Kaye Family History

The American Civil War

Antoine Joseph Kaye was born on October 10, 1823 in Hammme-Mille, Brabant, Belgium. His parents were Jean Joseph Kaye (b. June 27, 1795 in Hamme-Mille, d. unknown) and Catherine Joseph Gastuche (b. July 16, 1797 in Hamme-Mille, d. May 17, 1838 in Hamme-Mille). He was the second of 7 children (3 girls and 4 boys). In 1839, his father married a second time to Anne Catherine Deliege (b. April 5, 1805 in Hamme-Mille, d. unknown) and had two more children (1 girl and 1 boy).

He married Anne Marie Poismans (b. October 10, 1827 in Hamme-Mille, d. April 5, 1850 in Hamme-Mille) and had 9 children (6 girls and 3 boys).

On May 23, 1856, he and other members of his family emigrated to the United States sailing on the "Storm Bird" from Antwerpen-Boston.

Kaye's in World War I

Emile Joseph Félix Désiré "Félix Emile" Kaye was the oldest of 9 children (3 girls and 6 boys) born on March 30, 1859 in Hamme-Mille, Brabant Belgium. His parents were Laurent Joseph Kaye (b. November 16, 1829 in Hamme-Mille, d. June 1, 1895 in Hamme-Mille) and Marie Antoinette Jaspare (b. October 26, 1830 in Hamme-Mille, d. unknown).

Félix Emile worked with the gas company in Louvain. He lit the gas street lights in the evening.

One day there had been an attack or ambush of some German soldiers by the partisans. As a reprisal, the Germans executed a number of civilians. Félix Emile was taken prisoner by the Germans while he was going about his work.

In a slightly different versions of this story, 1. Félix Emile was killed in a crossfire between German troops and partisans, and 2. Germans troops captured Félix Emile believing he was one of the partisans and executed him.

Vital Kaye was the 7th of 9 children (5 girls and 4 boys) born on August 26, 1894 in Hamme-Mille, Brabant Belgium. His parents were Emile Joseph Félix Désiré Kaye (b. March 30, 1859 in Hamme-Mille, d. July 9, 1918 in Louvain) and Jeanette Prosperine Decock (b. September 22, 1857 in Hamme-Mille, d. February 23, 1929 in Etterbeek).

Vital, service number 121723, was a member of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during WWI. His original discharge papers contained the following information: enlisted in Montreal on January 25, 1916; served in France; and discharged as medically unfit on February 8, 1919, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. His records describe that he had a shrapnel wound on the outer aspect of his right thigh. He received 2 war service badges - a class A and a Class B. He served in the 57th Battallion as a Private and later in the 69th Battallion as a Sergeant.

In addition to his shrapnel wound, he had been gased during the war which caused him to gradually lose all memory. He lived in a Canadian Soldier's Home until his death. He died November 15, 1977 and was buried in the "Field of Honour", Grave #1308, in the Montreal, area of Quebec.

Raymond Capiaux, his nephew, was responsible for adding his name to the World War I Memorial in Hamme-Mille commemorating the men from Hamme-Mille who gave their lives during WWI. He had encountered difficulties since Vital had served in the Canadian Forces.

Please send your comments to: Michael Kaye

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