Fred, Thank you for your quick reply and suggestion about searching around the Conemaugh River. I'll find an atlas and see what towns are in that region. This suggestion is very helpful since I am not familiar with the area. I have looked at several 1900 census' with no luck so far. I'm in the process of looking at the census for each township in Cambria county (can you to tell me which townships are near the Conemaugh River?) and when that is completed, I plan on looking at the townships in Lebanon, Mercer and Union county...a long process but I'm determined to find this man! I am not sure Joseph served in the Spanish American War. This is something his daughter told me. The family has tried to obtain Naval records but was unsuccessful. Nevertheless, he did have a funeral with full military honors. Thanks again, I do appreciate the time you took to answer my query. Renaye . PALEBANO-D-request@rootsweb.com wrote: PALEBANO-D Digest Volume 05 : Issue 181 Today's Topics: #1 Joseph E. Devere 1873-1932 [Renaye Clifton #2 Re: [PALEBANO] Joseph E. Devere 18 ["Frederick S. Frantz, Jr." Administrivia: To unsubscribe from PALEBANO-D, send a message to PALEBANO-D-request@rootsweb.com that contains in the body of the message the command unsubscribe and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but if your software requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. ______________________________Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 20:31:18 -0700 (PDT) From: Renaye Clifton <renaye@pacbell.net> To: PALEBANO-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Joseph E. Devere 1873-1932 List Members, I am in the process of researching the unknown family of Joseph Elmer Devere who was born May 1881(source is his draft registration form) or 1873 (source is his obituary) in Jamestown or Johnstown Pennsylvania (still trying to find the right location). I am told that when he left his home as a young man, after an arguement about religion, he never returned nor did he ever talk about his past with his wife and children. It is a possibility that he could have also changed his name. His daughter tells me that he left Jamestown, Pennsylvania in 1906 and cut all ties with his family. She states that all records were lost in the flood and so the family has been unable to find anything on her father. He died when she was only 18 mos. old. He is what we do know. Joseph Elmer Devere is said to have served in the US Navy aboard the USS Olympia (General Dewey's flagship) during the Spanish-American War. I have seen one website that contains a list of the men on board after a battle in the Philippines and he is not listed there. In 1908 he married Jeanette Reid in Cle Elum, Kittitas, Washington. They had nine children. I do have copies of the 1910, 1920 and 1930 census showing his family in Cle Elum, Kittitas, Washington. He died 4 Jan 1932 in Cle Elum. I am desperate for any information or advice where I might further my research. I would be happy to contact any local groups or societies but don't know if they exist at this time. Does anyone know if the records that were actually lost in the flood of 1889 were ever reconstructed? Was mining the primary occupation at that time? Are mining records available? Joseph was probably a high school student in 1889, how many high schools were destroyed in the flood? Thank you for your time and any suggestions you may be able to offer in this search, Renaye ______________________________Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2005 00:42:47 -0400 From: "Frederick S. Frantz, Jr." <fsfrantz@juno.com> To: PALEBANO-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [PALEBANO] Joseph E. Devere 1873-1932 The great flood was in the valley leading to Johnstown PA. As I remember it was the Conemaugh River. I would concentrate my search there. The Spanish American War was in 1898. Either birth date would be possible; he may have lied about his age in order to enlist. Local records were destroyed but the Federal Census records for 1900 are available. Are you sure that he was in the Spanish American War? Fred Frantz

Renaye: Three rivers flow through Johnstown, The Conemaugh, the Little Conemaugh and the Stoney Creek. The latter two merge at a Y or locally known as the point to form the Conemaugh which flows into the Allegheny River in either Westmoreland or Allegheny County. I would focus your attention in Cambria first then move to Westmoreland, Indiana, Somerset, Allegheny Counties. You may also want to look at surname changes, Devore is a fairly common name for the area. Also at the Pennsylvania Archives they have the following detail on the Spanish American war and people from Pennsylvania who served: http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/military/span-am-war.htm Spanish American War Veterans' Card File of United States Volunteers, undated. (1 drawer) {series #19.78} [Holdings] Arranged alphabetically by surname of soldier. The card file of veterans who participated in the Spanish-American War was created by the Office of the Adjutant General in 1941 from information taken from the official records of the United States War Department. Information found about each veteran includes name, race, residence, place and date of birth, date and place of enlistment, military organization to which attached, rank, and dates serving overseas in either Cuba or the Philippines. Sometimes extensive comments at the bottom of the cards provide information on the reasons for, and the type of, discharge as well as a record of prior military service. Also included in the file are summary lists of the names of Pennsylvania veterans determined to be eligible to file claims for pensions; receive awards, medals or badges; or receive replacement discharge certificates in lieu of a lost or destroyed certificates, in order to provide a record of death or to receive Pennsylvania Veteran's Compensation. Based upon the Veteran's Compensation Act, passed in 1934, it covers those who gave the State of Pennsylvania, or any place within the Commonwealth, as his or her place of residence and who served in World War I from 1917-1918, the Spanish-American War in 1898, the China Relief Expedition, or the occupation of the Philippines or Guam from 1898 to 1902. Spanish American War Veterans' Compensation File, [ca. 1934]. (35 cartons) {series #19.79} [Holdings] Arranged alphabetically by surname. The file was created by the State Adjutant General's Office in 1934. Based upon the Veteran's Compensation Act, passed in 1934, it covers those who gave the State of Pennsylvania, or any place within the Commonwealth, as his or her place of residence and who served in World War I from 1917-1918, the Spanish-American War in 1898, the China Relief Expedition, or the occupation of the Philippines or Guam from 1898 to 1902. Included in the file are the following documents: Veterans' Compensation Applications normally provide names, races, legal residences on entry, current residences, where and when enlisted, places and dates of birth, names of dependents, organizations to which attached and dates of service, grades or ratings with dates of appointments or promotions, engagements involved in, dates of any wounds or injuries received, dates served overseas, and the dates and places of discharge. Also noted is whether a veteran ever applied for compensation before or ever refused military duty on conscientious, political, or other grounds. The notarized forms are signed by the applicants, the officers administering the oath, and a local notaries public. Verification of Service and Bonus Payments. Consists of forms that normally give the soldiers' names, ranks, companies and regiments, the dates mustered-in and out, the dates of enrollment, and the application numbers. Spanish American War Veterans' Compensation File for Soldiers with Disapproved Residence, 1934. (2 cartons) {series #19.80} [Holdings] Arranged alphabetically by surname of veteran. Consists of Veterans' Compensation Applications for soldiers having disapproved residences. Based upon the Veteran's Compensation Act, passed in 1934, it covers those who gave the State of Pennsylvania, or any place within the Commonwealth, as his or her place of residence and who served in World War I from 1917-1918, the Spanish-American War in 1898, the China Relief Expedition, or the occupation of the Philippines or Guam from 1898 to 1902. The notarized applications provide each soldier's name, race, legal residence at the time of induction and current residence; date and location where enlisted, commissioned, or inducted; date and place of birth; names and addresses of dependents; the dates of service in various military organizations, stations, or vessels; grades or ratings achieved together with dates of appointments or promotions; engagements served in; dates of wounds or other injuries; and the date and place where honorably discharged. The forms also provide information as to whether the veteran had received a bonus or veteran's compensation and documents any refusal to perform full military duty on conscientious, political, or other grounds. The forms are signed by the applicants, the officer administering the oath, and the local justice of the peace attesting to the identity of the applicant. Ray -----Original Message----- From: Renaye Clifton [mailto:renaye@pacbell.net] Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2005 2:02 PM To: PALEBANO-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: PALEBANO-D Digest V05 #181 Fred, Thank you for your quick reply and suggestion about searching around the Conemaugh River. I'll find an atlas and see what towns are in that region. This suggestion is very helpful since I am not familiar with the area. I have looked at several 1900 census' with no luck so far. I'm in the process of looking at the census for each township in Cambria county (can you to tell me which townships are near the Conemaugh River?) and when that is completed, I plan on looking at the townships in Lebanon, Mercer and Union county...a long process but I'm determined to find this man! I am not sure Joseph served in the Spanish American War. This is something his daughter told me. The family has tried to obtain Naval records but was unsuccessful. Nevertheless, he did have a funeral with full military honors. Thanks again, I do appreciate the time you took to answer my query. Renaye . PALEBANO-D-request@rootsweb.com wrote: PALEBANO-D Digest Volume 05 : Issue 181 Today's Topics: #1 Joseph E. Devere 1873-1932 [Renaye Clifton #2 Re: [PALEBANO] Joseph E. Devere 18 ["Frederick S. Frantz, Jr." Administrivia: To unsubscribe from PALEBANO-D, send a message to PALEBANO-D-request@rootsweb.com that contains in the body of the message the command unsubscribe and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but if your software requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. ______________________________Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 20:31:18 -0700 (PDT) From: Renaye Clifton <renaye@pacbell.net> To: PALEBANO-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Joseph E. Devere 1873-1932 List Members, I am in the process of researching the unknown family of Joseph Elmer Devere who was born May 1881(source is his draft registration form) or 1873 (source is his obituary) in Jamestown or Johnstown Pennsylvania (still trying to find the right location). I am told that when he left his home as a young man, after an arguement about religion, he never returned nor did he ever talk about his past with his wife and children. It is a possibility that he could have also changed his name. His daughter tells me that he left Jamestown, Pennsylvania in 1906 and cut all ties with his family. She states that all records were lost in the flood and so the family has been unable to find anything on her father. He died when she was only 18 mos. old. He is what we do know. Joseph Elmer Devere is said to have served in the US Navy aboard the USS Olympia (General Dewey's flagship) during the Spanish-American War. I have seen one website that contains a list of the men on board after a battle in the Philippines and he is not listed there. In 1908 he married Jeanette Reid in Cle Elum, Kittitas, Washington. They had nine children. I do have copies of the 1910, 1920 and 1930 census showing his family in Cle Elum, Kittitas, Washington. He died 4 Jan 1932 in Cle Elum. I am desperate for any information or advice where I might further my research. I would be happy to contact any local groups or societies but don't know if they exist at this time. Does anyone know if the records that were actually lost in the flood of 1889 were ever reconstructed? Was mining the primary occupation at that time? Are mining records available? Joseph was probably a high school student in 1889, how many high schools were destroyed in the flood? Thank you for your time and any suggestions you may be able to offer in this search, Renaye ______________________________Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2005 00:42:47 -0400 From: "Frederick S. Frantz, Jr." <fsfrantz@juno.com> To: PALEBANO-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [PALEBANO] Joseph E. Devere 1873-1932 The great flood was in the valley leading to Johnstown PA. As I remember it was the Conemaugh River. I would concentrate my search there. The Spanish American War was in 1898. Either birth date would be possible; he may have lied about his age in order to enlist. Local records were destroyed but the Federal Census records for 1900 are available. Are you sure that he was in the Spanish American War? Fred Frantz