Joyce Kilmer
What did the New York Times Sunday Magazine and the Funk and Wagnall’s Standard Dictionary have in common with some of our early Johnson & Johnson publications? Hint: they shared a famous writer.
Joyce Kilmer
That writer was Joyce Kilmer, who is best known for his poem “Trees.” Joyce was the son of Johnson & Johnson scientific director Fred Kilmer. Joyce (full name: Alfred Joyce Kilmer) was born in New Brunswick in 1886, the same year Johnson & Johnson was founded. He was three years old when his father joined the Company, so like the children of Robert Wood Johnson the first, Joyce Kilmer grew up with Johnson & Johnson. The Kilmer family had four children but tragically had lost three of them, which made them cherish their remaining child, Joyce, even more. Joyce went to school at Rutgers Prep, where he was seven years ahead of Robert Wood Johnson (later to be known as General Johnson). Joyce then attended Rutgers College for two years and completed his education at Columbia University, graduating in 1908. He married a local girl from Metuchen, Aline Murray, who was also an accomplished poet and writer. Joyce Kilmer’s abilities were inherited from both parents, and he grew up watching his father Fred Kilmer write countless scientific articles and publications on behalf of Johnson & Johnson. After his graduation, Joyce made his living as a writer and editor. During that time, he helped his father by contributing articles to some Johnson & Johnson publications, such as the RED CROSS NOTES.
Like Seward Johnson, Joyce Kilmer served in World War I. He was assigned to the “Fighting 69th” Infantry Regiment and then to the 165th Regiment, where he earned the rank of Sergeant. Joyce volunteered for dangerous duties and in 1918 transferred to the Regimental Intelligence Section, in which he went on scouting missions. It was on one such scouting mission in France that Joyce Kilmer was killed on July 30, 1918, in the ending days of World War I. He was posthumously awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French government.
Annie Kilmer Holding Photograph of Joyce Kilmer (L), and Fred Kilmer (R)
The Kilmer family – Joyce’s wife Aline, their children, and parents Fred and Annie — were devastated. At Johnson & Johnson, Fred Kilmer threw himself even further into his work while Annie Kilmer worked tirelessly to keep Joyce’s memory alive. She made numerous appearances at area schools to read his poetry and talk to students about her son. Here’s a website by Joyce’s granddaughter (and Fred Kilmer’s great-granddaughter) that has photos and more information about Joyce Kilmer.
There are numerous parks, buildings and other sites throughout New Jersey and the U.S. named after Joyce Kilmer. At Johnson & Johnson, the Kilmer name commemorates Joyce’s father, Fred Kilmer, our scientific director in the early years of the Company.
Fred Kilmer’s Signature (“F.B. Kilmer”) on a Letter from our Archives
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I saw an interview with actor Val Kilmer recently. He said he is related to Joyce Kilmer. Can this be traced??
I’ve heard that Val Kilmer is distantly related to Joyce Kilmer (and of course to Joyce’s father Fred Kilmer!), but I have no concrete proof or information on how they’re related. I believe it could be traced if someone had the information on the people concerned going back generations. Here’s a link to Joyce’s granddaughter Miriam Kilmer’s website, on which she has a Kilmer Family tree: http://www.risingdove.com/kilmer/FAQ.asp
Here also is a link (which can be found on Miriam Kilmer’s website, to a Kilmer Family Geneology Forum, which may answer your question: http://genforum.genealogy.com/kilmer/
can you tell me where “Trees” was written? was the poem sinspired by any particular tree(s)?
thank you
There are many locations in New Jersey (including Rutgers University) that claim to have had the tree that inspired Joyce Kilmer’s poem. According to Joyce Kilmer’s granddaughter, Miriam Kilmer, “Trees” was written in Mahwah, NJ and may not have been inspired by any one tree in particular. Here’s a link to her website, which has a lot of information about Joyce Kilmer: http://www.shapenotes.com/kilmer/FAQ.asp
Miriam Kilmer quotes her father’s book, “Memories of My Father, Joyce Kilmer,” which says, in full: “It was in an upstairs bedroom of this house [in Mahwah, NJ] which served as Mother’s and Dad’s bedroom and also as Dad’s office, that Dad wrote “Trees” on February 2, 1913. I have his notebook with that title and date written down. The window looked out down a hill, on our well-wooded lawn — trees of many kinds, from mature trees to thin saplings, oaks, maples, black and white birches, and I don’t know what else.” (Memories of My Father, Joyce Kilmer” by Kenton Kilmer, Joyce Kilmer Centennial Comission, 1993, p. 89)
From my research, Fred and Joyce Kilmer were related to Dr. S. Andral Kilmer who was most famous for inventing “Swamp-Root” – a patent medicine that made much money for a cousin named Willis Sharpe Kilmer.
Thanks for your blog
I remember as a young boy in the 1960′s driving past Camp Kilmer (Edison, NJ I believe) to visit relatives. By then the base had pretty much been abandoned. It was only later when I became older that I found out how significant Camp Kilmer was during WW11.
Several months ago I paid a visit to the American Legion, Joyce Kilmer Post 25 in Milltown, NJ. Joyce has not been forgotten and he lives on especially among America’s veterans.
Probably the only poem that I remember from my grammar school days, in Brookly, NY. 80 years ago.
Many of my friends remember it but were unable to remember all the words. I have resolved the problem by going to the internet. I have EMailed them all a copy
Raymond De Stefano
My father, Frederick Moeller, Sr., was born in 1897 and worked for J&J at New Brunswick, New Jersey in his early to mid-twenties. He knew and worked with Dr. Kilmer who was the father of Joyce Kilmer. (My dad died at 95 years.)
In 1920, Earle Dickson, combined gauze, adhesive and fabric to create a sheet of material that could be cut to fit over wounds of varying sizes. My father was one of the first sales persons to demonstrate the 2″ x 18″ “wonder bandage” to doctors who cut cut the material into convenient sizes. He remembered that it was about 1924 when Band-Aids were machine made.
My father was considered a promising young executive and was asked to open J&J’s first office in Johannesburg, South Africa. He and my mother were thrilled at the opportunity but my maternal grandparents were convinced they would never see their daughter again. To “keep peace” my father resigned from J&J in the belief that other such opportunities would be slow in coming, if at all. It was also a matter of honor to have accepted the transfer only to renege.
During my college years at Rutgers I spent a summer at Seward Johnson’s farm in Oldwick, New Jersey. He worked in the fields with the crew several days a week and was a good boss who did his share.
Some male students at Rutgers tested adhesives by wearing bandages on their backs for a week or so. The ladies tested personal products and both men and women were paid.
Two of my father’s most treasured poems were “Trees” and “The House with Nobody in it” by Joyce Kilmer. My photograph of the tree hangs in the Kilmer House and at the Parks and Shade Tree Department in New Brunswick and is, perhaps, the only full view of the magnificent oak before its removal in 1963.
Thank you for permitting me to reminisce.
Frederick Moeller, Jr.
is it possible that all kilmers are related? i know a bunch of them immigrated from germany to western new york (upstate) in the 1700′s then spread out after that. i also know that my grandfather, denver kilmer came from that part of new york state.
so is it possible that all kilmers from that part of the world are related?
just wondering if i can legitimately make a tenuous claim to fame
why don’t we all submit to a dna test and settle the question.
one of the things i like about the kilmer name is that a LOT of accomplished people have it.
Hi Eleanor,
I don’t know if all Kilmers are related, but here’s some information from our archives that might help you. According to biographical information we have on Fred Kilmer, who was Joyce Kilmer’s father, Fred’s and Joyce’s family descended from Palatine emigrants who settled in Livingston Manor, in upstate New York about 1711. Here’s a link to Miriam Kilmer’s website. She’s the granddaughter of Joyce Kilmer, and has information about the family on her site: http://www.risingdove.com/kilmer/FAQ.asp
I’m also including a link to an online genealogy forum about the Kilmer family that might help you find some answers: http://genforum.genealogy.com/kilmer/
Hi
I am a kilmer by birth and was adopted out at age 7. Am interested to connect with biological relatives. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada 1962.
Hi Kelly,
I’m going to refer you to Miriam Kilmer’s website. She is the granddaughter of poet Joyce Kilmer (and the great-granddaughter of Fred Kilmer, who this blog is named after!). She has a Kilmer Family Tree/FAQ on her site here: http://www.risingdove.com/kilmer/FAQ.asp
There is also a Kilmer Family genealogy forum here: http://genforum.genealogy.com/kilmer/
I hope these will help you connect with other Kilmer family members. Best of luck!
Margaret
Hi Kelly,
What I co-incidence! I have a sister named Kelly who was born in Toronto and adopted out at age seven too!!!
I reverted back to my bio-name, not that there’s any real cache in it, but it can’t hurt.
To tell the truth, it feels like a meaningful way to reconnect with my identity and roots.
I have contact info on JFK, and Wil. If interested look me up on facebook and I’ll get the info to you then.
Don’t you think it’s just really super coincidental that Fred Kilmer worked for Johnson and Johnson? Of course Johnson would have to have the same significance to you as it does me.
Hi Margaret,
Sorry it took so long to get back. I had no idea there were any responses. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question and send the link. I will definitely have a look!
Best Regards,
Eleanor
Val Kilmer and I share the exact same birthdate and Kilmer is my birth name.
Hi Margaret,
I’ve started a group on facebook called Out of Kilmerosity. It’s just for fun, posting little or well known facts about little or well known Kilmers. It’s an open group, however people who are either Kilmers, or write about them are definitely encouraged to join and contribute. So I’m inviting you to join. I just started it, so there might not be much to see for a few days. My first entry will go in today or tomorrow. I hope to see you there! It’s easy to find – just type “Out of Kimerosity” into the facebook search engine.
Cheers!
Eleanor Kilmer
Hi Eleanor,
Great to hear from you again! Thanks for the invitation to join Out of Kilmerosity — I will definitely do so!
All the Best,
Margaret
My fathers older brother Wilbur Kilburn started doing a family history on the Kilburn family. When Wilbur died in 1993 one of his sister-in-laws took it over and completed it. As it turns out I am an ancestor of Annie Ellen Kilburn Kilmer.
Mary,
Congratulations on your discovery! So you have a connection (through marriage) with the early days of Johnson & Johnson, because Annie Kilburn Kilmer’s husband Fred Kilmer was our scientific director and chief publicity officer from 1889-1934…and he started the archives that allow me to write this blog. If you’re interested, Joyce Kilmer’s granddaughter (and Annie Kilburn Kilmer’s great-granddaughter) has a website with some family history, mostly centered around Joyce Kilmer: http://www.risingdove.com/risingdove/literaturesite.asp#top
Regards,
Margaret
Hi Margaret: I have been in touch with Miriam Kilmer. I have sent her a copy of the Kilburn family history book that my father’s brother started. She finds it quite interesting. My maiden name is Kilburn. Miriam Kilmer and I have been in touch with each other several times by email.
Hi Mary,
Sorry it’s taken me so long to reply –even bloggers take vacation sometimes! Glad to hear that you and Miriam Kilmer have made contact, and that you shared your Kilburn family history book with her. I’m glad that the blog could help faciliate the connection!
Best Regards,
Margaret