Chesebro, Elsworth

Knox during World War I

Birth

Ellsworth Chesebro was born in 1893, probably in Schenectady.

Occupation

Ellsworth Chesebro put in many years of service in the General Electric Co. in Schenectady.

Military

All his friends know well the story of his sojourn in the U. S. Navy in World War I.

Marriage & Children

Ellsworth Chesebro married Ina Sand, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Montford Sands who lived on Main Street in the village of Altamont. Ellsworth and Ina were married July 20, 1920 at St. John's Lutheran Church.

Death

Ellsworth Chesebro died December 21, 1973 and was buried in Knox Cemetery - ELLSWORTH CHESEBRO 1893 - 1973

Obituary

Died CHESEBRO - Dec . 21, Ellsworth Chesebro, 162 Main St, Altamont, husband of Ina Sand; brother of Milton Chesebro, Spokane, Wash. Also survived by several nieces and nephews. Funeral services were held from the Fredendall Funeral Home, Altamont, Monday at 11 a. m., with Rev. James K. Hilton officiating. Interment was at Knox cemetery. Masonic funeral services were conducted funeral services Sunday night at the funeral home by officers and members of Noah Lodge 754, F. & A. M. A MEMORIAL Ellsworth Chesebro, who died Dec. 21 at the age of 83, will be a much missed man in our community. Some people become familiar sights in a community, just like the park and the railroad station. Ellsworth was such a person buoyant and cheery. Because he was always so glad to see you, you felt good to see him coming. Ellsworth was a very helpful man, extremely, active in St. John's Lutheran church and the Masons through the years. He was on the Church Council for several years, active on building committees, and always faithful. He held positions of leadership in the Masonic lodge. He was a member of Noah Lodge 754, F. & A. M., for nearly 54 years; and a member of Noah Chapter, R. A. M., for 51 years. He was treasurer of Noah Chapter for 24 years and was high priest of the chapter in 1945. All his friends know well the story of his sojourn in the U. S. Navy in World War I, and his many years of service in the General Electric Co. in Schenectady. Men like Ellsworth teach us much about living life with zest and simplicity, simply by the way they live it. His secret seemed o be that life always held for him. something of interest, something worth doing, someone to help. We shall miss him. Altamont Enterprise - December 28, 1973

Additional Media

From the historian's desk Diary tells tales of war

By Alice Begley

With Veterans' Day just behind us, this story from between the covers of a dog-eared, worn leather diary seems appropriate. The 1917 diary of Ellsworth Chesebro of Schenectady and later Altamont, unfolds a segment of World War I, a war we hear little of as the century comes to an end.

From aboard the USS Tucker, Chesebro gives his personal account of those dark days. On Jan. 6, 1917, Ellsworth Chesebro quit his job as a "plainer" at General Electric Company in Schenectady because he was, as the diary states, "disgusted and dissatisfied." By the 31st of that month he was aboard the USS Arizona for a month of training. Entries for the following eight weeks were scarce but on April 6, he noted that war was, declared with Germany at 3:05 a.m. that day, and he knew he would be on active duty soon. On Easter Sunday, April 8, Chesebro reported to Albany for duty and was sent to the Boston Navy Yard. He wrote a letter to 'Mr. Gregg' (of Altamont) about insurance and visited "Old Ironsides" in Boston Harbor.

Aboard the USS Georgia, friends came on board to say goodbye and he "felt pretty blue." He also had his last letter from Ina, whom he refers to many times throughout the diary. Chesebro transferred to the USS Tucker, on Monday, May 7, 1917, and the ship got underway— bound for Europe in a convoy of six destroyers. "The ship was mighty dark at night, and the rough seas made the steady roll and pitch bad. Half of the ship's company was sick." The next night, the 55-degree roll of the ship made him think "it would turn over" and he wrote that "the waves wet the bunks."

The USS Tucker was bound for Queenstown, Ireland, where 18 mines were swept from "the Channel" before it arrived. The USS Tucker "searched the English seas for German submarines" the diary states. On the 1917 calendar in the front of his diary, Chesebro circled the days that the Tucker had sunk submarines or when his convoy had been attacked. The total was four submarines sunk and numerous notations of attacks.

An aged brown newspaper column from an Oneonta newspaper the Star tucked under the cover of the 1917 diary read, "We have been operating over here ten months and a half now but you don't hear much of us as all our work is secret now, but we are doing our share with the rest of them and doing all we can to exterminate these dirty submarines. There are things, I've seen but cannot say here but will tell you someday...The United States can give thanks that this war is not on our soil. I believe nobody will be able to describe the horrors of this war and a man who is able to fight or do something for his country now and doesn't, is a traitor."

The letter was signed, "Your loving son, Ellsworth Chesebro, USS Tucker." How the diary came into the Historical Society's possession is unknown. Apparently Chesebro's parents sent their son's letter to The Star newspaper. Several other letters written by him were also published. We wonder if he ever was able to "tell someday" the horrors he had seen. The rest of the story

The Reverend James and Marge Hilton of Altamont were able to fill in more of the story on Navy veteran Ellsworth Chesebro. He returned home from the war to marry his sweetheart, Ina Sands, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Montford Sands who lived on Main Street in the village. Ellsworth and Ina were married July 20, 1920 at St. John's Lutheran Church, where Ina was the organist for 50 years. The Hiltons also furnished us with a picture of Ellsworth and Ina at an anniversary reception at the church. Ellsworth died Dec. 21, 1973, and is buried in a Knox cemetery.

Altamont Enterprise - November 11, 1996

Email to Marijo Dougherty from Laura Phillips

On to Ellsworth Cheesebro. His family lived in Oneonta and he appears with his widowed father there in 1900 and his father and stepmother in 1910. In 1916 he joined the naval reserve and served as on the USS Georgia from 4/11/17-5/3/17 and the USS Tucker 5/3/17-11/11/18. His military records state he was an oiler for 270 days, Engineman 1 Class 181 days, Machinest Mate 1 class 62 days and Chief Machinist mate 71 days. His discharge was 11/7/1920. He appeared living with his sister in Schenectady in the 1920 census and was married to Ina Sand that same year. He lived with Ina's family in Altamont through 1940, at which point they still had a Fairview Ave. address. I knew him until the time of his death in 1973, when he and Ina lived on Main St. He talked about railroads all the time.

It is possible that Ellsworth's father (Charles N. Chesebro) was originally from the Guilderland area - but I am having trouble pinning that down.

I did well at the Prospect Hill cemetery. I found my great great grandmother's grave but the stone is very deteriorated and almost impossible to read.

Laura

Sources

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