The Corgyncombe Courant Salutes Veterans! Revisited!

"With a Zeal and Fervor"...

Illustration of Paul Revere's Ride from "Stories of American History and Home Life"

The Corgyncombe Courant reports on an article found in an 1901 issue of "The Otsego Farmer":

The Otsego Farmer, January 11, 1901
Gilbertsville
"The firemen have much improved their hall by repainting and papering it and covering the floor with matting. Last Saturday evening, at the regular monthly meeting, there was an unusually large attendance. After the business meeting the veteran fireman, O. E. Taylor, by invitation, recited Paul Revere's ride, rendering that grand old poem with a zeal and fervor which elicited much applause."

Oh, how The Corgyncombe Courant reporters wish they had been there to hear the poem recited with "zeal and fervor" by a grandson of Revolutionary War soldier Elias Taylor and great grandson of Revolutionary War Soldiers Joseph Peters and Nathaniel Swift. O. E. Taylor was a great great uncle of Diane's and Elias Taylor was Diane's 4th great grandfather. Elias Taylor served under Gen'l George Washington. Joseph Peters and Nathaniel Swift were both 5th great grandfathers of Diane.

The Corgyncombe Courant is sure that many others in attendance at the firemen's hall were also descendants of Revolutionary War soldiers and one can imagine the roar of applause in response to such "zeal and fervor".

The Corgyncombe Courant reporters have gone out on the Corgyncombe Cottage lawn on Independence Day and read "The Landlord's Tale, Paul Revere's Ride" written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Some favored lines, read with much "zeal and fervor" from the lawn at Corgyncombe...

"Listen, my children, and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.

He said to his friend, "If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal-light, -
One, if by land, and two, if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country-folk to be up and to arm."

continued later in the poem:

"A hurry of hoofs in the village street,
A shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark,
And beneath, from the pebbles, in passing, a spark
Struck out by a steed flying fearless and fleet;
That was all! And yet, through the gloom and the light,
The fate of a nation was riding that night;
And the spark struck out by that steed, in his flight,
Kindled the land into flame with its heat."

Some of The Corgyncombe Courant reporters' Revolutionary War soldier direct ancestors were:

Levi Adams Sr.

Serg. Levi Adams Jr.
Benjamite Greene
John Hale
Stephen Harrington
Henry Head
Cyprian Keyes
Nehemiah Lyon
Eliakim May
Joseph Peters
Jared Robinson
Ziba Robinson
William Scott
Stephen Smith
Nathaniel Swift
Thomas Weaver
Elias Taylor

There are several other Revolutionary War soldiers that The Corgyncombe Courant Genealogy Department is researching, also.

In "Wings from the Wind, An Anthology of Poems Selected and Illustrated by Tasha Tudor", Tasha illustrated some farmer soilders at the bridge for the poem "The Concord Hymn" written by Ralph Waldo Emerson. There is also an illustration of an old gravestone.

Diane's great great grandfather Carlton P. Taylor served for the Union in the Civil War. He was brother to O. E. Taylor mentioned above, who with "zeal and fervor" recited "Paul Revere's Ride".

Truman Head, a close relative to Diane's 4th great grandmother Martha (Head) Robinson, was a famous and legendary sharpshooter for the Union in Berdan's Sharp Shooters. Truman Head was known as "California Joe". (Not to be confused with Moses Milner who was also called "California Joe".)

The Corgyncombe Courant has photographed their own copy of "Harper's Weekly".
Above is the engraving in Harper's Weekly of Truman Head, aka California Joe, of Berdan's Sharp Shooters.

Before World War II Diane's father helped his parents on their farm "Lug Tug Hollow" and he also worked for the elderly widow lady next door.

About 325 years after his ancestors left the old world Diane's father returns. Here he is, way a top the tank, looking somber as he approaches enemy lines somewhere in the Rhine Valley.

Following in the patriotic tradition of his ancestors Diane's Father left the life of a farmer and volunteered for military service in World War II. After he completed his training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, he was sent to Europe. He was a gunner in the U.S. Third Army, Company "B", Patton's Troubleshooters, 702nd Tank Battalion.

Private
Corporal
Sergeant
Staff Sergeant

Diane's father served valiantly in the Battle of the Bulge. Diane and Sarah are very proud of his skill and service! The Corgyncombe Courant is thankful to all the Veteran's who have served and are serving for the United States of America. The Corgyncombe Courant prays for the safety of all of our country's soldiers serving today.

The Editresses of The Corgyncombe Courant

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