Marion County Remembers

Remembering Tec5 Olen Jay Canfield (Levels Road) January 10, 1919 - September 6, 1944 ---- Tec5 Olen Jay "Skeeter" Canfield (Service #35275107) was born January 10, 1919 in Norton, WV, the son of John and Sarah (Fansler) Canfield. Norton is about six and a half miles from Elkins, in Randolph County. Their family spent the next few decades in Marion County (1920-1940 Census) with John working as a general laborer (1920), lumber cutter at the sawmill (1930), and WPA Road Laborer (1940). The 1940 Census specifies their location as Levels Road, and gives Olen's occupation as "new laborer."  Military Service: Olen entered the draft in Colfax on October 16, 1940. At the time, he was unemployed. Olen was 6'3 1/2" and 165 lbs with brown hair, brown eyes, and light brown skin. "Skeeter" enlisted on February 10, 1942 at Fort Hayes in Columbus, Ohio. His occupation was listed as "metal rolling." In the service, Olen was part of the ...

Remembering PVT Charles William Reynolds (Fairmont/Crossroads) March 16, 1914 - August 27, 1944 ---- PVT Charles William Reynolds (service #35847826) was born in Fairmont, WV on March 16, 1914, the son of William and Lessie (Lake) Reynolds. William, a farmer, lived with his family on what was listed on census records as Goose Creek (1920-1950 censuses), but more specifically, on what is now Levels Road, near Cross Roads. In 1929, Charles' only brother, Robert, died at age 17 of influenza and pneumonia. Charles attended East Fairmont High School for three years (Enlistment Record), and likely would have been in the graduating class of 1932 if he had completed his time there. Charles married Pauline Emma Tatterson on July 27, 1933. Three years later, in 1936, they welcomed a daughter named Patricia. Their family lived next door to Charles' parents, William and Lessie, on the family farm, while Charles worked as an apprentice mold maker at Owens-Illinois (1940 Census, Draft Card)....