Marion County Remembers

2025 Data: January: Running tally for adding GPS to graves: 3,062 (+74 added by me, +1 someone else) New Woodlawn Findagrave Memorials created: 415 (+6, 445 memorials total)  Percentage of graves with GPS: 32% Photo requests fulfilled: 2 May: Running tally for adding GPS to graves: 3,185 (+132 added by me) New Woodlawn Findagrave Memorials created: 433 (+18, 459 memorials total)  Percentage of graves with GPS: 33% Photo requests fulfilled:  ---- 2024 Data: January: GPS data added to graves (by uploading photos): 1,873 (+338) New Findagrave Pages created: 79 Percentage of graves with GPS: 21% February: Running tally for adding GPS to graves: 2,094 (+384) New Findagrave Pages created: 294 (+51)  Percentage of graves with GPS: 23% [Broke foot at the end of February, still only adding photos taken in November]  May: Running tally for adding GPS to graves: 2,213 (93 added by me, 13 added by Terry Ward) New Findagrave Pages created: 303 (+9)  Percentage of graves...

Remembering Tec5 Howard Raymond Vincent July 15, 1912- April 10, 1945 ---- Tec5 Howard Raymond Vincent (service number 35739911) was born July 15, 1912, in Fairmont, West Virginia, the son of Andrew and Laura (Rudy) Vincent. He attended Quiet Dell School, but according to his enlistment records did not attend high school.  In 1920, Andrew (who went by his middle name, Merrick) was working as a truck driver while the family resided at 640 Clay Street, near the current Gateway Connector. By 1930, the family was running a "general farm" on what is now appropriately referred to as "Merrick Vincent Road," off 310. In the 1940 census, it was listed as "Vincent Road." Somewhere in the early 1930s, Howard married Della Sephronia Sloan. They had three children: Martha, Goldie, and Merrick. Military Service: Howard registered for the draft on October 16, 1940. At the time, he was working for the Fairmont Box Company. He listed himself as 5'7" and 140 lbs, w...

Remembering SSGT Kenneth L. Morgan (Fairmont) September 16, 1920 - April 26, 1945 ---- SSGT Kenneth L. Morgan (Service Number 20544885) was born in Fairmont, WV on September 16, 1920, the son of William and Lovie (McShaver) Morgan. MSGT William H. "Curley" Morgan was a veteran of more than 14 years of service, including in France during WWI. At the time of Kenneth's birth, William was working as a policeman, and the family lived at 617 Spring Street. They remained there for a least a decade, before moving slightly further up the mountain to 723 Spring Street, between 1930 and 1935. By 1930, William was working as a fireman for the Fairmont Fire Department, which was his career until he retired as Fire Chief. Education: Kenneth attended Fairmont Senior High School, from which he graduated in 1939. Kenneth was a student at Fairmont State when WWII began overseas. While at Fairmont State, he was a member of the Tau Beta Iota (TBI) fraternity Military Service: He enlisted on ...

Remembering MoMM3C William Wayne Wright (Mannington/Fairmont) July 8, 1924 - April 24, 1945 ---- Motor Mechanic's Mate 3rd Class William Wayne Wright (Service Number 7555081) was born on July 8, 1924 in Mannington, WV, the son of William "Willie" Russell Wright and Oma Mae (Long) Wright. Willie was a farm laborer (1930 Census), and their family lived near Laurel Run (Oma Wright Death Certificate).  In 1932, Oma died, leaving Willie with four living children- William (8), Robert (6), Russell (4), and Merle (2). By 1935, the children were living with Harry and Virginia Partridge in the Winfield District (1940 Census).  William attended East Fairmont High School, but left EFHS in 1942 to join the Navy. About 5 1/2 months into William's service in the Navy, he married Phyllis Alberta Huff. A Lisbon, Maine native, Phyllis and William were married in South Mills, North Carolina on April 15, 1943. Military Service: William entered the Navy on October 30, 1942 in Charleston, ...

Remembering SSGT Elbert Eugene Holland (Fairmont) January 28, 1922 - April 6, 1944 ---- SSGT Elbert Eugene Holland (Service Number 35744730) was born in Fairmont, WV on January 28, 1922, the son of Elbert Ellsworth and Goldie (Moran) Holland.  It's unclear where precisely Elbert Ellsworth and Goldie lived when baby Elbert was born. In the 1920 census, they were boarders at the home of Clark and Alice Miller at 836 Fourth Street, and Clark was a book keeper for a machine foundry. The 1923 Fairmont City Directory found them living at 809 View Avenue, and Elbert Ellsworth a clerk for the Fairmont Mining Machinery Company .  Between 1925 and 1929, Elbert Ellsworth made a career change, beginning to work at Long Chevrolet in different capacities, from a salesman (1929 City Directory) to an assistant manager (1931 City Directory). By the 1940 Census, Elbert Ellsworth was working as an office clerk for a coal company. Their family lived a number of places during Elbert Eugene's lifet...

Remembering CPL James Harper Hibbs (Grant Town) October 3, 1923 - February 20, 1945 ---- CPL James Harper Hibbs (Service Number 444786) was born in Grant Town, West Virginia, on October 3, 1923, the son of John and Marie (Fusarini) Hibbs. In 1920, John and Marie were living with John's parents at their dairy farm, where John worked (1920 Census). John later worked as a trackman (1930 census) and tipple repair man (1940 Census) at the coal mine. John's 1942 WWII Draft Card lists his employer as Koppers Coal Company, which worked out of Grant Town. James was a 1942 graduate of Fairview High School, where he participated in the Science Club, Pep Club, Press Club, and was on the baseball team. It is note-able that at least 3 members of Fairview High School's 1941 Baseball team were killed in service during WWII- James Hibbs, Glen Cosner, and George Krevosky. 18 year-old James Harper Hibbs registered for the draft on June 30, 1942. At the time, he was an employee of Koppers Coal...

Remembering PVT William Clifton "Cliff" Travis (Fairmont) October 17, 1909 - February 9, 1945 ---- PVT William Clifton Travis (Service Number 35560215) was born in Fairmont, WV on October 17, 1909, the son of Clyde and Bertha Kimmel. When William was born, his family lived at 17 Bolton Street in Fairmont and Clyde worked as a brakeman for the B&O Railroad (1910 Census). In 1912, their family moved to Market Street ("Moving").  In 1917 tragedy struck Bertha's family. Her younger brother Thomas died of tuberculosis in December of 1917, her mother died of tuberculosis in January of 1918, and yet another brother, George, died of tuberculosis in July of 1918. Unfortunately, Bertha herself contracted tuberculosis, and in February of 1919, Clyde and Bertha sold their Market Street home ("Personals," 11 February 1919) and moved to Arcadia, Texas where Clyde's parents resided, in hopes of restoring Bertha's health. Bertha died April 19, 1919 in Texa...