John Reginald Beardall Rear Admiral, United States Navy Florida Biography and Photo Courtesy of Russell C. Jacobs: June 2007
John Reginald Beardall (1887-1967)
Born on February 7, 1887 in Sanford, Florida.
Graduated from Annapolis in 1908 and commissioned in 1910.
Served aboard the Vermont at the occupation of Vera Cruz in April 1914. Aboard the Kansas and New Hampshire in World War I. Graduated from Naval War College in 1933. Aide to the Secretary of the Navy 1936-1939. Commanding Officer of the Vincennes 1939-1941. Aide to President Roosevelt April 1941-January 1942. Rear Admiral in November 1941. Superintendent of Annapolis January 1942-August 1945.
Retired in November 1946. Decorations included two Legions of Merit.
Died on January 4, 1967.
BEARDALL, JOHN REGINALD Rear Admiral, United States Navy DATE OF BIRTH: 02/07/1887 DATE OF DEATH: 01/04/1967 BURIED AT: SECTION 3 SITE 2505-C ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
BEARDALL, EDITH M DATE OF BIRTH: 05/31/1897 DATE OF DEATH: 05/18/1997 BURIED AT: SECTION 3 SITE 2505-C ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
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Re: John Reginald Beardall
I am JRB's great-grandson and am looking for information about him for my family tree research. For some reason, despite his position(s), I am having a hard time finding genealogical information. Please send me anything you can. Thank you, Thomas Hardcastle
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Re: John Reginald Beardall
Thomas, I am your cousin. My grandfather, William Beardall was the brother of John R. Beardall. Your great-grandmother was my favorite Aunt Edith. Your great-grandfather died when I was a junior in high school and I remember him well. I lived in Amherst, Mass back in the mid 70's and had Thanksgiving with your grandparents at their house in Groton. I have lots of information about Beardalls and Bonsers and can go back a number of generations. Do you ever make it down to Florida to visit your Uncle Jeff Beardall? I have so much information to share that it would be very difficult to do over e-mail. Look forward to hearing from you. Mary Beardall Hoffmann
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Re: John Reginald Beardall
Hi Mary Ann, Hello from Frome,Somerset,UK. I am the husband of Helen Bonser-Wilton a great great grand daughter of Arthur Howard Bonser who was a brother of Florence Bonser of Sutton-in-Ashfield, England - the wife of William Beardall of Mansfield Woodhouse, England - who must have been your great,grandparents. I am compiling a family history for my son Lorcan Bonser-Wilton now aged 4 and I have been priviledged to come into possession of a large quantity of historical records, which belonged to George Gershom Bonser, another brother of Florence Bonser - who indeed visited her and Wm.Beardall in the US in 1906 and 1925 or 1926. These documents have been looked after for many years by my father in law - Peter Sims Bonser- now aged 84, who is a Grandson of Arthur Howard Bonser and a great nephew of Florence Bonser - a photograph of whom, taken when she was a young woman still hangs in my parents in law's home today. I am given to understand that Peter's late sister Monica used to correspond from the UK with the Beardall family in the US.She died in 2002. I would be willing to share with you any information on the Bonser family history that you might find to be of interest. I have enjoyed many hours on the internet discovering the achievements of your Beardall great grandparents, your grandfather William Beardall and his brothers John and Harold Martyn,and their children Capt John R.Beardall, Shadie Livingston Beardall and Harald Martyn 'Hal' Beardall. Indeed the cover page of one of the sections of my son's family history is entitled 'The Beardall Family - a family from England who achieved extraordinary things in the United States via Zanzibar in Africa and whose matriarch was Florence Bonser'.I have made a number of attempts via the internet to contact a William Beardall Jr - Billy Beardall - a law professor in Texas -who I had assumed to be a son of your grandfather William Beardall but I have received no response to date. One query you may be able to help me with - amongst the papers entrusted to me was a copy of a letter - Dated 04th May 1973 - Wm Beardall wrote on Fidelity Title and Guaranty Co headed paper to Mr John Moores of Formby near Liverpool with respect to a forthcoming visit to the UK planned with his son Bill. The letter refers to the death of (Winifred) Helen Livingston (the daughter of George Gershom Bonser and a a niece of Florence Bonser). I believe that the John Moores referred to may be the son of Sir John Moores who established the Littlewoods Business empire in the UK and who now has a University in Liverpool, UK named after him. Do you know what the family connection of the Beardall's, the Bonser's and the Moore's of Liverpool, UK might have been? Thank you in anticpation of any assistance that you can provide to me. Best Regards, Rob Bonser-Wilton.
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Re: John Reginald Beardall
Hi Thomas,Hello from Frome,Somerset,UK. I am the husband of Helen Bonser-Wilton a great great grand daughter of Arthur Howard Bonser who was a brother of Florence Bonser of Sutton-in-Ashfield, England - the wife of William Beardall of Mansfield Woodhouse, England - who must have been your great,great,grandparents. I am compiling a family history for my son Lorcan Bonser-Wilton now aged 4 and I have been priviledged to come into possession of a large quantity of historical records, which belonged to George Gershom Bonser, another brother of Florence Bonser - who indeed visited her and Wm.Beardall in the US in 1906 and 1925 or 1926. These documents have been looked after for many years by my father in law - Peter Sims Bonser- now aged 84, who is a Grandson of Arthur Howard Bonser and a great nephew of Florence Bonser - a photograph of whom, taken when she was a young woman still hangs in my parents in law's home today. I am given to understand that Peter's late sister Monica used to correspond from the UK with the Beardall family in the US.She died in 2002. I would be willing to share with you any information on the Bonser family history that you might find to be of interest. I have enjoyed many hours on the internet discovering the achievements of your Beardall great great grandparents, your great grandfather John R Beardall and his brothers William and Harold Martyn,and their children Capt John R.Beardall, Shadie Livingston Beardall and Harald Martyn 'Hal' Beardall. Indeed the cover page of one of the sections of my son's family history is entitled 'The Beardall Family - a family from England who achieved extraordinary things in the United States via Zanzibar in Africa and whose matriarch was Florence Bonser'. Best Regards,Rob Bonser-Wilton
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Re: Capt George Alwyn Gershom Bonser dob 3.2.1889
Dear Mr BonserWilton, My name is Tom and I am a student at Brighton College in East Sussex, England. Capt GAG Bonser went to my school between 1898 and 1902 and after he subsequently qualified as a surgeon he was killed in action in WWI on 19.9.18. My headmaster has given me a task -to write a short biography of Capt GAG Bonser. I have started my research and have come across your message. I think you have mentioned Capt Bonser's father (he was an only child) which has given me hope of finding out a bit more. I have been able to research the WWI military records and I have an obituary for Capt Bonser. But what I would like to know is a little bit more about his mum and dad -they must have been devastated to lose their only son in WWI. My biography will be part of my schools 'Lest we Forget' project. Any interesting facts would be very much appreciated, Yours sincerely, Tom
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Re: Capt George Alwyn Gershom Bonser dob 3.2.1889
Hi Tom Great to receive your enquiry. I am happy to provide you with information on the family of Capt George Alwyn Gershom Bonser. However I am not a regular user of Ancestry.com. If you could email me direct on the email address of bonserwilton@btinternet.com, with a direct reply email address for yourself I will send the relevant information to that address as file attachments. Best Regards Rob Bonser-Wilton
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Re: John Reginald Beardall
I have not gotten down to FLA for many years, but have fond memories of talking to Ganny (Aunt Edith)- what a fascinating woman! I would love to see any information about Beardalls and Bonsers, but am so busy these days with teaching it is hard to take time to do any real genealogical work. I will be making an effort to spend more time with it, as my father recently came into more information and documentation regarding that side of the family, including paperwork regarding Clermont as well as pictures from the Atlantic Charter Conference....
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Re: John Reginald Beardall
I would love to see that portrait: would it be possible to email me a picture of it? I doubt I have any information you don't already have, but I would be happy to share what I do, including a copy of the letter from the Sultan of Zanzibar (in English and Arabic) urging people to respect Wm. Beardall as he journeyed through that country or copies of pictures from JRB at the Atlantic Charter Conference or that of he and Edith as they were presented to Court...
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