Joseph B. Noil
Encyclopedia
Joseph B. Noil was a United States Navy
sailor and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor
.
Joseph Noil enlisted in the Navy from New York
. While serving on at Norfolk, Virginia
on December 26, 1872, he saved a drowning shipmate, Boatswain J.C. Walton. For his conduct on this occasion, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Noil died at Saint Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, D.C.
on March 21, 1881, and was buried in the hospital graveyard under the name of "Joseph B. Noel". His grave was discovered by Don Morfe, who is one of a number of dedicated people who have made it their mission to identify and photograph the known resting places of Medal of Honor recipients.
Noil married Sarah Jane Gambier (1846 – March 6, 1896) of New York City
; they had two daughters, Florence Gambier Noil (October 1871 – October 5, 1933) and Sarah E. Noil (b. 1876, date of death unknown).
His granddaughter, Cora Hunter Parks, was an actress, dancer, and vaudeville
artist who appeared in a number of Broadway
shows. As a member of the group The Rhythmettes, she sang "Optimistic Voices
" in the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz
, and on Broadway in 1939, again with the Rhythmettes, with Louis Armstrong
, Moms Mabley
, Oscar Polk
and others, she sang and danced in the show Swingin' the Dream.
Citation:
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
sailor and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
.
Joseph Noil enlisted in the Navy from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. While serving on at Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
on December 26, 1872, he saved a drowning shipmate, Boatswain J.C. Walton. For his conduct on this occasion, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Noil died at Saint Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
on March 21, 1881, and was buried in the hospital graveyard under the name of "Joseph B. Noel". His grave was discovered by Don Morfe, who is one of a number of dedicated people who have made it their mission to identify and photograph the known resting places of Medal of Honor recipients.
Noil married Sarah Jane Gambier (1846 – March 6, 1896) of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
; they had two daughters, Florence Gambier Noil (October 1871 – October 5, 1933) and Sarah E. Noil (b. 1876, date of death unknown).
His granddaughter, Cora Hunter Parks, was an actress, dancer, and vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
artist who appeared in a number of Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
shows. As a member of the group The Rhythmettes, she sang "Optimistic Voices
Optimistic Voices
"Optimistic Voices" is the name of both a song and the choir singing it, from the 1939 film classic The Wizard of Oz. The music is by Herbert Stothart & Harold Arlen and the lyrics are by E.Y. Harburg....
" in the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
, and on Broadway in 1939, again with the Rhythmettes, with Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
, Moms Mabley
Moms Mabley
Jackie "Moms" Mabley, born Loretta Mary Aiken , was an American standup comedian and a pioneer of the so-called "Chitlin' Circuit" of African-American vaudeville.-Early years:...
, Oscar Polk
Oscar Polk
Oscar Polk was an American actor, best known for his portrayal as the servant "Pork" in the 1939 film Gone with the Wind. On January 4, 1949, he was fatally struck by a taxi cab as he stepped off a curb in Times Square. At the time of his death he was scheduled to have a major role in the play...
and others, she sang and danced in the show Swingin' the Dream.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1841, Nova Scotia. Accredited to: New York.Citation:
Serving on board the U.S.S. Powhatan at Norfolk, 26 December 1872, Noil saved Boatswain J. C. Walton from drowning.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients during peacetime
- List of African American Medal of Honor recipients