His nickname was Johnny, a play on his last name. He was born in Titusville, where he had his early schooling. He moved to Corry, Pennsylvania at the age of 16, living with the Hugh Baxtor family until his enlistment in the Army. He served in the U.S. Army from February 16, 1916 to March 1, 1920, stationed in Columbus Barracks of Columbus, Ohio and Ft. Robinson, Nebraska with the 12th Calvary. Later he served in Gallup, New Mexico and served in the Navajo uprising there. He was stationed in Texas next, then the Panama Canal Zone until his honorable discharge March 1, 1920 at the rank of Corporal. While stationed in Panama he met Natalia Brouwer, a half-Panamanian women, they married in June 1919. After leaving the army he worked on the Panama Canal in the dredging unit, then piloted an automobile ferry on the canal where the Bridge of the Americas now stands. He retired as a towboat master in June 1952. Johnny and Natalia had four children, William, Shirley (Mrs. Fred Schiesser), Ruth (Mrs. Robert Sullivan) and Norma (Mrs. Owen Lee Rose), who were all raised in the Panama Canal Zone. After all the children had grown and moved to the States, Johnny and Natalia followed, settling in Corry, Pennsylvania. Natalia passed away in 1954 of a cerebral hemorage, Johnny died of a coronary thrombosis at age eighty-three.
His nickname was Johnny, a play on his last name. He was born in Titusville, where he had his early schooling. He moved to Corry, Pennsylvania at the age of 16, living with the Hugh Baxtor family until his enlistment in the Army. He served in the U.S. Army from February 16, 1916 to March 1, 1920, stationed in Columbus Barracks of Columbus, Ohio and Ft. Robinson, Nebraska with the 12th Calvary. Later he served in Gallup, New Mexico and served in the Navajo uprising there. He was stationed in Texas next, then the Panama Canal Zone until his honorable discharge March 1, 1920 at the rank of Corporal. While stationed in Panama he met Natalia Brouwer, a half-Panamanian women, they married in June 1919. After leaving the army he worked on the Panama Canal in the dredging unit, then piloted an automobile ferry on the canal where the Bridge of the Americas now stands. He retired as a towboat master in June 1952. Johnny and Natalia had four children, William, Shirley (Mrs. Fred Schiesser), Ruth (Mrs. Robert Sullivan) and Norma (Mrs. Owen Lee Rose), who were all raised in the Panama Canal Zone. After all the children had grown and moved to the States, Johnny and Natalia followed, settling in Corry, Pennsylvania. Natalia passed away in 1954 of a cerebral hemorage, Johnny died of a coronary thrombosis at age eighty-three.
