Friday, January 29, 2010

Killed in France during 1st World War


HARVEY W. KIDDER (27 Mar. 1896 - 16 Oct. 1918)

Harvey W. KIDDER born at Marshfield, WI, on 27 March 1896. In 1917, Harvey Kidder was living in Miles City, Custer Co., MT, unmarried, working in a restaurant.
Harvey KIDDER enlisted in Montana, to serve in the Army during World War I. He was assigned to the 307th Infantry Regiment, 77th Infantry Division, rank of private. Harvey KIDDER was Killed in Action 16 Oct. 1918, buried at Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Plot C Row 15 Grave 31, in the City of Romagne, France.

His mother MINNIE HART KIDDER CORLEY of Box 343, Butte, Oroville Co., MT, made a pilgrimage to his grave in 1930.

Friday, January 22, 2010

NEIL L. KIDDER - 36th Infantry - WWII


NEIL LINDEN KIDDER (22 Jan. 1923 - 17 July 1944) killed during WWII.

Neil Kidder enlisted at Kalamazoo, MI, 2 Jan. 1943, served in the 36th Infantry during WWII. Neil L Kidder is mentioned in a book “U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead (1939-1945). Neil Kidder was a private in the 36th Infantry, of the eleven military cemeteries in Europe where 3rd Armored soldiers are buried, the largest single group - 422 Spearheaders - lies in the majestic Henri-Chapelle Cemetery in Belgium (above as it looks today), in an area liberated by the Division in Sept., 1944.

Neil Kidder was married to Mildred Elaine Wolff, they had one son.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Wallace E. Kidder - US Army Ranger -



WALLACE EUGENE KIDDER ( 1922 - 1943 ) KIA at Venafro, Italy 12 Nov. 1943.

Wallace Eugene Kidder was inducted into the Army from Oregon, rank Private First Class, assigned to the 1st Ranger Battalion and killed in action 12 Nov. 1943. Wallace Kidder received a medal “Purple Heart” and is buried at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, Italy Plot I Row 7 Grave 54. The cemetery covers 77 acres, has 7,861 American military war dead. Wallace E. Kidder gave the following information at enlistment, 9 Oct. 1942, service for the duration of the war, plus six months, education, 4 years of high school, occupation was forestry, he was married, height 5’8”, weight 129.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

US Navy - (DD-319) "Kidder"


United States Navy Ship (DD-319) "Kidder" was launched 10 July 1919 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., San Francisco, CA and commissioned 7 Feb. 1921, Comdr. H. J. ABBETT in command. "Kidder" was assigned to Destroyer Division 34, Battle Fleet, at San Diego. "Kidder" was decommissioned at San Diego, CA, 18 March 1930.
The Battleship was named after HUGH PRATT KIDDER, who was awarded the “Croix de Guerre” with palm and star during WWI for courage and endurance while carrying orders to advanced positions under violent machine gun fire during a period of 9 days. Lt. KIDDER was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism near Blanch Mont. France, 2nd and 3rd October 1918 when he led a small patrol into enemy trenches and captured two strong machine gun positions. First Lieutenant KIDDER was “killed in action”, 3 Oct. 1918 attempting to better his position in the face of heavy machine gun and artillery fire.

Hugh P KIDDER was born at Waukon, IA, in 1897 and died at Blanch Mont. France, 3 Oct 1918, son of Harley Perry KIDDER and Ada Kate PRATT.

Jeff Kidder Arizona Ranger - Gunned Down in Mexico




Jeff Kidder bottom left, photo taken 1906.

JEFFERSON "Jeff" KIDDER (November 15, 1875 - April 5, 1908)
Three Arizona Rangers have given their lives as a result of their service. Sergeant Jeff Kidder was murdered in Naco, Sonora, near the end of the Territorial Arizona Rangers' era. Ranger Jeff Kidder was hot on the trail of notorious Mexican bandit leader and rustler Efumio Vaquero when their search took them to the town of Naco. He entered Naco, Sonora on April 3, 1908, where due to his authorization he had full arrest powers, and in a small cantina he located his suspects. A gunfight erupted between Kidder and Delores Quias and Tomas Amador, both of whom were Mexican policemen, resulting in both suspects being wounded, with them wounding Kidder. Two Mexican Police, in business with the outlaws, then burst into the cantina firing at Kidder, hitting him in the gut. Kidder, alone and outnumbered, continued the fight, returning fire on the two officers, killing them both. However, Kidder had been badly wounded, the bullet having ripped through his intestines and exiting his back, leaving him laying on the floor.

Tom Rynning, an Arizona Ranger Captain, would later claim that he never saw any man faster with a gun on a quick draw than Jeff Kidder.

Jeff Kidder is profiled in the book "Deadly Dozen", written by author Robert K. DeArment, who indicates that Kidder was one of the twelve most underrated gunmen of the Old West.

Jeff Kidder was the son of Silas Wright KIDDER and Ada CAMPBELL.

Friday, January 15, 2010

43 Year Old Father of Five Killed in Explosion.


Gustavus KIDDER ( 1821 - 1864 ) Oldest Kidder to be Killed in Action during Civil War.

Gustavus KIDDER enlisted in 1864 and served in the 19th Wisconsin Infantry. The regiment was assigned to the Department of Virginia. On Sunday, 9 August 1864, at City Point, VA, near Petersburg, VA, a tremendous explosion rocked City Point, VA, killing 43 soldiers and injuring 126, which also caused vast property damage. One of the soldiers to be killed by that explosion was Gustavus KIDDER, he was struck by a shell to the body. Two Southern Confederates smuggled a small box with explosives inside on board a Union transport ship, docked at the harbor. When the explosive went off just before noon, General Ulysses S. GRANT sitting in front of his tent was showered with debris but was uninjured. Gustavus Kidder is buried at the City Point National Cemetery, VA, section E, division 1, and grave number 81.

Gustavus KIDDER married Esther HOLLENBECK, they had five children.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

1934 Gangland Murder in Minneapolis

Headlines on Monday 5 March 1934, in the “The Minneapolis Tribune” were “Gang Trails Autoist Home, Kills Him”, and another article read “St. Louis Park man slain as wife watches”. Theodore Campbell KIDDER with his wife Bernice DUXBURY and mother-in-law in his car were trailed by five gang men, as the 35 year old paint salesman, and family were returning home from a birthday party they attended earlier that evening. “The five gang members tried to run Kidder off the road, still following them, Kidder finally stopped his car near his residence and walked to the sedan and said something to its occupants. There was a reply. The two woman got out of their car. There was three shots, two striking Kidder in the abdomen, he died at the scene. “The large sedan with California license plates sped off”. Newspaper accounts theories it was a case of mistaken identity.

For complete story hit Ted Kidder:

Ted Kidder

For more information Ted Kidder links above.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

16 Year Old Cavalry Soldier Dies in War.

HIRAM O. KIDDER - 16 YEARS OF AGE
Hiram O. KIDDER at sixteen years of age enlisted, at Ypsilanti, MI, 16 November 1863, to serve in the 1st Michigan Cavalry, Company A, during the Civil War. Hiram KIDDER gave the following information at his induction five feet four inches, black hair, fair complexion, occupation a farmer.
Hiram O. KIDDER was KILLED IN ACTION, at Haw's Shop, Virginia on Saturday, 28 May 1864. This was a fight between cavalry forces from the North and South.
Hiram KIDDER was born in 1848, the 7th child of John M. and Sally KIDDER, of London, Monroe Co., MI.
Hiram O. KIDDER is the youngest Kidder to be Killed in Action during the Civil War.

Kidder vs. Kidder

There were 238 Kidder's that served during the War of the Rebellion.
The UNION ARMY had 225 Kidder men and woman.
The CONFEDERATE ARMY had 13 Kidder men.

Military Rank of Kidder's:
Lt. Col. 1; Major's 2; Captain's 3; 1st Lt. 4; 2nd Lt. 11; Sergeants 13; Corporals 22; Privates 160 = Total 238.

Military Units Served In:
Infantry 172; Cavalry 29; Artillery 16; Navy 7; National Guard 3; Militia 3; Engineers 2; drummer Boys 2; Sharpshooters 2; Nurse's 2 = Total 238

How Discharged:
Killed in Action 14; Died of Disease 19; Died in Prison 1; Mustered Out 162; Disability 30; **Wounds Received 4; Illness 1; Deserted 7 = Total 238

** - Numerous Kidder's were wounded in battle - only 4 were discharged because of wounds received - some returned to battle and were wounded a second and third time, then honorably discharged.

The Red Coats Are Coming

Lexington and Concord
On 19 April 1775, at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, a column of British soldiers marched to the countryside to collect arms and munitions from the Patriot Militia. The "Red Coats" marched in regimental formation down the main roads towards Lexington and Concord. As the British entered the village they were met by a small but very effect band of men from neighboring towns in Massachusetts. Below are the (17) seventeen Kidder's that responded to the alarm at Lexington and Concord.
Town of Tewksbury --- Daniel, Josiah, Jeremiah, Jeremiah
Town of Billerica --- Isaac, Samuel, William
Town of Sutton --- Francis, John
Town of Chelmsford --- James, Thomas
Town of Dudley --- Benjamin, Samuel
Town of New Marlborough --- John
Town of Littleton --- Francis
Town of Concord --- Isaac and Joseph

The Beginning

Ensign JAMES KIDDER, the progenitor of practically all persons in the United States who bear his surname, believed to have been born a East Grinstead, Sussex, England, about 1626; died at Billerica, Middlesex County, Mass., 16 April 1676, "aged fifty". He married at Cambridge, Mass., presumably late in 1649 or early in 1650, ANNA MOORE of that place, born in England about 1630; died at Billerica in 1691, daughter of Elder Francis and Katherine Moore.
James Kidder's probable birthplace, East Grinstead, is a small town about thirty miles from London, and in the near vicinity of Maresfield, ancient seat of the Kidder family. Nothing is known of his early years nor of the reasons which prompted his leaving the home of his fathers to settle in New England where he is believed to have arrived about 1649, shortly before his marriage to Anna Moore.
Children:
i. HANNAH, b. at Cambridge, Mass., 1 March 1650/51.
ii. DOROTHY, b. 29 January 1651/52.
iii. JAMES, b. at Cambridge, 3 January 1653/4
iv. JOHN, b. at Cambridge, in 1655/6
v. THOMAS, b. at Cambridge, 1 Mar. 1657
vi. NATHANIEL, b. at Cambridge, 27 Feb. 1659.
vii. EPHRAIM, b. at Billerica, 31 Aug. 1660
viii. STEPHEN, b. at Billerica, 26 Nov. 1662
ix. ENOCH, b. at Billerica, 16 Sept. 1664
x. SAMUEL, b. at Billerica, 7 Jan. 1665/6
xi. SARAH, b. at Billerica, 1 June 1667.
xii. JOSEPH, b. at Billerica, 20 Nov., 1670; d. there in 1683.