Ansel Greenley, WW I Veteran

Ansel Ray Greenley was 25 years old in 1917.  On April 6, 1917, America declared war on Germany, starting our involvement in the war.  After the declaration of war, the Selective Service Act was passed, and every male between the age of 18 and 45 was required to register for the draft.  As a genealogist, these cards are treasure trove of information. Ansel filled his out June 5. It shows he lived in Shoemaker, Mora County, New Mexico.  He was single and working as a farmer.  He gives the name of an employer, but I can’t read the writing. It tells that he is “tall and stout” and has "light blue eyes" with "light brown hair."

World War I Registration for Ansel Greenley

State Historical Service, Page One

State Historical Service, Page Two

Ansel Greenley - World War I

Then after the war, the State Historical Service had each soldier fill out a questionnaire about their service during WWI.  (See images below). In this questionnaire we learn Ansel completed 8th grade, his church affiliation was “Prodison”(Protestant).  He reported for duty in El Paso, Texas on June 12, 1917. He was discharged on Jan 8, 1919 in Philadelphia, PA.  His rank at discharge was fireman second class, USN.


He is then asked to give details as to all subsequent movements during the war.  Well, he is not a prolific writer. He writes one paragraph,

“I was at the following stations:
NJS San Francisco, Calif., NJC Mare Island, Calif., R.S. at Cavite P.I.
There I went aboard the USS Tjisondari which came back to San Francisco, Calif. From there we went to New York from there made three trips to France.  Grandfather Wm. Greenley was in Civil War.

So he started out in San Francisco, then went to the Phillipine Islands (What the heck?), then traveled back to San Franscico to the East Coast (so he went through the Panama Canal?), then took three trips from the east coast to France.

Here is information about the USS Tjisondari and its service during the war.
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/OnlineLibrary/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-t/id2783.htm


From the trunk, are his neck scarves from is naval uniform (You can see them in his photo) My grandmother wrote the note attached to the scarves.

Ansel Greenley's neck scarves from his WWI uniform

Ansel keep letters from three different girls during the war.  One was clearly his girl friend.  More about this in the next blog entry! Oh and unfortunately, he didn't keep any letters from his family!

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Ansel meets Mary

April 9 - May 13 Diary entries

Mary Maddux met Ansel Greenley for the first time on April 1, 1919.  Their courtship was short. On April 11 she writes, "Ansel & I setting up (dog gone)."  One month later, on May 10th, she writes, "Mrs. G, Ansel & I went to Las Vegas.  Ansel & I were married (2pm) by minister Hubbard. Mother and Mrs. King were witnesses. Bought new skirt, came home Edwin mad all had supper. Down to Mothers staid there all night." I am presuming "Mrs. G." and "Mother" are referring to Ansel's mother, Mary Ella (Brown) Greenley.

Mary Maddux was 23 years old in April of 1920. According to the 1920 census (The census information was taken on Jan. 20, 1920) She was living with her father, Israel O. Maddux (age 64), her brother Edwin Maddux (age 33) and half brother Eugene (age 7) and half sister Lois (age 4). They lived in the mountains near Montrose, Colorado.  She mentions the towns of Delta, Ridgeway and Grand Junction. The Gunnison River ran through their land. One of the first entries in her diary, on May 6th, 1909, she writes that they arrived at their "mountain ranch on Iron Springs Mesa."

To begin, I am going to start with the "story" I was told about Mary Maddux's leaving Colorado and arriving in New Mexico. These entries tell a different story of her arrival in New Mexico than I had expected.  It really is an example of how the "narrative" changes over time with re-telling by different people.  My understanding (until reading the diary) was that Mary was taken by one of her brother's (I always had presumed it was Ralph) to be a housekeeper for the Greenley Ranch.  The brother was concerned for her living with her father, and taking care of her younger half siblings.  They wanted her away from that way of life.

From the diary,  I know that the mother of Eugene and Lois died in Sept. of 1919 (she died in childbirth - more on that story later).  Her name was Beatrice (Crouch) Maddux.  Mary called her "Bee" in her diary.  


The events in the months leading up to Mary Maddux's arrival in New Mexico are somewhat puzzling.  The following entries show that the family is leaving Colorado for New Mexico. It looks as if Edwin was the  brother that orchestrated the move. In the diary, I find the entry on Feb. 4th, "Edwin went to New Mexico." On Feb. 18th, "Edwin and Mr. Toblman came back from N.M. Edwin running around on business. Papa moving from hills. Elmer and Tuck were down to see about buying our land."  Then on March 18th, "Cill C (I can't read her writing, I can tell it is a name) took Edwin and I up to Rigeway and sold our land to the Israel boys in his ford. From other items I have found in the trunks, it looks like Edwin and Mary had a separate "claim" from their father's land. On March 19th, "Edwin and Mr. Watson went to N.M."

April 1, 1920 Diary Entry

Mary (Maddux) Greenley (1930s?)

Ansel Greenley (1930s?)

Then on April 1st she writes the following: (I scanned this entry from the diary, so you can see what she wrote in the image)
"Lois, Eugene & I boarded the train for N.M. was delayed on Marshal Pass and missed the train at Pueblo. Went to bed, took the train for Trinidad 3am. Got there 7am, got tickets, had breakfast and took the S &F for Shoemaker 10am got to Shoemaker 4pm. Edwin, Edward & Ensil Greenley meet me. came home in ford found a big family still living in the house having big time."


It is fun to see her misspelling of Ansel - and you gotta wonder what the "big family still living in the house having a big time" MEANS.  Was it the rest of the Greenley family??  What is a "big time"? is that a party of some sort?  Well, she took the children with her! And not only is Mary living with the Greenleys, but so is Edwin, Lois and Eugene. In the diary she rarely mentions Papa, Edwin, Eugene and Lois after marrying into the Greenley family.  On May 11 (the day after they got married) she writes, " Mother, Ansel & I went to Wagon Mound with Mr. & Mrs. Dulin. bought the Dulins out, came home & found Papa there. Introduced him to my husband. He did not care but felt bad to have me leave. Staid all night down to Mother's. Olive doing my wash at home. ("Papa" is Mary's father, Iseral O. Maddux. "Mother" is Ansel's mother.)

Part two of this story will focus on the Greenley side.  If you want to "follow" this blog you can sign up to get email notification when I new entry is posted.