It Really is a Small World

I was recently discussing some family members with my dad.  He was talking about members of the Neighoff side of my family tree which would be part of my paternal grandmother's family.  Our talk turned to Casper Yeager my 3rd great grandfather.  His daughter Katherine Yager married David Neighoff which is the line I'm descended from.  My dad mentioned one of Casper's other children Alena (or Lena) Yeager who married a George Bauerline and lived in Carroll County, Maryland (Carroll County is where my immediate family ended up residing).  Curious to see who I might be related to in the area, I followed that branch of the tree.  Turns out (in my "it-really-is-a-small-world-revelation" number 1) that George Bauerline and Alena Yeager had a son named Andrew S Bauerline 1897-1996.  This son lived in the town I currently call home called Littlestown (it really is a little town).  The house where Andrew S. lived is still standing and is just about a minute away from my house.  I was pretty amazed to find a relative that lived in the town I ended up moving to.  I can attest to the fact that Littlestown is not an up and coming booming metropolis, so finding an unknown relative lived here is pretty unexpected. 

Andrew J. Bauerline

Continuing on (I promise, this all gets more amazing), Andrew S. Bauerline and his wife Stella Bartholow Bauerline had 4 children: Andrew J., Vernon, Elizabeth and Norman.  I began looking into Andrew J. Bauerline (1920-2007).  I ended up reading his obituary on Newspapers.com and was shocked to read that he lived in another nearby small town (smaller than Littlestown).  What was shocking was that I too lived in that same town at one time.  I lived there the same time he lived there and drove past his home on many, many occasions.  But the shock factor doesn't end there.  He was also a member of the local Catholic Church in that town and was buried there.  It's also important to note that Andrew J. was a veteran.  That is important because every year right before Memorial Day, the local Cub Scout Pack goes to this cemetery to place flags on the veterans' graves.  So, you guessed it, for 8 years now, my son and I have placed flags on the grave of my second cousin 2x removed without realizing it.  And this year, my grandson started participating in the Pack and will be continuing the tradition, though now I know and will be certain to take some time at his grave. 

Vernon Bauerline

I also looked into Andrew J.'s brother Vernon E. Bauerline (1922-1945).  Vernon was also a veteran. He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during WWII.   He was a sergeant and a top turret gunner on a B-17G #42-31634 part of the 324th Bomber Squadron in the 91st Bomber Group.  Sadly, Vernon never made it home.  On his 12th bombing run, his plane was shot down over Germany and he and crew were killed in action.  He was only 22 at the time of his death.  
Even though he died too young, Vernon still managed to link his short life with mine.  In town, we have a monument dedicated to WWI, WWII and Korean War veterans from Littlestown who lost their lives in battle.  Every Memorial Day, both the Cub Scout Pack and the Boy Scout Troops participate in a parade that marches to the monument, takes time to lay wreaths in memory for the fallen and then continues on to the local cemetery where a ceremony is held.  Vernon Bauerline's name is carved on that monument in town. So like his brother Andrew J., we have been honoring Vernon Bauerline's ultimate sacrifice for our country for 8 years and never realized he was a relative.  
In my newspaper search for more information on Vernon, I came across a couple of articles from when he was a kid growing up in Littlestown.  One article in particular from October 12, 1935 detailed the weekly scout meeting which included adding 3 new members to the Troop. One of those new members was 13 year old Vernon Bauerline.  The Troop was Troop 84- the very same Troop my son is a member of and the one where my husband and I serve as leaders.
Truly a small world.