Tuesday, July 20, 2010

John Clay Spooner, born Sherman Mills, Maine, died World War I in France




Dedication page from the June 1919 yearbook, "The Spud", published by the students of Sherman High School, Sherman Mills, Maine, in memory of former student John Clay Spooner, who died July 25, 1918, from wounds received in the Battle of Chateau Thierry.




John's classmate Montelle Wren, who enlisted at the same time, wrote a poem.



Sherman Mills is located in the town of Sherman, in southwestern Aroostook County, near Baxter State Park.  Sherman was incorporated in 1862; before incorporation, its name was Golden Ridge.  



Researching online, I found that John Clay Spooner was born in Sherman Mills in May of 1895, the son of Thomas W. and Elizabeth (Kellogg) Spooner.   Thomas, born in 1858 in Levant, Maine, was the son of Henry and Mary Ann (Beath) Spooner.   Henry was born in Kenduskeag, Maine, in 1829, the son of Wing and Abiah B. (Clewley) Spooner.  Mary Ann Beath was born abt 1830, probably in Penobscot County, but I couldn't find her parents, and I don't know if Beath is her birth name or married name.  Interestingly, Beatham is a common name in Penobscot County, Maine. 


John Clay Spooner's mother Elisabeth or Elizabeth was the daughter of John and Lucy Maria (Caldwell) Kellogg.  She was born in Island Falls, Maine, in 1866.   Her father John was born about 1832 in Maine, the son of Gardner and Elizabeth Green (Foster) Kellogg.  Her mother Lucy Maria or Maria Lucy was born in Lincoln, Maine, the daughter of Wesley and Maria Ford (Cushman) Caldwell.  


According to the yearbook, John Clay Spooner died from wounds received in the Battle of Thierry on July 25, 1918.   An online military reference places his date of death as July 27, 1918.  The Battle of Chateau Thierry occurred on July 18, 1918, but I'm not sure of the exact date when he suffered his wounds.  It's possible that he's among the 2300 Americans  buried in the Belleau Wood Cemetery.  The war memorial at Chateau Thierry Hill is considered one of the most beautiful in France.


I don't know if John Clay Spooner married before he went overseas.  There's no entry for him in the Maine Marriages online database, but he could have married out of state.  He had a brother, Wallace Kellogg Spooner, who also served in the war but luckily survived.  Wallace married, had children and died in Lewiston, Maine, in 1962.  I hope that he and his grandchildren were a source of comfort to Thomas and Elizabeth Spooner.


If you have any insights into the family of John Clay Spooner, please leave a comment or contact me directly.


10 comments:

  1. Hello!!! John Clay Spooner is my 3rd cousin 2x removed. I was THRILLED to see this! Thank you! Do you remember WHERE you got this? You can e mail me at : Kristinroca@aol.com or find me on facebook- under kristin gaffney roca Thanks million!

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    1. Sorry I didn't notice this earlier. I found it when I was scanning the yearbook and decided that it merited a post of its own.

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  2. the genealogy you have recorded here is somewhat right-but that doesn;t matter :) thanks!

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    1. Sorry I didn't see this earlier. If you have corrections, please post them in the comments. Thanks!

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  3. My Great Uncle, discovered his grave today, cemetery # 2, Sherman, Maine

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  4. Thanks for commenting! Do you know if he's actually buried there or if it's a cenotaph? Also, could you take a look at the genealogy in the post and see if there are mistakes to be corrected. Thanks again.

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  5. Hello, I've just returned to this page after many months. I don't know for sure where he is buried. I've searched American Military cemeteries on line to no avail. Was quite a thrill to discover his very nice tombstone in Sherman. I've a picture with him wearing his uniform and what appears to be a wedding band. Sadly there is no one left to fill in the blanks. Both he and my Grandfather served in France, and I carry their names, Wallace John Spooner. I'd love to get a copy of the Spud with dedication.

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    1. Not sure I still have it, but will look for you. Contact info under Inquiries in the right margin near the top.

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    2. Yes, I found it. Contact info under Inquiries in the right margin near the top.

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  6. Is the 1919 The Spud available for sale?

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