Patriotic Service to Carnival Side Shows
At the beginning of 1920, Loyd (31), Blanche (25), and his family of three daughters lived in Craven County, North Carolina. His daughters, Kathleen, Helen, and Myrtle were 9, 6, and 7-months old. According to this census, Loyd, Blanche, all of these children, his parents, and Blanche’s parents were born in North Carolina.
On August 20, 1921, Loyd was injured in the line of duty while serving on the USS Seminole for the U.S. Navy. He was discharged on January 22, 1922. He collected a pension for a time, but this ended before 1944, and possibly long before that.
Loyd’s official military record disagrees with these dates (the above dates came from a letter written to Loyd from one of his prior commanders). The official records (which may have been reconstructed after a fire destroyed many military records) state that he served from June 11, 1917 until June 10, 1918, aboard the USS Seminole. Four ships in the United States Navy have been named USS Seminole, after the Indian tribe.
The first Seminole was launched in 1859, commissioned in 1860 and decommissioned in 1865.
The second Seminole was a tug, built in 1879, purchased as Kate Jones in 1898 and commissioned the same year. She was decommissioned in 1898, and transferred to the War Department in 1900. This is the ship Loyd probably served aboard, but it’s role in the war, as part of the War Department, is unknown by me.
The third Seminole (AT-65) was commissioned in 1940 and sunk by enemy action in October of 1942. The fourth Seminole (AKA-104/LKA-104) was commissioned in 1945 and decommissioned in 1970.
Above: The USS Seminole on which Loyd served?
After his discharge, Loyd used his talents in a number of ways. He traveled with his own jazz band, he played the guitar and other stringed instruments, and worked with various side shows and carnivals. In addition to performing before crowds, he wrote songs. At least two of his songs were published. You could have purchased the words to “That’s Why We Don’t Ride Anymore” and “The Flapper Man” for twenty-five cents. It was during this period that he worked with Tex Ritter, who went on to become a nationally known country singer and actor.
As a small-town Carney (defn: a dedicated carnival worker) he once worked with an exhibit known as the “Worlds Strangest Collection of Curiosities”. Loyd, who would have his family travel along with him, also had his own set of sideshows. One exhibit was a snake pit that featured his unwilling, but stoic daughter, Kathleen. She hated being in a pit with snakes, but she loved her dad, so she did it anyway.
Above: Loyd Rogers (far right) with the New Orleans Strutters
On August 20, 1921, Loyd was injured in the line of duty while serving on the USS Seminole for the U.S. Navy. He was discharged on January 22, 1922. He collected a pension for a time, but this ended before 1944, and possibly long before that.
Loyd’s official military record disagrees with these dates (the above dates came from a letter written to Loyd from one of his prior commanders). The official records (which may have been reconstructed after a fire destroyed many military records) state that he served from June 11, 1917 until June 10, 1918, aboard the USS Seminole. Four ships in the United States Navy have been named USS Seminole, after the Indian tribe.
The first Seminole was launched in 1859, commissioned in 1860 and decommissioned in 1865.
The second Seminole was a tug, built in 1879, purchased as Kate Jones in 1898 and commissioned the same year. She was decommissioned in 1898, and transferred to the War Department in 1900. This is the ship Loyd probably served aboard, but it’s role in the war, as part of the War Department, is unknown by me.
The third Seminole (AT-65) was commissioned in 1940 and sunk by enemy action in October of 1942. The fourth Seminole (AKA-104/LKA-104) was commissioned in 1945 and decommissioned in 1970.
Above: The USS Seminole on which Loyd served?
After his discharge, Loyd used his talents in a number of ways. He traveled with his own jazz band, he played the guitar and other stringed instruments, and worked with various side shows and carnivals. In addition to performing before crowds, he wrote songs. At least two of his songs were published. You could have purchased the words to “That’s Why We Don’t Ride Anymore” and “The Flapper Man” for twenty-five cents. It was during this period that he worked with Tex Ritter, who went on to become a nationally known country singer and actor.
As a small-town Carney (defn: a dedicated carnival worker) he once worked with an exhibit known as the “Worlds Strangest Collection of Curiosities”. Loyd, who would have his family travel along with him, also had his own set of sideshows. One exhibit was a snake pit that featured his unwilling, but stoic daughter, Kathleen. She hated being in a pit with snakes, but she loved her dad, so she did it anyway.
Above: Loyd Rogers (far right) with the New Orleans Strutters
posted by Steve | 11:00 AM
1 Comments:
What a full and interesting childhood our Grandmother must have had. I'm sure part of her joy with dancing came as a result of her time with the New Orleans Strutters.
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