David McIntyre - Ships Ohio and Dale

I had read awhile back that my great-great-Great grandfather David McIntyre had served in the US Navy in the Mexican War from 1846 to 1849.  This info was from his obituary as well as a book of history of Crawford County, Wisconsin.  However, I had no confirmation from any other source.  While I thought it was likely to be true, there is always the possibility he was padding his resume so to speak :-).  My distant McIntire (our families spelled them differently) cousin Kristine had suggested I contact the US archives and so I went on line and in my wandering through their site found a contact email.  I wrote, gave them the particulars on David McIntyre (including maybe McIntire) along with his birth and death dates, location and spouse name. 

To my great excitement, I received an email back confirming that David McIntire (the spelling in their records) was in the Navy and I am now in process of ordering copies of the documents from the file.  Chris, the wonderfully helpful archive specialist  told me in his original reply email that he is sure this is my David McIntire (uses that spelling) because after the war he was in Prairie du Chien, was a blacksmith, and his wife's name was Louisa.  David McIntyre was a blacksmith and in Prarie du Chien was working for the railroad in that capacity.  Chris wrote that David served on the ships USS Ohio and the USS Dale.  So now while I am waiting for the particulars, I am reading information on the Ohio and the Dale and looking forward to getting my copies of the files a few weeks from now. 

Family History hunts are so much like the "whodunnits" that I have always love to read.  And it is addicting like gambling in that you get just enough random reinforcement to keep looking a little longer and hoping to fall into another mother lode of information.  Above is a photo of a drawing of the Ohio during the Mexican war and below it is the Dale.  My hope is that the actual military record files will tell me when he was on each ship so I can match up when he was on each vessel and what events she might have been involved in which he participated.  These photos are from Wikipedia which stated that they were in the public domain. 

More information can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ohio_(1820) or at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Dale_(1839) 

Big Bird Bath Day

Fall is coming on and it must be a good day for birds to get a good bath and to clean up before the long cold winter comes when it will be a little nippy for diving into cold water.  Today while I've been working I've had to stop a few times and try to take photos of my nervous little friends.  Above is a Junco.  Birds that have enjoyed the spa, but who were too nervous to be documented include a Chestnut Backed Chicadee and Gold Finches (immatures and adults).  I had three little Golden Crowned Kinglet's come by (photo below) and they certainly are nervous!  But in the middle of it I was surprised and delighted to discover that what was in the camera viewfinder was a Townsend's Warbler rather than the Kinglet I had started to photograph.  What a treat.  In the 3rd photo little Towney demonstrates how to get really clean. 

 

Then the Kinglet's returned.  Most photos ended up blurry as they flapped and danced and ducked their heads under water.  But the slowed momentarily for documentation.  

 Finally a little Black Capped Chicadee hopped into the mix and scattered Chestnut Backed Chicakees and Gold Finches. 

I love having the bird bath right next to my window.  Such a delightful group of small winged friends.  The Anna's hummingbirds (male and female) are having a heyday as well but aren't stopping by to bathe at the moment.  They go for the top of the fountain more than the birdbath altho ONCE I did see the male come to the birdbath.