James Donald Peckels Sr (1923 - 1974)

Born 29 May 1923 in Parkville, St. Louis, Minnesota, United States

Ancestors

Son of Peter John Peckels and Helen Rose (Sullivan) Peckels

Husband of Bernice Leatrice (Symitczek) Peckels — married 14 Aug 1945 in St. Louis, Minnesota, United States

Descendants

Died 1 Feb 1974 at age 50 in Saint Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Elise Hachfeld [send private message]

Biography

Genealogically Defined

Early Life

Jim was a Mechanic.

Jim Peckels Sr has Irish ancestors.

James was born at 1:15 pm on May 29th, 1923 in Parkville, St Louis, Minnesota. ^[1][2] His parents were Peter John Peckels and Nellie Rose Sullivan. ^[1]

In the 1930 census he was 6 years old, living with his parents and brother on First Addition Street in Nichols, St Louis, Minnesota. ^[3]

In the 1940 census he was 17 years old, living with his parents and sister at 9th Avenue South #311 in Virginia, St Louis, Minnesota. He was working as a junk dealer. ^[4]

James had a child, David Lee Peckels, in 1941 with Alyce Margarete Justine Gripp. ^[5]

Military Service

Private Jim Peckels Sr served in the United States Army in World War II
Service started: 26 Oct 1943
Unit(s): 13th Armored Division; 124th Armored Engineer Battalion
Service ended: 31 Oct 1944

James was drafted into the United States Army and was inducted on October 26th, 1943 at Fort Snelling. ^[6][7][8]

At the time, he had completed 8 years of elementary school and was working as a truck driver hauling freight and men (or a diesel mechanic ^[8]) for Oliver Iron Mining Company. ^[9] His Report of Physical Examination and Induction stated that he had no physical or mental defects or diseases. ^[9]

During his service, he was stationed at Camp Beale, Fort Leonard Wood, and Camp Bowie (dates unknown.) ^[10] He also graduated sometime in 1944 from a twelve week training at the Ordinance Motor School in Fort Crook. ^[8]

According to his Certificate of Disability for Discharge, James became unfit for duty on September 20th, 1944 due to epilepsy. The date of onset was listed as 1931, but it was not listed in the induction papers.

A board hearing was held in the Station Hospital at Camp Bowie on October 27th, 1944 to approve his discharge from the military. He was honorably discharged after serving as a Private in the 124th Armored Engineer Battalion of the 13th Armored Division on October 31st, 1944 at Camp Bowie. ^[11]

Marriage

He married Bernice Leatrice Symitczek on August 14th, 1945 in St. Louis, Minnesota.^[12] They were married by a judge, despite Bernice's staunch Catholic faith. This could've been because James had Dave out of wedlock. No record of a marriage between James and Alyce has been found.

Additionally, people with epilepsy were forbidden to marry by a clause in the marriage license application, so James probably kept his condition a secret. The first law to prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities passed in 1973, the year before he died.

James and Bernice had four kids:

1. J Peckels^[13]
2. P Peckels ^[13]
3. G E Peckels ^[5]
4. S J Peckels ^[5]

Later Life

In the 1950 census he was 26 years old, living with his wife and 3 unmarried sons at 1250 Almaden Street #6 in Eugene, Lane, Oregon. He was working as a Heavy Duty Mechanic at a lumber mill. ^[13]

He passed away on February 1st, 1974, from lung and liver cancer. He was 50 years old. ^[14][15][16]

He was buried in Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota on February 4th, 1974.^[17][6]

Research Notes

James' birth certificate lists his birth place (and his parents residence) as the following: ^[1]

County of St Louis

Township of Nichols

Village of Spring Park

His son Jay John Glover was identified through AncestryDNA testing. James likely never knew he had another son. Jay was probably conceived while James was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri.
Hachfeld-3 19:54, 4 July 2023 (UTC)

WATO Tree for Jay Glover

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} "Record of Birth," State of Minnesota, Division of Vital Statistics (Parkville, St. Louis County), cert no. 30545. Digital scan, Minnesota Historical Society (St. Paul).
2. ↑ "Web: Minnesota, U.S., Birth Index, 1900-1934," database
   (Ancestry Record 9196 #800355 : accessed 29 June 2023)
   
   • James Donald Peckels born on 29 May 1923 in St. Louis, Minnesota, USA.
     
   • citing "Minnesota Birth Certificates Index" Minnesota Historical Society. accessed 18 Nov 2014, cert no. 1923-30545, URL
3. ↑ "1930 United States Federal Census," database with images
   (Ancestry Record 6224 #86475102 : accessed 27 June 2023)
   
   • Jimmie Pickles (6), single son, in household of John P Pickles (35) in First Additon, Nichols, St Louis, Minnesota, USA. Born in Minnesota.
     
   • citing 1930 (Nichols, St Louis, Minnesota) pg. 8B, ED 0156, FHL microfilm 2340863.
4. ↑ "1940 United States Federal Census," database with images
   (Ancestry Record 2442 #98906775 : accessed 27 June 2023)
   
   • James Beckler, single son, in household of Peter J Beckler (55) in Virginia, St Louis, Minnesota. Born in Minnesota.
     
   • citing 1940 (Virginia, St Louis, Minnesota) roll m-t0627-01957, pg. 2A, ED 69-137B.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} "Minnesota, U.S., Birth Index, 1935-2000," database
   
   • citing Minnesota Department of Health (Saint Paul, Minnesota) "Minnesota, Birth Index, 1935-2000."
   (Ancestry Record 8742 #309874358 : accessed 30 June 2023)
   
   • David Lee Peckels born to Alyce Justine Peckels and James Donald Peckels on 8 Apr 1941.
     
   (Ancestry Record 8742 #8959141 : accessed 3 July 2023)
   
   • G E Peckels birth 24 Jul 1952, child of James Donald Peckels & Bernice Leatrice Peckels.
     
   (Ancestry Record 8742 #8637572 : accessed 3 July 2023)
   
   • S J Peckels birth 14 May 1959, child of James Donald Peckels & Bernice Leatrice Peckels.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} "U.S., Veterans' Gravesites, ca.1775-2019," database
   (Ancestry Record 8750 #2380392 : accessed 29 June 2023)
   
   • James D Peckels burial (died on 1 Feb 1974) on 4 Feb 1974 in Ft. Snelling National Cemetery, Minnesota, USA.
     
   • citing National Cemetery Administration, U.S. Veterans' Gravesites.
7. ↑ "U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010," database
   (Ancestry Record 2441 #3712903 : accessed 29 June 2023)
   

   Name: James D Peckels
   

   Gender: Male
   

   Birth Date: 29 May 1923
   

   Death Date: 1 Feb 1974
   

   Enlistment Branch: ARMY
   

   Enlistment Date: 26 Oct 1943
   

   Discharge Date: 31 Oct 1944
   

   • citing "Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File," U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (Washington, D.C.) pg. 1.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} "Enlisted Record of Peckels, James D."
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} "Report of Physical Examination and Induction"
10. ↑ Personal Recollection of son, P. Peckels, as told to Elise Hachfeld
11. ↑ "Certificate of Disability for Discharge"
12. ↑ "Web: Minnesota, U.S., Marriages from the Minnesota Official Marriage System, 1850-2019," database
    (Ancestry Record 70873 #2338736 : accessed 29 June 2023)
    
    • James D Peckels marriage to Bernice L Symitczek on 14 Aug 1945 in St. Louis, Minnesota, USA.
      
    • citing Minnesota Association of County Officers (Saint Paul, Minnesota) "Minnesota Official Marriage System" cert no. 28000199.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2} "1950 United States Federal Census," database with images
    (Ancestry Record 62308 #24305404 : accessed 27 June 2023)
    
    • James D Peckles (26), married, Heavy Duty Mechanic, head of household in Eugene, Lane, Oregon, USA. Born in Minnesota.
      
    • citing United States of America, Bureau of the Census (Washington, D.C.) "Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950,"
    • Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007, Record Group no. 29
    • 1950 (Eugene, Lane, Oregon) roll 809, sheet 13, ED 20-43.
14. ↑ "Certificate of Death," Minnesota Department of Health, Section of Vital Statistics (St. Paul, Ramsey County), cert no. 005097. Digital scan, Minnesota Historical Society (St. Paul).
15. ↑ "U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014," database
    (Ancestry Record 3693 #47942837 : accessed 29 June 2023)
    
    • James Peckels death Feb 1974 (born 29 May 1923) residing at 55102, Saint Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota, USA.
      
    • citing Social Security Administration (Washington D.C.) "USA, Social Security Death Index, Master File."
16. ↑ "Minnesota, U.S., Death Index, 1908-2017," database
    (Ancestry Record 7316 #2047240 : accessed 29 June 2023)
    
    • James D Peckels death 1 Feb 1974 (born 29 May 1923) in Ramsey, Minnesota, USA, mother's maiden name Rose.
      
    • citing Minnesota Department of Health (St Paul, Minnesota) "Minnesota, Death Index, 1908-2017" cert. no. 005097.
17. ↑ "U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current," database
    (Ancestry Record 60525 #29401069 : accessed 29 June 2023)
    
    • James Donald Peckels Sr burial (died on 1 Feb 1974) in Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States of America.
      
    • citing Find A Grave: Memorial #73814929

See Also:

• FamilySearch Person: GZFW-K71
• St. Louis County, Minnesota Geographic Names
• Chapter XXVII: History of the Townships of St. Louis County, pg. 713 Nichols Township. "Duluth and St. Louis County, Minnesota; their story and people; an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, educational, civic and social development."
• The History and Stigma of Epilepsy

DNA

1. Paternal and Maternal relationships are both confirmed by an autosomal AncestryDNA test match between Dawn (Peckels) Hachfeld and J Darr, her 2C.
   • Their most-recent common ancestors are Peter Peckels and Nellie Sullivan, the great grandparents of both Dawn (Peckels) Hachfeld and J Darr.
   • Predicted relationship from AncestryDNA: 1st - 2nd cousin, based on sharing 384 cM across 16 segments.