Treasure Chest Thursday

Following WWI, which great-grandmother Dreher [nee: Josephine Benzel] called "the Great War" [dying before the onset of WWII], the government sent those mothers who lost their sons overseas free passage for a trip to their burial sites.

While great-grandmother had never been any place except Indiana and Kentucky, she was not about to miss the opportunity to stand over the grave of her fallen son.  Unfortunately, her son did not make the journey to the foreign shore, before dying from illness. He was buried at sea, although a memorial marker stands in France for him.

As the ship came to the longitude and latitude documented as his eternal resting place, engines were cut, and great-grandmother was allowed a few minutes to stand over the "grave" of her lost son.

She sent but one letter home during her voyage, and this is it:

It is addressed to:

Mr. H.C. Dreher

c/o Fe Banet

Georgetown, Ind

U.S.A.

[H.C. Dreher was her husband, Henry Condar Dreher Sr.]

This is a single sheet of paper provided for her, folded and mailed as an envelope or post card.

Inside:

It reads:

"on S.S. Presedint Roosefelt - May 28

Dear Children here I am almost in

mid ocean. have seen 2 whales and

a school of flying fish it sure is

wonderful. I am well and sure

injoying myself hope you are all well

Mother Dreher"

[sic]

This is the second portion of the interior [think of a sheet of paper, folded once, twice and then a third time].

This interior portion is actually the ships menu.

You should be able to click on the image to view it better.

This is the back of the "envelope" when completely folded. The front side being the addressed portion.

A quick search on Ancestry.com and we were able to locate an image of the actual ship great-grandmother made this adventure on:

Great-Grandmother passed away on 12 December 1932 at the age of 67. I am told she never forgot the trip she made and spoke often of it. And especially the kindness of the captain in stopping the vessel over the place where her son was interred.

Josephine Benzel Dreher made this trip in 1931.

Josephine Sophie Benzel Dreher

1865 - 1932

Surname Saturday - January 9, 2010

BENZEL

1. Cynthia Ann Beane – b. 1959

3. Lois Velleda Dreher – b. 1938, M: Walter Maxwell Beane – b. 1937 on 12 Dec 1958

                               Children: Cynthia, Velleda, David, Jeffrey



6. Henry Condar Dreher, Jr. – b. 31 Dec 1902, Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky d.: 17 Mary 1977, Georgetown, Floyd, Indiana; M: Irene Caroline Banet – b. 24 May 1906,Indiana, d. 08 Aug 1989, Gap Mills, Monroe, West Virginia, on 12 Dec 1923.

                              Children: Ethel, Arthur, Marion, Billy, Lois

Henry C. Dreher,Jr.

13. Josephine Sophie Benzel – b. 21 Jul 1865, Indiana, d: 12 Dec 1932, Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky; M: Henry Condar Dreher, Sr. – b.15 Jan 1863, Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky, d. 29 Jan 1925, Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky; on 11 Aug 1884.

Children: Florence, Frank, Henry Edward, Anna, Minnie, George, Walter, Henry Condar, Joseph, and Mary

Josephine Sophie Benzel

26. John Benzel – b.11 Jan 1835, Germany, d. 18 Jan 1899 in Bedford, Lawrence, Indiana; M: Wilhelmina Lambrecht – b. 25 May 1835, d. 07 Mar 1924, Bedford, Lawrence, Indiana.

Children: Josephine, Amelia, Matilda, Minnie, Louie, John, August and William.

John Benzel - tombstone

Greenhill Cemetery, Lawrence, Bedford Co., IN

Closeup of John Benzel tombstone