I'm trying to help a friend. She has a relative named Pfc. Ronald F. Sier, Co A, 1st Batt, 115th Inf, 29th Division who was killed in France on June 18, 1944. He wasn't returned home for burial in Monrovia, Frederick Co., MD until April 1948. Was this at all common for those soldiers whose remains were returned home? What was the reason(s)? Does anyone have any ideas at how she can pursue this?
Thanks!

I think I have an article about Pfc. Sier in my mother's old scrapbook. I'll look this evening and if I can find it, I'll write the information down and get back to you on Monday. My mother and dad lived in Ijamsville, Frederick Co., MD during the War.

I checked my mother's old scrapbook over the weekend and I found where Pfc. Ronald F. Sier was award the Soldier's medal about 5 July 1944, and the family thought this might have been at the hospital. Apparently he was in the forefront of the D Day Invasion and was wounded but did not die right away from his wounds. There was a photo of him in the scrapbook from the newspaper and the words under it said, died from wounds, but I searched twice and could not find any accompanying article giving details. It did say that his brothers Bernard F., Wm. E., and Joseph W. were also serving in the military.

I also found an article from 23 Aug 1946 where Mr. Walter F. Sier, 53, died of an apparent heart attack. He was found slumped in the rear seat of an auto parked along Route 40 east of Haugh's Blacksmith shop (auto owned by P. Beard); he was transported to the hospital in Frederick where he was DOA. He was the son of Joseph B and Sarah Ford Sier, and his wife was Margaret Umberger Sier. As I was reading through the list of children who survived, I noticed a daughter Mrs. George Kline (Bernice) and I realized that I went to school with her daughter Dorothy and also her son from a previous marriage, Harry Murphy. She and George Kline lived in Mountaindale, MD, and I grew up there. I also noticed in the funeral announcement for Walter Sier that my dad, Wm. A. Hyatt, was one of the pallbearers.

As far as why Pfc. Sier would have been buried in Europe and then brought back to the US after the War, I had a cousin killed in France in 1943 and he was buried there and then returned after the War. In our local cemetery there are numerous servicemen who died during the War but who were returned after the hostilies ended. It looks like this might have been the usual thing rather than something unusual. I will check with my nephew who is pretty knowledgeable about such things and get back to you with his answer. Hope this helps.

I believe that Sarah Louisa Ford Sier was the sister of my ancestor, James Ford. James was born 1832 in Maryland. I'm trying to find anyone who is researching the family of Charles and Mary (Baley/Bailey) Ford.
Julie
seashellgram@aol.com

The 1830's sounds awfully early for Sarah's birth. I'd think that maybe Sarah was James' daughter or niece rather than his sister. Maybe even James' granddaughter. Have you tried looking for Sarah and her husband in the census records? I'd look in the 1920 and 1930 censuses. I don't have an obit for Sarah; the information on Ronald being killed during the war came from my mother's scrapbook and I know she kept scrapbooks into the 1950s and 1960s but I just haven't located them yet. I need to get out in the garage and start digging! If I find anything additional on Sarah I will let you know. If you find anything please let me know. You can email me at luv_u_suzieq@yahoo.com and we can discuss this further.

Thanks for your reply.

Suzie

Julie,

I just looked at my family tree and this is what I have. Sarah Louise Ford, b 28 Oct 1850, d 27 Jan 1941 (can't understand why Mom had no obit for her). Anyway she was the daughter of Charles T. Ford, 1805-1890, and Mary Bailey, 1808-1884. Her siblings were: James E., 1828-1866; Charles, 1834-1880 (is this your ancestor??); Isaac, b 1841; Mary A., b 1849 and Isabella, b 1849.

Suzie

Suzie,
James 1828 - 1866 is my ancestor. Our line is
Charles
James
George Washington Ford
Robert Francis Ford
Richard Ernest Ford

At least two and maybe three of James' sons moved to the Henry County, Indiana area by the 1880s.
My Ford nephew has taken the DNA test for our line.

My quest is to find out about the death of James and where he is buried. In one of the Frederick County, Maryland history books a mention of his daughter, Emily Clara (Ford) Best, says she was the daughter of James who was a railroad man. Since James died at such a young age I've wondered if he died in a railroad accident or as a result of wounds from the Civil War. James' wife, Mary Matilda (Riggs) Ford, Poole, Hargett is buried in Mt Olivet Cemetery but I've never found a trace of James. Matilda remarried just a couple of years after James' death.
Julie

Julie, good to hear from you. The book you referred to, was that Williams' History of Frederick County? I'm intrigued about James' 1866 death; have you been able to find whether or not he served in the Civil War? I had a cousin, Oscar Crown, who served in The Valley with Jackson and died in 1866, I think he was just worn out. I will do a little digging around and see what I can find. Have you contacted Mt. Olivet Cemetery to see who is buried with his widow? I don't know about any railroad accidents in Frederick County but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. I'll see what I can find there too. You can email me at luv_u_suzieq@yahoo.com and we can continue this search. Keep in touch and let's see what we can find.

Julie,

There is a family tree with some of the info on about James Ford and Mary Matilda Riggs; it has their wedding date as 19 Apr 1854 and I did find that, so we know that's correct. It listed their children as George Washington, 1855-1901; Emily Clara, 1856-1946; Anna Mary, b 1859; James R., b 1862; and Wm. Thomas, b. 1865 (he was living in IN in 1930). Anyway I sent this woman a message so we'll see if she replies. I noticed that Mary Matilda's mother was Rebecca Mussetter, d/o Christopher Mussetter and Ruth Ijams and I have both Mussetters and Ijams in my Hyatt family. Do you have James' parents as Charles and Mary A. Baley Ford.

I found James in 1850 in New Market with his parents and both he and his father were laborers. I found him in 1860 in New Market with Mary Matilda and the first 3 children and he was a laborer. It's interesting that they had a child in 1862 but the last one in 1865 so it could have been that he was away in the army during that time.

Now I have James E. Ford who served in the 1st Battery MD Artillery; this was a Confederate outfit. There was also a James Ford in the 3rd Light Artillery Regiment, another Confederate unit. I would think it's very likely if James was in the military during the CW that he served in the Confederate Army. My cousins who rode with White's Comanches were from Buckeystown. Frederick Co. was full of Southerners and a good many went over the line and joined up in VA. I want to do some more hunting. I'll be in touch.