Marion County Remembers

Remembering PVT Nick Lourick (Rivesville and Jordan) August 12, 1925 - July 17, 1944 ---- PVT Nick Lourick (Service # 35762664) was born August 12, 1925 in Talbott, WV, the son of Pasquale "Patsy" and Lena (Spitto) Lourick. Patsy and Lena, as well as their oldest daughter, Christine, were originally from Salerno, Italy. Salerno is about a half hour away from Pompei. Patsy immigrated in 1909, Lena and Christine in 1911 (1930 census). No 1920 census data was immediately available, but from 1930-1940, their family lived in the Paw Paw District of Marion County, where Patsy worked as a coal miner and farmer (1930, 1940 census). A 1943 City Directory gave their phone number as being a Rivesville extension, but it's unclear how close they lived to Rivesville. Military Service: Nick entered the draft on August 18, 1943-- 6 days after his 18th birthday. At the time, his family was living at Box 13, Jordan. Nick is listed as being 5'8" and 135 lbs, with brown hair, brown ...

Remembering PVT Paul Wade Fowler (Mannington) July 2, 1912 - June 1, 1944 ---- PVT Paul Wade Fowler (service # 35760510)   was born July 2, 1912 in Mannington, WV, the son of James and Zeffie (Harden) Fowler. Paul was the middle child of five kids- four sons, one daughter. The family lived on Glover Gap Road. Paul's father, James, was a carpenter who worked on oil rigs in the United States and Mexico. Unfortunately, James died on April 7, 1920 in Lewis County. Paul married Frances Olive Currey in 1935, and they remained in Mannington. Paul entered the draft on October 30, 1940. He listed himself as 5'10.5" and 145 lbs with blue eyes and brown hair. At the time, Paul and Frances were living at 232 Grant Street in Mannington, and he worked at Bowers Pottery. He enlisted in Clarksburg, WV on August 27, 1943. He is listed as a semi-skilled miner or mining machine operator who completed grammar school. While in the military, Paul served in the 179th Infantry, 45th Division.  PV...