Joseph B. Noil, Seaman

Joseph B. Noil (born 1841, died March 21, 1881) 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 USS Powhatan at Norfolk, Virginia on December 26, 1872, Noil saved a drowning shipmate, Boatswain J.C. Walton. For his conduct on this occasion, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Joseph B. Noil died at Saint Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, D.C. on March 21, 1881; he 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 winners of the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Joseph Noil was married to Sarah Jane Gambier of New York City (1846-March 6, 1896); they had two daughters, Florence Gambier Noil (October 1871-October 5, 1933, Jamaica, Queens, New York) and Sarah E. Noil (b. 1876, date of death unknown; probably died young).

On March 12, 1892, Florence married Walter Robert Hunter in Manhattan ; on March 14, 1921, she married William Albert Cross (1876-1933),;who worked as a longshoreman . By her first husband, she had three children: Robert Walter Hunter (born Robert James Noil in Manhattan on November 20, 1891-died after 1942,unmarried); Cora Hunter (February 1893-after 1942; married Howard Lowrie, October 31, 1916, in Manhattan, no children. Taylor Parks (not the present-day actress of the same name), December 16, 1920, Bay City, Michigan, no children; under the name of Cora Parks, she 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) and Maybelle Hunter (1896-1982 , m. Charles Lucas, December 30, 1912 in Manhattan ; they would have seven children . Charles Lucas (1892-1973) was a native of St. Kitts and worked as a longshoreman. The family lived at 106-12 Inwood Street in Jamaica, Queens, New York).

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.

Links

• Naval Historical Center: Online Library of Selected Images - Seaman Joseph Noil, USN, (1841-????)
• Wikipedia: Joseph B. Noil
• Medal of Honor Recipients: Interim Awards, 1871-1898
• FindaGrave: Joseph B. Noil