Milam County Historical Commission
Milam County, Texas
Milam County, Texas
Requests for Info
Received via Website
Received via Website
2015-07-23
Cecily Kelly
cecilyk(AT)aol(DOT)com
221 Springs Edge Drive
Montgomery, TX 77356
nine36-217-1five09
Hello,
I am a genealogist working with the USS Arizona project trying to find photographs of each of the sailor's who
died on the Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941. The visitor's center at the USS Arizona
memorial in Pearl Harbor is creating an exhibit showing all of those killed with short biographies.
I am looking for a photograph of Machinist Mate 1/c Paul C. Bartlett. He is the son of Jesse and Lucille
Bartlett and a native of Rockdale, Milam County. He graduated from Sharp High School about 1938 and then
enlisted in the Navy.
There may have been a newspaper article in a paper near the area listing the two Milam sons killed at Pearl
Harbor, the other being William D. Horton who died on the USS West Virginia.
I have been in touch with Paul's brother Tom and the family is looking for a photograph but no luck so far. I
would appreciate any help that could be provided by someone on the Milam County Historical Commission.
Thank you,
Cecily Kelly
*****
2015-07-23
Email forwarded to MCHC members.
I have the book "The Men and Women in World War II from Milam County". There is no photo of Paul Bartlett in
this book - I have found that many WWII vets are not shown.
*****
2015-07-23
Thanks Jerry. I really hope that we can find a photograph for Paul so it can be included in the Memorial.
Cecily
*****
2015-07-24
Cecily,
I have found that there is a photo of Paul on the front page of the Rockdale Reporter on 02/10/1944. This paper
is not on Newspapers.com but is available on Newspaperarchives.com. Unfortunately I subscribe to Newspapers.com
but not to Newspapersarchives.
The Lucy Hill Patterson Library in Rockdale, TX may have this copy on their computer.
I'll keep looking to find someone who has this subscription.
Jerry Caywood
MCHC
*****
2015-07-24
John Brooks
bjohnr2010(AT)hotmail(DOT)com
Ms. Kelly,
First off, may I commend you on behalf of the Milam County Historical Commission for contributing your talents
towards the cause of honoring our departed veterans.
Mr. Caywood, our website administrator, did a superb job of disseminating your inquiry to not only the MCHC
members, but also to members of the community. Ms. Vickie Everhart never ceases to amaze us with her research
skills since, once again, she located the object of our attention.
The below attachments came from the Lucy Hill Patterson Memorial Library micro-tape archives of the Rockdale
Reporter and Messenger newspaper. The printer cartridge was printing so poorly that photographs were taken of
the viewing screen with somewhat improvement. Since you wrote that you would also be attaching a brief biography
of each of the individuals, I thought that you might be able to glean some useful information from the newspaper
articles.
Since you wrote of William D. Horton in your inquiry, he was listed in the Dec. 18th, 1941 newspaper article as
stated (attachment #3). In the Feb. 10th, 1944 article listing the local departed veterans and their
photographs, he wasn't listed. Possibly an oversight, but I was hoping for a photo.
If you'll indulge me, I would like to mention, and thank, a few senior "mentors" who went out of their way last
night and today attempting to provide you with an original photo of Paul:
Ms. Lahoma Davis (101 years young) who resided in the community for many years and taught at Sharp School in
1935-1936, the years which I believe Paul would have graduated (not 1938). If I'm not mistaken, there were 11
grades then. He was born April 18, 1918. Ms. Davis had a Sharp class yearbook during that time but gave it away
many years ago.
Ms. Rachel Owen Graves (90's) who is a Sharp community historian and has considerable reference material
available and suggested who I might contact to obtain a photo.
Mr. Gene Luckey, an WW II, Iwo Jima veteran, who owns the old Sharp School and who hosted the Sharp reunions for
many years. He named a number of alumni that should be contacted for photos.
Betty and Clifford Bartlett who you had also contacted a few months back since Paul was related.
Respectfully,
Jack Brooks
.
Click on below attachments for larger images
.
2015-07-25
Dear Jack,
I was so excited to find your email this morning! Thank you all so much for all your efforts in finding the
photograph and articles for MM1 Paul Bartlett. I just knew that there had to be local people who could help me
find him.
I write two blogs, one entitled "Letters to my Grandparents" and the other "Cone Chronicles." I would like your
permission to mention all of your assistance in my search and one of the other Milam county boys killed was a
Cone so I would write about him on the Cone site.
I had also asked for help on Facebook so will just mention the Milam County Historical Commission there.
I will be forwarding the biography on Paul to the people at the USS Arizona Memorial and will send you all a
copy. Wish the next sailor I'm assigned with be from a county with as good researchers as Milam.
Thank you so much,
Cecily Cone Kelly
*****
2015-07-27
Hi Cecily, In our quest for a better photo, I visited Norris Harbuz yesterday after church. His sister C.J.,
aka Jane and Cynthia who resides and has a business in Salado was called via Norris's cell phone. I was able to
speak with her and she said that she would do some further checking with individuals that she knows. She would
call me back if she found out anything of interest. Norris and she were quite guarded of her cell number, which
I respect, but I thought it to be a bit overboard in this situation.
They both mentioned Bill Bartlett, which is possibly the Salado contact that Gene Luckey discussed. I thought
that there was a good possibility that this may have been a rabbit that you had already run. Here is Bill's
contact information if not;
http://www.century21.com/real-estate-agent/profile/bill-bartlett-P10154901
I'm not experienced with photo-shop, but I have seen photo's touched up. I really don't see why the
"graininess" and spots couldn't be removed from the existing photo. Then obviously resized as needed. The only
drawback is that it is in black and white but, as you know, that was common for the day. It also could be
"colorized" if that's the look that's desired. I realize that there would be an expense doing that if that's an
issue.
I'll keep my "ear to the ground" and advise if I hear anything further.
Regards,
Jack Brooks
*****
Wed, 12 Aug 2015
CC: Vickie Everhart <vickie.everhart@gmail.com>
Jerry,
I received this note from Tom Bartlett, the late Paul's 93 year young brother, in this mornings mail . Since he
wasn't on the "net", I mailed(USPS) he and Bill Bartlett copies of the Paul's photo and all of the related
Rockdale Reporter Newspaper articles that were in the LHP Library micro-tape archives.
It's always nice to receive personal notes from folks thanking you for exhibiting a courtesy. I'm passing it on
to you, Mr. Jerry Caywood, as the website administrator, Ms. Vickie Everhart, Ms.Cecily Kelly, Ms. Rachel Owen
Graves, Mr. Gene Luckey, Ms. Betty Bartlett, Mr. Norris Harbuz, Mr. Bill Bartlett, the Rockdale Reporter
Newspaper and the Lucy Hill Patterson Library staff.
Above all, Vickie, you saved the day with your excellent research skills by locating Paul's photo. Next, the
Rockdale Reporter Newspaper for always diligently reporting our local and related news so that we were able to
reconstruct history almost 75 years after Paul's demise on the USS Arizona on Dec. 7, 1941.
Writing on behalf of the above people and organizations, we commend Ms. Cecily Kelly, a volunteer genealogist,
working with the USS Arizona Project. She has spent an enormous amount of research time and effort to honor
Paul by providing the required exhibit information.
The visitor's center exhibit at the USS Arizona memorial in Pearl Harbor will now have a photo and a short
biography of Paul C. Bartlett. We may only hope that the remaining 1176 sailors/ servicemen who perished that
fateful day aboard the USS Arizona(many still entombed) will be duly honored.
Regards,
Jack Brooks
*****
.
.
*****
2015-09-06
I recently received this newspaper article via USPS from Paul's Cousin, Bill Bartlett. He knew that I was
interested in any events, regarding Paul, before, during or after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
This article presented an interesting irony to Paul's demise. I shared it with Ms. Cecily Kelly.
Jack Brooks
.
2016-01-13
Cecily,
It has been quite some time since your Paul
Bartlett inquiry. I happened to read this
article in the 01/12/2016 Austin American
Statesman and immediately thought of you. Isn't
it amazing that after 74 years we're still able
to identify the victims of Dec. 7th, 1941. Also
that the grandchildren or great grandchildren
may now be the ones receiving their remains.
This Washington Post article seemed right down
your alley so I wanted to make sure that you
were aware of it, if you already weren't. The
U.S.S. Arizona receives so much notoriety, that
the other ship losses are often less noted. I
personally wasn't aware that 429 souls were
lost on the U.S.S. Oklahoma.
Enjoy, and thank you once again for honoring
our departed veterans of the U.S.S. Arizona.
Best regards,
Jack Brooks
.
2016-05-29
John Brooks
bjohnr2010(AT)hotmail.com>
CC: Bill Bartlett <bill(AT)c21bb(DOT)com>
Hi Cecily,
While visiting the historic Sharp Presbyterian Church, located in Sharp, Texas, this morning, I discovered a
memorial to Paul. Located in the west wall of the 1902 Church are two beautiful stained glass windows.
The southern most window is inscribed as follows at the bottom: Paul Clement Bartlett.
The windows position certainly takes advantage of the western azimuth of the setting sun. It casts a
beautiful orange glow throughout the church.
James Brymer, a fellow MCHC member who is also a general contractor, visited the Church as well.
Strong winds which later spawned a tornado narrowly missed the Church about a year ago. It rattled the old
Church pretty good but the only damage was a considerable amount of asbestos ceiling tiles that parted way
with the ceiling. Possibly a future MCHC grant will assist the congregation in that repair.
Worship service there is only held the first Sunday of each month.
We hope that your Pearl Harbor project is going smoothly. Please keep us posted on it's progress.
If you receive, or take, any photos of the event would you be kind enough to share some of them with us. The
Milam County American Legion and VFW Posts will certainly be interested in me sharing the same with them.
Sincerely,
Jack Brooks
Photos courtesy of Jack Brooks
.
Current (2016) photo:
Sharp Presbyterian Church
Sharp Presbyterian Church
.
Franklin D. Roosevelt's Message to Congress - December 8, 1941
Click on the pages below for larger images
Click on the pages below for larger images