The Scheele Clan

Mathias & Mathilda Scheele

 After my visit with Kermit Scheele, I was able to really begin sinking my teeth into adding more people and information into the Scheele branches of my tree.  Mathias and Mathilda (Stielow-pronounced "stee-low) Scheele are my 2nd Great Grandparents on my mother's side and are currently the furthest back I go with that family.

Scheele Family Farm

They lived on a farm northwest of Big Stone City, SD until 1911 when they moved into town. 

Mathias Scheele and his horses

 Mathias and Mathilda had six children, five girls and one boy.  The picture below does not show their youngest child, Irene.  This picture was taken before 1909, the year Irene was born.  Irene died at the young age of 28 from a pulmonary ailment.

Mathias Scheele family, pre-1909

Family names that fall under the Scheele branches include Maack, Madden, Rammer, Kargleder, Stodolski, and Johnson.  These, of course, break down even further to Slobe, Reymund, Vosburg, Hammerstrom and others.


It has been a huge learning experience working on these families whom I was not overly familiar with.  We have some pretty amazing people in our family and I am proud to be getting to know some of them.  Facebook has made it possible to meet, at least virtually, many relatives I would have never met at all.

If you are a descendant of Mathias Scheele, please feel free to add something to this story.  Also, if you have any old pictures you wish to share, please do that as well.  Don't be afraid to add some new pictures as well!

War Without a Rifle

Private Kermit Scheele

Back in July my wife and I visited my1st cousin 2X removed on my Mother's side, Kermit Scheele.  Kermit is 88-years-old and lives in an assisted living apartment in Washington, DC with his dog, Ling Ling.  During our visit, Kermit  told us about his experience in World War II.

It seems he was drafted in June of 1943 and processed into the Army in Minneapolis, MN.  In January of 1944, he was sent over to England.  When he got there, he had no idea where he was or what he was to do.  A duty Captain, from Michigan, welcomed him and sent him to some barracks to get situated.  While he was there, one of his duties was to pick up Anti-Aircraft brass (casings of the shells fired at the German bombers).

He was later sent to Cheltham and then on to Cherburg, France during Bastille Day.  There, he was responsible for escorting a group of 12 female journalists who were traveling around getting stories to send to a Soldier's hometown.  Kermit was never issued a rifle or even fired one and never did have one his whole time in Europe.

The same Captain (now a Colonel) that met him upon arrival put Kermit in for a commission and he became a 2nd Lieutenant in the Adjutant General Corps.  Kermit was discharged from the Regular Army and entered the Reserves in Richmond, VA where he served until 1953.

Please send them my way

Recently I have been finding a lot of distant family members on Facebook.  Well, I received a warning from Facebook about sending friend requests. I thought that was what Facebook was all about. Apparently, in my quest to connect with family members I have never met, someone may have either not answered in a very long time, or possibly reported me.

This was a bit disheartening and disappointing.  First of all, it shows that not everyone lives on Facebook and sees your friend requests right away.  I hope this is the reason I was warned for "contacting people I didn't know".  The other reason is the one that is disheartening.  What if one of those distant relatives (who mostly have the same last name as me) reported me for harassing them without even communicating to me?  I tried not to worry too much about that.  I know that in today's society, people are very leery of strangers and especially people who are asking them very personal information.

I hope that as I contact relatives and they see that I am working diligently on the Family Tree, they will let their siblings or children know what is going on and who I am.  If nothing else, if you are one of those people, please have them get in touch with me so we can build that tree.

The War Diary of the 89th Division

The following is a retyped, exact duplication of a war diary written by George Joseph Van Hout.  I have fixed misspellings but kept phrasing, so as to stay as close to the original writing as possible.  

THE WAR DIARY OF THE 89^TH DIVISION

Written by George Van Hout

            Left Milbank, So. Dak. On Sept.17 1917 went to Camp Funston, Kansas for training.  Came home on furlough one time.  Arrived back in Milbank the last week of Dec. 1917.  Returned to Camp Funston on the 2^nd of Jan. 1918.

George Joseph Van Hout

            May 24^th  Left Camp Funston, Kansas, via U.P. Ry, for Camp Mills, New York, passing thru Chicago, Niagara Falls and New York City.  Spent one hour at Niagara Falls while enroute to Camp Mills, May 26^th.

            May 27^th  Arrived at Camp Mills, N.Y.

            June 3^rd  Left Camp Mills for Hoboken to board steamer at 2:30 A.M.  Boarded ferry at about 3:30 A.M., passing the Statue of Liberty on our way down the sound.  Arrived at dock 8:30 A.M. and boarded the S.S. Kyber about 10:30 A.M.

            June 4^th  Pulled anchor and set sail for Liverpool, England at 2:30 P.M.

            June 15^th  Arrived at Liverpool, after having a very pleasant voyage as far as the weather and sea were concerned.  As for the food, the less said the better.  Nearly had an accident in the harbor at Liverpool when the S.S. Carpathia drifted into our boat, tearing all the life boats off one side of both ships.

            June 16^th  Docked and unloaded all our equipment off the boat about 2 P.M. and immediately marched to the depot where an English officer gave each man an address and an autographed copy of a message from King George V.  Noticed one thing peculiar about the land, all traffic goes to the left and all motor vehicles are right hand drive.

            June 17^th  Arrived at Winchester at 6 A.M. and marched about 2 ½ miles to an English camp where we were allowed to rest up from our long trip on the boat.

            June 21^st  Left for Southampton to sail for Havre, France.  Left dock about midnight.

            June 22^nd  Arrived at Harve at 6 A.M. having a very uneventful trip, the channel being very calm and no subs bothered us.  Stayed overnight in some French Barracks.

            June 23^rd  Left for St. Blin, France about 3:30 P.M., packed 36 to a car.  These cars are about on half as large as a small box car in the States.

            June 24^th  Arrived at barracks in St. Blin at 10:30 P.M..  We had regular drill and garrison duties from arrival to departure.

            Aug. 5^th  Left St. Blin for Toul with machine guns mounted for protection against enemy aircraft at 1:30 P.M. arriving at Toul at 10 P.M.  We were billeted in a large French garrison.

            Aug. 9^th  Left for Corneville at 7:30 P.m., arriving about 10 P.M.  Here we were billeted in barns and sheds.

            Aug. 21^st  Left for Andilly about 7:30 A.M. arriving at midnight, two squads going directly to Bernicourt to do guard duty.

            Aug. 23^rd  Company “B” that had been on duty in the trenches was relieved and came in about 4 A.M.

            Sept. 11^th  Left for “Gas Hollow” near Flirey to put up a machine gun barrage arriving around 11:30 P.M.  It was very muddy and slippery, everyone was up to their waist except those that had on rubber boots.

            Sept. 12^th  Fired barrage at 5 A.M. ad left for Bouillonville.  Part of the Battalion arriving that night and the rest stayed overnight at Essay arriving about 2 A.M. Sept. 13^th.

            Sept. 13^th  Left Bouillonville for position in support of the 3^rd Battalion of the 353^rd Infantry in the line at Xammes.  10:30 A.M.  Here we were stopped by a French guide from running headlong into the Hindenburg Line.  After getting on the right road we were latter arriving at Xammes, it was about noon.  Here we were under 36 hours of the hardest shell fire the Boshe had ever put over on that front to date.  Casualties to date, 3 killed, 6 wounded.

            Sept. 14^th  Relieved at 7 P.M. and left for Bouillonville arriving there about 9 P.M., where we had our first hot meal since leaving Andilly Sept. 11^th.

            Sept. 19^th  Left for the “Cut” at 9:30 A.M. arriving around 10 A.M. and were ordered to hold ourselves in readiness to move out at a moment’s notice.

            Sept. 25^th  Were ordered into dugouts and to be ready to pull out at any time.  Spent the night, which was very long and chilly there awaiting orders to move out.

            Oct. 3^rd  Left the “Cut” about 6 P.M. for position in the line between Xammes and Jaulnay to relieve the 10^th Infantry, arriving there about 11:30 P.M.  Our artillery active for a period of about 45 minutes and increasing to the intensity of a barrage.  This being about the time we went into position which helped us considerable as the Boshe were too busy dodging our fire to bother us with their fire till later in the night when they shelled our positions very heavily, using shrapnel, high explosive and gas shells.

            Oct. 4^th  German artillery shelled Thiaucourt using mustard gas.  Here our Staff was gassed, including two Majors, one 1^st Lieutenant, Sgt. Major, Statistical Sgt., one wagoner and four privates, all being sent to hospital immediately.

            Oct. 5^th  Usual artillery activity on the part of the enemy, they are harassingly using gas shells.  Two Lieutenants and fourteen men gasses.

            Oct. 6^th  Enemy artillery active, throwing over approximately 3,000 shrapnel and gas shells.

            Oct. 8^th  Were relieved about 7 P.M. and after having breakfast at the “Cut” we proceeded to Commercy arriving there around 12:30 P.M.  Were billeted in French brick barracks.

            Oct. 10^th  Left Commercy for Recicourt in barns the first night but from then till departure we lived in “pup” tents on the side of a hill.

            Oct. 13^th  Left Recicourt for new camp about 2:30 P.M.  Spent the night in trucks and “pup” tents pitched in the mud.

            Oct. 14^th  Arrived and set up camp at 3 P.M. at Eclisfontaine.  Broke camp and left for new camp one mile south of Epinonville about 4:30 P.M. arriving at 5:30 P.M.  Bitter fighting continues, but the enemy artillery is not severe.  The employment of large numbers of machine guns continue to be a marked feature of the enemy’s defense.  Total numbers of prisoners to pass thru the Corps cage since noon Dec. 26^th being 115 officers and 3,442 men.  Enemy aeronautics very active, bombing planes flying over our back areas continually.  Always flying in bunches of 10 to 15, never alone or in pairs as our planes do.  From the 15^th to the 20^th we were under orders to move out at a moment’s notice.

            Oct. 22^nd  Good visibility caused a marked increased in enemy aerial activity.  Enemy planes patrolling our front lines, firing on our men in the trenches with machine guns.  Enemy planes dropped propaganda quoting Germany’s peace proposal and President Wilson’s reply, also propaganda asking our men why they were fighting?  They also asked them if they wouldn’t rather be at home with their wives and sweethearts.

            Oct. 25^th  Extract of a letter found on a German prisoner:  “Now that you have moved into the fields of France, I am very much worried about you, for I won’t see you again, I’m sure.  You know, my dear son, that those who get to France never return.  I cannot help thinking of you all the time.  Uncle Johann has lost two sons there and Wilhelm two, also.”

            Oct. 26^th  Translation of a German paper dated Oct. 25^th, General Headquarters

            “German soldiers, be vigilant:  The word “Armistice” is current in trench and camp.  We have not yet reached that point.  To some the word represents a certainty, to others it is even a synonym to peace, of the peace so long desired.  They believed that events no longer depend on them; their vigilance is relaxed their courage and endurance, as well as their spirit of defiance toward the enemy diminished.

            We Have not yet reached our aim.  The armistice has not yet been concluded.  The war is still on, the same war as ever.  Now more than ever you must be vigilant and hold fast.  More than ever you are on enemy soil, and on the soil of Alsace-Lorraine, the bulwark of our country.  In this grave hour Fatherland relies on you for its prosperity and for its safety.”

            Battalion today carrying 500,000 rounds of ammunition about two kilometers thru the woods, (Bois de Bantheville) to where our gun positions are to be in the drive soon to come.  Quite a number of boys were gassed.

            Oct. 29^th  Armistice feeling is having its effect on the enemy are reported to be using one pounders which are very accurate and deadly.  Our aviators very active in spite of bad weather, reporting several enemy large guns deserted and left setting at the side of the road.

            Oct. 31^st  Left camp for positions in the Bois de Bantheville for purpose of firing machine gun barrage.  Barrage fired at 2:29 A.M. until 5:16 A.M. Nov. 1^st.

            Nov. 1^st  Our boys went over the top at 5:30 A.M., meeting strong resistance at first from rear guards using machine guns.  The infantry not offering much resistance.  At noon the prisoners numbered about 1200, among them being a woman dressed as a soldier.  Morale of the troops captured seemed to be low.  While most of them seemed to be young men in their teens and early twenties and good condition, they seemed to feel that their cause was so hopeless that there was no further use in putting up a fight.  Left for LDhuy Fme about 10 A.M. arriving there at 5 P.M.

            Nov. 3^rd  La Dhut Fme for Remonville about 3:15 P.M. and camped for the night in a field one mile north.  Pitched camp in mud at 10 P.M.

            Nov. 4^th  Received orders at 3 A.M. to pull out for Barricourt, arriving there about 8 A.M.  Left there immediately for position in lines but trucks were stopped on the road two kilometers north of Tailly by enemy shell fire at 9:30 A.M.  Proceeded to Beauclair with trucks about 3:30 P.M. leaving some there and proceeded about one kilometer north on foot to put up a barrage at 4 P.M. to cover the advance of the infantry.  Barrage postponed as the infantry has passed our target which shows how fast they were progressing.  Moved on into the Foret de Dieult about 5 P.M. to position ¾ of a mile, southwest of Lannuville arriving at 8 P.M., a distance the land every 15 or 20 feet for the purpose of delaying the progress of our troops.  Battalion headquarters placed at a cross road a very unsuitable place.

            Nov. 5^th  Left position in Foret de Dieulet about 1 P.M. to position near the west bank of the Meuse river, our guns covering the bridges and the town of Bouilly.  The company had a very hard time getting to these positions as they had to march with full packs ad all equipment for the guns thru a very dense woods by compass.

            Nov. 6^th  Arrived at new position about 8 A.M.

            Nov. 8^th  Sixty-five mines were discovered in buildings at Lannuville.  It is supposed by the construction that these mines were to destroy cellars.  Typical charges were 77mm cases filled with explosives and from 5 to 20 cases in each cellar.  In some instances the fuses ran into stove grates and in others the mines were fixed to be set off by trip wires.  Since Nov. 1^st we have advanced 40 Kilometers (26 miles), broke down all enemy resistance, freed 800 square kilometers of France, liberated 2000 civilians, 6ooo prisoners and a large quantity of ammunition and arms.

            Nov. 10^th  Stenay was taken by the division on our right, who crossed the river above the city.  The crossing at Pouilly’ was executed by our division, the men being ferried across the river under cover of darkness and under very heavy shell fire without mishap.  Large ammunition dump was captured, containing 10,000 6” shells.  About at Stenay, comprising mostly of old men, women and children.  Very few young women being seen.

            Nov.11^th  Armistice declared.  All hostilities to stop at 11 hours French time, the allied troops not to go beyond the point reached at that time.  Enemy artillery very active up to the last minute.

            Nov. 12^th  Battalion was relieved and billeted in Beaufort.  This is the dirtiest and most unsanitary town we have ever been in.  Many French civilians entered our lines that have been held since 1914 and report having been very poorly fed and treated.  They also report that the Germans took young girls from their homes to the camp and made them work in the fields as well as take care of the officers’ quarters, and than many of these girls gave birth to babies.  French prisoners of war state  that the casualties were exceedingly high in number, especially gas.  In regards to the maltreatment and violation of French women, prisoners state the following scheme was constantly employed.  If a woman refused the advances of a German soldier, or officer she was immediately reported to the authorities as lacking respect to a German soldier.  Thereupon a notice would be posted in a public place stating she had been disrespectful and condemning her to a fine varying from 15 to 35 marks in a case of an enlisted man and 3000 marks in the case of an officer, or an alternative of imprisonment in case of failure or inability to pay the fine.  This proceeding was continued until the desired result was obtained.

            Nov. 16^th  The 89^th Division was relieved by the 2^nd Division.

            Nov. 17^th  Word received today that the 89^th Division is to be included in the army of occupation with the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 26^th, 32^nd, 42^nd, and 90^th Divisions, an army of about 250,000 men.  This is an honor for the 89^th, which is made up of men that have been in the service only a little over 6 months, to be picked with the above divisions, which are the best in the American E. F. (Expeditionary Force)

            Nov. 23^rd  Major Hale and Lt. Farrell returned from the hospital today.  The Major’s eyes are pretty bad yet.  Lt. Farrell is just as full of the old Nick as ever.

            Nov. 24^th  Left Beaufort at 7:30 A.M. arriving at Houdrigny, Belgium at 10 A.M. passing thru Stenay, Montmedy, Dampicourt and some pretty country.  This is the cleanest town we have ever been in since landing.

            Nov. 30^th  Left Houdrigny, Belgium, at 7 A.M. for St. Leger, Belgium arriving about 11:30 A.M.

            Dec. 3^rd  Left St. Leger, Belgium, for Mersch, Luxembourg, at 7 A.M. arriving there at 11: 30 A.M.  Man living here lived in Nebraska for 22 years.

            Dec. 5^th  Left Mersch, Luxembourg, at 7 A.M. for Echternach, Luxembourg, arriving about 11:00 A.M.

            Dec. 8^th  Left Echternach, Luxembourg, at 7 A.M. for Eisenschmitt, Germany, arriving about 11 A.M.  Company “A” now billeted in a castle at the edge of town.  It is very pretty, being built on the side of a mountain with large lawns containing numerous benches, conveniently situated in clumps of fir trees, to make life worth living, provided you have the right party present.

            Dec. 12^th  Left Eisenschmitt at 7 A.M. for Waxweiler, arriving at 11:45 A.M.  About noon 1200 French soldiers arrived, their Colonel saying they had orders to billet in there.  About this time, we received an order saying that if there was any conflict in billeting on account of French troops to return to Eisenschmitt.  Left Waxweiler at 1:30 for Eisenschmitt arriving about 5:30 P.M.

            Dec. 14^th  Left Eisenschmitt at 8 A.M. for Erdorf on foot with full field equipment which meant a 17 kilometer march with a 60 pound pack on our back.  Arriving at Erdorf about 2:30 P.M.  The people here treat the boys fine, anything they want they ask for and if the people have it we get it.   The German people seem to like the Americans all right but have no use for the French or English.  A German artillery man told us that the new gas we used in the Meuse-Argonne drive was very deadly.  They could get no protection from it, for it was so strong it ate the boots off their feet, crumbling to pieces as though they had been burned.

   Though a bit tedious to read, it gives a little bit of insight into what it was like for Uncle George in France.  After reading the last entry, I am sure glad we don't use gas anymore.

It Keeps Growing...and Growing...

Like dandelions in summertime, there is no stopping this family tree from growing.  Now over 2,200 people strong, I have just found a new part of the forest to explore.

The only child of George and Tolly (Cloos) Van Hout, Joan Prince, contacted me about my family tree.  She has since provided me with a CD and a pack of papers that has been tremendous in the leaves it has added to our tree.  Not only names for people, but also some of the finer details that I often do not have.  Things such as cause of death, illnesses, religious affiliation, or graduation dates.  Careers are always interesting, especially when you look at how many a person will have today compared to those of a couple generations ago.

With Joan's information, I was once again able to look at Facebook (that wonderful genealogy tool) and meet some of her grandchildren.  The problem with Facebook is that I can get a lot of information from it, but it can't necessarily be trusted, especially with those younger folks who want to appear older so they can have a Facebook account.  I do, however, get enough that I can begin conversations with people.  I am sure that more than a couple of these distant relatives has looked at my message and wondered 1: Who the heck are you? 2: How do you know so much about me? and 3: Why are you asking me all these questions?  Most have been very helpful, others, not so much, but understandable.

I would greatly appreciate any and all information you may be willing to send me.  Here are some that you can simply email to me:  graduation dates, weddings, deaths, religious events, divorces, any other significant events in a family member's life.  The more information I have on a family, the better.

If you are reading this, and you know of other family members that I may not have, please let me know.  I have very little on Beaudry, Steltz, Scheele, Wollschlager, and many of the other families that are not as predominant as the Van Hout/Stodolski base names.  I would also appreciate  any contact information, emails, mailing addresses, etc.

Thanks everyone and I hope to start blogging more about what I am finding out.

The Continuing Story of...Tiger Van Hout

While doing my work as an Inspector General at Training and Doctrine Command, I ran into a gentleman by the name of Pat Perry.  When he called my office, he asked me if I had an uncle or a grandfather who had been in the Army.  The real answer is yes, but I knew what he was talking about and told him that I had a cousin (actually 1st cousin 1X removed) who had been on active duty.  He told me that he had been assigned under a Colonel (COL) Van Hout and when he saw my name, thought there might be a connection.

COL Harold A. Van Hout retires in 1974

I sat down with Mr. Perry on the 27th of February, 2012 and just talked about COL Harold Van Hout.  It turns out that then Captain Perry was one of the five officers under COL Van Hout in Vietnam about June 1970-June 1971.  Harold was the Province Senior Military Advisor for a province about 300 square miles big with his headquarters in Can Tho, about center of the Mekong Delta.  Mr. Perry said that they spent as much time on boats and walking in water as they did on dry land.  The only Americans in that section were those assigned to him, numbering enough to make up a small staff.  He said that by the time they were there, the area was pretty much pacified and they were doing developmental projects.

Mr. Perry shared a couple of stories with me.  He did confirm that Harold was called "Tiger" Van Hout, but not to his face.  It was not disrespectful, but was more of an endearing name...indirectly.  He said Harold was tough and fair...an excellent officer and very well respected.  He agreed with my assessment, after having looked at Harold's old military record, that COL Van Hout was a stud.

Mr. Perry told me about a time when a South Vietnamese soldier had been wounded out in the middle of some rice paddies.  They drug him out, through the mud, to a road.  They had no way to medevac this guy so he called on "Firefly".  Firefly was a small reconnaissance helicopter that flew around the district checking on things and reporting back to the headquarters.  So, out on the middle of a road, CPT Perry waived in Firefly to land on the road to pick up the wounded soldier.  As the helicopter landed and they went to pick up the wounded man, he stood up and walked over to the helicopter and climbed in.  He said, "I almost shot his ass in the back."  This was one time where Mr. Perry says he saw the "tough" side of the "Tiger".  When the folks at the air base told COL Van Hout he had some wacko captain down there using Firefly as a medevac, Perry caught hell for that.  He said he never got chewed out without learning something, nor for something undeserving.

Another story Mr. Perry shared was after they had both returned to Ft. Bragg, NC in about 1972.  COL Van Hout was now the XVIII Airborne Corps Inspector General and CPT Perry was the commander of a company in the 519th Military Intelligence Battalion.  At this time in the Army, the Inspector General did a lot of compliance/white glove inspections.  Many times, after an IG inspection, someone lost their job.  Preparations for these inspections were always stressful, long hours, and often found units dashing to find equipment they were missing, or disposing of equipment they should not have.  As the unit stood in formation, COL Van Hout approached CPT Perry and said, "I know that I don't have to go into the dumpsters that are behind me on the curb and look for anything, do I Pat?" He said his response was, "No Sir, please don't".   He was shaking in his boots, thinking, this could go downhill so fast!  He said they had all sorts of stuff stashed in those dumpsters.  COL Van Hout said, "OK, I won't".  Sometimes it doesn't hurt to know the IG!

When I shared his nickname of "Hoot" with Mr. Perry, he said that Harold was, "a hoot".  He had a great sense of humor...at the appropriate time.  We had a great, if short, talk about Harold.  I hope Mr. Perry is able to find some other information on COL Van Hout.  He has promised to let me know if he does.