The Crabb Newsletter Volume 18 Number 4 Winter 2008-2009 Subscription Renewal Time Life of a Sailor To renew your 2009 subscription to The Crabb Hugh Alford Crabb [p413], 89, of Live Oak, Newsletter, please return the enclosed subscription FL, died 9-27-2008. See his obituary and a list of his renewal form along with your $12 check. A survivors later in this newsletter. Hugh was a career subscription to the Crabb Newsletter runs from military man who joined the Army in 1937 and January first to the end of the year; thus, all subsequently, the Navy in 1940. Hugh spent all of renewals are due in January. WWII in the Pacific. On June 21-23, 1991, Rhoda and The $12 subscription remains the same for I met Hugh at the Jeremiah Edward Crabb [p405 & 2009, though I really should charge more considering 408] family reunion at Ottawa University, Ottawa, Ks., the increases in postage the past 19 years plus the where we learned about his life and his service to his higher printing costs year after year. country during WWII. Hugh's younger brother I am pleased to announce as of January 1, 2009, William "Bill" C. Crabb [p416] of Columbia, Mo., there were 91 subscribers to the Crabb Newsletter. interviewed Hugh and put Hugh's story on paper and Additional copies of the newsletter are mailed to 25 mailed a copy for the Crabb book. genealogical libraries and archives around the country. All three of Hugh's brothers served in WWII. Thanks for your continued interest in the Jeremiah Edward "Ed" Crabb [p410], the eldest newsletter and the Crabb-and-allied families and for all brother, was inducted into the Army a few days before the stories and data that you send to the editor. If you Pearl Harbor. He served in the North Africa campaign, are aware of other families interested in the the Sicily Invasion, the Italian campaign including Crabb-and-allied families, please let them know Anzio, then in the invasion of Southern France, and about the newsletter and the Crabb book. There finally ended the war in Southern Germany. After 47 are many Crabb descendants who don't know about the months in the Army, Sgt. Ed Crabb was discharged at Crabb Newsletter and the book The Crabb Family. Ft. Leavenworth, Ks., on 9-13-1945. Jeremiah Edward The two-volume, 1,637-page Crabb book has been Crabb died at the age of 88 on 3-28-2007, in reduced to $50 including postage. Williamsburg, Ks. See the story of Ed's long military service on pp410-413. Brother Robert "Bob" Lindsay Crabb [p408] Thanks for the Christmas Cards flew 30 bombing raids over Germany in a B-24 Rhoda and I appreciate all the Christmas cards bomber. After his tour was over, he volunteered to stay and letters you sent. Even after decades of researching in Britain and train as a fighter pilot in a P51 Mustang thousands of deceased and living families, I still enjoy fighter. Something went wrong on a training mission reading about your families at Christmas time and am a over Biggleswade, England; Bob crashed and was little disappointed when the only thing on a Christmas killed. See the story of Bob's military service on card is a signature. If only it were possible to meet and pp409-410 visit with every single one of you in person! Hugh's youngest brother William "Bill" 2009 will be the 19th year that I have edited The Couch Crabb [p416] enlisted in the Navy and was on a Crabb Newsletter. With 10 pages per quarter, the past ship in the Pacific when Japan surrendered in 1945. 18 years come to 7200 pages of stories and information Bill served 38 months. There is more about this "band about Crabb-and-allied families which amounts to a of four brothers" who served their country during good-sized book. I hope you have kept the back issues WWII on pages pp408-418 of the Crabb book. These as some subscribers have and combined them into a stories of their WWII service are the personal accounts notebook for future reference. You might also consider that give life and meaning to family history. Television donating your copies to a local library if it has a family- news personality Tom Brokaw labeled warriors like the history or local-history section. four Crabb brothers "The Greatest Generation." Hugh Alford Crabb The Crabb Newsletter is published quarterly by Hugh was a member of the crew of the Richard D. Prall [p770], 14104 Piedras Rd. NE., USS. Spearfish which rescued the last men Albuquerque, NM. 87123 2323. phone- 505-299- and women to escape from the Japanese surrounded 8386. The editor is a descendant of Ralph Crabb island of in the Philippines. The young [p!60] d. 1734, & Priscilla Sprigg of Prince George's Hugh was very impressed with the 13 young women Co., Md. crowded into the limited space of his (cont. next page) $12 annual subscription. ISSN 1061-1088. P32 Life of a Sailor 1942. and was taken to ). We had to dive, and along (cont. from the front page) sub. Hugh reported for with all those extra people we were short of oxygen and had to the Crabb book some of the details of his life and his use CO2 absorbent. The crew already consisted of 72 men. The duty in during WWII. military foot lockers were stowed on empty torpedo racks in the aft torpedo room, and some of the men survivors slept on bales On 5-29-1937, I enlisted in the Army at Ft. Riley, Ks. of rags on the torpedo skids. Some of the crew, including me, I was in the 84th Field Artillery and changed in 1939 to the 3rd did not have a bunk and had to "hot bunk" it, meaning that we Field Artillery. My assignment was mounted messenger as I rode had to move our bedding to any available empty bunk. This was a horse. I was discharged on 5-28-1940, and on 6-5-1940,1 was was even before we took the survivors aboard. sworn into the US. Navy at Kansas City, Mo. I left that night The 13 women shared 4 bunks. These women wanted aboard the Milwaukee RR. sleeper car for Chicago, II., changed us to get them up for meals even if they were asleep. Of course, trains there to Chicago & Northwestern RR. day coach for Great they had been on starvation diets on Bataan and then on Lakes, II. [Hugh stated at the 6-1991, Crabb reunion at Ottawa Corregidor. For two weeks before we picked them up, they had University, that he left the Army for the Navy because he could lived off nothing but canned salmon (The editor wonders if these see no future in shoveling out the horse barn in the army.] ladies ever ate salmon again). The last 3 or 4 days we were in the Having had 3 years of previous military service, I was assigned as Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia and far enough apprentice CPO. of Co. 41. After boot camp I was sent to the from the Japs that we ran on the surface 24 hours a day. Many of US. Submarine Base at New London, Ct., where I attended basic the survivors got seasick when we ran on the surface, mostly the submarine school. women as I remember it. A Navy PBY Catalina flying boat After that school, I caught my first submarine, the spotted us, and we signaled with light and notified them that we USS. Searaven SS196 at San Diego, Ca. We left 3 days later had ladies aboard. When we got near Rottnest Island which is for Pearl Harbor, Territory of [Hawaii was not a state near Freemantle, Australia, they sent out milk plus other until 1959]. After being in Hawaii for only 3 weeks, our refreshments and coats for the ladies because it was the cold submarine division was ordered to the China Station. We arrived season down under, and the weather was pretty cold. That was at , Philippines, on 11-29-1940. Before the start of the the first time that I saw them with any makeup on. They all got war, most of the fleet was moved out of the Philippines. We dolled up as best they could. I think that they had to pass the were moved first to Darwin and then to Freemantle, Australia. lipstick from one to the other. At the beginning of WWII, I was on the USS. Spearfish SS190. I hated to see the ladies leave after we had made a good Escape From Corregidor relationship with them, but for their sake I was glad to see them Our first war patrol was off Lingayen Gulf, Philippines. go. It was anything but pleasant, but we made it out, and I felt We sank two Japanese merchant ships just as we were about to that from a humanitarian standpoint that this was our most complete the patrol. This was in March and April of 1942. successful submarine patrol of WWII. Those 27 people were Doolittle bombed Tokyo (4-18-1942), and our forces on Bataan fortunate not being POW's as several of them would not have surrendered at that time (4-9-1942). The last of our forces were lived through the Bataan Death March and the war. These folks holding out on Corregidor Island off the tip of the Bataan got their Shellback initiation about 200 feet under the surface as peninsula so our commander was ordered to go to Corregidor, and we crossed the equator a few days after we picked them up. One if possible, take off survivors. This was done with great stress army nurse was awfully sick with malaria as was the Navy because the sea as well as the land areas, except for Corregidor, radioman, and the Navy nurse had swollen ankles from beri beri. were controlled by the Japanese. To get in close to the island, we We arrived at Freemantle on 5-20-1942, where they left us. Most had to pass under a line of Japanese destroyers about three miles of them returned to the States for further assignments. Our out. We did this on 5-3-1942, at night before the moon rose. Capt., Lt. Dempsey, later Rear-Admiral, received the Navy Cross We surfaced, and after a short wait, we were approached by. a for this mission. ~ Our submarine' veterans association kept in cabin cruiser loaded with 27 survivors and foot lockers full of touch with several of the nurses through the years. About half of army supply and pay records that we quickly took aboard. There them are now dead. After all, it has been 50 (now 66) years since were 13 women; 11 Army nurses, 1 Navy nurse, and the wife of that rescue. a Navy officer. The 14 men consisted of 6 Army and 6 Navy I made three more war patrols on the Spearfish making officers, 1 Navy radioman, and 1 Merchant Marine officer. The four in all. These patrols lasted about 60 days each. These were radioman, Merchant Marine officer, and the Navy officer's wife all around the Philippine Islands. On the 2nd patrol, we sank a (Mrs. Jansen) were actually stowaways in that they were not large troop transport ship that was loaded with soldiers, but we ordered to board the submarine but came on their own. The Navy didn't stay around to see what happened to any survivors. I had officer, Jansen, whose wife came aboard was on the cabin cruiser. seen it come into Manila before the war because it had been a He asked me if I thought that we could make it out. I said, "If passenger liner and a rather large one, probably about 15,000 anybody can make it out Capt. Dempsey can." He said, "I hope tons. On the 3rd patrol at Exmouth Gulf, Northwest Cape, so because you've got my wife on board." We shook hands, and Western Australia, we picked up nine Orientals and unloaded he was never heard from again. them on some island in the . None of the These were the last Americans to escape before officers wanted to talk about this or let us have anything to do Corregidor fell to the Japanese. We had hardly started out to sea with these people. I always thought they were intelligence when the Japanese began shelling the island. 36 hours later the people. Also, we were looking for evacuees or intelligence Japanese captured Corregidor (5-6-1942) (Gen. Douglas McArthur people or somebody to pick up from some of these islands, but had been rescued from Corregidor by a torpedo boat on 3-11- we didn't find whoever they were looking for. The command was very tight lipped about this. On this patrol we sank 3 smaller 5 years since I had been home or even seen P33 ships. On the 4th patrol we sank a freighter and damaged another the USA. I had last seen my folks after completing boot camp one and possibly sank it. in August 1940. Our Liberty ship had been converted to a I was an electrician, and my main responsibility was to transport. The heads, showers, and galley were on the main deck, maintain the batteries. These batteries made up one-fifth of the and the food was terrible. The flour was full of weevils; so, we submarine's weight. So a 1,500 ton sub consisted of 300 tons of had to pick them out of the bread before we ate it. Before we got batteries. There were 126 cells forward and 126 cells aft. I've to San Francisco, it was getting cold, and I had nothing but had more clothes eaten off of me from battery acid than most whites having lost all of my blues in the Philippines. I didn't people have worn out. even have a pea coat. Before we got into the harbor, we pushed In late 1942, I was transferred to the submarine rework the heads, showers, and galley overboard. There were bands to crew at Freemantle and was there for 3 or 4 months and was again play the other Navy ships in, but we were met by 4 colored transferred. This time I went to the USS. Gudgeon SS211 and sailors in dirty undress blues who tied us up to a pier. I spent a made three successful war patrols in it. Our patrols were around few days at Treasure Island and then went home to Williamsburg, the Dutch East Indies islands, and we were hunting supply Ks., for 30 days leave and arrived there 1-1-1946. freighters and tankers. On our first patrol, we crossed the equator I then reported to USNS Shoemaker, Pleasanton, Ca., 3 times in one day. On this patrol we hit a convoy of 7 ships. and finished my enlistment at San Diego, Ca., on the Silver It had been a much bigger convoy but 2 other subs had already hit Strand. I was sent to Norman, Ok., for discharge and it and got part of it. This was in shallow water near , reenlistment. After 30-day reenlistment leave, I reported to , and the depth charges caused so much disturbance that their USNRTC Chicago, then to USNTC at Great Lakes. While there sonar was not effective until after settlement. There was a I visited my youngest brother, Bill, who was in the Great Lakes destroyer and a destroyer escort-type ship that were pinging away hospital recovering from a broken finger. right and left, but they couldn't locate us. Of course we wished My next orders were to return to submarine duty at New that we had fired one of those fish at the destroyer but our London, Ct. From there I went to Key West and reported aboard command wanted to get the merchant ships. Our job was to try the USS. Clamagore SS343 and remained on that command for 4 to prevent the supplies and troops from getting through to years. The Capt. at that time was Sam Loomis, who had saved reinforce their island positions. President Bush when his plane went down in WWII. Loomis On the 2nd patrol, we sank 2 merchant ships of 5 to was on another sub at that time. 6,000 tons. On the 3rd patrol, we sank a tanker that may have In Jan. 1949, I married Mary Butters in Philadelphia. been loaded with aviation fuel; anyway it exploded, and we got 1 She was a nurse whom I had met when she was going to school or 2 hits on another ship that caused an explosion. This was at in Philadelphia. We had three boys. Robert Troy was born 7-29- night, and two escorts came out of the darkness after us. When 1951, Allan Edward was born in April 1953, and Mark Raymond we made our last approach, we were on the surface and were was born in Dec. 1957. All three are in the Salvation Army; making a hard turn and were listing to starboard as we were Mark and Allan are officers, and Rob is a soldier. Allan and his submerging when we were depth charged. That was when I was wife have adopted three children. Mark and his wife have two thrown out of my bunk and injured my left arch. That injury children. Rob is single. Mary and I were divorced in Feb. 1962. caused me considerable trouble, including a stay in the Allied In 1950 I transferred to New London, Ct., to the USS. hospital in Hollywood, a suburb of Perth. I had hoped to get Quillback and then to the USS. Spikefish. Then we put the back to sub duty, but the injury kept me out of subs for the rest USS. Cero SS225 back into commission and returned to Key of the war. West. I then transferred to the USS. Blackfish SS229 at St. I was then transferred to Pot Shot, a Navy Mobile base Petersburg, Fl., in early 1953. It was a decommissioned station North of Perth, but my foot was bothered by walking on the ship. The Blackfish was ordered permanently decommissioned loose sand so I was transferred again to a YP boat based at and returned to Rotton Row, New London. I then transferred to Freemantle. These boats had all wooden decks and the Doctor USNTC Atlanta (Chamblee), Ga., and in Nov. 1956, was thought that would be better on my foot. These were tuna transferred to the USS. hex SS482 and served on it until I had clipper boats leased from Breast of Chicken out of San Diego. In completed twenty years and 1 day of active duty including my May 1944,1 was married to Doris Shepherd of Perth. army time [1957]. I was then transferred to USN Fleet Reserve. I was on the YP boat until early 1945 and was still I then moved to Corry, Pa., with my family, and I worked for the having trouble with my foot; so, I was transferred to the Curtis Candy Co. [1957] as a route salesman. Mary was from receiving center at Freemantle and was there when our son Gary Corry, and her parents were living there that time. In Sept. Edward was born in Feb. 1945. Gary had some problems and 1959, we moved back to St. Petersburg, FL, where I was was operated on April 1; I was still there. Shortly after that I employed by Foremost Dairies and had a rural home delivery was transferred to Naval Supply in Brisbane, Queensland, route. Australia, and was there until after the end of WWII. Gary and My foot started bothering me again; so, in 1960 [11-10- Doris came to Brisbane and stayed with me for a while until I 1960] I returned to active duty at Charleston, SC., for 2 years of was about ready to leave for the States. That was the last that I sub duty. I was abroad the USS. Trumpetfish SS425, and my ever saw of either of them. Doris and I were divorced in 1947. enlistment was extended due to the Cuban Missile Crisis. I was [Bill Crabb, brother of Hugh, while on a vacation to Australia in separated [from the Navy] in mid-Dec. 1962, and transferred again 1987, visited with Doris.] into USNFR. While I was aboard the Trumpetfish, we made a 4- I left Brisbane 11-18-1945, aboard the USS. Ganamede month European tour in 1962 with stops at Plymouth, England; and arrived at San Francisco on Dec. 18th. It had been over Kiel, Germany, by way of the Kiel Canal; Holy Loch, Scotland; P34 Toulon and Nice, France; Island of Sardinia; San Remo, settlement of Staten Island in 1661. One support Italy; and Rota and Barcelona, Spain. column of the Huguenot Memorial Church has an In March 1963, I was employed at USN Air Station, inscription to the Billiou couple as well as to Arendt Jacksonville, FL, at the surface treatment shop. I had two Jansen Prall & wife Maria Billiou. An inscription to industrial accidents. On 11-13-1963,1 broke and dislocated my the left of the altar honors Benjamin P. Prall who lived left shoulder in a fall from a transformer platform. This required in the area and gave the land for the original wooden 3 1/2 hours of surgery. In 1968 a fork lift malfunction caused church. my second injury. I was forced to take disability retirement in To the right of the altar, is another inscription 1975. May Riddle and I were married in 1972, and in August honoring the memory of Huguenot refugee Pierre 1975, we moved to Cocoa, FL, where we presently live in the Monet (the spelling varied through the generations) and heart of the Indian River citrus country. sons of Staten Island. Pierre's son Isaac migrated to .... I work in scrap metal salvage as I feel up to it. I Maryland where his grandson married into my have done volunteer fund-raising work for the American Cancer mother's Crabb family in 1772. It is very unusual to Society, the American Legion, and Moose Lodge 2073. My wife have inscriptions in one church honoring both my May .... is a veteran of WWII as well. She was Sgt. May father's Prall family and my mother's Crabb family. Nessler of the US. Marine Corps. Hugh Crabb 1991 The Monet (Monnet) engraved inscription Hugh noted at Ottawa University in June of reads: 1991 that during his long Navy submarine service, he Pierre Monnet, Catharine Pillot, Huguenot refugees was awarded the following medals: American Defense, Sons- five Good Conduct, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Pierre Monnet Jr. d. 1712, wife Mary Le Febure, Staten Island Unit Citation, Asiatic Pacific, Victory WWII, and Henry Monnet Jr. d. 1755, wife Marianne Grasset Philippine Defense. Isaac Monnet d. 1747, wife Elizabeth Williams, Calvert Co., Today in 2009, since we are at war in Iraq and Maryland Afghanistan, I thought it appropriate to review the by descendants- Merwin Jeremiah Monnette b. 1847, service of a career sailor of WWII. Many who serve in Orra Eugene Monnette. war time are reluctant to tell about what they went Ann Hillary [p!98] 1748-1833, granddaughter through. Actually, we need to hear about what our of Margaret Crabb [p!92] b. 1720, d. after 1790, great- relatives have endured. I have heard the war stories of granddaughter of Ralph Crabb d. 1734 & wife Priscilla my uncles in WWI, those of my parents generation in Sprigg [pi87], married Abraham Monnett in Calvert WWII, those who served in Korean and Viet Nam, and Co., Md., c!772. Orra Eugene Monnette b. 1873 and now I am hearing the stories of our youth serving in his father Merwin [p211] gave the funds for the Monet Iraq and Afghanistan. Our grandson Jon Romero inscription. Orra, a direct descendant of Ann Hillary & [p771] is still in Iraq but had a short leave at Christmas husband Abraham Monnett, wrote a number of time to be present at the birth of his second child in genealogical books (see Crabb book bibliography) Germany. which included numerous facts about the Maryland Crabb and allied families. See more about the Monnet From The Editor's Desk family in Crabb book pages 198-218 & 269-272. Rhoda and I flew to Philadelphia to attend a If you are a Maryland Crabb descendant and are Prall family reunion Sept. 25-28, 2008, at the historic ever in the East, take the time to phone ahead for a tour Prall Mills, Stockton, NJ. The grist mill was purchased of the Huguenot Memorial Church at 5475 Amboy by John Prall Jr. after his Rev. War service. Today, the Road in the Southern half of the Staten Island. The old Prali mills on the Delaware River above Trenton are phone number is 718-356-3737, E-mail- managed by the Delaware River Mill Society for the [email protected]. There may be more about the state of New Jersey and are open to the public. John church on the above internet site. Prall Jr. was the younger brother of my great-great- While in the East, we drove our Chrysler rental great-great-grandfather George Prall c 1734-1834 who car to Huntingdon Co., Pa., so Rhoda could research crossed the Appalachian Mountains and settled in her maternal Montgomery family. We then spent a few Washington County in far Southwest Pennsylvania days in Rutland Co., Vt., researching Rhoda's paternal after the Rev. War. About 50 Prall descendants Rudd ancestry. We found the 1794 will of Increase attended the weekend reunion. Mosley Rudd in the Rutland Court House. Increase On Friday, the Pralls took an all-day bus tour to and five of Rhoda's other Rudd and allied ancestors Staten Island, NY., where my immigrant forefather fought the British on 8-16-1777, at the Battle of Arendt Jansen Prall c 1647-1725 & wife Maria Billiou Bennington two months before Gen. John Burgoyne lived and died. We toured the 1924 Huguenot surrendered to the American army at Saratoga, NY., on Memorial Church, historic Richmond Town, and the 10-17-1777. Billiou-Stillwell, Ferine House. The Billiou house is Rhoda and I walked to the top of the hill at the the oldest on Staten Island. One section of the house Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site where the was built by Pierre Billiou c!632-1702 & wife rebel militia of 2,000 surrounded a British army unit of Francoise DuBois. Pierre led the first permanent 700 and forced them to surrender. The British were trying to capture rebel stores and supplies at The Crabb Vote Bennington, Vt, because the army was "living-off-the- Another wild November election has come and land" in their march south from Canada. The defeat of gone, and we survived. Since colonial time, generations the British army from Canada was one of the turning of Crabb descendants-of America have been going to points in the Rev. War. We also visited the 1891 the polls to elect individuals to represent them in local, memorial at the town of Bennington which was a 306- state, and national offices. A careful reading of the foot obelisk honoring the victory. The obelisk is Crabb book will reveal quite a number of Crabb similar to the 555-foot Washington Monument in DC. descendants who served all the way to the US. We thoroughly enjoyed the beautful fall colors, Congress. in our country-side drives through Pennsylvania, New Gen. Jeremiah Crabb [p226] of Montgomery York, and Vermont. Co., Md., was a member of Congress from 1781-1791 We tried to keep on the move in 2008. Rhoda and 1795-1796. Although the British controlled the had surgery on both of her feet last January and on her thirteen colonies and didn't allow free elections, left hand in May which involved quite a few hours in Jeremiah's father Henry Wright Crabb [p220] of the hospital and doctors' offices and labs. A doctor's Frederick Co., Md., was a justice of the peace and appointment doesn't take the entire day, but it certainly member of the Maryland legislature from 1749-1761. eats up a generous proportion considering the drive to Jeremiah's grandfather Ralph Crabb [pi87] of Prince and from and the time dressing for the appointment. George's Co., Md., was a justice of the peace for the Out of the 365 days of the year, Rhoda and I spent 82 county for many years and a member of Maryland days in some type of medical treatment. That adds up legislature up until his death in 1734. As early as 1707, to a total of 16 weeks of the year's 52. Ralph's older brother Thomas Crabb [pi 10] of Charles Three different trips out of state took 10 Co., Md., served in the Maryland legislature. additional weeks away from home. The ten weeks We had 100% voter turn out for the November included a drive to Ottawa University in Eastern Kansas 4th election in New Mexico. Those who didn't bother for my college class' 50th reunion plus a visit to my to go to the polls actually voted for the winners. That's 97-year-old mother in Newton, la.; a drive to Boise to the way it always is. Rhoda and I have voted in every spend some days with our son Kirk and family plus a election since Ike's second term in 1956 when we were week of research in Salt Lake City; and a flight to students at Ottawa University, Ottawa, Kansas. Philadelphia to attend the Prall family reunion at New Mexico was one of those states this year Prallsville (Stockton), NJ., plus 10 days of research on that could have gone either way so we were honored Rhoda's families in Pennsylvania and Vermont. with hundreds of extra political television commercials Counting 16 weeks with the medical profession for over two months for both presidential candidates as and 10 weeks away from my computer work in well as the office of one senator and three congressmen. Albuquerque adds up to almost one half of 2008. This If only the candidates would tell us who they are and doesn't count the hours needed to sort through a box of what they want to do, the thousands of commercials mail that had piled up each time we were gone. We night after night wouldn't be so bad, but the personal didn't even find the time to set up a Christmas tree this attacks on an opponent, the lies, half truths, and the year. I really need to stay home more in 2009 and out mean-spirited character assassinations are way too of doctors' offices to be able to get more done. much. Looking ahead on the calendar, I see that Rhoda will At least in New Mexico, those candidates who have back surgery in February. I keep working no paid for the worst television attack ads were the ones matter what. who lost the election in the races for President, Senate, and Congress. More and more I have voted for the Reserve Your Copy candidates who have the most-positive television ads and against those throwing the most dirt. This election, of the Newsletter Index I voted for every single candidate who won except one If you would like to purchase a copy of the 18- member of the state legislature. That is unusual for me year, every-name index of the Crabb Newsletter, please since too many times in the past, I have voted for the circle or underline yes or no on the attached 2009 losers. subscription renewal form. I won't have the actual cost We hate to put up with this every four years, but of the loose-leave index until it is finished in early 2009, the election and the right to vote are what have keep us a but it shouldn't be too expensive. free people. Plato once said "Democracy, which is a Many thanks go to Linda Haack [p672] of charming form of government, full of variety and Albuquerque for taking on the enormous job of disorder, and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and indexing all the names in the 720 pages of the back unequals alike." Someone once said that a democracy issues of the newsletter. The new index will make it is the worst possible form of government, but it is still much easier to search for Crabb and allied family the best there is. It is an honor as a Crabb descendant stories and information in the past 72 individual issues to vote. of the Crabb quarterly. WWI draft for publication in the newsletter. I suspect P36 William R. Crabb Book that hundreds with the following names registered for William "Bill" R. Crabb [p!239, gr.grandson the draft: Crabb, Crab, Crabbe, and Crabbs. It would be of William Steven Crabb] of Reno, Nv., wrote that he is necessary to check under all four spellings. Of course, charging $47 for a copy of his new, 325-page book just because they signed up for the draft doesn't mean entitled Joseph Crabb of Virginia and East Tennessee: they actually served in the war. A Prall cousin sent me Family and Descendants in case descendants are a lengthy list of Pralls taken from the WWI draft cards. interested in purchasing a copy. The book discusses in I was pleased to have the new information. detail the line of Joseph Crabb of Virginia who died 11- 1798, in Powell's Valley, Grainger (now Campbell) Co., Tn. The book has extensive end notes and an 18- Future Stories in the Newsletter page every-name index. See the front-page of the Besides what is printed in this issue of the summer newsletter for more about the new book. newsletter, I have 60 additional pages on my computer The summer newsletter reported that Ron Crabb waiting to be published in the quarterly. Obviously, it [gr.gr.grandson of William Stevens Crabb] of Whibey will take awhile to print all 60 pages in future issues Island, Wa., had planned to publish additional when each quarterly contains only 10 pages. The information about the Joseph Crabb family but now is following are some of the stories and articles you can unable to do so. look forward to in the months ahead: If interested in the new book about the Joseph Ohio Soldiers in the War of 1812 (other states could be Crabb descendants discussed on 65 pages of my 1997 researched and sent for publication in the newsletter) Crabb book (ppl 177-1343), contact William "Bill" R. Crabb families in the 1850 and 1880 national censuses. Crabb, Box 12312, Reno, Nv. 89510, or phone 775- Includes various spellings of Crabb. 420-6572. Laura Burris' report on the descendants of Thomas S. Crabb pi 112. More About Robert Merritt Crabb Jr. Fay Failing's report on the descendants of Anna Virginia Weston [p675] of Detroit Lakes, Mn., Elizabeth Crabb, dau. of Daniel Middleton Crabb p!083. wrote that she and her sister Cindy did additional Maren Rous' report on the descendants of Gehile Pratt research in August at Crookston, Polk Co., Mn., to look Crabb p!066. at the birth records of Robert Merritt Crabb Jr. [p561]. Mary Ellen Ledford's report on the descendants of James They discovered that Robert Jr. was born 7-20-1947, in Vester Crabb pi 195. Crookston, not Minneapolis, Mn. [Birth Bk.43 p231]. Joe Crabb's report on the descendants of Thomas Wesley The age of Robert Sr. was listed as 32 & wife Dorothy Crabb p!228,1263. Baker, 22. Robert Jr. was Dorothy's 4th child, and she Modessa Reese's report on the descendants of John was born in Montreal. In 1947, Robert & Dorothy Lowry Crabb pi239. were living in Crookston. Elaine Smith's report on the descendants of James Virginia guessed that Dorothy's family Madison Crabb p680. emigrated from Canada to Australia when she was quite Importance of the Barn young. Of course, it is possible that her parents were Research Value of Censuses Australians who happened to be in Canada when The Public Land Survey Dorothy was born. Quakers in Maryland In 1942, Robert & Dorothy and their infant The Battle of Brooklyn daughter were taken prisoner by the Japanese in Manila, The Horse and Buggy Days Philippines, during WWII and placed in an internment Vietnam Records, and many more. camp until freed by the American Army under Gen. Me Arthur in 1944. Robert Sr. had been a member of Crabb Books Still Available the United Press staff in Manila at the time of his Copies of the two-volume, 1,637-page, hardback Crabb capture. A son was born to the couple while in the book are still available for $50 postpaid (originally $80). The camp. There is a good account of life in the internment two-volume set of books has a lot of history about our camp on pages 561-563 in the Crabb book. interesting family. Send check to Richard D. Prall, 14104 Piedras Rd. NE., Albuquerque, NM. 87123. WWI Draft Cards The Mariarte Family The WWI (1917-1918) draft cards are now Marilyn Evans [p657] of Kingwood, Tx., wrote that she available on ancestry.com. The information on the learned from the internet that Edward Mariarte (Mariate) [p786] cards about each Crabb includes name, birth date, race, was the son of Benjamin Laurence Mariarte II & Elizabeth birthplace, and the city, county, and state where the man Talbot. Marilyn noted that Edward's wife's name was Honor registered for the draft. Osborn. In 1690 in Prince George's Co., Md., Margaret If you are a dues-paying member of Mariarte, the daughter of Edward and Honor, married Col. ancestry.com. and have the time, please look up and Thomas Sprigg Jr. Marilyn, what was the source of this new send a list of all the Crabbs who registered for the information? Contemporary Crabb News PS? Please send the news of Crabb and allied family births, marriages, anniversaries, graduations, deaths, reunions, awards, and other current news to editor Richard D. Prall, 14104 Piedras Rd. NE., Albuquerque, NM. 87123, phone- 505-299-8386. Remember to read your local newspapers for Crabb stories and news. Back issues of the newsletter are $3 per issue. Subscribers may submit free queries to the newsletter. The page numbers in this newsletter, for example [p770] next to the Crabb descendant's name, refer to the page in the 1997 book The Crabb Family where one may learn more about the individual Crabb. The two-volume Crabb book may be purchased from the editor for $50 postpaid.

New Descendants- Owen Ellett Blankenfeld was born 8-18-2008, to Cory & Alicia Owens Blankenfeld. Owen was born on his great-great-grandfather Daniel DeMoss Crabb's birthday [p754]. Alicia is the eldest daughter of Nancy C. Craig and the late Timothy Owen Owens [p757]. Ria Aliza Romero was born 12-17-2008, in Idir-Oberstein, Germany, to Staff Sgt. Jon Romero & wife Andrea Hess. Ria is the great-granddaughter of the Richard D. (editor) & Rhoda Rudd Prall [p770] of Albuquerque and the great-great-granddaughter of Pauline Crabb Prall of Newton, la. Jon received leave from the army to attend the birth of Ria but is now back in Iraq. Alyvia Joleigh Drish was born 11-20-2008, to Jason Drish [p761] & Jolene Richeson of Indianola, la. Grandmother Shirley Ann Garbison Drish sent the announcement with her Christmas letter. Jason has served in Iraq. Ann also wrote that the wife of her youngest son Samuel Drish, Shawna, was in Iraq last summer.

In Memory of- Maxine Ann Kessler [p407], 92, of Edmond, Ok., died 8-16-2008. Maxine was born 4-10-1916, in Braman, Ok., to Will and Grace Smith. She attended Oklahoma A & M College (now Oklahoma State U.) in Stillwater, Ok., and majored in home economics. Maxine's first job was with the National Youth Administration in Shawnee, Ok., where she met her future husband John Kessler. Maxine and John were married 6-18-1939, at Berea College in Berea, Ky., where John was stationed as a Lieutenant Commander with the V-12 officer training program. After WWII, the couple returned to Edmond where they spent the rest of their lives. Rhoda and I met Maxine and her late husband John at the 1991 Crabb reunion at Ottawa University, Ottawa, Ks. Cousin William "Bill" C. Crabb of Columbia, Mo., sent the obituary. Georgana Oelrich Crabb [p684], 90, of McPherson, Ks., died 8-19-2008. Georgana was born 10-1- 1917, McPherson, Ks., the eldest of two daughters of Chester E. Oelrich & wife Anna Mae Conn. Georgana attended Kansas University. On 1-28-1937, at Topeka, Ks., Georgana married Delbert E. Crabb. The couple lived in Ellis and Colby, Ks., where Delbert taught band. During WWII, Delbert joined the US. Air Corp. After the war, Delbert completed his Master of Science degree at the University of Kansas with a major in School Administration. Georgana and Delbert returned to McPherson in 1947 where they opened Crabb's Town & Country store with brother Carlos Crabb, initially selling furniture, appliances, and music, later expanding to include sporting goods. Rhoda and I once visited Delbert Crabb in his McPherson store. After son Gary started school, Georgana began work as a bookkeeper. Georgana enjoyed being the "first lady" of McPherson when Delbert served as mayor of the city and was proud of Delbert's service as a member of the 73rd District Kansas State House of Representatives. Preceding Georgana in death was her husband Delbert in 1997, son Gary in 1988, and sister Jackie Engel. Survivors include nephew Denny Raymond & wife Ginny of Waterford, Me; great-nephews, Tyler Raymond & wife Morgan of Freeland, Wa., & Will Raymond & wife Brea of Dallas, Tx.; and great-niece Ginia Brannan & husband Matthew & children Eva & Ella of Ayer, Ma. Burial was at the McPherson Cemetery. Brother-in-law Eugene N. Crabb & wife Ruth [p686] of Delray, Fl., sent the obituary. Hugh Alford Crabb [p413], 89, of Live Oak, Fl., died 9-27-2008. Hugh was a career military man. The story of his WWII service and his life are discussed on another page of this newsletter. Survivors include sons Gary Edward Garbet of Perth, Australia, Robert Troy Satterlee, & Mark Raymond Satterlee of Hattiesburg, Ms., & Allen Edward Satterlee of Jamaica; brother William "Bill" Crabb of Columbia, Mo.; & sister Arlie Riggs of Westcliffe, Co. Mark & Allen are Salvation Army officers. Burial was at the Florida Memorial Gardens, Rockledge, Fl. Brother Bill Crabb wrote that the service was attended by two Salvation Army officers as well as several Masons. Hugh was a Mason so the Masons conducted the majority of the service. There was a military honor guard of three sailors and two soldiers, the casket was draped with the American flag, and taps were played for the old soldier-sailor. Boyd Donald Holcomb [p670], 82, died 8-26-2008, at Fargo, ND. Boyd was born 11-8-1915, in Detroit Lakes, Mn., to Herbert Holcomb & Nellie Huston. He was schooled in a one-room country school up through the eighth grade. In his teens during the earlier years of the Great Depression when there was little work for teens, he worked on his parents' farm where the 1930's drought had been disastrous. Boyd was employed by the Production Credit Association of Detroit Lakes as a bookkeeper and preparer of loan documents from 1934 to 1938. P38 In 1937 Boyd married Helen Verna Nyman of Wolf Lake, Mn. He managed several small co-op stores at Saxon & Ladysmith, Wi., before becoming a federal meat inspector at South St. Paul, Mn. During WWII, he was a "black market" investigator of price controls and rationing for the Office of Price Administration in St. Paul. In 1954, Boyd married Evelyn Margaret Danielson of Ely, Mn. After becoming a CPA, he joined Gerald Knudson Accounting of Crookston in 1967 to form the partnership of Holcomb, Knudson, and Co. They had a number of accounting offices in Mn. & ND. Boyd and Evelyn retired to Sun City, Az., in 1984. He was preceded in death by his parents; one daughter at birth, Virginia Faye Holcomb; & four sisters, Helen Fay, Cathalene, Norma, & Leila. Survivors include wife Evelyn of Fargo, ND.; sons Michael (Mary) Holcomb of Woodbury, Mn., Brad (Laurie) Holcomb of Grand Forks, ND.; daughters, Candace (Frank) Holcomb-James of Eugene, Or., Susan Vaudrin of Fargo, ND., & Merle (Gary) Selvaag of Moorhead, Mn.; 15 grandchildren, Christopher Holcomb, Megan (James) Beadle, Cameron Holcomb-James, Patricia, Matthew, & Mark Vaudrin, Erik & Jan Selvaag, Andy, Tim, Amy, Ashley, Alison, & Daniel Holcomb, & Nicki (Chris) Green; & two great-grandchildren, Maia Green & Kiah Holcomb-James. Burial was at the Sunset Cemetery, Fargo, ND. Virginia Weston [p675] of Detroit Lakes, Mn., sent this and the next obituary. Virginia noted that Boyd was the last surviving child of Herbert Holcomb & Nellie Huston [p670]. Braelynn Rae Johann-Crabb, infant, died 1-5-2008, in St. Cloud, Mn. The parents were Melissa Crabb & Marty Johann according to the Wadena Pioneer Journal of Wadena, Mn. One of the pallbearers was Bryant Crabb. Survivors include sister Brittany Crabb of Wadena; half-brother Taylor Swierczek of Columbia Heights, Mn.; grandparents Diane & Jerry Crabb & Janet & Michael Posey; great-grandparents Beulah Crabb, Lucille Anderson, & Gladys & Oliver Putikka; aunts & uncles Christie & Kevin Hennagir, Jennifer & Mike Gritman, Angela Johann, Kendal Skipper, & Amanda Posey. She was preceded in death by great-grandfathers George Pitcher, Joraine Crabb, & Melvin Anderson. Burial was at the Wadena Cemetery. Please write the editor if you can identify this Crabb family.

County Fair Blue Ribbon- Mary Pollard Miller [p520] of Seymour, In., wrote in her Christmas card that she won a blue ribbon at the Jackson County Fair in Brownstown, In., for a framed portrait enlargement of her 7-year-old granddaughter Jessica Blevins. Mary said that Indiana had a very cold, wet spring which required some of the corn to be replanted. Then, in June they had a 100-year flood, the worst flood since 1913, which damaged fields and required more corn replanting along the East Fork of the White River. The tail-end of hurricane Ike caused 70-90 mph winds which blew down trees, tore off roof shingles, and flattened fields of corn. In Indiana, everyone is hoping for better weather in 2009. Connecting the Missing Links (a continuing series) New subscriber Barbara C. Steed of Nashville, Tn., sent the following update about her Crabb family on page 1192 in the Crabb book.

VI. Alvin Brack Crabb (James Marion Crabb) b. 7-23-1887 Tn. d. 2-2-1962, both bur. Pleasant Grove Cem., Lawrence Co., Tn. m. 10-4-1908 Lawrence Co., Delia Allen Hagan b. 9-12-1892, d. 1-29-1973 children-1. daughter b. 4-28-1910 stillborn, bur. Second Creek Cem., Lawrence Co. 2. Oslie Hiram Crabb b. 7-25-1911, d. 3-7-1912, bur. Second Creek Cem. 3. Wilson Odell Crabb b. 1-26-1913, d. 3-26-1968, bur. Woodland Mem. Pk., Nashville 4. Hagan Gillard Crabb b. 3-26-1915, d. 10-31-1977 5. Etha Kathrvn Crabb b. 9-7-1917, d. 4-20-1940 6. Royce Osborn Crabb b. 9-26-1919, d. 10-24-1994 7. Alvin Allen Crabb b. 4-22-1922, d. bur. Forest Lawn Mem. Pk., Nashville, Tn. 8. Dillon R. C. Crabb b. 7-28-1926, d. 7-9-1958

VII. Wilson Odell Crabb (Alvin Brack Crabb) b. 1-26-1913 d. 3-26-1968, bur. Woodland Mem. Pk., Nashville m. Essie Stewart, div. 2nd m. Lorene Brown, div. 3rd m. 2-2-1946, Louise Nix b. 1-18-1922, d. 1-12-2003, bur. Woodland Mem. Pk. children-1. James Wilson Crabb b. 4-8-1947, m. Regina . VII. Hagan Gillard Crabb (Alvin Brack Crabb) P39 b. 3-26-1915 d. 10-31-1977, both bur. Hermitage Mem. Gardens, Hermitage, Tn. m. 12-23-1938, Willa Marguerite Brian b. 7-24-1916, d. 2-5-2008 children-1. Orman Hagan Crabb b. 7-23-1939 2. Barbara Joyce Crabb b. 1-31-1943 3. Delia Alice Crabb b. 6-27-1944

VIII. Orman Hagan Crabb (Hagan Gillard Crabb) b. 7-23-1939 m. 9-4-1959, Peggy Jean Crabbe b. 7-17-1941 children-1. Danny Allen Crabb b. 3-15-1963 2. DeAnne Crabb b. 5-19-1967 3. Brian Dwayne Crabb b. 1-28-1971

VIII. Barbara Joyce Crabb (Hagan Gillard Crabb) b. 1-31-1943 m. 3-18-1967, James H. Steed Jr. b. 3-19-1942 children-1. James H. Steed III b. 6-26-1965 (adopted by Barbara) 2. Joseph Hagan Steed b. 9-8-1969 3. Amie Marguerite Steed b. 11-10-1972

VII. Etha Kathryn Crabb (Alvin Brack Crabb) b. 9-7-1917 m. 4-20-1940, Arvle Golden children-1. Raymond Golden b. 4-19-1941 2. Howard Golden b. 7-26-1943, m. Dorothy , div., 2nd m. Penny . 3. Kenneth Terry Golden b. 11-10-1944

VIII. Raymond Golden (Etha Kathryn Crabb) b. 4-19-1941 m. Elaine. children-1. Scott Golden b. 1968 2. Robert Golden b. 1970

VIII. Kenneth Terry Golden (Etha Kathryn Crabb) b. 11-10-1944 d. 2-23-2007 m. ?, divorced children-1. Mark Golden 2. Yvonnne Golden

VII. Royce Osborn Crabb (Alvin Brack Crabb) b. 9-26-1919 d. 10-24-1994 m. Pauline Petty b. 10-17-1926 children-1. Debra Lynn Crabb b. 4-6-1954 2. Judy Ann Crabb b. 12-19-1956

VII. Alvin Allen Crabb (Alvin Brack Crabb) b. 4-22-1922 d. bur. Forest Lawn Mem. Pk., Nashville, Tn. m. 1-11-1944, Geneva Chambers b. 8-4-1924 children-1. Michael Allen Crabb

VIII. Michael Allen Crabb (Alvin Allen Crabb) m. 6-9-1967, Linda Ruth Nelson b. 1-8-1945 children-1. Michael Allen Crabb Jr. b. 7-13-1969 2. Ruth Geneva Crabb b. 7-13-1971 P40 3. Jennifer Lynn Crabb b. 6-15-1975

VII. Dillon R. C. Crabb (Alvin Brack Crabb) b. 7-28-1926 d. 7-9-1958, both bur. Woodlawn Mem. PL, Nashville, Tn. m. 11-20-1948, Hazel Whitehead b. 3-25-1927 children-1. Vickie Lynn Crabb b. 7-20-1956 2. Ronald Dillon Crabb b. 8-29-1958 Col. Benjamin F. Crabb While in Washington Co., la., in Sept. 2007,1 discovered more information about Col. Benjamin F. Crabb [Centennial Washington County Atlas 1836-1936, pp.20, 98, 100; Roster & Record of Iowa Soldiers War of the Rebellion V.I, lst-8th Regt. Infantry 1908 pp911-925]. The life and ancestry of Col. Crabb were discussed on pp 1329-1331 of the Crabb book. On July 1861, Benjamin Crabb was captain of the newly-formed Company H of the 7th Iowa under the 5-3-1861 proclamation by President Lincoln. Prior to entering the Civil War, Benjamin operated the Iowa House, a hotel located where the J. C. Penney store was in 1936. Penney's was on the west side of the square of Washington, la. "A group of ladies made Capt. Crabb a silk flag, and when the train pulled out, they yelled, 'Stick to the flag, Captain!" Benjamin returned from the war a colonel. In Washington County a "First group of mothers was organized by the wives of Col. Crabb, Col. Bell, & Col. Cowles, after which the daughters formed a club which was known as The Young Ladies Loyal League." The above-noted 1908 history of the Iowa 7th source revealed that the regiment rendezvoused at Burlington, la., before sailing by steamer to St. Louis and then to Cairo, II. The regiment's first battle was at Belmont, Mo., opposite Columbus, Ky., on 11-7-1861, where the unit reported to Gen. Grant that it had suffered 51 killed, 3 died of wounds, 10 missing, 39 were prisoners, and 124 wounded. For their first battle under officers without military training or experience, the untrained troops of the 7th did well in the battle. The regiment supported Gen. Grant on the Tennessee River after Ft. Henry was captured and helped in the capture of Ft. Donelson. The Iowa 7th was involved in battles at Pittsburg Landing, Shiloh, Corinth, and Lay's Landing May 14-15. Commander Col. Parrott reported that the 7th served at Rome Cross Roads, Dallas, May 25 & 31; New Hope Church, Big Shanty, and Kenesaw Mountain June 26 & July 2; Nick-a-Jack Creek, in close proximity to Atlanta July 24-Aug. 24; Jonesboro Aug. 31; Rome Oct. 5; Savannah Dec. 21; and the Carolinas. At the end of the Civil War on 5-24-1865, the Iowa 7th marched in review with the rest of the army through Washington, DC. The men were mustered out at Louisville, Ky., on 7-14-1865. The summary of the regiment's casualties based on a total enrollment of 1552 included: killed 98, wounded 354, died of disease 142, died of wounds 38, discharged for disease, wounds, and other causes 328, buried in national cemeteries 109, captured 79, and transferred 29. Unit histories were written for most regiments who served in the Civil War. Locating the book is another problem so I was pleased to find this history.

Richard D. Prall 14104 Piedras Rd. NE. Albuquerque, NM. 87123 2323

John F. P. Crabbe 2 Field End Stourport-on-Severn Worcester, England DY13 8UD