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...

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...

Remembering MTSGT Edward Payson McCray (Fairmont/Norwood) October 7, 1912 - September 16, 1944 ---- Master Technical Sergeant Edward Payson McCray was born in Fairmont, West Virginia on October 7, 1912, the son of Charles and Lulu (McGinnis). Charles was a mail carrier, and a farmer, in the Winfield District (Rt 3, 1910-1920 Census). Lulu filed for divorce in Michigan on July 28, 1926, after 31 years of marriage. It was finalized on January 13, 1927, and she married Charles Morley shortly thereafter. Edward lived with his mother and stepfather, also a farmer, in Benton, Ohio (1930 Census).  College, First Military Service, and Marriage: Edward graduated from East Fairmont High School in 1930, and attended Fairmont State College (now Fairmont State University) in 1931 and 1932.  Edward initially entered the service on December 2, 1933, beginning with an Aviation Maintenance Squadron in Quantico. On March 28, 1937, he married Margery Ethel Thompson (a doctor's assistant) in...

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)....

Remembering EM1 Harvey Loyal "Harry" Myers (Fairmont/Hammond) February 6, 1921 - August 13, 1944 ---- EM1 Harvey Loyal "Harry" Myers (Service #2582850) was born February 6, 1921 in Randolph County, West Virginia, the son of Harvey and Florence (McCaulley) Myers.  By 1930, their family lived at 221 Gordon Street in Fairmont, where Harvey was serving as a Deputy Sherriff (1930 Census), before moving to Goose Creek in the Hammond area with Harvey as a farm manager (1940 census). Harry attended East Fairmont High School. Unfortunately, he was unphotographed in his 1940 senior yearbook, but the Orion stated that he was a member of Junior Hi-Y, Debator's Club, and Basketball during his time at EFHS.  Military Service: Harry entered the Navy on May 28, 1940, in Baltimore, Maryland. Harry's service, according to Navy Muster Calls: Month ending March 31, 1941: F3C Myers (Fireman Second Class) transferred on March 26 from the USNTS in Norfolk to the U.S.S. Ludlow Mont...

Remembering PVT Howard Alexander Brown (Fairmont) July 10, 1912 - August 1, 1944 ---- PVT Howard Alexander Brown (service # 35934127) was born in Clarksburg, WV on July 10, 1912, the son of Alexander and Georgia (Thorne) Brown. When Howard was born, his family was sharing a house on 169 Elliott Street in Clarksburg with Alexander's family: his parents, his sister, her husband, and Howard's two older sisters- five adults and three children (1910 Census). Alexander and his father both worked at the local glass factory, with Alexander working as a glass blower. Howard's immediate family remained at 169 Elliott Street through at least 1927 (1920 Census, 1927 City Directory), but by 1930 had moved to Fairmont (1930 Census). According to the 1930 census, Alexander was a laborer at the bottle factory. Education and Marriage: Howard graduated from East Fairmont High School in 1930. At some point in 1935, Howard married Jeanette Nuzum, and the duo moved to 114 Pleasant Street. They ...