Gloucester Hero John Handran Gets International Attention

I've told John Handran's story in previous posts ( https://gatheringthecousins.blogspot.com/2014/04/john-handran-1852-1885-medal-of-honor.html) but briefly, he was awarded the U.S. Medal of Honor by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1876 for rescuing a fellow Navy seaman from drowning. This honor hasn't previously received much recognition, perhaps partly because John died in the sinking of the Schooner Cleopatra just 9 years later.

About 5 years ago, I was contacted by the Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States requesting "smoking gun" evidence that the John Handran in our family tree is the SAME John Handran that was awarded the Medal on Honor. I realized that, despite the excellently researched Handran family tree information provided by George Handran, I did not have adequate "smoking gun" evidence to prove this. A long search began. I was assisted by a Canadian group which specializes in Canadians (John was born in Newfoundland) who were awarded the US Medal of Honor.

In 2017, I found that evidence on the front page of the Cape Ann Advertiser Jan 1885 which I was able to review (the actual newspaper 130+ years old) at the Cape Ann Museum Library and Archives. This evidence satisfied the Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States and they set about arranging for an "In Memory Of" memorial plaque to be laid at the sight of his wife Sarah's grave at Calvary Cemetery in Gloucester. Getting cemetery and military approval was no easy task but the plaque was laid in late winter this year and a ceremony was being planned. Then the virus stopped everyone's plans.

I told this story here on the blog, as well as on the Good Morning Gloucester blog ( https://goodmorninggloucester.com/2017/12/22/a-noble-record/). These blog posts are what brought John Handran's story to the attention of the Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States. I told the story to well known genealogist and podcaster Lisa Louise Cooke who decided it warranted a segment on her Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast #183. I was delighted to share John's story as well as the steps taken to get some deserved recognition to him and to his family. You can listen to my interview here: https://lisalouisecooke.com/2020/06/01/new-view/

Genealogy Gems Premium is a paid subscription service (which I highly recommend for only $49.95/year) with a wide international following, but Lisa Louise has agreed to share a free version for you all to enjoy.  It's time for John to get the recognition he and his family deserve for his heroism and service to country.

Everything Will Take Care of Itself

I've been thinking a great deal about our grandfather Francis P. Flynn, who was universally known as "Weenie" long before such a nickname would create sniggers. Our current President indicated he had no idea how to compare the upcoming death rates in American history: "I don't know, World War II maybe?" and I wanted to scream "Does 1918 ring a bell?" 

The flu pandemic of 1918-19 resulted in more than 600,000 (six HUNDRED THOUSAND) deaths in the United States. Last estimate I heard for our current COVID-19 pandemic is an estimate of as many as 200,000 deaths. When numbers get that high, comparisons between 200,000 and 600,000 tend to lose meaning because we can't wrap our heads around losing so many lives. But Americans have suffered extreme death rates and the flu pandemic has a number of parallels to today's crisis.

Our grandfather was born in 1906, and therefore around 12 years old during most of the 1918 flu. One younger brother, Dinty, was only a toddler and therefore in an at-risk population. Also at risk were his parents, especially his mother Barbara who was in her mid 30s. This pandemic struck mostly younger adults and was vicious, however, the Flynn family escaped the worst of it. Barbara had some nursing training so perhaps that was a factor, but I am sure it was a time of high alert and cautious measures.

I expect a 12 year old was very conscious of what was going on around him in the small city of Olean NY and I also imagine this crisis impacted his views on life. He always used to say "Everything will take care of itself.".   I wonder where this phrase originated for him. As a mom, I like to imagine it was passed down by his mother but it seemed so like him that I was sure it was a motto he designed for himself.

Many times throughout my life, this phrase brought comfort. It remains so today.  Our at risk groups today are very different so I am especially thinking about my older friends and family as well as those with compromised health conditions. I'm not sure what life will look like on the other side of COVID-19, but I do believe that, in time, "everything will take care of itself." God Bless you, Weenie. Love you and miss you always.