Marion County Remembers

Remembering T/5 Wildon Ralston "Buck" Bailey August 21, 1918 - January 26, 1945 ---- T/5 Wildon Ralston "Buck" Bailey (Service Number 35275121) was born August 21, 1918 in Kincheloe, Harrison County, the son of Archibald and Druzilla (Nicholson) Bailey. Archibald (listed in several places as "Archie") was a farmer (1920 Census) and later a General Store Operator (1930 Census).  "Buck" graduated from Unidis High School in West Milford in 1937, and by April of 1940 was living in Fairmont with his sister Waveline, her husband, and her son. He is listed as a laborer at "Glass House." Military Service and Marriage: He entered the draft on October 16, 1940 in Fairmont, WV. At the time, he worked at the Fairmont Aluminum Co (now Novelis) and lived at 1040 Indiana Avenue. Wildon was 5'8" and 160 lbs with brown hair, brown eyes, and light skin.  Buck enlisted on February 10, 1942 at Fort Hayes in Columbus, Ohio (Army Enlistment Records)...

Remembering PVT Glenn Grenville Wadsworth (Boothsville) October 10, 1923 - January 20, 1945 ---- PVT Glenn Grenville Wadsworth (Service Number 35752793) was born in Smithfield, West Virginia on October 10, 1923, the son of Reverend Golden Gordon and Velma May (Starkey) Wadsworth. During the 1920 Census, Golden (often written as G.G. Wadsworth) was working on his family's farm on Broad Run Road near Ashley in Doddridge County. He still lived in Ashley when he and Velma married on January 2, 1921 (WV Marriage License), and in Doddridge County when Glenn was born in 1923, but by 1930 their family was living in Harrisville (Ritchie County) while G.G. worked as a Methodist Pastor (1930 Census), the career and calling he'd have for the rest of his life.  The 1940 Census found their family, including 16-year-old Glenn and his five siblings, living in Ft. Spring, WV, near Ronceverte in Greenbrier County. The 1940 census also notes that in April of 1935, their family was living in...

Remembering PFC Glen Hayward Cosner (Grant Town) October 22, 1922 - January 13, 1945 ---- Note: Some records show Glen's name as Glen, and others say Glenn. We're going to use Glen in this mini-biography as it is what is recorded on his birth record and on his gravestone. ---- PFC Glen Hayward Cosner (Service #35747205) was born in Philippi, West Virginia on October 22, 1922, the son of Leslie and Goldie (Marsh) Cosner. When Glen was born, his parents were living in Midland, West Virginia, and his father was working as an engineer (WV Birth Record). By 1930, the Cosner family had moved to Grant Town in Marion County, where Leslie worked at the coal mine as a foreman (1930 Census) and later a section boss (1940 Census). Glen graduated from Fairview High School in 1941, where he participated in Varsity Club, Pep Club, Glee Club, Baseball, and Basketball. His senior yearbook gave his nickname as "Caswell." Military Service: PFC Glen Cosner entered the draft on June 30, 1...

Remembering PVT Andrew Heide Fletcher (Farmington/Rachel) August 2, 1918 - January 7, 1945 ---- Note: The West Virginia Veterans Memorial records Andrew's middle name as Heide, as does his son's findagrave profile. Andrew's draft card, however, says Hines. It's unclear at this time which one is correct. ---- PVT Andrew Heide Fletcher (service number 15115975) was born in Farmington, WV on August 2, 1918, the son of (John) Russell and Bernice (Ramage) Fletcher.  Throughout his career, Russell worked at the coal mine. In the 1920s, their family lived in the Chaltham Hill area, while Russell worked as a laborer at the coal mine (1920 Census). In the 1930s onward, they lived near "Little Mods Run Road," where Russell was first a motor repairman (1930 Census), then an electrician (1940 Census).  Wedding bells rang on December 27, 1938, when Andrew married Martha Floyd from Mannington.  Andrew, who according to his Army enlistment paperwork, completed three years of...

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,...

Remembering PFC Marshall Theodore Hartley, Jr (Rachel/Mannington) October 28, 1924 - December 25, 1944 ---- PFC Marshall Theodore Hartley, Jr (Service #35756644) was born in Rachel, WV on October 28, 1924, the son of Marshall "Peck" and Etta Pearl (Rice) Hartley. In 1930, their family lived on Mods Run Road in Rachel, where Peck worked as a truck driver for the coal mine. Somewhere between 1935 and 1940, they moved to 411 James Street in Mannington (1940 Census). Peck was a "Chuck Weightman" for Jones Collieries in Rachel (1940 Census).  Military Service: Marshall entered the draft on December 18, 1942 at age 18. A student, he was 5'11" and 160 lbs, with blue eyes, brown hair, and light skin. Marshall attended three years of high school, most likely at Mannington High School (Enlistment Records).  He enlisted in Clarksburg, WV on June 18, 1943. He was a member of the 8th Infantry Division, 13th Infantry Regiment, Company C. The U.S. Army historians write in...

Remembering Tec5 Paul William Frantz (Fairmont) September 28, 1923 - December 17, 1944 ---- Note: WWII Tec5 status is equivalent to CPL, so some records have Paul listed as Tec5, others say CPL. --- Tec5 Paul William Frantz (Service #35752794) was born in Lumberport, West Virginia on September 28, 1923, the son of Henry and Margaret (Nichols) Frantz. Their family lived in a number of places in Fairmont over the next two decades (see note at bottom), while Henry worked as a painter (1927 City Directory), plumber, "general utility worker," and later at North Pole Ice, before settling down in Paul's final home, at 38 Freeland Street in 1939 (1939 City Directory). It is interesting to note that another fallen Marion County servicemember, S1C Dale Franklin Cox , lived at 34 Freeland Street at the same time that Paul lived at 38 Freeland Street (1940 Census). Paul attended St. Peter's High School in Fairmont, housed in what is now Fairmont Catholic Grade School. A newspaper...