PVT Nicholas L. Keller

PVT Nicholas L. Keller was born 10 Feb 1887 in New Haven, Connecticut, the first of 5 children born to Nicholas J. and Nettie Elizabeth (Jacobs) Keller.  His father worked as a driver for a construction company.  In 1910, the younger Nicholas was working as a crane operator.  At some point in time Nicholas and his brothers would move to Norfolk, Virginia to work in the shipyards there. When drafted, Nicholas was working as a painter for Arthur McCloud in South Norfolk.

After entering the Army, Nicholas was assigned to I Company 116th Infantry and trained with the unit at Camp McClellan, Alabama.  On 15 Jun 1918, he and the rest of the regiment embarked on the USS Finland at Hoboken, New Jersey for the trip to France.  After the regiment received training in early July the unit moved into the line. PVT Keller received a serious gun shot wound in action near the Verdun Sector on 15 Sep 1918 and developed pneumonia on 16 Dec 1918 and died as a result on 25 Dec 1918.

PVT Keller rests forever in the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery. 

Brother Theodore Roosevelt Keller served as a PVT in  E Company 31st Infantry serving in the American Expeditionary Force Siberia. PVT Theodore Keller is buried in the Hampton National Cemetery.

PVT Walter Tenas Wissink

PVT Walter Tenas Wissink was born 20 Aug 1895 in Cedar Grove, Wisconsin, the youngest of 3 sons born to Garret and Janna Fredericka (Sikkink) Wissink.  Both parents were descended from natives of Holland (aka The Netherlands) who had survived the sinking of the Phoenix in 1847. The family farmed. Walter attended and graduated from the Wisconsin Memorial Academy in Cedar Grove. He then attended Hope College for one year and then Sheboygan Business College. When Walter registered for the draft in 1917, he was working as a clerk for Kohler Company.

Walter was drafted on 29 Mar 1918 and first reported to Camp Custer. Before leaving there he would marry Anna Cornelia Dees on 1 May 1918.  His wife would visit him at Camp Custer before he was transferred to Camp Gordon, Georgia and then to Camp McClellan, Alabama where he was assigned to K Company 116th Infantry. He traveled to France with that unit, departing Hoboken, New Jersey on 15 Jun 1918 aboard the USS Finland and arrived in France on 28 Jun 1918.  According to newspaper reports of his death, he was assigned to the intelligence section working in the Alsace sector for 2 months and then to the Meuse-Argonne sector, just north of Verdun, for 21-days.  He was then sent to the Lisle eu Regault where he became ill with the measles on 11 Nov 1918.  He was evacuated to Field Hospital 116 and from there to Base Hospital 83 where he died of meningitis on 29 Dec 1918.

PVT Wissink was repatriated in 1921 and re-interred in the Cedar Grove Cemetery in Cedar Grove, Wisconsin.

Anna and Walter had no children.  Anna re-married in 1921 and had several children with her second husband.

PVT Conroy Gay

PVT Conroy Gay was born 3 Jul 1896 in Wendell, North Carolina. He was the 2nd of 3 sons born to Henry Herbert and Fannie Elizabeth (Ferrell) Gay. His father farmed but died in 1902. The boys were orphans when Fannie died in 1906. Conroy went by the name "Roy" most of his life. His older brother went to work for other farmers,  Roy was sent to live with a paternal uncle and their young brother was sent to an orphanage. Roy may have been "adopted" by his uncle John Gay who lived near Zebulon, North Carolina.

After entering the service, Roy was assigned to B Company 116th Infantry. He sailed for France with the unit aboard the USS Finland on 15 Jun 1918. It took the Finland only 13 days to cross the Atlantic from Hoboken, New Jersey to Saint Nazaire, France. After docking on 28 Jun 1918, the regiment received training in trench warfare and was then put into a "quiet" sector on the front lines. On 8 Oct 1918 a major offensive kicked off in the vicinity of Verdun of which the 116th was a part. The armistice was declared on 11 Nov 1918. Roy took ill, as did many others, and died of broncho pneumonia on 11 Dec 1918.

PVT Gay was repatriated and re-interred in the Gay Family Cemetery in Wendell, North Carolina.

Both brothers served in military.  Older brother William Ivan Gay served in the Army as a Wagoner for the period 1918-1919. Younger brother Henry Herbert Gay served in the Philippines as an Army PVT 1916-1921.

CPL Miles D. Sanger

CPL Miles D. Sanger was born in March 1900 in Frederick County, Virginia to John F. and Sarah Ann (Sine) Sanger.  His family farmed especially raising apples.  Miles was assigned to D Company 116th Infantry.  He died of wounds on 4 Dec 1918.

CPL Sanger was repatriated and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

PVT Charles Elbert Liles

PVT Charles Elbert Liles was born 27 Aug 1893 in Linden, Texas.  He was the 9th of 12 children born to Charles Olden and Mary Ann (Surratt) Liles. The family farmed. Charles was working full-time at farming. In 1917 Charles had moved on to work for Littlejohn Drill Company.

After entering the service Charles was sent to Camp McClellan, Alabama and assigned to Machine Gun Company 116th Infantry. PVT Liles and his company boarded the USS Finland in Hoboken, New Jersey and sailed for France on 15 Jun 1918. They debarked at the port of Saint Nazaire, France on 28 Jun 1918. After trench warfare training and experience in a "quiet" sector on the front lines, the 116th together with its 29th Division were part of a major offensive in the vicinity of Verdun. The armistice was declared on 11 Nov 1918.  Sometime after that, PVT Liles became ill and he died of disease on 18 or 27 Nov 1918 (there are different dates on the various records).

PVT Liles was repatriated and re-interred in Center Grove Cemetery in Red Hill, Texas.

Great-grandfather, Francis Mason, served in the Revolutionary War.

PVT Daniel Burch Guion

PVT Daniel Burch Guion was born 20 Jan 1888 in Benton, Mississippi the 2nd of 4 children born to William Beylan and Ada (Bullock) Guion.  The family farmed but William died in 1900 or 1901.  Daniel's mother re-married and was again widowed.

When Daniel entered the Army he was assigned to F Company 116th Infantry.  He departed for France aboard the Finland on 15 Jun 1918 with his unit.  PVT Guion was wounded and as late as 26 Dec 1918 was being reported in hometown papers as "lightly wounded" but he died on 24 Nov 1918.

PVT Guion was returned to the U.S. in 1920 and re-interred in Hicks Cemetery in Yazoo County, Mississippi.

PVT Edgar Olcott Baile Clinton

PVT Edgar Olcott Baile Clinton was born 30 May 1891 in Jersey City, New Jersey the only child of Samuel William and Edgaretta (Olcott) Baile.  His parents had eloped and separated soon after his birth.  In 1898, his mother married Francis Wright Clinton.  We are unsure whether or not he was legally adopted but he used his step-father's surname for the rest of his life. Francis Clinton was a hat manufacturer and retailer.

After Edgar entered the Army he was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company 116th Infantry and trained with it in the U.S. before departing for France in June 1918 aboard the USS Finland. Edgar participated in all the fighting until the armistice was declared and he took sick, possibly with the Spanish influenza, and died of lobar pneumonia on 22 Nov 1918. The New York abstract of his service shows him as assigned to K Company 116th Infantry which might have happened at some point in his service.

Edgar was repatriated and now rests peacefully in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

PVT Granville Hall

PVT Granville Hall was born 10 Sep 1895 in Green County, Kentucky to William Thomas and Louella Frances (Milby) Hall.  The family farmed.

Granville was assigned to D Company 116th Infantry and was killed in action 22 Nov 1918. How this was so we do not know it is more probable that he died of wound(s) received in October 1918.

PVT Hall is buried in Hall Cemetery in Greensburg, Kentucky.

PVT Leone Introini

PVT Leone Introini was born 5 Nov 1891 in Samarate, Italy.  His mother was Maddalena.  Leone had immigrated in 1904. When he registered for the draft on 5 Jun 1917, he was working as a moulder for Emerson Morris & Company of  Tuckahoe, New York.  He was living on Fisher Avenue in Tuckahoe at the time. We know that he had 2 sisters because he said he was their support on his draft registration.

Leone was inducted on 3 May 1918.  He was assigned to M Company 116th Infantry and boarded the USS Finland with them on 15 Jun 1918.  PVT Introini was probably wounded in October 1918 (between 8 and 26 October) and he died of his wound(s) on 10 Nov 1918.

His mother was living in Samarate when she was notified of his death. His body may have been returned to Samarate for burial.

PVT William Harrison Byrnes

PVT William Harrison Byrnes was born 26 Aug 1888 in Brooklyn, New York, the only child of William Nelson and Rose Elizabeth Byrnes. His father was an electrotyper and owned the family home at 989 Hancock Street in Brooklyn. By the time he was 21 he was doing that same work continued until 1918.

William was drafted and entered service on 3 May 1918 after which he was sent to Camp McClellan near Anniston, Alabama and there assigned to K Company 116th Infantry Regiment. He shipped to France with the unit in June 1918. He trained there with the unit and likely fought with the unit at Molleville Farm before coming down with the Spanish Flu. Evacuated to a hospital at Merignac, France he died there on 7 Nov 1918.

Repatriated in 1921, PVT Byrnes is at eternal rest with his family in Greenwood Cemetery in Greenwood Heights, New York.

PVT Thurman Lewis Evans

courtesy of Ernestine Massie Tabor

PVT Thurman Lewis Evans (aka Lewis T. Evans) was born 3 Sep 1897 in Massie's Mill, Virginia the 6th of 8 children of William Matthew and Hannah Frances (Grant) Evans.  The family farmed.

Lewis (as he was known in the Army) enlisted in A Company 2nd Virginia Volunteer Infantry on 4 Jul 1917 for the "emergency" being the Mexican border duty.  He was apparently moved to E Company.  When the 2nd Virginia was mobilized for the Great War, E Company was  re-organized with other companies as F Company 116th Infantry. PVT Evans shipped out for France aboard the Finland on 13 Jun 1918 along with the rest of the 116th Infantry.  PVT Evans is variously reported as having died of wounds or disease on 7 Nov 1918.

PVT Lewis was repatriated and now rests forever with family members in Jonesboro Cemetery in Jonesboro, Virginia.

Lewis' grandfather, Tarleton Jackson Evans, served 4-years in the Nelson Light Artillery during the Civil War.

CPL Shirley Pattie Pullin

CPL Shirley Pattie Pullin was born 6 Feb 1891 in Warrenton, VA to James Crawford and Louisa M (Cobb) Pullin.  Prior to the war Shirley worked as a grocery clerk in Alexandria, VA. Neither of his 2 brothers served in the military.  Assigned to A Company 116th Infantry, he died of wounds in France on 6 Nov 1918. He may also have been assigned to Machinegun Company 116th Infantry at one time. He now rests forever in Arlington National Cemetery.

PFC Cleveland Clanton

courtesy of Natalie Maynor

PFC Cleveland Clanton was born 20 Jun 1892 in Redding, Mississippi, the youngest of 8 children born to Theodore Robert and Sarah Alice (Gorrell) Clanton.  The family farmed in Grenada County, Mississippi. 

Ordered to report for the draft in February 1918, Cleveland went first to Camp Pike, Arkansas.  He was then sent to Camp McClellan, Alabama and assigned to K Company 116th Infantry.  In June 1918, Cleveland and his unit were sent to France aboard the USS Finland.  After training, K Company moved with the regiment into the trenches and sometime during the big push in October, PFC Clanton was wounded.  He died of his wound(s) on 5 Nov 1918. 

PFC Clanton was repatriated and re-interred in Chapel Hill Cemetery in Redding, Mississippi.

Paternal grandfather, James William Clanton, served in K Company 15 Mississippi Infantry. Maternal grandfather Ralph Washington Gorrell, served in K Company 13th North Carolina Infantry in the Civil War. Nephew, Guy E. Clanton, went missing in action and presumably died in the Philippines in 1942 while serving with 13th Bomber Squadron 3rd Bomber Group.

PVT Carl Craft

PVT Carl Craft was born 4 Mar 1895 in Raleigh, Mississippi to Aurora C. and Fannie A. (Headrick) Craft.  The family farmed and Carl was still farming when ordered to report for the draft and inducted 5 Mar 1918.

PVT Craft was assigned to E Company 116th Infantry when he was wounded and evacuated to hospital where he died of wounds on 5 Nov 1918.

PVT Craft was repatriated and is buried in Hebron Cemetery in Hebron, Mississippi.

PVT Bernard J. Lynch

PVT Bernard J. Lynch was born 30 Aug 1891 in New York, New York.  He was the 2nd of 7 children born to Charles Joseph and Mary A. (O'Neill) Lynch.  His parents were natives of Ireland his father having been born in Balbriggin. His father worked as a driver for a grocery.  By 1910, Bernard was working for an undertaker. In 1917, Bernard was working as a gateman for the Hudson Navigation Company.

Bernard was inducted on 2 May 1918. He was immediately sent to the 6th Recruit Company at Camp McClellan, Alabama.  On 22 May 1918 he was reassigned to Machine Gun Company 116th Infantry.  It was with that unit that he boarded the USS Finland at Hoboken, New Jersey and departed for France on 15 Jun 1918.  The ship arrived at the port of Saint Nazaire, France on 28 Jun 1918. The entire 29th Division went through trench warfare training and was then put into a "quiet" sector on the front lines to acclimatize. On 8 Oct 1918 the regiment pushed off as part of a major offensive in the vicinity of Verdun.  Sometime in this combat, PVT Lynch was wounded.  He died of his wound(s) on 5 Nov 1918. 

PVT Lynch rests forever in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery.

SGT Edward Walker Beal

courtesy of Barent Parslow

SGT Edward Walker Beal was born 16 Mar 1898 in Scottsville, Virginia. He was the first born of the 10 children born to Samuel Edward and Beatrice Van Allen (Henwood) Beal.  His father worked as a carpenter and the family farmed.

Edward was assigned to B Company 116th Infantry when he died of disease on 4 Nov 1918.

SGT Beal is buried in the Saint Mihiel Cemetery and there is a cenotaph for him in the Beal Cemetery in Antioch, Virginia.

Grandfather, Samuel Herald Beal, served in D Company 1st Virginia Infantry Battalion (CSA) during the Civil War. Brothers, Kenneth Woodson Beal and Frederick Herald Beal served during the 2nd World War. 

PVT Angelo LaRusso

PVT Angelo LaRusso was born about 1872 in Bisacuiguino, Italy. He was a son of James and Theresa (Tortorice) LaRusso.  Angelo immigrated with his family in 1898 and the family lived in Jefferson County, Alabama where his father supported the family as a truck farmer growing vegetables for local sale. Angelo worked as a coal miner, his last residence being in Bessemer, Alabama.

After being drafted on 10 Apr 1918, Angelo was assigned to D Company 116th Infantry and he would train with the unit and embark with them aboard the USS Finland on 15 Jun 1918 when the unit was sent to France.

PVT LaRusso was wounded during the fighting in late October 1918 and died of his wound(s) on 3 Nov 1918.

PVT LaRusso was repatriated and re-interred in the Cedar Hill Cemetery in Bessemer, Alabama.

PVT Walter Ernest Ladd

courtesy of SoilSister

PVT Walter Ernest Ladd was born 13 May 1895 in Little Rock, Arkansas the only child of Elmer Pierpoint and Josephine L. (Phillips) Ladd.  His father was involved in the lumber business. The parents divorced before 1910 and his father remarried.  In 1917, Walter was working in the logging business in Furth, Arkansas probably with his father.

After entering the army, Walter was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company 116th Infantry. Walter died of bronchial pneumonia on 2 Nov 1918.

PVT Ladd was buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery.

PFC Harvey L Thaxton

PFC Harvey L Thaxton was born 10 Mar 1898 to William Thompson and Mary E (Long) Thaxton of Halifax County, Virginia. One of 4 children, Harvey's brother also served during WWI (enlisted in 1916) but survived the war. Harvey was apparently wounded on 23 October 1918 and some of the family think this is when he died but he died of wounds on 1 Nov. In 1917 Harvey was a mill hand in one of Danville's many mills. He never married. His rank is open to discussion, the Adjutant General of Virginia officially recording him as a PFC but in other documents and on his headstone he is recorded as a PVT. A member of B Company 116th Infantry he was wounded in the heavy fighting the Regiment experienced in October as were so many others in the regiment. He now rests forever in Warren Family Cemetery in South Boston, VA.

PFC Erwin L. Sampson

courtesy of Anne Cady

PFC Erwin L. Sampson and his wife, Edna H. Sampson lived in the area of Big Stone Gap, Virginia.

After entering the Army, Erwin was assigned to F Company 116th Infantry.  He was transported with his unit aboard the Finland to France, departing from Hoboken, New Jersey on 15 Jun 1918.  PFC Sampson died of disease on 1 Nov 1918.

PFC Sampson was repatriated in 1920, his body being returned with many others aboard the Pocohontas.  He now rests forever in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

PVT John Clark Freeland

courtesy of Linda Keil Smith

PVT John Clark Freeland was born 6 Mar 1893 in Woodhull, New York the 5th of 6 children born to Garrett Henry and Rebecca Fidelia (Munn) Freeland. The family farmed. At some point John moved to the area of Fredericksburg, Virginia where he lived at 521 Main Street and worked as a "laborer" at Hunters Laundry.

John enlisted in K Company 2nd Virginia Infantry on 28 Mar 1917.  he participated in the Mexican Border service and was re-called for service in France.  He trained with the unit at Camp McClellan, Alabama and was one of the men assigned to K Company 116th Infantry when the Virginia units were reorganized into the 116th Infantry Regiment. It is unclear when, but John moved to Roanoke and on 6 May 1918 married Mary Belt Oakes. He was probably on leave when he and Mary were married.  John traveled with the unit aboard the USS Finland to France in June 1918. PVT Freeland was wounded and died of his wound(s) on 30 Oct 1918.

PVT Freeland was repatriated and is buried in Fair View Cemetery in Roanoke, Virginia.

Mary never re-married. The couple had no children.  

PVT Oral Dean Allison

PVT Oral Dean Allison was born 9 Oct 1892 in New Hope, Alabama to Henry R. and Mary A. (Hyatt) Allison.

Oral was working in textiles when he was drafted in March 1918.  He was died of wounds on 30 Oct 1918.

PVT Allison is buried in Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville, Alabama.

Bugler PVT Paul Parson

courtesy of Richard Finch

Bugler PVT Paul Parson was the son of Blanche Richards of Portsmouth, Virginia.

Paul was assigned to Machine Gun Company 116th Infantry and traveled to France with that unit aboard the USS Finland. The ship departed Hoboken, New Jersey on 15 Jun 1918 and arrived at the port of Saint Nazaire, France. The entire regiment went through training in trench warfare before being put in the line. On 8 Oct 1918 the Allies began a major offensive of which the regiment was a part. Sometime in this offensive PVT Parson was wounded.  He died of his wound(s) on 30 Oct 1918.

PVT Parson was repatriated and re-interred in Edgemont Cemetery in Anniston, Alabama. It is unclear as to whether his name is actually "Parson" or "Parsons".

PVT Stanislav P. Beno

courtesy of Frank Germanson

PVT Stanislav P. Beno was born 20 May 1895 in Tuchina, Slovakia.  Stanislav like immigrated sometime around 1910-1912 and settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with his brother Michael Paul Beno.  It is unclear as to whether or not their parents also immigrated. Stanislav worked as a common laborer and brewer.

Stanislav was likely drafted in May 1918 and assigned to Headquarters Company 116th Infantry and trained with the unit before it departed for France.  After sailing to France aboard the USS Finland in June 1918 PVT Beno was wounded and later died of his wound(s) on 28 Oct 1918.

PVT Beno was repatriated in July 1921 coming home aboard the USAT Wheaton.  He was re-interred in Holy Cross Cemetery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

PFC Percy Jenkins Dove

PFC Percy Jenkins Dove was born 29 Sep 1899 in Accotink, Virginia, the youngest of 3 children of George W. and Rosetta (Grimsley) Dove.  His father worked as a day laborer and as a fisherman.  In 1910, his oldest sister was working as an assistant engineer at the Bureau of Engraving.  Percy married Ruth Mildred Terry on 29 Jul 1917 and a daughter would be born to the couple in April 1918.

After entering the army, Percy was assigned to L Company 116th Infantry. He left Hoboken, New Jersey with the unit aboard the USS Finland on 15 Jun 1918.  Arriving in France on 28 Jun 1918, the regiment participated in yet more training before moving into the line in September 1918.  PFC Dove was killed in action on 27 Oct 1918.

PFC Dove was repatriated in September 1921 and re-interred in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.