Boozer Name
Boozer!
Yep, its kind of a funny name but so much strength, honor, and hard work built that name that I cant help but be proud to say its mine.
Somewhere around the year 1810, a 10 year old boy got on a ship leaving Switzerland for America. His father had died sometime earlier and his mother had remarried and reports say that all came over together. Henrys name may have actually been Baser, Buser, Booser or many other numerous spellings but in America it was written as Boozer and from that point on, it was the accepted way of spelling it. I’m sure he missed his dad and records don’t tell us if his mom or little sister even survived the passage, so we can only assume he was all on his own when he was indentured to a man named Becker to pay for his passage over to America.
Henry grew up and married Caroline Painter and they had many children, two of whom fought in the American Civil War for the north. Both, John and Eli served as members of Company D in the 111th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Eli, only SIXTEEN years old, enlisted first on the 8th day of August in 1862 and John, 21, enlisted 6 days later. The 111th was organized at Toledo, Ohio and mustered on September 5, 1862. They fought throughout, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. Eli was killed in the one of the worst battles in the war, at Franklin, Tennessee. It is said that the Army of Tennessee died at Franklin on November 30th of 1864. And so did Eli Boozer. He was only 18 years old. John served until the whole regiment was mustered out on June 27, 1865..
John went on to marry Caroline Mercer in 1866 and they named their first born son, born in 1869, after his valiant younger brother. That Eli was my fathers’ grandfather.
From most accounts, Eli was a pretty tough man. He was 21 years old when he married Nancy Nelson, 17 years old.. They didn’t settle in one place for many years moving from Ohio, to Illinois, to Missouri and into northern Arkansas. Eli would buy land for the timber, set up a sawmill and sell all the lumber he could, then sell the land and move on to the next land he bought. It is said that at any given time, he owned quite a bit of land but he never kept it. Each time he moved, he built a house and it was said that he and his sons could build a house in 1 day.
Together he and Nancy had 8 children, two of which died in infancy. Ben, their second oldest was my grandfather. Ben moved back up north to Illinois after his mother died and there he met and married Luella Gabbert. After just a few years of marriage, they moved to Arkansas and there was nothing easy about the life they led and most of us living today could never have survived it. They were poor, but they weren’t beggars. They never had much but they didn’t take what wasn’t theirs. They raised six boys and two girls, one of whom died at age 11.
Three of those sons served in the military but only one actual fought in the war. After Japan struck the United States by attacking Pearl Harbor, in December of 1941, George William or Bill as his family called him, enlisted on July 14, 1942. He was only 22 years old and unmarried but ready for the fight of his life. He was almost immediately sent to Germany where he was stationed throughout his whole enlistment up until he was injured. Bill survived World War II but he wasn’t unscathed. How could you live through the atrocities of Hitler and the Holocaust and not be affected in some way? Not to mention the shrapnel that he carried with him everyday throughout his life.
Two other brothers that served in the military were June and Fred, but luckily they never had to fight.
This amazing generation of men never knew the luxury of retirement. They never called a plumber, an electrician or a carpenter because they did it themselves. Even in their 70’s Bob and Fred work harder in a dangerous job, than most men ever have.
There is nothing my dad cant do. Just 2 years ago, at the age of 74, he built a 40 foot wheelchair ramp for my house and remodeled several rooms for me. He brought me 20 crepe myrtles and 30 rose of Sharons and some wildflowers and planted them for me. He still takes care of any problems that I have.
And I thank God everyday that my son takes after him.
I am PROUD to be a BOOZER!!!!
Yep, its kind of a funny name but so much strength, honor, and hard work built that name that I cant help but be proud to say its mine.
Somewhere around the year 1810, a 10 year old boy got on a ship leaving Switzerland for America. His father had died sometime earlier and his mother had remarried and reports say that all came over together. Henrys name may have actually been Baser, Buser, Booser or many other numerous spellings but in America it was written as Boozer and from that point on, it was the accepted way of spelling it. I’m sure he missed his dad and records don’t tell us if his mom or little sister even survived the passage, so we can only assume he was all on his own when he was indentured to a man named Becker to pay for his passage over to America.
Henry grew up and married Caroline Painter and they had many children, two of whom fought in the American Civil War for the north. Both, John and Eli served as members of Company D in the 111th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Eli, only SIXTEEN years old, enlisted first on the 8th day of August in 1862 and John, 21, enlisted 6 days later. The 111th was organized at Toledo, Ohio and mustered on September 5, 1862. They fought throughout, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. Eli was killed in the one of the worst battles in the war, at Franklin, Tennessee. It is said that the Army of Tennessee died at Franklin on November 30th of 1864. And so did Eli Boozer. He was only 18 years old. John served until the whole regiment was mustered out on June 27, 1865..
John went on to marry Caroline Mercer in 1866 and they named their first born son, born in 1869, after his valiant younger brother. That Eli was my fathers’ grandfather.
From most accounts, Eli was a pretty tough man. He was 21 years old when he married Nancy Nelson, 17 years old.. They didn’t settle in one place for many years moving from Ohio, to Illinois, to Missouri and into northern Arkansas. Eli would buy land for the timber, set up a sawmill and sell all the lumber he could, then sell the land and move on to the next land he bought. It is said that at any given time, he owned quite a bit of land but he never kept it. Each time he moved, he built a house and it was said that he and his sons could build a house in 1 day.
Together he and Nancy had 8 children, two of which died in infancy. Ben, their second oldest was my grandfather. Ben moved back up north to Illinois after his mother died and there he met and married Luella Gabbert. After just a few years of marriage, they moved to Arkansas and there was nothing easy about the life they led and most of us living today could never have survived it. They were poor, but they weren’t beggars. They never had much but they didn’t take what wasn’t theirs. They raised six boys and two girls, one of whom died at age 11.
Three of those sons served in the military but only one actual fought in the war. After Japan struck the United States by attacking Pearl Harbor, in December of 1941, George William or Bill as his family called him, enlisted on July 14, 1942. He was only 22 years old and unmarried but ready for the fight of his life. He was almost immediately sent to Germany where he was stationed throughout his whole enlistment up until he was injured. Bill survived World War II but he wasn’t unscathed. How could you live through the atrocities of Hitler and the Holocaust and not be affected in some way? Not to mention the shrapnel that he carried with him everyday throughout his life.
Two other brothers that served in the military were June and Fred, but luckily they never had to fight.
This amazing generation of men never knew the luxury of retirement. They never called a plumber, an electrician or a carpenter because they did it themselves. Even in their 70’s Bob and Fred work harder in a dangerous job, than most men ever have.
There is nothing my dad cant do. Just 2 years ago, at the age of 74, he built a 40 foot wheelchair ramp for my house and remodeled several rooms for me. He brought me 20 crepe myrtles and 30 rose of Sharons and some wildflowers and planted them for me. He still takes care of any problems that I have.
And I thank God everyday that my son takes after him.
I am PROUD to be a BOOZER!!!!
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