Marion County Remembers

Remembering PFC James Israel Snyder (Rachel) October 18, 1912 - August 13, 1945 ---- PFC James Israel Snyder (Service Number 35376803) was born in Rachel, WV on October 18, 1912, the son of Aley and Mary (Johnson) Snyder. Aley. worked in the natural gas industry (1910-1940 Censuses) and their family lived in the Lincoln District in Marion County.  James attended Farmington High School, and by 1940 was employed at the Pittsburgh and West Virginia Gas Company in Burnsville, WV  (Draft Card). James was 5'8" and 155 lbs with blue eyes, brown hair, and ruddy skin. Military Service James enlisted in the Army on April 13, 1942, and was a member of the 978th Field Artillery Battalion, Battery A. According to the Fairmont Times, James had already been overseas for seventeen months at the time of his death, stationed in England, France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany ("James Snyder Dies While in Germany," The Fairmont Times). While serving in Germany, James became afflicted wit...

Remembering PVT Steve Postellak (Farmington) July 31, 1924 - December 30, 1944 ---- Note: to the best of my knowledge, PVT Steve Postellak was the last Marion County man to die in military service in 1944. Postellak is also spelled with several different variations over the course of the records located. Most notably, Peter's declaration of intent for naturalization gives their last name as "Pasztellak" --- PVT Steve Postellak (Service #35756622) was born in Farmington, WV on July 31, 1924, the son of Hungarian immigrants Peter and Rosa (Zebo) Postellek. Their family lived in the "Big Laurel Run Road" area of Farmington (1930, 1940 Census), as Peter was a laborer at the Jamison Coal & Coke #9 Mine.  Somewhere between 1930 and 1935, Peter lost his right leg above the knee, and was no longer able to work (Naturalization Paperwork, 1940 Census). Steve graduated from Farmington High School in 1942. Military Service: Steve registered for the draft on December 17,...