Marion County Remembers

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...

Remembering Tec5 Paul William Frantz (Fairmont) September 28, 1923 - December 17, 1944 ---- Note: WWII Tec5 status is equivalent to CPL, so some records have Paul listed as Tec5, others say CPL. --- Tec5 Paul William Frantz (Service #35752794) was born in Lumberport, West Virginia on September 28, 1923, the son of Henry and Margaret (Nichols) Frantz. Their family lived in a number of places in Fairmont over the next two decades (see note at bottom), while Henry worked as a painter (1927 City Directory), plumber, "general utility worker," and later at North Pole Ice, before settling down in Paul's final home, at 38 Freeland Street in 1939 (1939 City Directory). It is interesting to note that another fallen Marion County servicemember, S1C Dale Franklin Cox , lived at 34 Freeland Street at the same time that Paul lived at 38 Freeland Street (1940 Census). Paul attended St. Peter's High School in Fairmont, housed in what is now Fairmont Catholic Grade School. A newspaper...