Fran Malone of Chicopee, Mass has done a tremendous amount of research on both my Raymond & Bovat Family Ancestors and is a regular contributor to Mary Thomas's Family Web Site. His wife, Nadine is the actual descendant in the Bovat Family. One of Philip's sons lived here on Maple Street in the first little house on the left as you go down towards the bridge. His name was Louis Bovat and he was the father of Dorothy (Bovat) King who lived across the road. My grandmother, Emma (Bovat) Raymo was Philip Bovat's daughter.
Below is what was posted on Mary Thomas's Web Site:
Description: Attached is the Purple Heart Medal awarded to Philip Bovat for his wounds in the Civil War. The Medal and the two oak leaf clusters represent the three times he was wounded during the Civil War. On the back of the medal it reads "For Military Merit Philip Bovat."
Back in May I came across information on the Purple Heart being awarded retroactive/posthumously back to the Civil War Veteran so I started to research more. I already knew that Philip was wounded three times from his Pension Papers. The Bill that awarded this Medal was signed by the President of the United States on February 26, 1932. Philip died on February 22, 1932. The medal was only being awarded to Veterans retroactive only if they applied for it and showed that they suffered wounds in battle.
I started to ask the Veterans Groups in Massachusetts and Vermont if they thought he would be elegible. They replied back that he should be elegible. I then contacted the National Archives in Waltham, Mass. and they put me in contact with the National Archives in St. Louis. St. Louis transferred all my information on Philip to the Washington and on Tuesday September 10, 2007 Nadine received this in the mail.
Sorry about the clarity of the picture. I will try taking it again to see if I can get a clearer picture.
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Date Taken: September 12, 2007
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Place Taken: Chicopee, Mass.
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Owner: Fran and Nadine Malone
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