I believe this is the first time I found proof that Col. G had attended the USMC. It was not concrete proof but I felt it was pretty good evidence he was enrolled.
I had a one week free trial that gave me access to many US census records. He was not to be found in the 1890 census because most of it had been destroyed in a fire.
Here is the 1910 census and he and his wife, Helen are stationed in the Philippines at Ludlow Barracks, Mindanao with Gretchen Tritch, Helen’s daughter and servant Louise.
From this it might indicate that Gretchen is his daughter but since the last name is Tritch it is my guess that he did not adopt her and just simpler to indicate she was his daughter.
Now we are looking at the 1920 US census and they are in Washington D.C.. Gretchen is now listed as his step daughter and their servant is still with them and she is age 45. I have difficulty reading her name. Not sure if her last name is Rudy or Reedy but I still believe her first name was Louise. It did not surprise me to see in the 1910 census they had a servant in the Philippines but to have the same person in the 1920 censes makes me wonder how they afforded her. The military did not make much at this time. I’m wondering if it isn’t Helen’s money who is paying Louise’s salary?
Looking back through my records I don’t see a 1930 census. I’m pretty sure I looked for it but nothing came up or I ran out of my free week. I went looking again just now and came across the following site – Censusfinder at this URL http://www.censusfinder.com/ . I did a search on Thomas Gimperling and came up with all kinds of references but when I clicked on the 1930 census I was taken to a ancestry.com site and offered a free 14 day trial If I gave them a credit card. I did, and now have two weeks to get my searching act together.
Looks like Col. G and family are now living in Leavenworth KS at 632 Thomas Ave. and stationed on Fort Leavenworth Military Reservation. I tired to googlmap the address but there is no street view at this time. 1930 Census:
It’s pretty clear from the 1930 censes record above that the servant’s name is Louie Reedy. I’m sure that Louie is her nickname.
Here are passport photos of the 4 main characters in the blog.
Maj. G and wife Helen Campbell Tritch Gimperling, Gretchen Tritch age 19 and maid Louise ((Louie) Reedy
The next few finds on censusfiner.com were exciting for me. Up came Col. G’s passport requests in July of 1923 while he and his family were stationed at the US Embassy in Paris, France. Two wonderful things about passport applications are that photos are required and a physical description is given. If you click on the following URLs you will see his request for a 3 month extension to his passport and Gretchen’s. Note: when the web pages come up you can enlarge them so you can read them easily.
Gimperling passport page 1: http://www.mccookdirect.com/gimperling/gimp-1923-passport-p1.jpg
Gimperling Passport Page 2: http://www.mccookdirect.com/gimperling/gimp-1923-passport-p2.jpg
Gimperling Passport Page 3: http://www.mccookdirect.com/gimperling/gimp-1923-passport-p.jpg
Gretchen Tritch Passport Page 1: http://www.mccookdirect.com/gimperling/gretchen-tritch-passport-1.jpg
Gretchen Tritch Passport Page 2: http://www.mccookdirect.com/gimperling/gretchen-tritch-passport-2.jpg
Gretchen Tritch Passport Page 3: http://www.mccookdirect.com/gimperling/gretchen-tritch-passport-3.jpg
Louie Reedy 1921 Passport Page 1: http://www.mccookdirect.com/gimperling/louie-reedy-pasport-1921-p1.jpg
Louie Reedy1921 Passport Page 2: http://www.mccookdirect.com/gimperling/louie-reedy-pasport-1921-p2.jpg
Louie had on her passport 1736 Mass. Ave. as being Gimperlings’s maid & living at this address:
http://www.mccookdirect.com/gimperling/1736-mass-ave-wdc.png
I talked to my 96 year old father today and told him about this entry. He mentioned he remembered Louie and that she was short women who wore a white blouse, black skirt and a short while apron. She had told him that she had curvature of the spin from carrying Gretchen on her hip for so many years.
This note in Maj. G’s passport application gave me their Paris address:
http://www.mccookdirect.com/gimperling/gimp-paris-address-7-20-1923.png
And here is what that address looks like today:
http://www.mccookdirect.com/gimperling/2bis-villa-said-paris-france-1923.png
Where Maj. Gimperling worked at the American Embassy in Paris:
http://www.mccookdirect.com/gimperling/5-rue-de-chaillot-paris.png
So far, this is the only item I’ve found that indicates what Maj. G was doing in France:
Here is an aerial view of the French Military Museum today:
Below is the ship SS America or Amerika Col. Gimperling and family sailed home on in Sept/Oct 1923. Click on the photo to see their names on the passenger list.
I just finished reading the life of the Amarika/USAT America on Wikipedia and found it fascinating. If you click on the ship picture picture below you also have the opportunity to read it.
Writer’s Note: I have found the time researching this particular journal entry fascinating. Much of the information was not available on the Internet this time last year so most of this data is new to me. I know there are many holes in Col. G’s life from 1900 to 1930 in this blog but maybe as more and more information is placed on the Internet I will find it. It would be great if I could get my hands on Col. G’s DD-214.
I’ve been thinking of contacting Richard Singles, Col. G’s great grandson. Oh, I forgot to tell you that I located Richard Singles in October of last year. He and/or his brother might be able to request Col. G’s DD214. I guess I will go and find out who in the family tree have the right to request a DD214. Wish me luck.
Steve with more to come.
Note: As Mia and I canoed past the Jackson cottage (old Gimperling property) yesterday morning, Bob Jackson told me that when they took the old bathtub out of the Ferry cottage, written on the back of it was “Spitzmiller- Gimperling 1928”.
June 25, 2017 Note: This morning, while looking for the Gimp in Cuba in 1933, I learned that he was attending a French military school from October 1921 to October 1923 as a student officer with the rank of major. The french name for it was “ecole de l’intendance militaire.” It might have had to do with his becoming a military observer then informant for the Army in the position of Military Adjacent to the ambassador. Eventually he held that position in 1933 in Cuba. I found this information from the Center of Military History. The information on his course attendance can be found by following this URL.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjix7bsh9rUAhXl6oMKHdyXBJIQFgg6MAM&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dtic.mil%2Fdtic%2Ftr%2Ffulltext%2Fu2%2Fa194175.pdf&usg=AFQjCNEA6q0DDZRARc9Hke1KwzrOEncG3g
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