Alton Parker Donnell Jr
M, #1
Father | Alton Parker Donnell b. 29 May 1916, d. 25 Feb 1991 |
Mother | Marie Dorothea Siefke b. 25 Mar 1921, d. 15 Mar 1998 |
Carolyn Sue Cunningham
F, #2
Father | Howard Arthur Cunningham b. 15 Dec 1912, d. 19 Feb 1993 |
Mother | Winifred Margaret Reed b. 18 Feb 1922, d. 23 May 2022 |
Marie Susan Donnell
F, #4
Father | Alton Parker Donnell b. 29 May 1916, d. 25 Feb 1991 |
Mother | Marie Dorothea Siefke b. 25 Mar 1921, d. 15 Mar 1998 |
Family: Michael Carl Fink b. 15 Jun 1945, d. 1 May 2015
Anne Knipp Donnell
F, #5
Father | Alton Parker Donnell b. 29 May 1916, d. 25 Feb 1991 |
Mother | Marie Dorothea Siefke b. 25 Mar 1921, d. 15 Mar 1998 |
Family: Herbert Maurice Kithcart
- Sarah Anne Kithcart+ b. 17 Aug 1987, d. 2 Apr 1992
- Michael Alexander Kithcart+
Lawrence Alexander Donnell
M, #6
Father | Alton Parker Donnell b. 29 May 1916, d. 25 Feb 1991 |
Mother | Marie Dorothea Siefke b. 25 Mar 1921, d. 15 Mar 1998 |
Family: Susan Allen Smith b. 22 Sep 1950, d. 30 Jul 2023
Marie Dorothea Siefke
F, #7, b. 25 March 1921, d. 15 March 1998
Father | Herman Siefke Jr b. 20 Aug 1890, d. 8 Jan 1924 |
Mother | Marjorie Wheaton Piper b. 14 Dec 1894, d. 20 Nov 1971 |




She was educated at the Gibbs School at New York City, New York, USA.



Family: Alton Parker Donnell b. 29 May 1916, d. 25 Feb 1991
Citations
- [S34] Find A Grave, online findagrave.com, Memorial ID 137205108. Hereinafter cited as Find A Grave.
Ashley Piper Donnell
F, #8
Father | Alton Parker Donnell Jr |
Mother | Carolyn Sue Cunningham |
Family 1: Jacob Curtis Green
Alton Parker Donnell
M, #9, b. 29 May 1916, d. 25 February 1991
Father | Lemuel Alexander Donnell b. 28 Nov 1879, d. 29 Oct 1968 |
Mother | Henrietta Marion Knipp b. 17 Dec 1888, d. 31 Mar 1965 |


Alton Parker Donnell's birth certificate shows the name of Lemuel Alton Donnell.3 He was educated in a one-room schoolhouse by his mother, graduated from Canyon High School in 1932, then attended West Texas State University for three years.
He received his appointment to the United States Military Academy from Representative Marvin Jones who represented the Texas Panhandle from 1917 to 1941.4 He graduated from the United States Military Academy, Class of 1940, as the 11,801st graduate and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant. on 11 June 1940 at West Point, Orange, New York, USA.
Alton Parker Donnell was assigned to the 21st Engineer Regiment (Aviation) where he was stationed at Bluie West I, Greenland, building the airfield. He was promoted to First Lieutenant on October 10th, 1941, and to Captain on February 1st, 1942. In July 1942, Alton Parker Donnell was reassigned to the North Atlantic Division Engineer office in New York, with station at Bluie East II, Greenland building airfields.
He trained to become an Army pilot at a variety of sites, including San Antonio, Texas; Chickasha, Oklahoma; Garden City, Kansas; Pampa, Texas; Orlando, Florida; and Fort Worth, Texas from June 1943 until January 1944. He was assigned as a Pilot to the 372nd Air Base Squadron at Peterson Field, Colorado, and the 9th Bomb Group (Very Heavy) at Dalhart, Texas to May 1944. He was then assigned to the 6th Bomb Group (VH) and the 24th Bomb Squadron (VH) at Grand Island, Nebraska where he transitioned to the B-29.

Alton Parker Donnell was flying as a co-pilot on April 22, when an engine caught fire on takeoff. They attempted to land, but the crash knocked several crewmen unconscious. He was pulled from the wreckage by the pilot Lt. Dean Mutch. He was offered a Purple Heart, but refused it, saying they should have done a better job of landing the plane. After one of his last combat missions, he diverted to fly over Hiroshima to witness the destruction soon after the detonation of Little Boy. He commanded the 1st Bomb Squadron of the 9th Bomb Group and later served as the deputy group commander through December 1945. In 1946, he was assigned to the Manhattan Project as a declassification officer, and stationed in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He considered that a nearly impossible job but had the opportunity to meet many of the Manhattan Project scientists.
On 2 October 1946, he was assigned as an intelligence officer in the Manhattan Project and later to the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project at Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
In 1948, he resigned his commission and began work for the Vitro Corporation where he managed several chemical and nuclear projects in New York City, New York. He also participated in the Eisenhower administration's Atoms for Peace Project as an analyst, attempting to determine what progress other nations had made in nuclear weapons and power.
In 1954, he became the Vice President and General Manager of Atomic Power Development Associates, the research subsidiary of Detroit Edison supporting the Fermi fast-breeder reactor project. In 1954, Alton Parker Donnell and Marie Dorothea Siefke lived at 1267 Balfour Road in Grosse Pointe Park, Wayne, Michigan, USA, until about 1973.



Family: Marie Dorothea Siefke b. 25 Mar 1921, d. 15 Mar 1998
Citations
- [S1] Charles E Donnell, A Genealogy of Donnell, Langford and Other Families (Plainview. TX: Self, 1949), p. 32. Hereinafter cited as Donnell-Langford.
- [S34] Find A Grave, online findagrave.com, Memorial ID 152396804. Hereinafter cited as Find A Grave.
- [S327] Lemuel Alton Donnell, Standard Certificate of Birth 20167 (6 June 1917).
- [S165] Lemuel Alexander Donnell family, The Canyon News Centennial Edition, Canyon, Texas, 29 June 1989, IV-1. Hereinafter cited as The Canyon News Centennial Edition.
Howard Arthur Cunningham
M, #10, b. 15 December 1912, d. 19 February 1993
Father | Harold Willoughby Cunningham1 b. 16 Nov 1885, d. 14 Dec 1970 |
Mother | Luella Beatrice Orser b. 10 Jan 1886, d. 12 Feb 1957 |





He was educated circa 1934at Taber Business College. When he enlisted in the Canadian Army in 1939, he was working as a "boxboard tyer".
Howard Arthur Cunningham was an accomplished athlete and was inducted into the Cornwall, Ontario Sports Hall of Fame for boxing in 1974. While at high school, in track and field, he won both junior and senior championships; he also won six events for the Stormont Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders at Barriefield Camp in 1938 and rounded out the day by competing in both boxing and wrestling matches. Howard played both junior and senior hockey in his hometown of Arnprior, senior hockey in Temiskaming and for the Cornwall Canadians. In football, he played half-back for junior and senior teams and attended the Ottawa Rough Riders training camp in 1937; he was offered a playing contract, but the salary in those days was poor, so he turned it down.
He won the "catch weight" boxing title and the Canadian Golden Gloves Championship in Montreal in the Light-Heavyweight Division in 1940. He signed up early in WWII and in 1940 was Royal Canadian Army Heavyweight Champ. His record as an amateur was 41 wins and only 2 losses. Boxing professionally, he won 6 matches and suffered only 2 defeats. He has the distinction very few boxers enjoy in the fact that he was never knocked out. His career as a boxer ended in 1943 because of a fractured elbow while in Europe.4




Based on his different papers, and with the help of AI, the following summarizes his military service:
He enlisted in 1939, initially through the Non-Permanent Active Militia (NPAM) with either the Lanark and Renfrew Regiment or the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, he transferred to the Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) and trained as a gunner. He joined during the mobilization of the 1st Medium Battery, RCA, based out of the Craig Street Armoury in Montreal.
He later served with the 7th Field Battery, RCA, and in 1943, his military specialty was changed from Bombardier to Military Police. This reassignment likely placed him in a provost or field security role, essential for discipline, traffic control, and prisoner-of-war processing during Canadian operations in Europe.
Despite his MP role, he remained on RCA strength and was not formally transferred to the Canadian Provost Corps. On 25 September 1944, he landed at Bény-sur-Mer, France, as part of operations under II Canadian Corps. Following the landing, his unit advanced to Cap Gris-Nez during the campaign to liberate the Channel coast.
He was discharged in August 1945 with the rank of Lance Bombardier, Royal Canadian Artillery.
He remained active in postwar veteran associations, including participation in reunions of the 1st Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery Association in the 1980s.
He later served with the 7th Field Battery, RCA, and in 1943, his military specialty was changed from Bombardier to Military Police. This reassignment likely placed him in a provost or field security role, essential for discipline, traffic control, and prisoner-of-war processing during Canadian operations in Europe.
Despite his MP role, he remained on RCA strength and was not formally transferred to the Canadian Provost Corps. On 25 September 1944, he landed at Bény-sur-Mer, France, as part of operations under II Canadian Corps. Following the landing, his unit advanced to Cap Gris-Nez during the campaign to liberate the Channel coast.
He was discharged in August 1945 with the rank of Lance Bombardier, Royal Canadian Artillery.
He remained active in postwar veteran associations, including participation in reunions of the 1st Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery Association in the 1980s.
On 27 December 1944, at Howeard and Pat's wedding reception, the Cockney "Kid Adkins," a pro boxer (without a sterling record) and a gambler, and his wife "Dolly" passed the hat for the newlyweds. "Kid Adkins" and Howard likely knew each other through boxing. The dances were the "Lambeth Walk" and the Cockney classic "Knees Up Mother Brown."
Howard Arthur Cunningham and Winifred Margaret Reed moved to Cornwall, Ontario, Canada circa September 1945.

After the war, he was a paper researcher at the DOMTAR Cornwall plant, and in 1959 was the President of the Cornwall Chess Club.5




Howard Arthur Cunningham was a bridge Life Master, and bridge columnist, director, and teacher. He was best known for teaching and directing bridge. He became a Life Master of bridge in 1975 eventually reaching the level of Silver Life Master. He was a founding member of the first Cornwall District Bridge Club and was president for four years. He ran the Community Bridge Club for four years. He was the only Master Rank teacher with the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) in Cornwall. He wrote the “Bridge Corner” for the Standard Freeholder for more than twenty years. He taught bridge lessons for the Cornwall Senior Citizen Center and was President of the Cornwall Senior Citizen Club from 1991 until he became ill in October 1992.
Other achievements include honorary member of the International Bridge Press Association and Goodwill Committee of the ACBL. He was a life member of the Royal Canadian Legion and the Masonic Order. For years he was the DOMTAR Santa Claus.
Family: Winifred Margaret Reed b. 18 Feb 1922, d. 23 May 2022
- Carolyn Sue Cunningham+
- Barbara Cunningham b. 8 Jun 1948, d. c 1 Aug 1948
- Cynthia Lu Cunningham+
Citations
- [S55] Clifford Cunningham, Cunningham Family History, unpublished draft, (13117 Manitoba Drive NE, Albuquerque, Bernalillo, New Mexico, USA), p. 3. Hereinafter cited as Cunningham Family History.
- [S121] Howard Arthur Cunningham and Winifred Margaret Reed marriage, 26 December 1944, in Certified Copy of an Entry of Marriage. Hereinafter cited as Certified Copy of an Entry of Marriage.
- [S34] Find A Grave, online findagrave.com, 204794706. Hereinafter cited as Find A Grave.
- [S130] Induction of Howard A. Cunningham into the Cornwall Sports Hall of Fame, 1974. Hereinafter cited as Induction of Howard A. Cunningham.
- [S131] Howard A. Cunningham, Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, 1993. Hereinafter cited as Howard A. Cunningham.
Winifred Margaret Reed
F, #11, b. 18 February 1922, d. 23 May 2022
Father | Walter Leonard Reed b. Apr 1878, d. 1932 |
Mother | Margaret Nash b. 20 Feb 1888, d. 29 Oct 1975 |



She finished school at age 14, worked in a gown shop, was a window dresser and worked in sales in London until the start of World War II. In 1939, at the age of 17, she volunteered and started working at P.E.T.E. Aircraft which was a subsidiary of Hawker Aircraft. They made the Hurricane and Spitfire fighter planes. She learned to use air drills and to hammer in rivets. She worked on the wings and flaps. She worked straight nights for one year; seventy-two hours per week, 8:00 PM to 8:00 AM with only one day off in every eight days. They worked in teams of two at a tall bench and were on their feet the whole shift. After that, she was a conductress on the double-decker busses.3
On 27 December 1944, at Howeard and Pat's wedding reception, the Cockney "Kid Adkins," a pro boxer (without a sterling record) and a gambler, and his wife "Dolly" passed the hat for the newlyweds. "Kid Adkins" and Howard likely knew each other through boxing. The dances were the "Lambeth Walk" and the Cockney classic "Knees Up Mother Brown." On 2 May 1945 Winifred Margaret Reed sailed on the Athlone Castle landing in Halifax, Nova Scotia after 12 days at sea, dodging German U-Boats, and dropping depth charges. They celebrated VE Day, May 8th, 1945, at sea on the first troop ship carrying war brides and soldiers to Canada. The lower decks contained returning Canadian soldiers, mid decks had the war brides, and the upper decks had British air crews enroute to western Canada to train for the war in the Pacific. On VE day, the war brides were given one bottle of beer to celebrate; more went to the Canadian and British service men. The Athlone Castle was the first Victory Ship to arrive at Pier 21 in Halifax on May 12, 1945, where they were greeted with a band and celebration.4

Winifred Margaret Reed and Howard Arthur Cunningham moved to Cornwall, Ontario, Canada circa September 1945.




Family: Howard Arthur Cunningham b. 15 Dec 1912, d. 19 Feb 1993
- Carolyn Sue Cunningham+
- Barbara Cunningham b. 8 Jun 1948, d. c 1 Aug 1948
- Cynthia Lu Cunningham+
Citations
- [S133] Winifred Margaret Reed Cunningham, I Did It My Way, (13117 Manitoba Drive NE, Albuquerque, Bernalillo, New Mexico, USA, one of two copies). Hereinafter cited as I Did It My Way.
- [S121] Howard Arthur Cunningham and Winifred Margaret Reed marriage, 26 December 1944, in Certified Copy of an Entry of Marriage. Hereinafter cited as Certified Copy of an Entry of Marriage.
- [S133] Winifred Margaret Reed Cunningham, I Did It My Way, pg. 7.
- [S133] Winifred Margaret Reed Cunningham, I Did It My Way, pg. 12.
- [S133] Winifred Margaret Reed Cunningham, I Did It My Way, pg. 21.
Cynthia Lu Cunningham
F, #12
Father | Howard Arthur Cunningham b. 15 Dec 1912, d. 19 Feb 1993 |
Mother | Winifred Margaret Reed b. 18 Feb 1922, d. 23 May 2022 |
Marjorie Wheaton Piper
F, #13, b. 14 December 1894, d. 20 November 1971
Father | Alexander Ross Piper1 b. 1 Mar 1865, d. 21 Nov 1952 |
Mother | Marie Susan Cozzens b. 7 Sep 1867, d. 12 Jun 1944 |





She graduated from Brooklyn Heights Seminary in Brooklyn, Kings, New York, USA.4
Family 1: Herman Siefke Jr b. 20 Aug 1890, d. 8 Jan 1924
- Marie Dorothea Siefke+ b. 25 Mar 1921, d. 15 Mar 1998
- Frederick Van Dyke Siefke+ b. 17 Sep 1923, d. 5 Jul 2021
Family 2: Frank Richardson Oates b. 17 May 1888, d. 23 Sep 1987
Citations
- [S3] Alexander Ross Piper, The Assembly, Association of Graduates, West Point, NY, 1953.
- [S71] Rick Outram, "Frank Richardson OATES, Bio Revision," e-mail message from e-mail address (Bagshot) to Alton Donnell, 13 February 2021. Hereinafter cited as "Frank Richardson OATES, Bio Revision."
- [S34] Find A Grave, online findagrave.com, 138732399. Hereinafter cited as Find A Grave.
- [S212] Miss Piper to Wed Herman Siefke, Jr., The Standard Union, Brooklyn, New York, 6 June 1920, 6. Hereinafter cited as Standard Union.
Herman Siefke Jr
M, #14, b. 20 August 1890, d. 8 January 1924
Father | Herman Siefke b. 14 Apr 1852, d. 31 Mar 1923 |
Mother | Wilhelmina Dorothea von Dohlen1 b. 25 Nov 1852, d. 2 Jan 1933 |
Herman Siefke Jr was born on 20 August 1890 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He married Marjorie Wheaton Piper, daughter of Alexander Ross Piper and Marie Susan Cozzens, on 9 June 1920 at Christ Church in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York, USA.

Herman Siefke Jr died on 8 January 1924 at Brooklyn, New York, USA, at age 33 of pneumonia. He was buried on 11 January 1924 at the Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York, USA.2
He graduated with honors from Princeton University in 1912 and was an honor graduate from Harvard Law School at Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.3 He served as a Lieutenant, junior grade, in the Navy on the U.S.S. South Carolina during World War I. He hosted his father Herman (133) on the ship on 8 July 1918.3
Herman Siefke Jr was a lawyer.



He graduated with honors from Princeton University in 1912 and was an honor graduate from Harvard Law School at Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.3 He served as a Lieutenant, junior grade, in the Navy on the U.S.S. South Carolina during World War I. He hosted his father Herman (133) on the ship on 8 July 1918.3

Family: Marjorie Wheaton Piper b. 14 Dec 1894, d. 20 Nov 1971
- Marie Dorothea Siefke+ b. 25 Mar 1921, d. 15 Mar 1998
- Frederick Van Dyke Siefke+ b. 17 Sep 1923, d. 5 Jul 2021
Citations
- [S80] "Siefke-Heins Family Tree", 1 December 1938, Frederick Siefke (128 Marine Avenue, Brooklyn, New York), to The Siefke and Heins families; As cited on the tree, "…drawn almost entirely from information furnished by Wilhelmina D. Siefke (1852-1933) and recorded by her son Frederick Siefke (1881- )... " and prepared by the author as a Christmas present in 1938. Hereinafter cited as "Siefke-Heins Family Tree."
- [S60] Green-Wood Cemetery On-Line Directory, online https://www.green-wood.com/, Lot 23674, Section L. Hereinafter cited as Green-Wood Cemetery On-Line Directory.
- [S30] Piper Z Diagrams. Believed to have been prepared by Alexander Ross Piper as part of a Sons of the American Revolution application. Hereinafter cited as Piper Z Diagrams.
Frederick Van Dyke Siefke
M, #15, b. 17 September 1923, d. 5 July 2021
Father | Herman Siefke Jr b. 20 Aug 1890, d. 8 Jan 1924 |
Mother | Marjorie Wheaton Piper b. 14 Dec 1894, d. 20 Nov 1971 |
Frederick Van Dyke Siefke was born on 17 September 1923 in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was baptized on 16 March 1924 at Lutheran Church of the Good Shephard in Bay Ridge, New York, USA, by his uncle, Dr. Charles D. Trexler.1 He married Jean Louise Carroll, daughter of James Bird Carroll and Louise Bachmann, on 4 April 1959 at the Scarsdale Congregational Church in Scarsdale, Westchester, New York, USA.
Frederick Van Dyke Siefke died on 5 July 2021 at Bridges Cornell Heights in Ithaca, New York, USA, at age 97.
He graduated from Kent School and attended Cornell University. His time in Ithaca was interrupted by a stint with the 380th Engineering Battalion with which served in the Philippines and later Japan. He returned after the end of the war to complete his degree in 1948.
Frederick Van Dyke Siefke was a chemical engineer for Exxon and later a financial officer for the company where he spent his entire career.


He graduated from Kent School and attended Cornell University. His time in Ithaca was interrupted by a stint with the 380th Engineering Battalion with which served in the Philippines and later Japan. He returned after the end of the war to complete his degree in 1948.


Family: Jean Louise Carroll b. 7 Jul 1927, d. 4 Sep 2018
Citations
- [S116] Madeline Siefke, "Re: Last Chance - almost," e-mail message from e-mail address (Ithaca, New York) to Alton Donnell, 25 August 2021. Hereinafter cited as "Re: Last Chance."
Jean Louise Carroll
F, #16, b. 7 July 1927, d. 4 September 2018
Father | James Bird Carroll b. 6 Aug 1894, d. 27 Sep 1966 |
Mother | Louise Bachmann b. 3 May 1893, d. 13 Feb 1982 |



She was educated at the Connecticut College for Women and the Katharine Gibbs School before starting a career in radio advertising. She enjoyed travel, volunteering, and spending time with family and friends.
Family: Frederick Van Dyke Siefke b. 17 Sep 1923, d. 5 Jul 2021
Marjorie Louise Siefke
F, #17
Father | Frederick Van Dyke Siefke b. 17 Sep 1923, d. 5 Jul 2021 |
Mother | Jean Louise Carroll b. 7 Jul 1927, d. 4 Sep 2018 |
Madeline Marie Siefke
F, #18
Father | Frederick Van Dyke Siefke b. 17 Sep 1923, d. 5 Jul 2021 |
Mother | Jean Louise Carroll b. 7 Jul 1927, d. 4 Sep 2018 |
Alexander Ross Piper
M, #19, b. 1 March 1865, d. 21 November 1952
Father | James Wilson Piper b. 26 Sep 1832, d. 30 Oct 1876 |
Mother | Sarah VanDyke Berier Ross b. 25 Nov 1846, d. 31 Mar 1886 |

Alexander Ross Piper wrote his own obituary, which was published after his death by the Association of Graduates, United States Military Academy in their magazine "The Assembly". Much of the following comes from the obituary either paraphrased or quoted directly. Some minor edits were made for clarity.1
Until 1876, he lived at several Army posts, principally at Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor; Columbia, South Carolina; and Fort Monroe, Virginia.1 After his father's death in 1876, he lived with his uncle Alexander Piper (509) (Colonel, 5th U.S. Artillery) and Aunt Addie (508), and with his cousin (by marriage) and future wife Marie Susan Cozzens (56) at West Point, New York. Beginning in 1881, he lived with his uncle William Kirkpatrick Piper (1158) at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, USA, where he went to public school and worked in his uncle's stationary shop until he received his appointment to the Military Academy.
He received his nomination to the Military Academy in 1885 from Congressman Singiser of Idaho which was not admitted to the Union until 1890 when it became the 43rd state. David Livingston unraveled the mystery by discovering that his nomination came from Theodore Frelinghuysen Singiser (1845-1907) who was the Representative of the Territory of Idaho in the 48th U. S. Congress, 1883-1885. Singiser was born in Cumberland County and served in the Pennsylvania military during the Civil War. From there he may have known the Piper family and was willing to forward the nomination to the Secretary of War and the President.4
Alexander Ross Piper graduated from the United States Military Academy in the Class of 1889 as the 3,310th graduate. From his obituary:
"As a cadet he held the various offices of Corporal, Sergeant and Cadet Lieutenant of Company A. With the Academic Course he had little trouble so far as the mathematical studies were concerned, put the languages and memory studies kept him up late at night."
He considered himself a "goat," because after an accidental explosion damaged one eye, he needed to be tutored during his senior year. And he was ranked 29 in a class of 49, technically putting him in the bottom half. Afterwards, he marked his correspondence with a rubber stamp of a goat.5

Alexander Ross Piper was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, 8th U.S. Infantry and stationed at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, USA. From October 1890 to February 1891, because his commander Captain Corliss had a severe eye disease, he was in the field in Command of Company C, 8th Infantry, during the Sioux Indian War. His unit was assigned the role of the "home guard" defending the Ogallala (also spelled Oglala) School at the Pine Ridge Agency. (Note: Lieutenant Piper's disappointment with not being part of the action in what became known as the Battle of Wounded Knee is documented in his letters to his wife, which were published in the referenced endnote. In retrospect, his commander did him a favor by keeping him back.)6 At the close of the Sioux Campaign, he was transferred to the 2nd Infantry, stationed at Fort Ohama, Nebraska. From 1 June 1892, until 20 June 1896, he served as Professor of Military Science and Tactics at Gordon Institute, Barnesville, Georgia, USA. On 16 July 1896 he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant, 15th Infantry and stationed at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. After nine weeks, is regiment was transferred to Fort Bayard, New Mexico. At Fort Bayard on February 7, 1897, he lost his right arm due to a gunshot wound in a hunting accident and returned to duty on March 15th. He remained at Fort Bayard until his company was sent to Fort Apache, Arizona in April 1898. At Fort Apache,
"...owing to the scarcity of officers, he was the Post Adjutant, Commissary, Canteen Officer, Company Commander, and finally as a last straw, Post Surgeon. The hospital steward was a German devoid of humor, and started to obey literally his instructions to give all patients that reported at morning hospital call a dose of castor oil. His attention was called to the steward’s failing when a corporal who had a broken leg protested."1
"On May 14th he was relieved from his various duties at Apache by an order appointing him Captain and Commissary of Subsistence of Volunteers with orders to report at Chickamauga Park. At Chickamauga he was assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps, and as the Division Commissary had not been appointed he performed his duties.
On July 26th, he departed for Puerto Rico via Newport News. The loading and rationing for forty days of 6,600 troops in thirty six hours at Newport News was still fresh in his mind as the thermometer registered 126 degrees under the metal sheds on the docks.
His Brigade, (Hains’s, 4th Ohio, 4th Pennsylvania, and 8th Illinois) was landed at Arroyo, Puerto Rico, August 3d, and with little resistance pushed on to Guayama. October 21st, he was assigned as Depot Commissary at Ponce, and there made the pleasant acquaintance of the 1st Engineers. Through their amiability and engineering skill he finally secured a Commissary storehouse that was a joy. That it was well built was proven by its trip to sea intact when the flood came in the Spring. He still holds and prizes the certificate given him by General Griffin the night the 1st Engineers sailed for home, stating that the Commissary Department had given his regiment its full rations and all the money called for by the Regimental Surgeon for the purchase of delicacies for the sick.
Owing to illness, he was ordered to New York at the end of January. He left Ponce with the thermometer at 105 degrees and arrived in New York to find the thermometer discouraged and down to 9 degrees below zero, February 9th.
He was assigned to duty in New York City as Purchasing Commissary for Transports, and so served until he was promoted Captain of Infantry and retired from active service, July 11, 1899."1
On July 26th, he departed for Puerto Rico via Newport News. The loading and rationing for forty days of 6,600 troops in thirty six hours at Newport News was still fresh in his mind as the thermometer registered 126 degrees under the metal sheds on the docks.
His Brigade, (Hains’s, 4th Ohio, 4th Pennsylvania, and 8th Illinois) was landed at Arroyo, Puerto Rico, August 3d, and with little resistance pushed on to Guayama. October 21st, he was assigned as Depot Commissary at Ponce, and there made the pleasant acquaintance of the 1st Engineers. Through their amiability and engineering skill he finally secured a Commissary storehouse that was a joy. That it was well built was proven by its trip to sea intact when the flood came in the Spring. He still holds and prizes the certificate given him by General Griffin the night the 1st Engineers sailed for home, stating that the Commissary Department had given his regiment its full rations and all the money called for by the Regimental Surgeon for the purchase of delicacies for the sick.
Owing to illness, he was ordered to New York at the end of January. He left Ponce with the thermometer at 105 degrees and arrived in New York to find the thermometer discouraged and down to 9 degrees below zero, February 9th.
He was assigned to duty in New York City as Purchasing Commissary for Transports, and so served until he was promoted Captain of Infantry and retired from active service, July 11, 1899."1


On 11 July 1899, he, his wife, and their 4 children at the time, moved to Sing Sing (now Ossining-on-Hudson), New York.1
"He entered commercial life, first with the Seamless Metal Ware Company as manager, and then for a short time was manager and treasurer for the Mobile Company of America and treasurer of the Cosmopolitan. With the advent of the Low Administration, he was appointed Superintendent of Final Disposition, Department of Street Cleaning, City of New York, and so served until October 21, 1902, when he was appointed Second Deputy Police Commissioner. During his incumbency he installed the “Block System”, “One-Way” street traffic; and the use of mounted police in regulating traffic. The “Block System” is now used in cities all over the world.
On 1 January 1904, Tammany returned to power, and his services were no longer required."
On 1 January 1904, Tammany returned to power, and his services were no longer required."
He also developed the Traffic Regulations and Rules of the Road.1
In 1902, Alexander Ross Piper and Marie Susan Cozzens first moved to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY and moved again into 7522 2nd Avenue, Bay Ridge, where they lived from 1907 until 1942. In about 1904,
"At the solicitation of the City Club of Chicago, he made an investigation of the Police of Chicago, and since then all investigations in Chicago have been dubbed “Piperizing”. A similar investigation of the Police of Schenectady was made by Captain Piper, assisted by Honest Dan Costigan. During the investigation the Chief of Police died of a heart attack (?), and the Chief of Detectives disappeared."
The report of the investigation became known as the "Piper Report", which is discussed in the endnote.7
From his obituary,
"[On] March 2, 1904, Piper became General Superintendent of the American Railway Traffic Company, a subsidiary of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company and subsequently President and General Freight Agent of the South Brooklyn Railway Company. He was President of the South Brooklyn Railway Company for 24 years and also in charge of the Medical and Welfare Departments of the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation. He was [eventually] retired with pension, July 1, 1940 by the South Brooklyn Railway Company and B.-M.T. Corp.
At the outbreak of World War I, the South Brooklyn Railway Company and the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation gave him a leave of absence with full pay..."1
In 1905, Alexander Ross Piper was called to testify before the "Committee on the Police Problem. Although he was not involved in the study, he was asked to testify based on his experience. (Note: His name appears in the report multiple times and his testimony begins on pg. 162.)8 At the outbreak of World War I, the South Brooklyn Railway Company and the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation gave him a leave of absence with full pay..."1
He, with two others, bought what is commonly called "The Farm" or "Peppeneghek" at South Salem, Westchester, New York, USA, in 1911.
On 11 April 1917 Alexander Ross Piper
"...[On] April 11, 1917, he was recalled to active duty and assigned to the New York Quartermaster Depot to examine 500 candidates for commissions in the Quartermaster Corps. He was appointed Finance Officer of the Depot, August 15, 1917 and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, March 5, 1918; and advanced to Colonel, May 25, 1918, and relieved General Slavens in command of the New York Depot. Under a new reorganization of the Quartermaster Corps, he was appointed Port Supply Officer of the New York Depot, July 10, 1918, and October 24, 1918 he was transferred to Newport News as Port Storage Officer, Quartermaster Corps, Port of Embarkation, Newport News. December 9, 1918, he was transferred to the Port of Embarkation, New York as Port Utilities Officer.
Upon his own request, he was Honorably Discharged as Colonel, Quartermaster Corps, N.A., January 11, 1919, and reverted to his former status on the Retired List as Captain of Infantry."1
Upon his own request, he was Honorably Discharged as Colonel, Quartermaster Corps, N.A., January 11, 1919, and reverted to his former status on the Retired List as Captain of Infantry."1

He returned to civilian life and was the President of the South Brooklyn Railway Company for another 20 years.1
He was the President of the Association of Graduates, U.S. Military Academy, 1934-1936.
"...he was honored by a Resolution, passed by the Association, commending him for his service as President. On June 138, 1938, the Association passed a Resolution commending a committee consisting of Colonel Alexander R. Piper, Chairman, General Charles McK. Saltzman and General Charles D. Rhodes for their success in having Congress pass a law bestowing upon all living graduates and future graduates of the United States Military Academy the degree of Bachelor of Science. ...
He was ... a member of the Society of Colonial Wars; member of the Sons of the Revolution; member of the Society of Indian Wars; charter member of the West Point Society of New York; an Association member of the Association of the 1st Regt. Volunteer Engineers; and a member of the University Club, New York City. ..."9
He and Marie Susan Cozzens finally moved to their country home at Peppeneghek in South Salem, Westchester, New York, USA, in 1942.He was ... a member of the Society of Colonial Wars; member of the Sons of the Revolution; member of the Society of Indian Wars; charter member of the West Point Society of New York; an Association member of the Association of the 1st Regt. Volunteer Engineers; and a member of the University Club, New York City. ..."9
Family: Marie Susan Cozzens b. 7 Sep 1867, d. 12 Jun 1944
- Marie Adelaide Piper+1 b. 31 May 1891, d. 25 Sep 1955
- Alexander Stanley Piper1 b. 13 Aug 1893, d. 13 Feb 1895
- Marjorie Wheaton Piper+1 b. 14 Dec 1894, d. 20 Nov 1971
- Anne Alexandra Piper+1 b. 8 Sep 1896, d. 21 Feb 1945
- Emily Cozzens Piper+ b. 31 Mar 1901, d. 3 May 1971
- Alexander Ross Piper Jr+ b. 24 Aug 1909, d. 22 May 1978
Citations
- [S3] Alexander Ross Piper, The Assembly, Association of Graduates, West Point, NY, 1953.
- [S101] Alexander Ross Piper, History of the Piper Family, c 1910 (13117 Manitoba Drive NE, Albuquerque, Bernalillo, New Mexico, USA), p. 6. Hereinafter cited as History of the Piper Family.
- [S34] Find A Grave, online findagrave.com, 67004329. Hereinafter cited as Find A Grave.
- [S93] David Livingston, Cadets and Officers, Some West Point Tales, April 2013 (13117 Manitoba Drive NE, Albuquerque, Bernalillo, New Mexico, USA, https://archive.org/details/4-cadets-3-officers[:WEB]), p. 5 Hereinafter cited as Cadets and Officers.
- [S93] David Livingston, Cadets and Officers, p. 6.
- [S89] John M. Carroll, The Unpublished Papers of the Order of Indian Wars, Book 10, Extracts from letters written by LT. ALEXANDER R. PIPER, 8th Infantry, at Pine Ridge Agency, South Dakota, to his wife, Marie Cozzens Piper, at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, during the Sioux Campaign 1890-1891, August 1977, New Brunswick, New Jersey (Copy held by 13117 Manitoba Drive NE, Albuquerque, Bernalillo, New Mexico, USA). Hereinafter cited as The Unpublished Papers of the Order of Indian Wars, Book 10.
- [S90] "Chicago police were condemned in 1904 for drinking, slouching, ignoring crime", 27 January 2017, Robert Loerzel, Chicago Tribune, online https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/…. Hereinafter cited as Chicago police.
- [S91] City of New York, Papers and Proceedings of Committee on the Police Problem (98 John Street. New York City, New York: Chas. P. Young Co., Law Reporters And Printer, 1905). Hereinafter cited as Police Problem.
- [S108] Committee of the Degree of Bachelor of Science, Whereas, the members of the Committee of the Degree of Bachelor of Science, 13 June 1938, United States Military Academy Association of Graduates. Hereinafter cited as Committee of the Degree of Bachelor of Science.
Michael Carl Fink
M, #22, b. 15 June 1945, d. 1 May 2015
Father | George Carl Fink b. 25 Apr 1915, d. 14 Apr 1996 |
Mother | Nancy Hope Reed b. 19 Apr 1917, d. 8 Feb 2008 |


He graduated from Ann Arbor Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw, Michigan, USA. He graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science degree and from Central Michigan University with a degree in counseling in 1978.1 He was a teacher, elementary school counselor, and administrator at East Lansing Public Schools, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.1 From his obituary:
"Mike devoted his life to his children and the children of others. Friends and colleagues recollect his students focusing on his every word and how warm, comfortable, and genuine classroom discussions were as they evolved under his guidance. Using his keen intelligence and his inimitable and insightful sense of humor, Mike helped his students, family, and friends find their better selves.
Ever faithful to butter, Mike nurtured those he loved with versatile and adventurous meals. He delighted in casting flies on the banks of a stream, grousing at opponents over a cribbage board, and babying the Cleome in his garden. Amongst all his delights, however, his greatest joy was time spent with his daughters."2
Ever faithful to butter, Mike nurtured those he loved with versatile and adventurous meals. He delighted in casting flies on the banks of a stream, grousing at opponents over a cribbage board, and babying the Cleome in his garden. Amongst all his delights, however, his greatest joy was time spent with his daughters."2
Family 1:
Citations
- [S84] Susan Donnell, "Untitled: Content "Hopefully, this gives us a little more dimension."," e-mail message from e-mail address (South Salem, New York) to Alton Donnell, 6 April 2021. Hereinafter cited as "Untitled."
- [S107] Michael Fink, Lansing State Journal, Lansing, Michigan, 10/5/2015. Hereinafter cited as LSJ.
Herbert Maurice Kithcart
M, #23
Father | Maurice Robert Kithcart b. 14 Jun 1909, d. 12 Mar 1993 |
Mother | Mary Lucile Burgan b. 24 Jan 1908, d. 5 Feb 1993 |
Family: Anne Knipp Donnell
- Sarah Anne Kithcart+ b. 17 Aug 1987, d. 2 Apr 1992
- Michael Alexander Kithcart+
Sarah Anne Kithcart
F, #24, b. 17 August 1987, d. 2 April 1992
Father | Herbert Maurice Kithcart |
Mother | Anne Knipp Donnell |
Susan Allen Smith
F, #25, b. 22 September 1950, d. 30 July 2023
Father | Roderick W. Smith Jr b. 8 Oct 1926, d. 7 Jul 1987 |
Mother | Carolyn Ballou b. 14 Apr 1927, d. 26 Jul 2021 |
Susan Allen Smith was born on 22 September 1950 in White Plains, Westchester, New York, USA. She died on 30 July 2023 at age 72.1
She attended the Dorothea Hopfer School of Nursing at Mount Vernon Hospital in Mount Vernon, New York, where she received a degree in nursing. in 1973.
She attended the Dorothea Hopfer School of Nursing at Mount Vernon Hospital in Mount Vernon, New York, where she received a degree in nursing. in 1973.
Citations
- [S210] Alexander Donnell, "Susan Allen Smith Donnell," e-mail message from e-mail address (Arkansas) to Alton Donnell, 7 July 2023. Hereinafter cited as "Susan Allen Smith Donnell."
Laurel Anne Donnell-Fink
F, #26
Father | Michael Carl Fink b. 15 Jun 1945, d. 1 May 2015 |
Mother | Marie Susan Donnell |
Elizabeth Marie Donnell-Fink
F, #27
Father | Michael Carl Fink b. 15 Jun 1945, d. 1 May 2015 |
Mother | Marie Susan Donnell |
Shannon Smith Donnell
F, #28
Father | Lawrence Alexander Donnell |
Mother | Susan Allen Smith b. 22 Sep 1950, d. 30 Jul 2023 |
Family: Kiyenne Light
Alfred Pierce Donnell1
M, #30, b. 20 September 1850, d. 12 April 1942
Father | John Calvin Donnell b. 3 Aug 1807, d. 15 Sep 1862 |
Mother | Martha Safrona Witherspoon b. 17 Jan 1811, d. 15 Feb 1897 |
Alfred Pierce Donnell was born on 20 September 1850 in Cross Timbers, Hickory, Missouri, USA.2 He married Elizabeth Frances Langford, daughter of William Thurman Langford and Sarah Ann Bailey, on 25 February 1875 in Benton, Missouri, USA.3 Alfred Pierce Donnell died on 12 April 1942 in Canyon, Randall, Texas, USA, at age 91, ten days after breaking his leg.3 He was buried on 13 April 1942 at Silverton Cemetery in Silverton, Briscoe, Texas, USA, Plot Org.N.Side #21.4
From Charles Donnell's genealogy:
He was a prominent farmer and stockman.6
From Charles Donnell's genealogy:
"A. P. Donnell was deprived of a school education, as was his brother John, but he read a lot and kept up with every phase of life as long as he lived, which was nearly 92 full years. He with his mother and family moved to Seymour, Texas, where Uncle Amzi had lived since 1879, during the fall of 1889. From there the family moved to Briscoe County, Texas, where he spent 51 years of his life."1
In 1891, Alfred Pierce Donnell and Elizabeth Frances Langfordleft Missouri in search of land and settled in Briscoe County, Texas. They were instrumental in establishing the town of Silverton and the Presbyterian Church there.5
Family: Elizabeth Frances Langford b. 8 Mar 1854, d. 26 Dec 1937
- Charles Edward Donnell+ b. 10 Jan 1876, d. 21 Jul 1949
- Samuel Amzi Donnell b. 9 Sep 1877, d. 27 Jul 1906
- Lemuel Alexander Donnell+7 b. 28 Nov 1879, d. 29 Oct 1968
- Bertha Lee Donnell+ b. 10 Jan 1884, d. 2 Apr 1969
- Olive Leora Donnell+ b. 5 Dec 1885, d. 22 Jun 1975
Citations
- [S1] Charles E Donnell, A Genealogy of Donnell, Langford and Other Families (Plainview. TX: Self, 1949), p. 27. Hereinafter cited as Donnell-Langford.
- [S1] Charles E Donnell, Donnell-Langford, p. 25.
- [S1] Charles E Donnell, Donnell-Langford, p. 27.
- [S34] Find A Grave, online findagrave.com, Number 123123980. Hereinafter cited as Find A Grave.
- [S165] Lemuel Alexander Donnell family, The Canyon News Centennial Edition, Canyon, Texas, 29 June 1989, IV-1. Hereinafter cited as The Canyon News Centennial Edition.
- [S295] Dr. C. E. Donnell, The Canyon News, Canyon, Texas, 28 July 1949, 1. Hereinafter cited as The Canyon News.
- [S34] Find A Grave, online findagrave.com, Memorial ID 60730400.