When I am at a loss as to what to write about in this column, an ancestor comes to my rescue. True, none have ever been famous politicians, inventors or glamorous movie stars.

They did, however, as all our ancestors have done in their own small way, contribute to our country's history.

My story is about “Uncle John.” He was born in Sterling in 1898.

He and I shared the same birth day of July 22. John Lewis DeMass was one of 11 children of Henry and Minnie (Shortsleeve) DeMass. His great, great-grandfather, Pierre Dumas, came from France in 1778 and fought in the Revolutionary War.

His great-grandfather, Peter Jr., was a soldier during the War of 1812, and his grandfather, Henry H. Dumas (DeMass), fought with the 111th NY Vols. during the Civil War.

John joined the Regular Army on March 20, 1916. I believe that John reasoned that working for Uncle Sam would be easier than working with his father, a threasher and sawyer.

I never heard where John received his early military training, but possibly it might have been at the fort in Oswego.

I did hear a member of the family say that every time they went to visit John, they found him in the guardhouse. John, it seems, was a trifle “hot headed.”

John's unit was eventually sent down along the Mexican border where they spent their time chasing and attempting to capture the Mexican bandit, Pancho Villa.

When World War I broke out, John's outfit was one of the first to be sent overseas. While stationed in Germany, John on March 18, 1919, wrote to his mother, “Well Mother, we are having some great weather here now.

“We are playing baseball most every day, and General Pershing was up here in Germany to inspect us yesterday, which was St. Patrick's Day. He said: ‘Boys, I am proud of the Third Division because you are the boys that won the battle on the Marne River on July 14 and 15. ‘Well Mother, there isn't much news, only we expect to be home by X-mass; we are some of the last to leave Germany. With love to all. Your son, John DeMass. P.S. I think I can get my pass to go and see Willie.” (Willie, his brother William DeMass in France).

John was in seven major battles and, during combat in France, was badly wounded by a bayonet thrust through the body.

He recovered fully from his wound and was discharged on Nov. 4, 1919 and re-enlisted Nov. 5, 1919. On July 12, 1921, he was discharged and then entered the Syracuse Police Academy.

He graduated from the academy during the administration of Mayor Charles G. Hanna and was on July 25, 1928 appointed to the Syracuse Police Department.

John and three fellow officers figured in the capture of Syracuse “bad man” Charles Manio on March 7, 1938. John, who had recently been assigned to radio car work, died of a massive heart attack Oct. 1, 1938.

John and his wife, the former Amy Wilson of Arkansas, had no children. John, over the objections of his father who would have liked him buried at Sterling Center Cemetery with other family members, was interned at Woodlawn Cemetery in Syracuse, where he rests alone. Amy, who died in California on Jan. 11, 1973, is buried by her second husband, John Victor Donnelly in Syracuse's Woodlawn Cemetery.

Hallie Sweeting is the historian for the town of Sterling.