Milan Veterans of the "World War"
From Northern/Southern Dutchess News: click on article text to enlarge
Clara Price Turner
Lieutenant Field Nurse, France
Willow Glen Road Residence
Ralph Lydecker Fulton
Ensign, Naval Aux. Reserve
Born Fulton Farmhouse Turkey Hill Rd
Lawrence Edward Cotter
Medical Doctor, First Lieutenant
Born Cotter Farm, Rock City Route 199
Eugene Alexander Van nest
Lieutenant Colonel
Born Brooklyn, many years owned Rowland Farm and was Justice of the Peace, Milan
The search to identify veterans of Milan who served in WWI exposes challenges that are typical to the general task, and a few that are particular to Milan. In addition to broad and general reluctance to speak about the war, particular to Milan we find people at the time often had a stronger tie to their hamlet than the town. Hamlets like Rock City, Jackson Corners and Lafayetteville spread across adjacent towns causing confusion. Furthermore, many draft age men were itinerant farm workers, moving from town to town.Â
Philip Althiser
1890-1960
Born in Milan. Served Co A 305th Infantry. Dec 4, 1917 to April 20, 1919. Served overseas as "wagoner." Lived variously at Ancram, Washington Hollow, Stanfordville. Interred Rhinebeck Cemetery.
Webster Bathrick
1892-1968
Born in Milan. Served Co F 2nd Infantry. June 9, 1917 to April 1, 1919. Overseas. Pvt 1st class. Lived mostly in Schenectedy then Florida.
C. Edwin Battenfeld
1893-1952
Born in Milan. Served six years in the Navy beginning in WWI. Milan Tax collector. Farmer. Buried Rock City.
William H Briggs
1895-1967
Born Milan. Served December 1917 to April 19. Co. A 305th Infantry, Private. Died, buried Vermont.
James B Bromiley
1894-1956
Born in the Bronx. Moved with his parents to Milan in 1914 where he remained all his life. Interred Milan Union Cemetery.
Harold S Case
1892-1984
Served Septme
Born, Milan. Served Sep 1918 to Feb 1919 Repair Shop Unit 306 MTC. Car mechanic, NYC. Died, buried Stanfordville.
.
David A Clark
1894-1918
Born in Virginia. Milan shown as home in 1917 draft and 1918 service list. His death is noted as due to "accidental grenade explosion." He may be the un-named person of color mentioned in May 1918 local report. He is named in Poughkeepsie honor roll.
John A Cole
1889-1919
Born and lived in Milan, Jackson Corners, where his father operated a store for 50 years, was briefly postmaster. Early honorable discharge January 17, 1919, noting disability. He died shortly thereafter, March 27, 1919. Interred Pine Plains Evergreen Cemetery.
Robert Lincoln Coons
1896-1939
Born in the town of North East, served May 25, 1918 to July 24, 1919. Pvt 1st class, Co B 2nd Pioneer Infantry, overseas. Interred Ancram Union Cemetery.
Lawrence Edward Cotter MD
1882-1953
Born in Milan. Medical doctor, served as 1st Lt. Medical Corps. Practiced for a decade in Brooklyn before re-settling locally in Red Hook. Was serving as County Medical Examiner when he died.
Conrad T Dittman
1888-1979
Born in Poland. Served while living in New Jersey. Buried Rock City. Born Gostyn, Poland Oct 27, 1888. Poultry Farmer Milan Died March 28, 1970. Corporal Co 67, 12th infantry 153 Brigade
Ralph Lydecker Fulton
1896-1974
Born in Milan at the Fulton farmhouse on Turkey Hill, served June 8, 1918 to Sep 30, 1921. Chief Machinist's Mate and Ensign, Naval Auxiliary Reserve.
Gilbert L Gubler
(1893-1930)
Born in Jackson Corners, Milan. Served September 28, 1917 to May 19, 1919. Served overseas as Corporal and Sergeant, Co E 302nd Am Tn (Ammunition Train). Interred Mount Hope Cemetery, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY.
Robert Holsapple
1889-1941
Born in Claverack. Served December 4, 2017 to June 26, 1919. Pvt Medical Detachment, Camp Upton, NY. Lived Tampa, FL from 1925 until his death.
Eugene Egbert Ohlson
1890-1956
Born in Texas. Served March 23, 1918 to September 30, 1921. Yeoman, US Naval Reserve.
William H Ostrander
1890-1978
Born in Milan. Served June 1918 to July 1919. Buried Milan Union Cemetery.
Thomas J Remsburger
1894-1977
Born in Milan, lived in Schenectady much of his life.
Angelo Rossi
1895-1959
Born in Parma, Italy. Lived many years near Case's Corners, Milan. Worked for Dutchess County Highway Dept.
Rowland M Sharp
1897-1984
Born in Blue Stone, NY. Served Sept 11, 1917 to Aug 4, 1919. Ambulance Co 23. Served as Rhinebeck Town Supervisor.
Clarence Swartz
1890-1961
Born in Milan. Served Sep 21, 1917 to June 10, 1919. Corporal, Co I 308th Infantry & Co A 514 Engineers. Also lived in Union Vale and Poughkeepsie.
Chesley H Thompson
1899-1954
Born, Canada. Served in British Navy, seriously injured in Dec 1919 Halifax explosion. Died, Milan. Buried Milan Union Cemetery.
James "Jimmy" Ward
1882-1934
Born in Nevada. Served in Spanish American War. And in WWI as Army Private, Co. D, 25th Engineers. Owner of, "Restaurant, Dance Hall, and Beer Parlor." Buried Yeoman's cemetery.
Testimony of Farm Cadet Alisa Cotter Who Served on Milan Farm
The engagement of school-age boys and girls in farming both supported food production when there were shortages and freed up "able-bodied men" to go to combat missions in Europe. This is testimony of a local girl on Milan farm. Her brother Lawrence is profiled below as Veteran.
List of drafted men and sources
Sources Used to Identify Milan Veterans
Raw Research Clippings Scrapbook
1916 Military Census of Men Aged
