Marion County Remembers

Remembering SGT Harry Edgell  May 22, 1912 - June 26, 1945 ---- SGT Harry Edgell (Service Number 35386728 )  was born May 22, 1912 in Marion County, West Virginia, the son of Raymer and Mary (Snyder) Edgell.  Their family lived in the Lincoln District near Mannington, where Raymer was a farmer (1910, 1920 Censuses).  At time of publication, I could not find a 1930 census record for Harry, who would have been around 18, but the 1940 census shows Harry imprisoned at the Moundsville Penitentiary near Wheeling, WV. Based on newspaper articles, he'd been imprisoned since at least 1936, including two jail-breaks ("Catch Convicts in West," "Three Fugitives Caught by Police"). Military Service: On October 16, 1940, Harry, now employed by "various farmers," entered into the draft. He gave his home address as Mannington. Harry was 5'8" and 130 lbs with blue eyes, blonde hair, and light skin (Draft Card). He enlisted in the Army, and presumably turned hi...

Remembering Tec5 Howard Raymond Vincent July 15, 1912- April 10, 1945 ---- Tec5 Howard Raymond Vincent (service number 35739911) was born July 15, 1912, in Fairmont, West Virginia, the son of Andrew and Laura (Rudy) Vincent. He attended Quiet Dell School, but according to his enlistment records did not attend high school.  In 1920, Andrew (who went by his middle name, Merrick) was working as a truck driver while the family resided at 640 Clay Street, near the current Gateway Connector. By 1930, the family was running a "general farm" on what is now appropriately referred to as "Merrick Vincent Road," off 310. In the 1940 census, it was listed as "Vincent Road." Somewhere in the early 1930s, Howard married Della Sephronia Sloan. They had three children: Martha, Goldie, and Merrick. Military Service: Howard registered for the draft on October 16, 1940. At the time, he was working for the Fairmont Box Company. He listed himself as 5'7" and 140 lbs, w...

Remembering T/5 Wildon Ralston "Buck" Bailey August 21, 1918 - January 26, 1945 ---- T/5 Wildon Ralston "Buck" Bailey (Service Number 35275121) was born August 21, 1918 in Kincheloe, Harrison County, the son of Archibald and Druzilla (Nicholson) Bailey. Archibald (listed in several places as "Archie") was a farmer (1920 Census) and later a General Store Operator (1930 Census).  "Buck" graduated from Unidis High School in West Milford in 1937, and by April of 1940 was living in Fairmont with his sister Waveline, her husband, and her son. He is listed as a laborer at "Glass House." Military Service and Marriage: He entered the draft on October 16, 1940 in Fairmont, WV. At the time, he worked at the Fairmont Aluminum Co (now Novelis) and lived at 1040 Indiana Avenue. Wildon was 5'8" and 160 lbs with brown hair, brown eyes, and light skin.  Buck enlisted on February 10, 1942 at Fort Hayes in Columbus, Ohio (Army Enlistment Records)...

Remembering PVT Glenn Grenville Wadsworth (Boothsville) October 10, 1923 - January 20, 1945 ---- PVT Glenn Grenville Wadsworth (Service Number 35752793) was born in Smithfield, West Virginia on October 10, 1923, the son of Reverend Golden Gordon and Velma May (Starkey) Wadsworth. During the 1920 Census, Golden (often written as G.G. Wadsworth) was working on his family's farm on Broad Run Road near Ashley in Doddridge County. He still lived in Ashley when he and Velma married on January 2, 1921 (WV Marriage License), and in Doddridge County when Glenn was born in 1923, but by 1930 their family was living in Harrisville (Ritchie County) while G.G. worked as a Methodist Pastor (1930 Census), the career and calling he'd have for the rest of his life.  The 1940 Census found their family, including 16-year-old Glenn and his five siblings, living in Ft. Spring, WV, near Ronceverte in Greenbrier County. The 1940 census also notes that in April of 1935, their family was living in...

Remembering PVT Andrew Heide Fletcher (Farmington/Rachel) August 2, 1918 - January 7, 1945 ---- Note: The West Virginia Veterans Memorial records Andrew's middle name as Heide, as does his son's findagrave profile. Andrew's draft card, however, says Hines. It's unclear at this time which one is correct. ---- PVT Andrew Heide Fletcher (service number 15115975) was born in Farmington, WV on August 2, 1918, the son of (John) Russell and Bernice (Ramage) Fletcher.  Throughout his career, Russell worked at the coal mine. In the 1920s, their family lived in the Chaltham Hill area, while Russell worked as a laborer at the coal mine (1920 Census). In the 1930s onward, they lived near "Little Mods Run Road," where Russell was first a motor repairman (1930 Census), then an electrician (1940 Census).  Wedding bells rang on December 27, 1938, when Andrew married Martha Floyd from Mannington.  Andrew, who according to his Army enlistment paperwork, completed three years of...

MSGT John Edward Cunningham was born June 3, 1918 in Mannington, WV to Charles and Carrie (Humphrey) Cunningham.  John was the oldest of 7 kids, 5 boys and 2 girls. The family moved around a bit, living and working as farmers in Mannington during the 1920 census, unemployed in Wyatt (Harrison County) during the 1930 census, before finally settling in Baxter where Charles, John, and his brother Paul worked at a department store (1940 census). John entered the draft on October 16, 1940, working at the time for a merchant at 219 Madison Street in Fairmont. He listed himself as 5'11" and 140 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Under identifying features, it says that he had gray streaks in his hair. He enlisted in the Army at Fort Hayes in Columbus, Ohio on March 19, 1942. At the time he was listed single with no dependents, but on August 11, 1943 John married Mary Margaret (Curry) McElroy. Reverend Jennings H. Fast officiated the wedding in Rowlesburg (Preston County), WV. Mar...

Remembering PFC Salvatore "Sam" Oliverio (Monongah)    June 23, 1925 - May 13, 1945 --- PFC Salvatore "Sam" Oliverio was born June 23, 1925 in Chiefton, WV (near Worthington), the son of Giovanni "John" and Costanza (Iaquinta) Oliverio. Both of Sam's parents were born in San Giovanni in Fiore, immigrating around 1909 (John) and 1913 (Costanza) for John to work in the coal mine. Sam attended Monongah High School for three years (1941-1943) before leaving school to join the military. Sam listed "Student-Monongah High" as his occupation when he completed his draft registration on June 23, 1943-- his 18th birthday. He listed himself as 5'6" and 140 lbs with brown hair, brown eyes, and dark skin. Sam enlisted on August 28, 1943 in Clarksburg, WV. He served in the 132nd Infantry Regiment, Americal Division. The U.S. Army Center of Military History records : "On 8 January 1945, the Division began movement to Leyte and Samar, to take pa...

PVT George Odbert "Obbie" Cozard (service #35783751) was born March 8, 1926 in Fairmont (Watson), West Virginia, the son of Walter and Georgia (Arnold) Cozad. He was the younger of two sons, with his brother John Odis Cozad only a year older than him (born March 2, 1925). The Cozad family lived in Watson until sometime in the 1930s, when they moved to Lancaster, Ohio. Walter continued working as a glass factory employee, this time at Anchor Hocking Glass. The 1940 Census for Lancaster indicates that they'd been living in Lancaster at least since 1935. By 1943, the family had returned to Watson, and Walter was working (again) at Owens-Illinois, this time as a mold maker. Time at Fairmont Senior High School: During this time, George was attending Fairmont Senior High School. The 1943 FSHS Maple Leaf says by George's junior year photo: "Obbie' came to us from Lancaster High School. His ambition is to become a book-keeper and we think that he will fit perfectly i...

Remembering PFC Glenn Erlin Nichols August 28, 1918 - April 16, 1945 ---- PFC Glenn Erlin Nichols (service # 35082055) was born August 28, 1918 in (North View) Clarksburg, WV, the son of Rev. Ira and Julia (Debroux) Nichols. Ira was born in West Virginia, and Julia was born in Belgium.  In the 1920s, the family was living in North View in Clarksburg at 1216 North 17th Street, while Ira worked as a mold maker at a glass plant. Unfortunately, Julia died in 1929, leaving Ira with five kids under the age of 14 to raise alone, four sons, and one daughter. Ira married Edith Cork on May 31, 1930, in Fairmont. Their home addresses are both listed as Fairmont, WV on the marriage certificate. Unfortunately, Edith died less than 8 years later at age 25, on February 9, 1938. Ira remarried one last time on June 3, 1940, in Virginia. Ira's 1940 address is listed as 1321 Speedway Avenue, Fairmont, and his bride, Ethel Louise Thomas, hailed from Carolina. At that time, Ira was working at Owens Ill...

Remembering S1C George Charles Edward Hanne (Barrackville) November 4, 1925 - April 6, 1945 ---- Seaman 1st Class George Charles Edward Hanne was born November 4, 1925 in Barrackville, WV to John and Rosanna (Pethal) Hanne. George was the middle child of five siblings, three boys, two girls. John, a Pennsylvania native and WWI veteran, was a mail carrier in Marion County at least through 1930-1950 (census data after 1950 has not yet been released). On November 4, 1943, 18 year old George Hanne registered for the draft. At that time he was 6' and 147 lbs with blue eyes, blonde hair, and a scar across his right eyebrow. He listed himself as a student both on his draft card and during his induction into the US Navy. Military Service: George was inducted into the United States Navy on January 22, 1944 in Clarksburg, WV. He was sent to the Naval Station in Great Lakes, Illinois, for training. For the month ending on April 21, 1944, George was on board the Tank Landing Ship LST-130, as i...

Seaman Second Class Anthony Hoffman (Service #7563169) was born November 8, 1926 in Monongah, WV to John and Mary (Urban) Hoffman, both born in Poland. The April 1930 Census lists him as 3 years and five months old, joined by three brothers: Henry (9), Edward (7), and Daniel (8 months). John had immigrated to the United States in 1908, and Mary immigrated in 1914. In 1930, John was working as a watchman at the railroad, and their address is listed as "Clarksburg Road." In 1940, the family was living in Thoburn (just outside of Monongah), while John worked as a coal loader in the mines and Henry and Edward worked as clerks. Anthony attended Monongah High School, with his freshman year being 1942. Anthony joined the U.S. Navy Reserves, and trained at TADCEN-- The U.S. Naval Training and Distribution Center in Shoemaker, California. On January 29, 1945, he joined the crew of the U.S.S. Franklin, where he remained until his death on March 19, 1945. U.S.S. Franklin: "Afire an...

Seaman Second Class Allen Roger Burkhamer was born in Pennsylvania to Clovis and Gladney Bly (Price) Burkhamer. By 1940, Gladney was a widow and was living at 407 West Virginia Avenue in Nutter Fort with her mother, brother, and two sons: Leroy and Allen. Clovis had died in 1937. In the 1940 census, Gladney's occupation is listed as "House Work in Fairmont." Oddly, the 1940 census  also reported that Leroy was 12 years old and Allen was 11 years old, which if accurate would have made him 16 at the time of his death on the U.S.S. Franklin. No draft card can be found for Allen, which would make sense if he was lying about his age to join. The U.S. Navy's State Summary of War Casualties publication lists Mrs. Gladney Bly Burkhamer as living at 121 Jackson Street in Fairmont (close to where the transit authority building is now). She died in 1969 at the 407 West Virginia Avenue house. Allen was serving on the U.S.S. Franklin when it was hit by two Japanese bombs. He is li...

On March 19, 1945, the U.S.S. Franklin was attacked by bombers off the coast of Japan. Two bombs were dropped on the ship, to catastrophic effect. From the U.S.S. Franklin Museum : "Before dawn on 19 March 1945 the U.S.S. Franklin, who had maneuvered closer to the Japanese mainland than had any other U.S. carrier during the war, launched a fighter sweep against Honshu and later a strike against shipping in Kobe Harbor. Suddenly, a single enemy plane pierced the cloud cover and made a low level run on the gallant ship to drop two semi-armor piercing bombs. One struck the flight deck centerline, penetrating to the hangar deck, effecting destruction and igniting fires through the second and third decks, and knocking out the combat information center and airplot. The second hit aft, tearing through two decks and fanning fires, which triggered ammunition, bombs and rockets." Modern estimates are that 807 men perished and 487 were wounded. Amongst the casualties were two Marion Cou...

PFC William "Bill" Ellsworth Layman was born November 10, 1923 in Fairmont, WV, the son of Ellsworth and Martha (McMillan) Layman. William was the oldest of two kids, with a younger sister named Barbara who was around 5 years younger than him. In 1930 and 1940, Ellsworth was working as an electrician at the Domestic Coke Plant in Fairmont, while the family lived at 610 Ohio Avenue (a short distance from the old East Fairmont High School/new East Fairmont Middle). 1941, William graduated from East Fairmont High School. The 1941 Orion yearbook stated that during his time at EFHS, he participated in Student Council, Latin Club, French Club, Glee Club, and Basketball, and was the Circulation Manager for the Yellow Jacket school newspaper. He was also an assistant in the business department of the Orion Yearbook Staff. This one really struck home for me, because like William, my great uncle Jim Erdie graduated from EFHS in 1941, and also played basketball. Usually this research is...