Edwin Henry Sweetman (1894 - 1972)

Born 22 Apr 1894 in Mountain Ash, Glamorgan, Wales

Ancestors

Husband of Hazel Marie (Worden) Sweetman — married 3 Jul 1920 in Bay City, Bay, Michigan, United States

Descendants

Died 12 Aug 1972 at age 78 in Midland, Midland, Michigan, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Barry Sweetman [send private message]

Biography

Harry Sweetman was born in Glamorgan, Wales.

Birth

Harry Sweetman was born on 22 Apr 1894 in Mountain Ash, Glamorgan, Wales, the son of Edwin Sweetman and Ruth Bird.^[1]

Harry Sweetman migrated from Wales to the United States.

He followed his father, mother, his brother Frank, and his sister Violet to the US, emigrating from Wales to the United States in 1913, via Canada, and landing in St Alban's, Vermont onboard the HMS Corsican on 22 December 1913.^[2] One brother, Willis (Willie) Stanley Sweetman stayed in Great Britain and never emigrated to the US.

Military Service

World War I

Pvt Harry Sweetman served in the United States Army in World War I
Service started: 25 May 1918
Unit(s): 85th Division, 339th Infantry Regiment. Co L, "Polar Bear Expedition"
Service ended: 2 Aug 1919

Harry was drafted into the US Army and was assigned to Company L, 85th Division, 339th Infantry Regiment, on 25 May 1918 during WWI, initially for service in France, but his regiment was redirected to Arkhangelsk, and arrived in there on 24 Sep 1918. As it unfolded, that whole operation turned out to be a fiasco.

They were shipped to Russia^[3][4] along with 4,487 other men from Michigan along with about 500 draftees from Wisconsin.

President Wilson stipulated that the American troops sent to Russia were only there to protect the American stores of weapons, ammo, etc., (which had been pre-positioned there for anticipated fighting on the eastern front), from the Germans. The American troops were only meant to be stationed in Arkhangelsk and not to be engaged in fighting the Bolsheviks.

Polar Bear Expedition Patch - North Russia 1918 - 1919

But by the time of their arrival, the pre-positioned stores had already been looted by the Bolsheviks. The American generals bowed to the pressure of the British commander in charge of the whole operation and sent the Americans to attack the Bolsheviks hundreds of miles from Arkangel. Our troops weren't provided with enough men. supplies, clothing, medicine, food, proper boots for walking in snow, or warm clothing and parkas. They were also issued inferior Russin weapons. The Bolsheviks, on the other hand, had American weapons stolen from the looted American stores. The Americans were always vastly outnumbered but held their ground. In the end over 500 American lives were lost as a result.^[5][6][7]

Fortunately, Harry survived the ordeal but rarely mentioned his service. ^[8][9]

Because of the frigid conditions, the soldiers became known as the "Polar Bears", and their expedition became known as the "Polar Bear Expedition". The unit was also called "Detroit's Own" because it was formed in Detroit and was mostly made up of men from Michigan.

World War II

He registered with the draft board again in 1942, at age 48, for service in WW II but was never drafted.^[10]

Marriage

He married his only wife Hazel Worden on 3 Jul 1920 in Bay City, Michigan.^[11] The wedding was held at his father's house on Spruce Street in Bay City, Michigan.

"A pretty wedding took place Saturday evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Sweetman of 113 Spruce Street, when their son, Harry Sweetman and Miss Hazel Worden were united in marriage. The bride looked charming in a dress of white georgette crepe and was attended by the groom's sister. The groom was attended by his brother. The ceremony was performed under a large ball of blue and white the bride's chosen colors, in the presence of relatives and friends, after which a wedding supper was served to about 20 guests. The out of town guests were Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sweetman of Detroit." ^[12]

Death

Harry died on 12 Aug 1972 in Midland, Michigan and was buried in Memorial Gardens in Midland, Michigan.^{[13][14][15][16]}

Sources

1. ↑ "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008", database, FamilySearch: 1 October 2014, Edwin Henry Sweetman, 1894; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Pontypridd, Glamorganshire, Wales, citing General Register Office, Southport, England
2. ↑ "United States Border Crossings from Canada to United States, 1895-1956", database, Family Search (: viewed 13 November 2019), Edwin Henry Edward Sweetman; Edwin Hy Sweetman, 1913
3. ↑ The Polar Bear vol. 3, no. 1 (Feb. 1927), Historical files of the American Expeditionary Forces, North Russia (National Archives Microfilm M924), Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan
4. ↑ US Army Transportation Service, "WW I", digital image, The National Archives NARA: downloaded 14 August 2020, US Army WWI Transport Service, Passenger Lists: US Army WWI Transport Service, Passenger Lists; citing NARA Content Partner:NARAFold3 Publication Year:2017Fold3 Job:17-020Nara Catalog Id: See NARA; Lists of Incoming Passengers, 1917-1938; Lists of Outgoing Passengers, 1917-1938; https://www.fold3.com/image/604136093 : 2020.
5. ↑ : "U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010", database with images Fold3 accessed September 4, 2022). The National Archives, "Army Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914," database, Fold3 https://www.fold3.com/: viewed 4 September 2022), Edwin Sweetman; citing
6. ↑ The Polar Bear, vol. 3, no. 1 (Feb. 1927), Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan, Historical files of the American Expeditionary Forces, North Russia (National Archives Microfilm M924), page 30.
7. ↑ US Army Transportation Service, "WW I", digital image, The National Archives NARA (http://www.archives.gov), Fold3: downloaded 25 January 2019), Edwin Harry Sweetman; citing Lists of Incoming Passengers, 1917-1938; Lists of Outgoing Passengers, 1917
8. ↑ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", Form 1260 Card 65; database with images, FamilySearch: 12 December 2014, Edwin Henry Sweetman, 1917-1918; citing Bay City no 2, Michigan, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,675,067. Military Draft Registration Card
9. ↑ "Michigan, Census of World War I Veterans with Card Index, 1917-1919", database, FamilySearch: 8 September 2019), Edwin Henry Edward Sweetman, Michigan, United States; citing Military Service, Michigan, United States, Michigan Department of State, Lansing; FHL microfilm 008461419
10. ↑ US Military Draft Registration Card, citing Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, citing he National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War II Draft Cards (4th Registration) for the State of Michigan; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147
11. ↑ "Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925", database with images, FamilySearch: 4 December 2014 Edwin H. Sweetman and Hazel M. Worden, 03 Jul 1920; citing Bay City, Bay, Michigan, v 1 p 132 rn 20187, Department of Vital Records, Lansing; FHL microfilm 2,342,735
12. ↑ "Sweetman-Worden," wedding announcement, The Bay City Times Tribune, 8 July 1920, wedding of Harry Sweetman and Hazel Worden; online archives (www.Genealogybank.com : downloaded 22 April 2021); GenealogyBank.com citing: The Bay City Times Tribune, Thursday July 8, 1920, p. 5
13. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial 57897944 ,database, FamilySearch: 13 December 2015), Edwin H. Sweetman, 1972; Burial, Midland, Midland, Michigan, United States of America, Memorial Gardens Cemetery; citing record ID 57897944, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
14. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index", database, FamilySearch: 20 May 2014, Edwin Sweetman, Aug 1972; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing)
15. ↑ "Michigan Department of Vital and Health Records. Michigan, Death Index, 1971-1996; Ancestry.com," database (ancestry.com: viewed 21 February 2020), Edwin H Sweetman death; citing Michigan Department of Vital and Health Records. Michigan Death Index. Lansing, MI, USA.
16. ↑ Barry Sweetman, Personal recollection of author who was a pallbearer for Edwin, as recalled on13 Aug 2016.

See also:

• "Michigan, Detroit Manifests of Arrivals at the Port of Detroit, 1906-1954", database with images, FamilySearch: 4 December 2014, Edwin H Sweetman, 22 Dec 1913; citing NARA microfilm publication M1478 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,490,551.
• "United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942", database with images, FamilySearch: 8 April 2016, Edwin Henry Sweetman, 1942; citing NARA microfilm publication M1936, M1937, M1939, M1951, M1962, M1964, M1986, M2090, and M2097 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• 1920 US Census, Enumeration Dist 83, Ward 9, Sheet 18A.
• 1930 U. S. Census. Washington, DC, National Archives, Enum Dist 9-29, Supv Dist 6, Sheet 8B, Enum Dist 56-13 Supv Dist 6, Sheet 25B.