Frank Goodwin, soldier, survivor, keeper of secrets

Frank Goodwin, born December 22, 1894, in Birmingham, MI. From a family of 4 sons, Frank is the only member to serve in WW1.
He was the youngest son of Samuel and Ann Rachel Goodwin. His life and service will follow in this thread.

The Goodwin children, from their days in Birmingham, MI. John Wesley, Levi, Elizabeth, Fred and Frank. Elizabeth raised the youngest boys, calling Frank her ‘special charge’. Their mother Anne remained in poor health for many years.

In 1902, oldest son John Wesley purchased the property next to his parents’ and began construction on the house next door. Engaged to Ella Adams, they were to be married when the roses bloomed, spring 1905.

Samuel Goodwin died December 31, 1902. Leaving behind his wife Ann, John Wesley 32, Levi 20, Elizabeth 17, Fred 14, and Frank 8. John Wesley, working at Blakeslee Hardware, now supports the family. Levi is an oratory student at Albion College, while Elizabeth, Fred and Frank are still in school.

Sadly, John Wesley passed away from pneumonia in 1905, the house not completed. His fiancé Ella Adams stayed by his bedside, and the last 10 days of his life ‘hung by the immortal thread’. Miss Adams retired to her home in exhaustion, only to awaken the next morning to find John Wesley was dead. The thought that she was not with him when he passed was of great sorrow to her.

1915 Frank graduated Birmingham High School. He did not attend Albion College, as all his siblings did, Frank immediately went to work for the Spencer Grocery Co. with his brother Fred.

1917 brings the death of Ann Rachel Nicholson Goodwin, February 18th. The cause of death on the death certificate states Lymphatic Leukemia, listed as contributor is Typhoid. The first Goodwin grandchild arrives, Isabel Goodwin, 5/28/17, daughter of Levi and his wife Bina. In the many congratulatory letters that arrive, Frank’s letter still survives.

May 1917 Frank Goodwin registers for the draft. Sent to Camp Waco in Texas, he assigned to Co. D 55th Infantry.

August 3, 1918 Frank sails from Hoboken, NJ
August 11, 1918 Frank lands in Brest, is taken to Valon near Cruzy, moving later to Camp Bois L’eveque, near Commency for training.
October 5, 1918 Frank is moved to the front lines.

November 8, 1917
Attacked Hill 323 without artillery support or wire cutters, repelled with heavy losses, the forces finally captured the hill and held it. Hill 323 is 1 km southeast of Rembercourt.

November 11, 1918
After 52 hours without food or rest, Frank Goodwin slept through the celebration of the Armistice.
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month the guns fell silent. The Imperial War Museum has released a recording of the moment the war ended. The artillery activity was recorded on the American front near River Moselle, one minute before and one minute after the war ended.

https://metro.co.uk/video/imperial-war-museum-approximate-end-wwi-1798600/?ito=vjs-link — https://metro.co.uk/video/imperial-war-museum-approximate-end-wwi-1798600/?ito=vjs-link

November 18, 1918
Left for Villers-sur-Prenny, where they remained until Christmas cleaning up the front. After that Andilly, where Frank was sent to Machine Gun School at Domevre. After some weeks of training moved to Tailancourt, where Frank visited Romemy, home of Joan of Arc.

May 18, 1919 Moved to Curies near Le Mans and left for Brest
June 20, 1919 Arrived in USA at Hoboken, NJ,
Frank returned to Birmingham working for CF Smith and later took the CF Smith store at Ferndale, rooming in Royal Oak, MI

In 1922, Frank Goodwin and his brother Fred are working at the A&P Tea Co in Pontiac MI. Frank is the manager and Fred is a clerk. Frank transferred to the A&P store in Mason, MI where he met Fern Burt, daughter of M/M Frank Burt.
Fred Goodwin moves to Northville, MI 1922.
May 19, 1924 Frank marries Fern Burt.
June 9, 1925 Frank telegrams his brother Levi, their brother Fred was murdered in Northville, MI by his father-in-law. The story of Fred’s death can be found at this link https://thiswritelife.wordpress.com/

January 16, 1928, June Goodwin born in Detroit, adopted by Frank and Fern Goodwin.
1930 Frank transferred to the A&P at Comstock Park, MI.
Frank and his family moved in 1932 to Sparta, MI where Frank worked for Kroger until 1951 when he began working at the Finch market.
Frank dies in 1970. Elizabeth Goodwin, his older sister, writes in her condolence letter to Frank’s wife Fern; “Frank had a place in my heart that others did not. I think back when I was 11, with him in my arms, sitting in my little rocking chair trying to get him to sleep. He was my special charge and I loved him dearly.”

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