Marion County Remembers

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...

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...

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...