My new book… Answering the Call! An Elting Military Tribute… is a tribute to the descendants of Jan and Jacomyntje (Slecht) Elting(e) who have served in the U.S military from the mid-1600s to 2008.
Great-grandpa James Elting is featured on the cover in the Civil War photo that led to this ten year search for the family military stories.
The Dutch Eltings were actively involved in the early history of New York’s Hudson River Valley. When one of my ancestor Eltings married a DuBois from New Paltz, NY, our family history became entwined in the history of the Huguenot Patentees of that village.
The Elting(e) descendants have been farmers, doctors, lawyers, millers, grocers, carpenters, preachers, teachers, bankers—the gamut of occupations. But no matter the century, crisis, or call, Eltings answered.
Some gave their lives. Some came home wounded and/or with illnesses that would affect the remainder of their lives. Through their stories, they stand for the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Elting descendants who served.
I found surnames that may surprise you. There’s General George S. Patton of World War II fame and Lt. General Michael L. Dodson who served in Vietnam, Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Bosnia before his 2004 retirement. LeFevre, Deyo, DuBois, Bright, Hillegas, Hasbrouck, Yandeau, Houghtaling, Crispell, France, Wygant, Wionowsky and Van Wagenen are included, among others. All are Elting descendants.
There are those who carry the Elting/Eltinge name: David who was injured at Gettysburg, Cornelius who died from injuries sustained at Normandy and his sister Viola who served at a camp for German prisoners of war; Van Vechten, a Civil War physician; Col. John, an internationally recognized historian’ Brigadier General LeRoy who was Deputy Chief of Staff to General John Pershing, and Dr. Jeffrey, former White House physician, now Washington D.C’s Medical Director for Bioterrorism Response Coordination.
These descendants—and many more whose service is equally important—are included in this first look at the contributions of a family that has honorably served its country.
Of special interest to New York history buffs is a chapter on the African-American Elting soldiers and a look at slavery in early New Paltz.
The book is available on my website: www.cluesonline.com, at the museum shop on Historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz, NY and Hope Farm Press Bookstore in Saugerties, NY.
