Arthur Brown Bixby was born in Calais, Maine, but the family was only passing through. Most likely born while his parents were staying with Harold and Ruth Cheney. They were living in Calais at the time. Cousin Myrtle Cheney was born in the same place a few months later. The Bixby's still listed their residence as Fort Dodge Iowa.
While there are no hard archived documents spelling out his middle name, he was certainly clear about it in life. It derives from the Brann side of his family. The spellings were inconsistent. One person was likely to use Brann, Braun, or Brown over the course of their life.
I have tracked his family movements around the US. As far west as Fort Dodge Iowa and as far south as Brooklyn New York. But the family always seemed to end up back in the Gardiner or Randolph area as both had shoe shops his father could work at and lots of family they could stay with.
Art, like most men of his time, served in World War II. He was a radio operator/gunner for the Air Force. He graduated from Scott Air Force Base Technical Training April 30, 1943. He completed his radio mechanics course Jul 22, 1943. He was honorably discharged November 1, 1945.
He brought back currency from other countries he visited as mementos. His military service had to have been important to him as he removed the ribbon from his medal and kept it in his pocket everywhere he went. He would often stand, jingling the change in his pocket against his medal. Looking at it today, it is a bit more worn than usually seen. Like an old coin. So I suspect he carried it around from the day he received it to the day he passed away.
Art and his wife, Frances, moved around a bit. Often ending up back on Litchfield Road in the Freeport area. The family first moved to Connecticut in the 1950's in Bristol. Likely because his brother Wilmer was living in New Britain. Frances was pregnant with twins, and working at a tobacco plantation when she fell one night and miscarried. Art decided to move back to Maine so they had family to help Francis recuperate. Wanda and Barry came along, and the family stuck to Maine for a while. In the late 60's, General Dynamics was hiring loads of people to keep up with Vietnam requirements, so the family moved down to Middlebury Connecticut with Frances' sister Hazel, then rented an apartment on Spring Street in Naugatuck. From there the family bought a house and settled into Waterbury in an old tenement style building on 456 Mill Street. They rented the lower level out and lived on the top floors.
Art retired from General Dynamics/ Pratt & Whitney in the mid 70's and started taking care of his grandson so his daughter could work. By 1983, Art's wife Frances was preparing to retire, and Art wanted to go back to Maine. So he sold 456 Mill Street Waterbury CT, and bought a parcel of land in Hebron Maine. He spent the better part of a year developing the property. The first night they had moved in to their new house, Art passed away. This has created some confusion when looking at documents only regarding his place of death. He was still a resident of Waterbury Connecticut. so the paper trail looks like he passed away in Waterbury, but he did indeed pass away in Hebron Maine, in his new home on Buckfield Road.
While there are no hard archived documents spelling out his middle name, he was certainly clear about it in life. It derives from the Brann side of his family. The spellings were inconsistent. One person was likely to use Brann, Braun, or Brown over the course of their life.
I have tracked his family movements around the US. As far west as Fort Dodge Iowa and as far south as Brooklyn New York. But the family always seemed to end up back in the Gardiner or Randolph area as both had shoe shops his father could work at and lots of family they could stay with.
Art, like most men of his time, served in World War II. He was a radio operator/gunner for the Air Force. He graduated from Scott Air Force Base Technical Training April 30, 1943. He completed his radio mechanics course Jul 22, 1943. He was honorably discharged November 1, 1945.
He brought back currency from other countries he visited as mementos. His military service had to have been important to him as he removed the ribbon from his medal and kept it in his pocket everywhere he went. He would often stand, jingling the change in his pocket against his medal. Looking at it today, it is a bit more worn than usually seen. Like an old coin. So I suspect he carried it around from the day he received it to the day he passed away.
Art and his wife, Frances, moved around a bit. Often ending up back on Litchfield Road in the Freeport area. The family first moved to Connecticut in the 1950's in Bristol. Likely because his brother Wilmer was living in New Britain. Frances was pregnant with twins, and working at a tobacco plantation when she fell one night and miscarried. Art decided to move back to Maine so they had family to help Francis recuperate. Wanda and Barry came along, and the family stuck to Maine for a while. In the late 60's, General Dynamics was hiring loads of people to keep up with Vietnam requirements, so the family moved down to Middlebury Connecticut with Frances' sister Hazel, then rented an apartment on Spring Street in Naugatuck. From there the family bought a house and settled into Waterbury in an old tenement style building on 456 Mill Street. They rented the lower level out and lived on the top floors.
Art retired from General Dynamics/ Pratt & Whitney in the mid 70's and started taking care of his grandson so his daughter could work. By 1983, Art's wife Frances was preparing to retire, and Art wanted to go back to Maine. So he sold 456 Mill Street Waterbury CT, and bought a parcel of land in Hebron Maine. He spent the better part of a year developing the property. The first night they had moved in to their new house, Art passed away. This has created some confusion when looking at documents only regarding his place of death. He was still a resident of Waterbury Connecticut. so the paper trail looks like he passed away in Waterbury, but he did indeed pass away in Hebron Maine, in his new home on Buckfield Road.
Arthur Brown Bixby was born in Calais, Maine, but the family was only passing through. Most likely born while his parents were staying with Harold and Ruth Cheney. They were living in Calais at the time. Cousin Myrtle Cheney was born in the same place a few months later. The Bixby's still listed their residence as Fort Dodge Iowa.
While there are no hard archived documents spelling out his middle name, he was certainly clear about it in life. It derives from the Brann side of his family. The spellings were inconsistent. One person was likely to use Brann, Braun, or Brown over the course of their life.
I have tracked his family movements around the US. As far west as Fort Dodge Iowa and as far south as Brooklyn New York. But the family always seemed to end up back in the Gardiner or Randolph area as both had shoe shops his father could work at and lots of family they could stay with.
Art, like most men of his time, served in World War II. He was a radio operator/gunner for the Air Force. He graduated from Scott Air Force Base Technical Training April 30, 1943. He completed his radio mechanics course Jul 22, 1943. He was honorably discharged November 1, 1945.
He brought back currency from other countries he visited as mementos. His military service had to have been important to him as he removed the ribbon from his medal and kept it in his pocket everywhere he went. He would often stand, jingling the change in his pocket against his medal. Looking at it today, it is a bit more worn than usually seen. Like an old coin. So I suspect he carried it around from the day he received it to the day he passed away.
Art and his wife, Frances, moved around a bit. Often ending up back on Litchfield Road in the Freeport area. The family first moved to Connecticut in the 1950's in Bristol. Likely because his brother Wilmer was living in New Britain. Frances was pregnant with twins, and working at a tobacco plantation when she fell one night and miscarried. Art decided to move back to Maine so they had family to help Francis recuperate. Wanda and Barry came along, and the family stuck to Maine for a while. In the late 60's, General Dynamics was hiring loads of people to keep up with Vietnam requirements, so the family moved down to Middlebury Connecticut with Frances' sister Hazel, then rented an apartment on Spring Street in Naugatuck. From there the family bought a house and settled into Waterbury in an old tenement style building on 456 Mill Street. They rented the lower level out and lived on the top floors.
Art retired from General Dynamics/ Pratt & Whitney in the mid 70's and started taking care of his grandson so his daughter could work. By 1983, Art's wife Frances was preparing to retire, and Art wanted to go back to Maine. So he sold 456 Mill Street Waterbury CT, and bought a parcel of land in Hebron Maine. He spent the better part of a year developing the property. The first night they had moved in to their new house, Art passed away. This has created some confusion when looking at documents only regarding his place of death. He was still a resident of Waterbury Connecticut. so the paper trail looks like he passed away in Waterbury, but he did indeed pass away in Hebron Maine, in his new home on Buckfield Road.
While there are no hard archived documents spelling out his middle name, he was certainly clear about it in life. It derives from the Brann side of his family. The spellings were inconsistent. One person was likely to use Brann, Braun, or Brown over the course of their life.
I have tracked his family movements around the US. As far west as Fort Dodge Iowa and as far south as Brooklyn New York. But the family always seemed to end up back in the Gardiner or Randolph area as both had shoe shops his father could work at and lots of family they could stay with.
Art, like most men of his time, served in World War II. He was a radio operator/gunner for the Air Force. He graduated from Scott Air Force Base Technical Training April 30, 1943. He completed his radio mechanics course Jul 22, 1943. He was honorably discharged November 1, 1945.
He brought back currency from other countries he visited as mementos. His military service had to have been important to him as he removed the ribbon from his medal and kept it in his pocket everywhere he went. He would often stand, jingling the change in his pocket against his medal. Looking at it today, it is a bit more worn than usually seen. Like an old coin. So I suspect he carried it around from the day he received it to the day he passed away.
Art and his wife, Frances, moved around a bit. Often ending up back on Litchfield Road in the Freeport area. The family first moved to Connecticut in the 1950's in Bristol. Likely because his brother Wilmer was living in New Britain. Frances was pregnant with twins, and working at a tobacco plantation when she fell one night and miscarried. Art decided to move back to Maine so they had family to help Francis recuperate. Wanda and Barry came along, and the family stuck to Maine for a while. In the late 60's, General Dynamics was hiring loads of people to keep up with Vietnam requirements, so the family moved down to Middlebury Connecticut with Frances' sister Hazel, then rented an apartment on Spring Street in Naugatuck. From there the family bought a house and settled into Waterbury in an old tenement style building on 456 Mill Street. They rented the lower level out and lived on the top floors.
Art retired from General Dynamics/ Pratt & Whitney in the mid 70's and started taking care of his grandson so his daughter could work. By 1983, Art's wife Frances was preparing to retire, and Art wanted to go back to Maine. So he sold 456 Mill Street Waterbury CT, and bought a parcel of land in Hebron Maine. He spent the better part of a year developing the property. The first night they had moved in to their new house, Art passed away. This has created some confusion when looking at documents only regarding his place of death. He was still a resident of Waterbury Connecticut. so the paper trail looks like he passed away in Waterbury, but he did indeed pass away in Hebron Maine, in his new home on Buckfield Road.
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