Draft List, 1918
World War, 1914-1918
Veterans--Florida
World War, 1914-1918--African Americans
A 1918 draft list for Tampa, Hillsborough, Florida. Approximately 24 million men registered for the draft in 1917 and 1918. Those who were drafted reported to their local draft boards and then traveled to camp, where they were inducted into and trained for the United States Army. To keep track of draftees and whether they reported for duty, each local board created forms. Form 1029 PMGO provided information including name, order number, serial number, call number, primary industry, classification, report date, entrainment location, and the local board itself. John Watkins (1889-1918) is listed with order number 2233, serial number 953, and primary industry of autodriver. He has a mark in both Classifications I and II, though both meant he would eventually be eligible for service, and an X in the column for those who failed to report to military authorities.<br /><br /> John Watkins was born on February 22, 1889 to James and Sarah Watkins in Ocala, Florida. Little is known about his life before the war. At age 29, he was inducted into the United States Army in Tampa, Florida on June 21, 1918. He was then sent to train at Camp Dix in New Jersey, as a Private in the 807th Pioneer Infantry, an all-black segregated unit. On September 4, 1918, the 807th departed from Hoboken, New Jersey to France aboard the <em>USS Siboney</em>. Soon after arrival in Europe, Watkins was promoted to the rank of Corporal, likely because he could read, write, and drive. Though the 807th served in a non-combatant role, they were often in the thick of battles, such as the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, the last major engagement of the war, building and repairing infrastructure. Watkins survived the war and remained in France, continuing to repair roads and bury the dead. Within a month, on December 8, 1918, Watkins died of pneumonia, likely caused by the influenza epidemic. He is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery at Plot H Row 6 Grave 23.<br /><br /> In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s <a href="https://vlp.cah.ucf.edu/">Veterans Legacy Program Project</a>. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Office of Provost Marshal General, Selective Service System
Digital reproduction of original typewritten draft list, June 21, 1918: Records of the Selective Service System (World War I), 1917-1918, Record Group 163, NAI Number 1159403.
Office of Provost Marshal General, Selective Service System
Watkins, John
image/jpg
eng
Text
Tampa, Hillsborough, Florida
Wayne, Gertrude, Ruf and Maude Goins
World War, 1914-1918
Veterans--Florida
A photograph of Rufe Goins (center, left), his wife, Maude (center, right), as well as relatives Wayne (left) and Gertrude (right). The photograph was taken in Tampa, Florida, where Goins and his wife retired in 1959. On May 29, 1912, at the age of twenty-one, Goins enlisted in the United States Army. He served in the 19th Infantry Regiment in Texas for several years. At the time of his service, the United States was engaged in war with Mexico. The United States Army garrisoned American border towns, constructed forts alongside the border, and fought against Pancho Villa, a notable Mexican revolutionary. Goins was honorably discharged on May 28, 1915. When the United States entered World War I, Goins re-enlisted in the Army on October 30, 1917. He served for two years and reached the rank of Private before being released on June 20, 1919. Goins served more than half a year past the end of the war in November 1918. He died on December 25, 1988, in Tampa, Florida, at the age of 94, and is buried at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. His wife, Maude, died ten years later and is buried with him.<br /><br />
In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s <a href="https://vlp.cah.ucf.edu/">Veterans Legacy Program Project</a>. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Goins Family
Digital reproduction of original color photograph.
Goins, Wayne
Goins, Gertrude
Goins, Ruf
Goins Maude
image/jpg
Still Image
Tampa, Florida