My Maine Heritage - June 2023 - Person Sheet
My Maine Heritage - June 2023 - Person Sheet
NameClifton Burdin Buck 
Birth Date22 Feb 1919
Birth PlaceLewiston, Androscoggin Co., ME
Death Date18 May 2002 Age: 83
Death PlaceAuburn, Androscoggin Co., ME
Burial PlaceRiverside Cem., Lewiston, Androscoggin Co., ME
OccupationPostman, former tinsmith at Bath Iron Works; WWII veteran
EducationLewiston High School
ReligionBaptist
FatherFrank Clifton Buck (1869-1962)
MotherClara (Claire) Goodwin Holman (1881-1959)
Misc. Notes
Combat Engineer during WWII in 244th EC Battalion; amateur actor, put on plays in Europe during WWII; past grand senior deacon Grand Masonic Lodge of Maine; played tennis, softball, table tennis.
Transcribed from hand-written note:
Tour of Europe:
There is a paperback book in the box at your mother’s with more details. Left New York Oct. 29, 1944. Arrived Avonmouth, England Nov. 10, 1944--not a very smooth trip.
Trained at Bristol before leaving Southampton for LaHarve, France, Dec. 25, 1944. Did get a chance to visit London: war conditions, no lights, buses, etc.
From LeHarve to Rouen till Jan 8, 1945 then in boxcars “40x8” to Luneville near Nancy. Froze my feet during that trip. Battle of Bitche dug fox holes, cleared mine fields, worked on roads. Then up thru Belgium to Wesel, Germany, built bridge over the Rhine. Then to Fallersleben, had a big fight with the Germans, then to Bleckede on Elbe River, built Harry Truman Bridge shortly before V-E Day.
At one point, he was in charge of a group of German POWs, one of whom painted a portrait his wife Irene in oils of from a photograph. It is a very good likeness. Nancy Buck Wright now has that portrait.
** My mother, Nancy Wright, is interested in hearing from relatives of men in the 244th. Three great friends have been found already. You can contact her at [email protected]. **
Favorite musicians:
Benny Goodman
Gene Krapa
Lionel Hampton
Glen Miller
Tommy Dorsey
Pete Fountain
Al Hurt
Harry James
Russ Morgan
Lawrence Welk
Freddy Martin
Sammy kaye
Guy Lombardo
Al Caiola
Ray Anthony
Lenny Dee-Organ
Liberace
Boston Pops: Arthur Fielder or John Williams
Bob Crosby and the Bob Cats
South Rampart Street Parade
The Royal River (Yarmouth, ME) Philharmonic Dixieland Jazz Band
original Dixieland One-Step
Tin Roof Blues
I’ve found a new baby
Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Blue Turning Gray over You
The Preacher
Original Rags
Cakewalking Babies
Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans
Harlem Rags
Back Home in Indiana
Freddy Martin Orch--Jack Fina--Piano
Bumble Boogie
Pete Fountain
Woodchoppers Ball
Petite Fleur
Bye Bye Bill Bailey
I wish I could shimmey like my sister Kate (How about that)
High Society
When It’s Darkness on the Delta
Struttin’ with some Barbecue
Shine
Chlo-e
When You’re Smiling
You Are My Sunshine
“Hallelujah”
Family listed on 1950 USC for Lewiston (1-34), Whipple St.
Buck, Clifton ae 31
Buck, Florence Irene ae 37
Buck, Nancy Ellen [sic] ae 6
Transcribed from hand-written note:
Tour of Europe:
There is a paperback book in the box at your mother’s with more details. Left New York Oct. 29, 1944. Arrived Avonmouth, England Nov. 10, 1944--not a very smooth trip.
Trained at Bristol before leaving Southampton for LaHarve, France, Dec. 25, 1944. Did get a chance to visit London: war conditions, no lights, buses, etc.
From LeHarve to Rouen till Jan 8, 1945 then in boxcars “40x8” to Luneville near Nancy. Froze my feet during that trip. Battle of Bitche dug fox holes, cleared mine fields, worked on roads. Then up thru Belgium to Wesel, Germany, built bridge over the Rhine. Then to Fallersleben, had a big fight with the Germans, then to Bleckede on Elbe River, built Harry Truman Bridge shortly before V-E Day.
At one point, he was in charge of a group of German POWs, one of whom painted a portrait his wife Irene in oils of from a photograph. It is a very good likeness. Nancy Buck Wright now has that portrait.
** My mother, Nancy Wright, is interested in hearing from relatives of men in the 244th. Three great friends have been found already. You can contact her at [email protected]. **
Favorite musicians:
Benny Goodman
Gene Krapa
Lionel Hampton
Glen Miller
Tommy Dorsey
Pete Fountain
Al Hurt
Harry James
Russ Morgan
Lawrence Welk
Freddy Martin
Sammy kaye
Guy Lombardo
Al Caiola
Ray Anthony
Lenny Dee-Organ
Liberace
Boston Pops: Arthur Fielder or John Williams
Bob Crosby and the Bob Cats
South Rampart Street Parade
The Royal River (Yarmouth, ME) Philharmonic Dixieland Jazz Band
original Dixieland One-Step
Tin Roof Blues
I’ve found a new baby
Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Blue Turning Gray over You
The Preacher
Original Rags
Cakewalking Babies
Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans
Harlem Rags
Back Home in Indiana
Freddy Martin Orch--Jack Fina--Piano
Bumble Boogie
Pete Fountain
Woodchoppers Ball
Petite Fleur
Bye Bye Bill Bailey
I wish I could shimmey like my sister Kate (How about that)
High Society
When It’s Darkness on the Delta
Struttin’ with some Barbecue
Shine
Chlo-e
When You’re Smiling
You Are My Sunshine
“Hallelujah”
Family listed on 1950 USC for Lewiston (1-34), Whipple St.
Buck, Clifton ae 31
Buck, Florence Irene ae 37
Buck, Nancy Ellen [sic] ae 6
Spouses
Birth Date29 Apr 1912
Birth PlaceAndover, Oxford Co., ME
Death Date11 May 1997 Age: 85
Death PlaceKissimmee, Osceola Co., FL
Burial Date26 Jul 1997
Burial PlaceGiant Staircase, Bailey Island, Harpswell, Cumberland Co., ME
Memosee note.
Occupationfuneral home attendant, Teague-Finley Funeral Home
EducationLewiston Jr. High School
ReligionRaised Catholic
FatherArthur T Poor (1886-1953)
MotherMarion Mary “Florence” Melanson (1891-1980)
Misc. Notes
Check this out:
[First marriage cert. found on Ancestry.com]
This is a summary of Gram’s first marriage certificate. I think we had been under the impression that her first marriage didn’t last very long, but from this record, they got married at 20 in 1932 and didn’t get divorced until 1939. That’s a long time to be married and remain without children in an era before widespread birth control. And they didn’t have children—as Richard attests in his WWII draft card.
Also interesting that they got married in Portsmouth rather than somewhere in Maine.
At any rate: in the 1935 Lewiston city directory, they show up as living on Main St. He was working for the Bleachery and Dye Works.
Per Mum (Nancy Buck [Cole] Wright): I'm not surprised that they didn't have any children. My mother had to take hormone shots for weeks before she got pg with me.
In 1940, at time of USC for Lewiston, Florence (Melanson) Poor is listed as divorced, head of household, and living with two of her daughters, Irene Poor ae. 28 (divorced) and Doris Poor ae. 17.
Member Fidelity Rebekha Lodge #4, past Grand Noble; past president of the New England Club.
Family listed on 1950 USC for Lewiston (1-34), Whipple St.
Buck, Clifton ae 31
Buck, Florence Irene ae 37
Buck, Nancy Ellen [sic] ae 6
Florence Irene Buck has a headstone at Riverside Cemetery, Lewiston, Maine, but she’s not there. Her ashes are scattered at Giant’s Staircase, Bailey Island, ME.
Obit:
Florence Irene Buck
active in community organizations
Kissimmee, FL--Florence Irene Buck, 84, of 4177 Cambridge died Sunday at Good Samaritan Health Care Center.
She was born in Andover, Maine, a daughter of Arthur and Florence (Melanson) Poor.
She married Clifton Buck on Aug. 29, 1940, in Lewiston, Maine.
Mrs. Buck was associated with several community organizations, including the Fidelity Rebekha Lodge #4, of which she was a past noble grand. She also worked for a number of years for the Teague-Finley Funeral Home in Lewiston as a funeral home attendant. She was past president of the New England Club.
Mrs. Buck came to the Central Florida area from Lewiston in 1982. She lived at the Good Samaritan Village, where she enjoyed reading, flowers, and biking as an active member of the Village Bike Patrol.
Survivors include her husband; a son, Stephen Buck of Rochester, NH; a daughter, Nancy Wright of Durham, Maine; and two grandchildren.
There will be no service. Arrangements are by Grissom Funeral Home.
[First marriage cert. found on Ancestry.com]
This is a summary of Gram’s first marriage certificate. I think we had been under the impression that her first marriage didn’t last very long, but from this record, they got married at 20 in 1932 and didn’t get divorced until 1939. That’s a long time to be married and remain without children in an era before widespread birth control. And they didn’t have children—as Richard attests in his WWII draft card.
Also interesting that they got married in Portsmouth rather than somewhere in Maine.
At any rate: in the 1935 Lewiston city directory, they show up as living on Main St. He was working for the Bleachery and Dye Works.
Per Mum (Nancy Buck [Cole] Wright): I'm not surprised that they didn't have any children. My mother had to take hormone shots for weeks before she got pg with me.
In 1940, at time of USC for Lewiston, Florence (Melanson) Poor is listed as divorced, head of household, and living with two of her daughters, Irene Poor ae. 28 (divorced) and Doris Poor ae. 17.
Member Fidelity Rebekha Lodge #4, past Grand Noble; past president of the New England Club.
Family listed on 1950 USC for Lewiston (1-34), Whipple St.
Buck, Clifton ae 31
Buck, Florence Irene ae 37
Buck, Nancy Ellen [sic] ae 6
Florence Irene Buck has a headstone at Riverside Cemetery, Lewiston, Maine, but she’s not there. Her ashes are scattered at Giant’s Staircase, Bailey Island, ME.
Obit:
Florence Irene Buck
active in community organizations
Kissimmee, FL--Florence Irene Buck, 84, of 4177 Cambridge died Sunday at Good Samaritan Health Care Center.
She was born in Andover, Maine, a daughter of Arthur and Florence (Melanson) Poor.
She married Clifton Buck on Aug. 29, 1940, in Lewiston, Maine.
Mrs. Buck was associated with several community organizations, including the Fidelity Rebekha Lodge #4, of which she was a past noble grand. She also worked for a number of years for the Teague-Finley Funeral Home in Lewiston as a funeral home attendant. She was past president of the New England Club.
Mrs. Buck came to the Central Florida area from Lewiston in 1982. She lived at the Good Samaritan Village, where she enjoyed reading, flowers, and biking as an active member of the Village Bike Patrol.
Survivors include her husband; a son, Stephen Buck of Rochester, NH; a daughter, Nancy Wright of Durham, Maine; and two grandchildren.
There will be no service. Arrangements are by Grissom Funeral Home.
Marr Date29 Aug 1940
Marr PlaceLewiston, Androscoggin Co., ME
ChildrenNancy Elaine (Living)
Stephen Frank (1950-2003)