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Audrain County Military Records


world War one Memorial
to all the Audrain County men and women who fought, participated and died in
"The Great War"
1916-1918
The Mexico Federation of Clubs in cooperation with the County Court purchased a $500.00 bronze tablet, to be placed in the courthouse, commemorating the Audrain County men who lost their lives in the service of our county during the war. The names of 27 men are on this tablet. There are 28 in the list below.

Missouri awarded this metal to WW1 Veterans


Audrain County rallied to "the cause" with overwhelming patriotism. Men, women and money were the key issues. The Draft Board sent 424 men, white and colored, to service. 175 men in 1917 and 226 in 1918. The remainder of men and women were enlistments. Money raised ( Liberty Loans, War Savings and Thrift Stamps, American Red Cross, Salvation Army ) ) was well above the "quota", totaling $3, 231,905.00 over all.

Audrain County's contribution to WW1 numbered nearly 1000 men and a few women, 10 or more, who saw some active service.
There were twenty seven casualties who died while in service. Seven killed in action, 2 others who died from wounds, and the remainder from various causes.

  Name Death date, place and cause
1 Allen, Fred born at Stuart, Iowa age 25 yrs and 5 months at induction 15 July 1918 in France- resided at Rush Hill, served in CO E 354 INF 4 OCT/17; TO 22 OCT/17; HQ CO 354 INF TO 24 MAR/18; CO M 38 INF TO- KIA, FATHER, WALTER ALLEN RUSH HILL, MO NOTIFIED
2

3

Bartels, Harrison age 31
and his brother
Bartels, Robert age 26
15 October 1918 at Camp Brady, MI. record not found
15 October 1918 at Camp Forrest, GA
record not found
brothers who died the same day during the spanish flu epidemic, sons of Mr. & Mrs. J. C. Bartels of Mexico
4 Blase, Edward Henry 01 August 1918 at Vesle, France -served in CO K 354 INF 23 SEP/17 TO 1 MAR/18;CO K 163 INF TO 3 MAY/18;CO D 125 INF TO 1AUG-KILLED IN ACTION 1 AUG 1918; FATHER, AUGUST H BLASE, MEXICO, MO NOTIFIED
5 Bledsoe, James Willis born Stockton, CA 17 Nov 1888 14 Febrary 1918, at Fort Sill, OK., of bronchial pneumona, member of Company D, 138th Infantry- American Legion Post was named for him in 1919.MOTHER, MRS A D BLEDSOE, MEXICO, MO NOTIFIED
6 Brooks, Monte Nelson 03 July 1918 at Fort Riley, KS. record not found
7 Callaway, Warren Harper 30 September 1918, Camp Dewey, Great Lakes service information not found
8 Cauthorn, Robert Louis died in France - KILLED IN ACTION 2 OCT 1918; MOTHER, MRS ELIZABETH CAUTHORN, MEXICO, MO NOTIFIED
9 Crane, Charles Divers resided Martinsburg, age 21 & 5/6 mos at enlistment July 15 1818 in the Rheims-Soisson battle, , France- 1st Audrain County soldier killed
son of Mr. & Mrs. C. T. Crane of Martinsburg-
KILLED IN ACTION 15 JUL 1918; FATHER, CHARLES T. CRANE, MARTINSBURG, MO NOTIFIED
10 Creasy, Albert Russell 25 October 1918 at Camp Jackson, S.C. service information not found
11 Duty, Rollie V. 03 March 1918, Fort Riley, KS service information not found
12 Fite, Walter 30 September 1918, died at sea service information not found
13 Ford, Lawrence 01 November 1918 died in action in France service information not found
14 Hollingsworth, George Lewis age 21 & 3 mos at enlistment 28 September 1918, at the Brooklyn Navy Yard - death date from Centennial History, service record says died 1/29/1919 at Naval Hospital
15 Holt, Harold H. (colored) born Mexico, 28 1/2 yrs when inducted- died from wartime complications after returning to the US. ( not on courthouse list, I added him here because he was listed in Centennial History ). Resided 315 So. Trinity, Mexico no indication of injuries on discharge
16 Hubbell, A. Ross (Ross Allen) born Tuscola, IL. age at enlistment 21 & 1/2 yrs 01 October 1918 in France DIED 1 OCT 1918 OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION; MOTHER, SUSIE HUBBELL, FARBER, MO NOTIFIED
17 Irion, George born Mexico, age at enlistment 27 & 7/12 yrs 16 October at Pittsburg, PA DIED OF LOBAR PNEUMONIA 15 OCT 1918; FATHER, GOERGE IRION, SR., MEXICO, MO NOTIFIED
18 Johnson, Henry W. (colored)
b.
2 AUG 1893 Mexico
19 October 1918 in France -* "the only colored soldier to die in France,"* son of Henry and Lizzie Johnson of Mexico, died in a french hospital son soon after his unit arrivied overseas. Served overseas from 9/13/1918 to 10/18/1918-Lived at 326 No. Wade St, Mexico, MO. The Johnson-Holt colored Post of the American Legion was named for him and Harold Holt, son of Bill and Mollie Holt. *unable to verify this "only"
19 Jones, James 11 November 1918 at Camp Dodge service information not found
20 Kisor, (Len) Arden enlisted 6/16/1918- age 21 yrs, 3 mos., 22January 1919 at the Naval Hospital Brooklyn Navy Yard Seaman 2nd Class, Vandalia
21 Laird, Harry (John H.) of Vandalia, born St. Louis, age at enlistment 22 and 5/6 yrs died at Fort Sill, OK -INJURED 27 SEP 1918-enlistment period shown to 3/30/1919 death date?
22 Lease, Frank Vernon ***
b. Plainsville, Il, 12 July 1897
July 1918, killed in action in France Home town shown as Gazette, MO next of kin not shown- enlisted St. Louis, 12/18/1917 *** only Frank Vernon Lease found,
23 Leeper, Louis Emmons born Skinner, MO. age at enlistment 29 5/12YR 07 October 1918 killed action in France KILLED IN ACTION 7 OCT 1918; FATHER, JOHN THOMAS LEEPER, MOLINO, MO NOTIFIED
24 Mathews, William of Laddonia 09 October 1918 service information not found
25 Musgrove, Forrest E . born Callaway County 30 1/4YRS at enlistment 06 October 1918 died at sea when the steamer *Atilla *was sunk. (Name of ship Atilla from Centennial History of Audrain Co. ) DIED IN THE SINKING OF THE "OTRANTO" 6 OCT 1918; FATHER, JOSEPH MUSGROVE, FULTON, MO NOTIFIED
25 Peters, Merill 03 March 1917 at Great Lakes Naval Training Station service information not found
27 Schooling, Clarence E. b.Clark, MO age at enlistment 24 and 1/3 yrs killed in action -KILLED IN ACTION 26 OCT 1918; MOTHER, SALLIE SCHOOLING, CLARK, MO NOTIFIED
28 Shaw, Guy Henry (Guy W.) born  OLNEY, MOage 23 yrs 5 mos at enlistment 28 September 1919 died in France- resided Vandalia- KILLED IN ACTION 28 SEP 1918; FATHER, WILLIAM W SHAW, VANDALIA, MO NOTIFIED

German Prisoners of War

Edward Whitehouse, a resident of Laddonia, was the only Audrain County resident captured by the German during the war. He was captured a short time after he went into action and released after the Armistice November 11, 1918- born in Barry, IL. Inducted at Mexico 10/4/1917 age 24 5/6YRS - CO K 354 INFANTRY TO 16 MAR/18; CO E 38 INFANTRY TO 24 FEB/19; CO M 362 INFANTRY TO DISCHARGE -PRISONER OF WAR FROM 15 JUL 1918 TO 6 DEC 1918

Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross

Lake (Marquis Lake) Dillard, Sgt. aged 24 2/3YRS when inducted, Lieut. of Laddonia and Mexico, received the D.S. C. award for extraordinary bravery and heriosm in action near Barricourt,France on November 1, 1918. He was subjected to heavy and intense machine gun fire and showed marked bravery while leading his men and capturing two guns and crews in a charge. CO A 354 INFANTRY TO DISCHARGE
Charles Robert Hanger , 1st. Lieut. born  2 OCT1888 ( from Laddonia) a member the 356th Infantry of the 89th Division, received three decorations. He was decorated for going through heavy shell fire, leading a battalion which was lost, across the Muese in heavy fog, the last night of the war. He fought in the Meuse-Argonne battle and St. Mihiel and remained at the front from August 4th until Armistice Day. DISTINGUISHED SERV CROSS; FRENCH LEGION OF HONOR; FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE; ENLARGED FRENCH CITATION CERTIFICATE for bravery in action.

Audrain County Women

Served in France as nurses:
Miss Cora Darrah, Miss Cordelia Ranz, Miss Corrine Markey, Miss Minnie Stallings.
Served at Military Camps:
Miss Ada Cunninghan at Fort Dosge, Iowa
Miss Pauline Gallup canteen work at Camp Taylor, Kentucky
Miss Lida and Miss Gladys Kerr canteen work at Camp Taylor, Kentucky
Miss Virginia Lazear, enlisted in the motorcycle tranport but failed to pass the active duty physical
Miss Natalie Morris Camp Beauregard, Louisiana
Miss Gladys Van Ness at Camp McClellan, Alabama.

Enlisted Men

In 1919, Miss Tine Houston ( pronounced House-ton) prepared a list of the enlisted men as accurately as possible. For those of you that remember "Miss Tine", you will know that this is probably the closest to being accurate and correct of any list outside of the official military records and possibly more accurate than the official records.
Due to the length of the list available, a number of pages in fine print, the names will not be listed here for some time.
This list has a "working on it" sign.

This space reserved for link to enlisted men

World War One songs

"Good-bye, Ma; Good-bye, Pa;
Goodbye, mule with the old hee-haw.
I may not know what the war's about
But I'll be, by gosh, I'll soon find out.
And oh, my sweetheart, don't you fear
I'll get you a king for a souvenir
I'll get you a Turk and the Kaiser, too,
And that's about all one feller can do.
When this lousy war is over,
No more soldiering for me,
When I get my civvy clothes on,
Oh how happy I shall be,
No more church parades on Sunday,
No more putting in for leave,
I will miss the Sergeant-Major,
How he'll miss me how he'll grieve.
It's a long way to Tipperary,
it's a long way to go.
It's a long way to Tipperary,
to the sweetest girl I know.
Good-bye, Piccadilly,
Farewell Leicester Square.
It's a long long way to Tipperary,
but my heart's right there

 

Contact me with your World War One information
Add them to the Military Roll of Honor