This story is dedicated to anyone who has ever become frustrated working on a family tree: Don’t give up.

A year ago, we put together the story of Harry M. Nightingale. He fought – and died – in World War I. His connection to our family tree is through his widow’s second husband. We’re family.

Harry wrote an incredible letter home while overseas. His mom gave it to the local paper to share with its readers. (That letter is reprinted here).

Although I found a lot of details online, I never could find a photo of Harry.

I should have looked in France.

Today has been wild. While using the various tools on Ancestry.com, I found a photo at last. It was a newspaper photo posted by an individual. An old photo, but clear enough to see his face, his strong features.

I clicked on the link to message that person (who wished their name not to be used) to ask for more details.

Harry’s picture was on the front page of The Boston Globe on March 5, 1918. (My earlier searches were just for Maine newspapers. Expanding it to include Massachusetts papers did the trick.)

The person I’d reached out to is in France. The next bit of information has my head spinning still.

“I found his dog tag.”

Incroyable! Photographie, s’il vous plaît?

(Nah, I wasn’t messaging in French. Just showing off here.)

Moments later, from France to Indiana, the digital file arrived:

… and then another photo, with the other side of Harry’s dog tag:

My new friend in France told me the dog tag was discovered in a friend’s field.

Just three weeks ago.

Think about that for a minute: for 108 years, Harry’s dog tag was lost in the soil. In sacred ground. Finally, though, it was time to surface. It was time to remind us of this brave soldier’s actions so long ago.

Here is the description of Harry’s heroism on the battlefield:

The military awarded Harry the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.

We honor his memory today and always.

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