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034998384799920884.post-2380030508808036242014-03-18T03:49:52.660-07:002014-03-18T03:49:52.660-07:00Perry R Smith's son Harry Horton Smith was run...Perry R Smith's son Harry Horton Smith was running the place in 1940s. H.H. could look like R.R. too.Intense Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08441598926026727682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034998384799920884.post-39907620571536002014-03-18T00:52:23.864-07:002014-03-18T00:52:23.864-07:00Good point, Wendy. And in looking at this particul...Good point, Wendy. And in looking at <i>this</i> particular case of individual writing style, the "I" for Ivan could very easily have been mistaken for a "J."Jacqi Stevenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03471698670217119444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034998384799920884.post-73776770248187543272014-03-18T00:50:18.292-07:002014-03-18T00:50:18.292-07:00Interesting about Perry R. Smith--that could have ...Interesting about Perry R. Smith--that could have been a mistaken entry of "R. R." Smith when the initials were actually P. R. Smith.<br /><br />Of course, you have a good point about the possibility of the connection with the Allegheny River, Iggy. In addition--although this might be a stretch--not too many counties away from West Hickory, the state pops up to border one of the Great Lakes, another shipping outlet that might have been accessed.<br /><br />This little puzzle, however, may just end up remaining a mystery...unless I can find some sort of military record. I'm still trying to fathom how a non-citizen like Michael would have a United States draft card in his name...Jacqi Stevenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03471698670217119444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034998384799920884.post-61821247175445321482014-03-17T05:20:11.801-07:002014-03-17T05:20:11.801-07:00In early US census lists, and alphabetized lists, ...In early US census lists, and alphabetized lists, I and J were lumped together as if the same letter or interchangeable. In cursive, they can look much alike depending on individual writing style. It's easy to see how someone misread Ivan.Wendyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17863357756727783017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034998384799920884.post-70744223678232989662014-03-17T04:58:47.497-07:002014-03-17T04:58:47.497-07:00This is a confusing one. The West Hickory tanning...This is a confusing one. The West Hickory tanning company was run by Perry R Smith (and his brother Harry). When the war broke out they turned to doing research of how the chemicals used in tanning could be used for the war effort. Tanning involved the lumbering of trees (the bark was used to tan leather), the shipment of hides and leather - West Hickory is very close to the New York State line -but... what I think Michael Melnitchenko role might have been was working on the river - the Allegheny River flows from West Hickory past Pittsburgh where it joins the Ohio - West Hickory sold its product via a firm in Boston. (Howe Leather Company).<br /><br />That is, assuming this Juan / John / Ivan (all meaning John) are "your guy".<br /><br />http://books.google.com/books?id=RdM-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA762&lpg=PA762&dq=%22perry+r+smith%22+west+hickory&source=bl&ots=8l_FOGQUiQ&sig=dCJjWHRojgK66RG4zDXUsowwoZ8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=dt8mU_jlCoX20gG6_4GwDw&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22perry%20r%20smith%22%20west%20hickory&f=falseIntense Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08441598926026727682noreply@blogger.com