Some of my Military Veteran Ancestors

The only American Revolution veteran I've been able to document is my 5th Great Uncle Brittain Belk. I have read that his brother, my 5th great grandfather Darling Belk, also served in the American Revolution but have yet been able to prove it. Uncle Brittain is buried in Monroe, NC, in the Old Antioch Cemetery along with most of his family including his mother and father, my 6th great grandparents. Uncle Brittain died in 1880 several months after being wounded by the troops of Banastre Tarleton at Buford Crossroads Massacre on May 29, 1780. He was struck in the head by a sword.

My 3rd great grandfather, George Washington Lafayette Belk, enlisted in Company E as a Private, North Carolina 48th Infantry Regiment, on 19 Apr 1862. He mustered out 14 Oct 1863 at Bristoe Station, VA and was killed 14 Oct 1863 at Bristoe Station, VA. After his death his wife Tressie married Charles Fisher Helms, who was also a veteran of the Civil War.

My cousin Woodrow Wilson Belk, who was the great grandson of the above mentioned George Washington Lafayette Belk, died in World War II in a plane crash at Rotterdam while on a Third Air Force flight. He was the son of Oscar and Corrie Pressley Belk and is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Charlotte, NC.

My paternal great grandfather's brother, William Andrew Josiah Mosier served in WWI. He survived but was in France when his father died.

 
Great Uncle William RF Belk served in WWII. He had great survival skills because he had eight sisters!

My mother had four brothers and they all served in the military, as did the husband of her cousin and best friend, Sarah Adams. Mom's brothers were Charles, Harold (Bud), Clinton and David Abernathy, and Sarah's husband was Gerald Murphy.

Harold "Bud" Abernathy

Gerald Murphy

Charles Abernathy

Clinton Abernathy with sister Anne

David Lee Abernathy

My dear father John Edward Mosier served in the USAF, Korea and Vietnam, for over 20 years.

 

My Step Grandfather Robert E. Lee Rorie

My paternal grandfather Clyde Mosier died when dad was 12 years old. His mother remarried after her three children were grown, but before she had grandchildren. Papa Bob was the only paternal grandfather I ever knew and he was loved by all of his eight grandchildren. His marriage to my grandmother was his first so he had no children of his own.

 

Grandma and Papa lived in a two bedroom home with her room at one end and his at the other. We spent a lot of time in her room because that is where her sewing machine was, and also where I slept (with her) when I visited her during the summer. We rarely entered Papa's room. I remember a twin bed that was always immaculately made and a small dresser. The only other thing I remember was a large oval framed photo of a man in a uniform above Papa's bed. We knew it was his father but never asked him anything about his family. We were a little afraid of it because the eyes would follow you. Maybe that is how he kept us out of his room!

When I started researching my family history I of course included my Papa Bob.  I was stunned to find out that his father, pictured above his bed, was in the Civil War. My GREAT grandfather was in the Civil War! Papa Bob was the 17th child of William Thomas Rorie, from his second wife. William Thomas Rorie died in 1924 when Papa was 12 years old.

I asked my aunt what happened to the framed photo and she thinks my grandmother gave it to Papa Bob's only surviving sister, who came to his funeral. That makes sense and is exactly what grandma would have done. How I would love to see it now, and I am thinking with the 1940 census out I may be able to find descendants of his sister, Cara Maybelle Rorie Laney.

Bob and Thelma Rorie