Talk:William Longshaw Jr.

There's a boatload of wrong information here, based on found sources
I was charmed by the story I read in a journal about naval physicians and decided to dig around a bit. I have found several excellent sources and will be applying those soon. After looking at the edit history, it appear that the original article as written by page creator User:Wwoods was factual but unsourced (not unlike the articles I was writing myself in 2005). Somewhere along the line one editor arrived and stuck in a bunch of junk, including the three sources which appear in the article right now, none of which can be found or verified. Expect changes. This subject deserves a much better article. BusterD (talk) 03:12, 30 April 2020 (UTC)
 * , Thanks for your work on the article! Would it be better located at William Longshaw? Eddie891 Talk Work 22:21, 8 May 2020 (UTC)
 * , as I search through each source, I honestly can't find a single one that doesn't use the suffix "Jr." While I understand the normal naming MOS on Wikipedia, I'm also inclined to follow the reliable sourcing and leave the generational suffix on the page name. If every source using the suffix, I can't very well omit it at this point. BusterD (talk) 01:53, 11 May 2020 (UTC)
 * Makes sense then. Would you object to creating a redirect from William Longshaw to this page? Eddie891 Talk Work 02:41, 11 May 2020 (UTC)
 * Slapping myself. I've been kind of face down on this subject for a bit. Found the Hayes Expedition stuff, which is actually a dark road for the subject; sources indicate he made a young man's error on the expedition. Was sent home early. I keep finding more stuff out. Found some interesting medical sources to help me with the work an assistant surgeon would perform on a ship of the day, including Monitors. Fascinating stuff. BusterD (talk) 03:34, 11 May 2020 (UTC)
 * It would, actually. I'm working on some talk page stuff now, so I'll move it when I'm done saving my changes. Thanks for the nice words and in being kind to our Longshaw cousin. Such folks might be valuable allies when the detective work gets long. BusterD (talk) 22:42, 8 May 2020 (UTC)
 * Hi. This is Lorraine Longshaw. I am a forth cousin 3 times removed to Dr. William Longshaw. I would love to upload all copies of the correct information regarding my cousin Dr. William Longshaw.  He came to New York onboard the Siberia.  His mother, Margaret, his father William Sr. and William Junior.  He was just 5 years old.  I have a copy of the 1841 census Manchester, Lancashire, England. Please I would love to set this straight.  There is misinformation on Wikipedia.  Thank you! Toshiye6 (talk) 03:12, 21 August 2023 (UTC)
 * How do I upload new files regarding my cousin William Jr. Longshaw? Toshiye6 (talk) 03:17, 21 August 2023 (UTC)

User:Longshaw has objected to several of my changes. When I came to this page there was nothing resembling a reliable source applied with the singular exception of the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships entry under USS Longshaw (DD-559) here. I consider the DANFS a decent source for ships, but a lukewarm source for biography, based on experience. The sources I've used are clearly available for viewing, unless otherwise linked. My sources for this material are DANFS, the Gatewood article which is 12 or so pages long but fully available to read here. For the record, here's what the page looked like when I arrived. Something interesting; I don't at the moment have Newspapers.com access but just looking for "Luther M Longshaw" I can see a bit of his obituary and it clearly says Dr. and Mrs. William Longshaw. So that's my survey of the uncited info in the article when I got here, or which I doubt from sources I have since found. BusterD (talk) 23:14, 8 May 2020 (UTC)
 * 1) Birthplace and date - Online DANFS says Manchester, England and 1839, which I've cited in my new note. (this 1991 print version of DANFS says Virginia) DANFS adds a specific date the subject entered the country. Gatewood, who would have had a copy of Longshaw's service record, if not medical record, says Manchester, Virginia and 1839, also cited. The tombstone photograph here gives no indication of birth location but says the subject died at the age of 28 years, 8 months. The reasonable calculation puts this birth date as April 1836. I am aware we don't consider Find-a-grave a reliable source, but surely the tombstone means something. The parents were both alive at the time of the subject's death and are buried beside the subject. I can't think of a reason they'd misrepresent the subject's age or birthdate on a tombstone.
 * 2) William Sr's profession - DANFS says nothing, Gatewood says Dr., The Boston City directory of 1866 (cited in the page) says William and L.M Longshaw were druggists. So I've withdrawn "Dr." from William, Sr's first mention, proof not being sufficiently demonstrated.
 * 3) West Point - DANFS says he "entered" West Point "at the age of 16." One doesn't just apply and be accepted to USMA; one must apply for nomination, usually to a congressperson. If the subject was accepted, passed the physical and showed up on campus, they'd be listed in the alphabetic locator of grads and former cadets. (No Longshaw between Longo and Longstreet). Or appear in the West Point students yearly register of officers and cadets (and assuming 1836 birth, entry no earlier than 1852 and no later than 1857, when subject was in New Orleans), no Longshaw. I'd be glad to be proven wrong here. It's possible he was nominated, but he never entered. No evidence, not going in the page.
 * 4) Franklin medal - Gatewood says he received the Franklin medal, meaning he was one of the best students in his school, but this authoritative list says nothing about him.


 * William Longshaw senior was not a doctor. Toshiye6 (talk) 03:02, 21 August 2023 (UTC)

My cousin Dr. William Longshaw Jr. Was born in 1836. He left Liverpool at 5 years of age with his father William Longshaw Sr. and his mother Margaret. They boarded the ship Siberia. His brother Luther M. was born in the US. There was 8 years between them. They both attended Westpoint. Luther was a lawyer. I have all the copies dating back to when William’s parents were born, I.e enumerations. I can email you all the files so you can update the correct information to Wikipedia. My email is leftyharrietha@gmail.com. Thank you Lorraine Longshaw Harrietha. Trenton Ontario Canada Longshaw (talk) 03:40, 15 December 2022 (UTC)

Dr. William Longshaw was my 4th cousin three times removed. My cousin Eric Harrison is my cousin in Stoke on Trent. He has loads of files on Dr. William and his brother Luther. Luther died in Baltimore May 27 1921. He was born on July 31, 1843 in Lowell Mass. He served in the military from 1866 until 1875. William senior was not a doctor. Place of burial was at Woodlawn Cemetery Everett Mass. Luther is buried there with his mother, father William jr. And his wife Annie. Longshaw (talk) 04:14, 15 December 2022 (UTC)

Luther was a 2nd alt. In the 30th infantry 1866 to 1869 and also in the 4th infantry 1867 to 1875. Longshaw (talk) 04:23, 15 December 2022 (UTC)

Luther was a 2 nd leutenant. I have a copy of his passport application. He travelled to Liverpool England on oct. 14, 1903. He came back to Philadelphia on Oct. 26,1903 on board the SSNoorland. His wife Annie was with him. Longshaw (talk) 04:29, 15 December 2022 (UTC)

My cousin. Dr. William Longshaw
I have all the correct information, files dating back to 1836. A lot of information that is posted on Wikipedia is incorrect regarding when William was born. April 26, 1836 He was born in Manchester, Lancashire England. He emigrated to the US with his parents William senior who was not a doctor and his mother Margaret. They travelled to New York on the ship Siberia. I have the 1841 census England. William was 5 years old. I have the copy of census. His brother Luther was born in Lowell mass. Both William and Luther attended West Point. Lorraine Longshaw Longshaw (talk) 04:41, 15 December 2022 (UTC)