Marion County Remembers

Remembering S1C Clyde Walter Pierce (Fairmont) November 24, 1924 - December 18, 1944 ---- "As a sailorman on the Hull he was intensely proud of his ship and of its ability to meet any situation presented by the enemy. But it was not the Japanese, but an unprecedented storm, that caused the Hull to founder and go to the bottom." - Clyde Peirce [SIC] Was Lost at Sea ( The Fairmont Times ) ---- S1C Clyde Walter Pierce (Service Number 05600436) was born in 1925, the son of Hinton "Doc" and Edna (Merrifield) Pierce. In some records, and on Hinton and Edna's gravestones, their last name is recorded as Peirce. Hinton was no stranger to war, having served in Headquarters Co of the 342nd Field Artillery during WWI. He and Edna married in 1922. In 1930, their family was living at 507 Guffey Street in Fairmont, WV, where Hinton was a clerk at a local printing office (1930 Census). By 1940, still at 507 Guffey Street, he was listed as a linotype operator for the Fairmont Ne...

Remembering TSGT Samuel "Sam" Fox II (Fairmont) July 11, 1924 - June 13, 1944 ---- TSGT Samuel Fox II (Service Number 15115126) was born July 11, 1924 in Braxton County, WV, the son of Samuel and Myrtle (McClung) Fox. When Samuel was born, his father was working as a book keeper for the Railroad Company (1920 census).  Sometime between 1920 and 1930, their family moved to 1303 Virginia Avenue in Fairmont so that Samuel Sr. could be the accountant for Consolidated Coal, a position that he continued through at least the 1950s (1930-1950 census records) even as they moved to various houses in Fairmont. Sam attended East Fairmont High School. The 1942 East Fairmont High School Orion yearbook, where this photo of Sam came from, said that his nickname was "Great Orie" and that he participated in Student Council. His future wife, Jean Mathias, was also in the EFHS class of 1943. Enlistment and Marriage: Sam entered into the Army Air Corps on June 15, 1942 (in Kentucky), th...

Remembering SSGT Leonard Leo Brown (Fairmont) June 22, 1921 - June 6, 1945 ---- SSGT Leonard Leo Brown (Service Number 15320201) was born June 22, 1921 in Fairmont, WV. The son of George and Mary Catherine "Katie" (Gooch) Brown, the Brown family lived in the Quiet Dell Community on 310. George worked as a core maker for a foundry (1920 Census) and as a foreman for Domestic Coke (1930-1940 Censuses). The Brown family lived just a few doors down from the family of Medal of Honor recipient Woodrow "Woody" Williams, and a plaque at the WV National Guard Armory in Fairmont, WV, describes the duo as childhood friends. Leonard attended East Fairmont High School, graduating in the class of 1941. No EFHS yearbooks denote activities for Leonard, but the 1940 Orion does list his nickname as "Lem McGee." It is unfortunate to note that Leo was not the only member of the EFHS class of 1941 to die in service during WWII. His classmates Howard Dodd ,  William "Bill...

From the 1946 Orion: "In grateful recognition of the valiant services of our returning veterans we dedicate to them this volume- the 1946 Orion. We would not forget to especially remember those who sacrificed most. In the honor to their memory we record here the names of those who gave their lives to allow us one more chance to preserve our American ideals for which so many of our forefathers have striven." Charles Adams: 1938 Ralph Bartholow Ray Boyers Howard Brown : 1930 Leonard "Leo" Brown : 1941 Fred Cannon: 1934 (also attended FSU) James Cervo Melvin Conner Frank Cosco Delmas C. Curry Robert Davis: 1931 (also attended FSU) Howard Dodd : 1941 Forrest F. Estel Samuel Fox, II Ralph Friscenda Glenn Nichols William Von Harris James H. Hayhurst Carl C. Heflin Tom Knox: 1941 William Layman : 1941 James Maddox: 1931 (also attended FSU) Payson McCray : 1930 J ohn McKinney, III : 1933 (also attended FSU) Theodore M. Mowery Harvey "Harry" Myers Clyde Pierce John...

Remembering PVT William Melvin Conner (Fairmont/Millersville) November 9, 1906 - November 26, 1944 ---- "Still water runs deep" -1925 East Fairmont High School Orion Yearbook ---- PVT William Melvin Conner (Service #35760940) was born in Fairmont, WV on November 9, 1906, the son of Charles and Anne/Annese (Drake) Conner. City directories show their family living at 418 Diamond Street (1911 City Directory) and 217 Merchant Street (1913 City Directory) while Charles worked as a brakeman, before moving to Millersville to work as a car repairman for the B&O (first noted in the 1917 City Directory). Anna died sometime between 1913 and 1918. On October 14, 1918, when William was close to 12 years old, his uncle PVT Thomas Melvin Conner was killed in service during WWI. Their family remained in Millersville, and 1920 found Charles and William living with Charles' dad and brother (1920 Census).  Education: William attended East Fairmont High School, and graduated in the clas...

Remembering CPL William Von Harris (Fairmont) May 24, 1917 - November 6, 1944 ---- CPL William Von Harris (Service #15324425)   was born in Fairmont, WV on May 24, 1917, the son of Lester and Arretia "Rita" (Williams) Harris. Their family lived on Front Street in Fairmont, and Lester was a laborer (1920 Census) and later a deliveryman for the laundry while the family lived at 702 Columbia Street (1930 Census). William, often listed by his middle name Von, attended East Fairmont High School for 4 years, though the 1946 EFHS WWII Honor Call does not give a graduation year for him.  Marriage and Enlistment: On October 8, 1936, Von married Mary Kathleen Richardson in Farmington, WV. They had two children, Thomas Leroy Harris (1939-2024) and Howard Paul Harris (1942-2011). Their family lived at 14 Roy Terrace near Monroe Street in Fairmont, while Von worked at Owens-Illinois as a laborer (1940 Census). Von registered for the draft on October 16, 1940 in Winfield, near whe...

Remembering PVT Jennings Bryan Vincent (Fairmont) November 7, 1914 - October 17, 1944 ---- PVT Jennings Bryan Vincent (Service #35077862) was born in Fairmont, WV on November 7, 1914, the son of Anthony and Zillah (Griffith) Vincent. Anthony, a farmer, and his family lived on Goose Creek (1910 Census) before settling down on Vincent Road off Rt 310 (1920 census). By 1930, Anthony, now 63, was working as a laborer at the Aluminum Plant and living at 510 East Ferry Street (1930 census).  Jennings attended East Fairmont High School and graduated in the class of 1932. Anthony went on to work as the deputy assessor for the City of Fairmont (1938 City Directory, 1940 Census). Jennings, now 25, worked as a truck driver for the road construction company (1940 Census). Marriage and Enlistment: Jennings married Wanda Rife (unofficially by his 1940 draft card, officially in 1944), and their son Jennings Anthony Vincent was born September 16, 1940. Jennings entered the draft on October 16...

Remembering SGT Ralph Bartholow (Fairmont/Millersville) July 11, 1924 - October 13, 1944 ---- SGT Ralph Bartholow (Service #35755660)   was born in Millersville, West Virginia, on July 11, 1924, the son of Carl (Sr.) & Hazel (Hansford) Bartholow. Their family moved from the Millersville area between 1927 (1927 City Directory) and 1929, where they lived at 408 Auburn Street (described as "Hotel Garage" in the 1935 City Directory) and Carl worked as a chauffeur (1929 Fairmont City Directory) and a concrete company driver (1930 Census). Some time between 1935 and 1938, Hazel and Carl divorced, with Hazel maintaining custody of Ralph and Carl, Jr. on Auburn Street (1938 City Directory). Hazel and the kids soon moved to 409 Diamond Street, Apartment 8, where Ralph would spend the rest of his years (1939 City Directory, 1940 Census). Education and Military Service: Ralph attended East Fairmont High School for two years, alongside his brother, Carl. Had Ralph finished his time a...

Remembering 2LT John Kendall Penrod (Fairmont) April 25, 1923 - September 28, 1944 ---- 2LT John Kendall Penrod (Service #O-1323962) was born April 25, 1923 in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Charles and Glenna (Kirby) Penrod. Charles was a foreman for the railroad company (1920 Census). By 1930, their family had moved back to Glenna's home state, West Virginia. Their family lived first in the Union District of Monongalia County (1930 Census), then 305 East Park Avenue in the Union District of Marion County (1940 Census). John graduated from East Fairmont High School in 1940. On March 14, 1941, John's father Charles died of a Cerebral Hemorrhage.  Military Service and Marriage: John registered for the draft on July 1, 1941. At the time, he was 6' and 150 lbs with blue eyes and brown hair. He was an employee at Owens-Illinois. He enlisted in the Army on September 16, 1942, at Fort Hayes in Columbus, Ohio. Amidst his military training, Cadet John Penrod (now stationed in Utah) ma...

PFC Frank Albert Cosco (Monongah/Fairmont) August 21, 1919 - July 12, 1944 ---- PFC Frank Albert C osco (Service #35213852) was born  August 21, 1919 in Monongah, WV, the son of Calabrian immigrants Domenick and Mary Teresa (Mascara) Cosco. When Frank was born, his father was working as a coal miner in Monongah, and they lived at 148 Pike Street (1920 census). By 1930, the family had moved to 1209 Speedway Avenue. During their time there, Frank attended East Fairmont High School (enlistment records show that he attended for two years). Military Service: Frank registered for the draft on October 16, 1940. He was 5'6" and 175 lbs, with black hair, black eyes, and dark skin. At the time of registration, he was working for Owens Illinois Glass Company in the mold shop (1940 Census). 364 days later, Frank enlisted in the military in Huntington, WV.  PFC Frank Albert Cosco  was serving with the 165th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division, Company C in the Northern Marianas ...

  Remembering 2LT John Clark McKinney III (Fairmont) April 12, 1916 - May 9, 1944 --- 2LT John Clark McKinney III  (Service #O-701449) was born April 12, 1916 to John Clark (II) and Eleanor Helena (Rogers) McKinney, in Fairmont. John II was a newspaper reporter with The Fairmont Times.  The family moved fairly often, finally settling on Diamond Street: 1910 Census: 318 Merchant Street 1920 Census: Ferry Street/Columbia Street 1930-1940 Census: 507 Diamond Street In addition to being a newspaper reporter, John II was a Deputy U.S. Marshall. The West Virginian newspaper announced his appointment on May 22, 1918. Education, Draft, and Marriage John III attended East Fairmont High School and graduated in 1933, before moving on to attend Fairmont State Teachers College. He graduated in 1937 with a bachelor's degree in English. While at Fairmont State, he participated in the band, orchestra, and choral club, as well as in the fraternity Omicron Pi. John was the band's stu...

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...