JAY
COUNTY, INDIANA
A Record of Indiana Men and Women who Died in the
Service of the United
States
and the Allied Nations in the World War.
1914-1918
AYERS, ROBERT GUY ---Private
Son of Edward and Emma Steed Avers;
born September 20, 1887, Collett, Jay County, Ind. Machinist. Entered
service April 26, 1918, Portland, Ind. Sent to Camp Taylor, Ky.
Overseas in June, 1918, assigned to Company G, 6th Engineers. Fought at
Verdun; in the Meuse-Argonne Drive, and at Montfaucon. Killed by German
prisoner November 7, 1918, captured while on guard duty. Buried in
Argonne-American Cemetery, Romagne, France. The American Legion Post,
Portland, Ind., named in his honor.
BARR, FREDERICK JAMES ---Private
Son of Samuel H. and Frances D. Barr;
born October 23, 1895, near Portland, Ind. Enrolled in Michigan
University when he entered service September 21, 1917, Portland, Ind.
Sent to Camp Taylor, Ky.; assigned to 68th Company, 17th Training
Battalion, 159th Depot Brigade. Transferred to Camp Shelby, Miss.;
assigned to Company C, 113th Field Signal Battalion. Shot accidentally
while on target range, and died in Base Hospital April 16, 1918, Camp
Shelby. Buried in Greenfork Cemetery, Portland, Ind.
BURGESS, RALPH W. ---Wagoner
Son of James M. and Elizabeth F.
Burgess; born July 2, 1884, Dunkirk, Jay County, Ind. Glass blower.
Enlisted in U.S. Regular Army, June 12, 1917, Marion, Ind. Sent to Ft.
Oitlethorpe, Ga.; assigned to Troop A, 23rd Cavalry. Transferred to
Supply Company, 23rd Cavalry. Killed accidentally August 13, 1917, in
fall from wagon, Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga. Buried at Dunkirk, Ind. The
American Legion Post, Dunkirk, Ind., named in his honor.
BUTCHER, LOWELL LELAND ---Private
Son of Alexander and Lulu Butcher
(Swank); born August 24, 1897, Jay County, Ind. Laborer. Enlisted in
U.S. Regular Army in August, 1917, Lima Ohio. Sent to Camp Sheridan,
Ala.; transferred to Camp Hancock, Ga.; assigned to Company L, 38th
Infantry, 3rd Division. Overseas in spring of 1918. Participated in
Aisne Defensive, Champagne, Marne Defensive, Aisne Marne Offensive.
Killed in action July 23, 1918, while crossing Marne River. First
soldier killed in action from Jay County.
FLAHIE, CLAUDE L. ---Private
Son of Thomas and Katherine Flahie;
born August 21. 1895, Pennville, Jay County, Ind. Laborer. Entered
service August, 28, 1918, Portland, Ind. Sent to Camp Custer, Mich.;
assigned to 13th Company, 4th Training Battalion, 160th Depot Brigade.
Transferred to Headquarters Company, 214th Field Signal Battalion. Died
of influenza October 7, 1918, Camp Custer, Mich. Buried in Twin Hill
Cemetery Pennville, Jay County, Ind. Survived by widow, Lexie Pyle
Flahie, Pennville, Ind.
FORD, MERRILL W. ---Seaman, 2nd Class
Son of Seymour and Mary E. Ford; born
February 9, 1897, Bryant, Jay County, Ind. Barber. Entered U.S. Navy in
July 1918, Kalamazoo, Mich. Sent to Great Lakes Naval Training Station,
Chicago, Ill.; assigned to duty as Second Class Seaman, U.S. Naval
Reserve Force. Died of pneumonia October 2, 1918, in hospital, Camp
Logan, 1ll. Buried at Bryant, Jay County, Ind. Survived by widow, Leona
Ford (since remarried), and one son, Lawrence Ford.
GARRINGER, JAMES MANDVILLE ---Private
Son of George Alexander and Amelia
Finch Garringer; born February I5, 1896, near Portland, Ind. Laborer.
Entered service September 21, 1917, Portland, Ind. Sent to Camp Taylor,
Ky. Transferred to Camp Shelby, Miss.; assigned to 113th Field Signal
Battalion. Overseas in October 1918. Transferred to Company A, 323rd
Field Signal Battalion. Died of disease March 22, 1919, Bordeaux,
France. Buried in American Cemetery, Talence, Gironde France.
GRAY, HARRY PRATT ---Corporal
Son of Irwin and Lela Gardner Gray;
born May 25, 1890, near Pennville, Jay County, Ind. Graduated from
Indiana University, June 13, 1917. Enlisted the same day in 88th
Ambulance Corps. Overseas in June 1918. In active service during
campaigns of summer and fall of 1918. Died of pneumonia November 11,
1918, Pierpont Morgan Hospital, Aix le Baine, France. (Burial place
unknown.)
GRAY, ROY L ---Private
Son of Joseph E. and Clara E. Gray;
born July 15, 1889, Red Key, Jay County, Ind. Journalist. Advertising
Manager of the Kalamazoo Gazette (Michigan), when he entered service
July 24, 1918. Sent to Camp Custer, Mich.; assigned to 160th Depot
Brigade. Later transferred to Company B, Military Mounted Police. Died
of pneumonia November 25, 1918, Camp Custer, Mich. Buried with military
honors, Sturgis, Mich. Survived by widow, Ruth H. Gray, Sturgis, Mich.
HUNT, ARTHUR ---Private
Son of Hickson and Rebecca Hiatt
Hunt; born June 4, 1894, Winchester, Ind. Moved to Jay County in 1905.
Laborer. Enlisted in Company G, 3rd Indiana Infantry National Guard,
Portland, Ind., June 3, 1917. Sent to Camp Shelby, Miss.: transferred
to Battery B, 137th Field Artillery. Died of pneumonia January 18,
1918, Camp Shelby, Miss. Buried in Greenpark Cemetery, Portland, Ind.
LAYMAN, JOHN ELLSWORTH ---Private
Son of Perry T. and Melvina Dillavon
Layman; born April 15, 1893, West Liberty, Jay County, Ind. Laborer.
Entered service July 25, 1918, Portland, Ind. Sent to Camp Taylor, Ky.;
assigned to 41st Company, 11th Training Battalion, 159th Depot Brigade.
Transferred to Camp McClellan, Ala.; assigned to Battery B, 36th Field
Artillery. Died October 30, 1918, of pneumonia, Camp McClellan, Ala.
Buried in Gravel Hill Cemetery, near West Liberty, Jay County, Ind.
LINDLEY, ALFRED MATHIAS ---Private
Son of Zenas and Elizabeth Atkinson
Lindley; born March 29, 1889, near Portland, Ind. Painter. Entered
service September 5, 1918, Fowler, Ind. Sent to Camp Grant, Ill.,
assigned to limited service in Company C, 5th Provisional Training
Regiment. Died of influenza October 7, 1918. Base Hospital, Camp Grant,
1ll. Buried at Boundary, near Portland, Ind.
RENNER, NOAH B ---Private
Son of Cyrus and Martha Weaver
Renner; born January 17, 1890, Portland, Ind. Machinist. Entered
service August 29, 1918, Portland, Ind. Sent to Camp Custer, Mich.;
assigned to 13th Company, 4th Training Battalion, 160th Depot Brigade.
Transferred to Battery B, 41st Field Artillery. Died of pneumonia
October 11, 1918, Camp Custer, Mich. Buried in Lieber Cemetery, near
Portland, Ind. Survived by widow, Maud Long Renner, Portland, Ind.
THOMPSON, OTIS ---Private
Son of William Martin and Eva Jane
Thompson: born March 10, 1884, in Kosciusko County, Ind. When an
infant, moved with parents to Dunkirk, Jay County. Shortly before the
outbreak of the World War in 1914, he went to Melbourne, Australia,
where he later entered service with the Australian Forces. Wounded in
the battle of Dardanelles; recovered, and returned to duty. Assigned to
46th Battalion, Imperial Forces. Killed in action February 14, 1917,
"Somewhere in France."
TUCKER, RUSSELL RAY ---Corporal
Son of Ottis A. and Lola Brunson
Tucker; born January 8, 1898, Jay County, Ind. Farmer. Enlisted in U.S.
Regular Army June 16, 1916, Columbus, Ohio. Served on Mexican Border
until April, 1918, when he went overseas with Company B, 13th Machine
Gun Battalion. Participated in St. Mihicl Offensive, Meuse-Argonne
Offensive. Wounded in action, he died October 21, 1918, in French Field
Hospital, near Bonpont. Buried in American cemetery, near Les Placys,
Meuse.
WHIPPLE, DAVID ORLEY ---Private
Son of John O. and Susan Whipple;
born January 16, 1897, Jay County, Ind. Farmer. Enlisted in Company B,
33rd Infantry, Michigan National Guard, Detroit, July 3, 1917. Sent to
Camp McArthur, Tex.; assigned to Company H, 120th Infantry. Overseas in
February 1918. Participated in battles of Alsace, St. Gilles, Juvigne.
Killed in action .November 10, 1918. The American Legion Post,
Salamonia, Ind., named in his honor.
WILLIAMSON, RALPH VICTOR ---Private
Son of Ora and Lily Clore Williamson;
born January 6, 1894, Red Key, Jay County, Ind. City Clerk. Entered
service December 7, 1917, Indianapolis, Ind. Sent to St. Thomas, Ky.;
assigned to 13th Field Artillery. Overseas in May 1918. Fought in
battle of Chateau Thierry. Stricken with disease, he was invalided to
the U.S. in October 1918; sent to Denver, Col., where he died August 2,
1919. Buried in Hill Crest Cemetery, Redkey, Ind. The American Legion
Post, Redkey, Ind. is named in his honor.
Source: Gold Star Honor Roll: A
Record of Indiana Men and Women who Died in the Service of the United
States and the Allied Nations in the World War. 1914-1918 Published by
Indiana Historical Commission., 1921
