Person:Millard Boomhower (1)

On the Wurtemburg Lutheran Church site http://www.stpaulswurtemburg.org/clergy.html we find the following: "The Neo-Gothic style Baptismal font [see #15], which has baptized generations of St. Pauls Christians, was given in memory of Millard Boomhower (1902-1919). A brass plaque bears the inscription, Baptized and Confirmed in this Church, Buried in the Churchyard. Served in the World War May-December 1918. Millard Boomhower was only 17 years old when he died on December 18, 1919. In his obituary The Rhinebeck Gazette wrote that Millard was one of the youngest lads in the country to enlist and overcame all sorts of obstacles to offer himself for duty. During WWI he served in the U.S. Naval Reserves. During his service he was stationed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard; New London, Connecticut; and Provincetown, Massachusetts. He also served on a dangerous expedition on the U.S.S. Allacuty (ed. note - this was most likely the U.S.S. Alacrity) to Portugal and Siberia from which many of his companions never returned. While in service Millard became ill with an attack of influenza [the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918 killed an estimated 18 million people] and tonsillitis. He was discharged on December 18, 1918. Although he recovered from the initial flu, Millard continued to suffer from complications. He had inflammatory rheumatism from which heart trouble developed. He died one year to the day after his discharge. His oldest brother, the Rev. William G. Boomhower, served as pastor of St. Pauls (July 5, 1914- July 1, 1916). The Rhinebeck Gazette wrote, He was a lad remarkable for the promise of his manhood, striking personality, mental ability, daring love of adventure, hatred of shame and show and advocacy of all the ideals of true Americanism. They added, He was buried close up by the Parsonage which he had his happy boyhood home while his brother was Pastor of the Wurtemburg Church. In the 1910 census for Berne, Albany, NY Millard 7 was living at home with father Frank, mother Ada and three of his siblings, including William. We can conjecture that Millard went to live with William while he was pastor. His presence in the 1910 census for Berne tells us that he was born in that town, not in Dutchess Co.