Not long ago several folks were working on the project to convert the former St. Paul Clothing House/Bible Book Store building at the corner of South Broadway Avenue and West Main Street into the future Community Cornerstone structure.

During their work on the second floor, several documents were found which may have been hidden away up in the rafters. One of the folks on this project, Mike Lee of Pro Manufacturing Inc., asked Ann Austin, executive director of the Freeborn County United Way, what should be done with these old documents. She suggested that Mike bring these items to the Tribune so I could see these reminders of past history.

Nearly all these old documents involved a family named Haynes. Mike thought there might be a connection with the previous owners or even builders of this buildings. However, this building was built for the Nelson family in 1888. In the earlier days the second floor was the original location for Luther Academy and the main floor was a clothing store operated by the Nelsons. The Haynes connection, I eventually discovered, came at a later time.

One of the documents in the French language was an official message of condolence to honor the memory of Daniel Haynes, a member of Company H, 309th Infantry, A.E.F. (American Expeditionary Forces). Another document provided an English language translation and explanation.

A document signed by Minnesota Gov. J.A.A. Burnquist in 1918 extended official state condolences for the death of Daniel Haynes. Another document came to his family from the U.S. government with the name of President Woodrow Wilson on the bottom.

A rolled-up document had the full roster of Company G, 136th Infantry Regiment, stationed at Camp Cody near Deming, N.M., in 1917. Daniel Haynes was listed as a private first class.

These five documents clearly indicated Haynes was a member of the U.S. Army and had died overseas during World War I. At this point two questions could be consisted. First, was he from Albert Lea or Freeborn County? Second, where is he now buried?

To get an answer to the first question, I checked the book on the county’s part in World War I. There I found the Haynes name and photo in the listing of that war’s casualties. I also checked the list of 60 World War I names on the memorial at Graceland Cemetery and his name is certainly there. His short sketch in this book said Daniel was a private in Company H, 309th Infantry, A.E.F. He entered the U.S. Army on July 15, 1917, at 22 years of age, and assigned to Camp Cody, then Camp Merritt, He went overseas on July 27, 1918, and fought at St. Mihiel and in the Argonne Forest. Daniel was severely wounded on Nov. 1, 1918, during the fourth attack on a (German) machine gun nest. He died Nov. 16, 1918, at Brizeaux, Meuse, France. Daniel was the son of Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Haynes, Albert Lea.

Sadly, he died five days after World War I ended

His death overseas justified the second question. Some of the American casualties from both World Wars I and II are still buried in military cemeteries on French soil.

For the families of these casualties their decisions determined if the final places of interment would be in the U.S. or Europe.

Right at this point I encountered a real problem with the Haynes family. During my research at the Freeborn County Historical Museum Library, I checked their very extensive obituary files, I only found one for the Haynes family. It was for Joseph J. Haynes, a former member of the Albert Lea City Council (3rd Ward) who died in 1938. Yet, in checking with the available city directories I found this family listed from 1914 to the 1960s.

However, the museum has extensive research facilities for genealogists. With the help of Librarian Linda Evenson, I found out that Daniel Haynes is buried in St. Theodore’s Cemetery. I confirmed this with a check with this cemetery’s military memorial. Daniel’s is one of four parishioners who died during World War I. I also visited his gravesite.

We’ll continue on with solutions to other Haynes family mysteries in the next column. These include their actual connection with the Community Cornerstone building, plus several other old documents recently found in this building.

Ed Shannon’s column has been appearing in the Tribune every Friday since December 1984.