|
John Hamilton Sills, DSO
It is also interesting that other than the
pay record showing his pay for the period from attestation to early in 1916, there is
nothing in the file to indicate where he was or what he was doing. The assumption is that he went to England with the
21st Battalion and trained with them at West Sandling.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
From The Quite Loyalist Muster Vol 22 No. 1 (Summer 2010) p2 Major John H. Sills UE: Recognition Better Late Than Never By Peter W. Johnson UE John H. SILLS
(1882-1930) has been a neglected hero for eighty years. Finally, thanks to recognition by
Bay of Quinte Branch UELAC and Last Post, that is changing. I first encountered John H.
SILL’s name in the records of Franck Lodge 127, A.F.& A.M.. Frankford, while I was researching a book to
commemorate the Lodge’s 150th anniversary. He was Master of this Masonic
Lodge in 1912. It really began with
something small. I couldn’t determine what John’s middle name was. Some sources suggested Ham whereas others stated
Hamilton. For what it’s worth the maiden name of his grandmother was HAM. SILLS
descendant Linda SMITH UE and I pondered the issue without any clear conclusions. While this was going
on, I learned that John H. SILLS had a distinguished career in the First World War, rising
to the rank of Major, and being awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1918. I also
found a photograph of him on the website for his battalion. the 21st Battn. C.E.F. He died
suddenly during a business trip to Michigan on September 26, 1930. A Masonic Service was
held in Trenton with interment in Belleville Cemetery.
He was held in such high esteem at the time that his passing was front page
news in The Belleville Intelligencer. Major Sills was
married to Constance Irwin WELLER, and there were no children, so no descendants. He was
the son of Ephraim SILLS and Sarah Chrichton MUIR of Frankford. Major SILLS’ Loyalist
ancestors included Johann Conrad SILLS UE of Butler’s Rangers, his son George SILLS
UE of the 2nd Battn, King’s Royal Reg’t of NY, and William BELL Sr.
UE. His wife also had a Loyalist background which included William MARSH UE. A request from the 21st
Battn website’s Al Lloyd for a photograph of SILLS’ grave marker at Belleville
Cemetery led to the surprising discovery that he had no marker. His parents’
substantial granite monument was near his plot, but he wasn’t mentioned on it. The folks at Belleville Cemetery suggested I
contact Last Post who provide such markers for worthy veterans. I thank Last Post and
others who have been involved in this project. I’m
happy to report that as of July 2010 Major John H. SILLS UE, D.S.O. finally has his very
own marker at Belleville Cemetery. I should add that I am not related to Major SILLS,
although we learned that my wife Angela is a 3rd cousin 4 times removed which
sounds complicated. Members Linda SMITH UE and Russell SILLS UE would be somewhat closer. Selected Sources: · Belleville Cemetery,
Belleville, ON . · “Major Sills Dies”
The Belleville Intelligencer. 27 Sep 1930. pl · Minutes and other
records of Franck Lodge 127, A.F.&A.M., Frankford, ON · http://21stbattalion.ca/tributeos/sills_jh.html
· Sills researcher,
Linda Smith UE Major Sills was inducted into the Bay of Quinte Branch UEL "Hall Of Honour" in September 2010. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
