06/16/2026
Historic Middletown Inc
MIDDLETOWN IN THE NATIONS WARS
By Commissioner Mark Stigers
It would be interesting to have a complete listing of all the Middletown men and women participating in our nation’s wars but it is impossible to compile an accurate list.
The American Revolution was over before Middletown was established, but many of our first settlers were veterans and the town was founded by Revolutionary soldier Captain Philip Buckner. The following is a list of those known serving in the American Revolution who had a Middletown connection: Richard Clough Anderson, Richard Chenoweth, John Floyd, Jacob Funk, Frederick Geiger, Owen Gwathmey, Abraham Hite, Isaa Hite, Benjamin Lawrence, John Miller, Willam Pope, Jacob Rooksberry Sr., James Sullivan, James Urton, Peter Watts, Samuel wells, David White and William White.
The War of 1812 – The following men served: Peter Funk, Joe Funk, Fred Geiger, John Woodsmall, George T. Wilcox and William Floyd Tuley.
In the Mexican War there are no Middletown men known to have served during this war but Colonel Stephen Ormsby who lived in the Middletown precinct.
The Civil War – It is regrettable that so few names of Middletown’s men participating in the war are known. Only the following names have been located: William H. Able, Robert S. Mitchell, Joseph Mitchell and Simpson Seaton Reyolds.
The Spanish-American War – The following men served: Cyrus Herbert Bliss and William Davis Browning. Mr. Bliss was buried in the Middletown Cemetery but was later moved to the Zachary Taylor Cemetery.
World War I had too many of our local sons serve to list here but many are recognized at the Historic Middletown Inc Museum.
World War II also had a large number of our men and women serve. The list compiled by Edith Wood and others are also too numerous to list here but are named on the Memorial at Wetherby Park as well as in book Middletown Days and Deeds and our museum.
Those serving in the Korean War as well as the Vietnam War are listed on plaques at Wetherby Park.
Our men and women serving in wars since Vietnam have not been listed but our community is eternally grateful for your service and sacrifice.
Shortly after Pearl Harbor a new organization entered the scene at Middletown. In response to a call by the Louisville Defense Forces for volunteers a number signed up from our community. Selected from these volunteers, the local Air Wardens Group became an organization charged with leading the neighborhood efforts to minimize damage to property and human lives. The wardens in charge of the Middletown sector were: John Stork, Chester Schrader, James Crosby, Rev. James McCaleb, Mrs. Lawrence Slattery, M. W. Ross, Rufus King, Wesley White.
To learn more, visit the Middletown Museum at 11700 Main Street and follow us on Facebook.
