Abstract of Military Service for John Watkins
World War, 1914-1918
Veterans--Florida
World War, 1914-1918--African Americans
The abstract of military service for John D. Watkins (1889-1918). The card includes Watkins' name, race, date and place of birth, units and ranks, death date and cause, and who was notified of his death. Though the card designates Watkins as white and lists his unit as the 153rd Depot Brigade, he was, in fact, African American and actually served in the 807th Pioneer Infantry.<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.
General Adjutant's Office
Digital reproduction of original typewritten abstract of military service card, December 8, 1918: World War I Army Card Roster, 1924
Florida, Box 15.
General Adjutant's Office
Watkins, John
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Dunedin, Florida
Register of Burial for Clyde Emerson, 1922
World War, 1914-1918
Veterans--Florida
The register of burial card for Clyde Emerson (1890-1919). One side of the card describes where Emerson was originally buried and lists his emergency address, while the other gives the location of his reinterment. His body was reinterred after the end of the war.<br /><br /> Clyde Atwood Emerson was born on September 22, 1890 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, though he moved to Floirda in the early twentieth century. He attended high school and went on to work in the hospitality industry. On February 26, 1918, he was inducted into the United States Army and became a sergeant in the 81st "Wildcat" Division, where he served in the 318th Machine Gun Battalion
Leaving the United States for Europe on July 31, 1918, Emerson and his unit participated in many of the last major campaigns of World War I, inlcuding the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. This was the allied offensive that ended the war. Emerson survived the war and remained in Europe awaiting demobilization. During this time, Emerson contracted Spanish influenza, which would claim the lives of more soldiers and civilians than the war, and died on January 30, 1919. He was originally buried two days later in Aix-les-Bains, Savoie, France. However, he was later reinterred in December 22, 1922 at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Belleau, France. Grave 8, Plot 11, Block B is his final resting place.<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.
War Department, Office of the Quartermaster General, Grave Registration Service
Digital reproduction of original double-sided typewritten register of burial, December 22, 1922: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985
Record Group 92
Card Register of Burials of Deceased American Soldiers, 1913-1922, NH-81 1945.
War Department, Office of the Quartermaster General, Grave Resigtration Service
Emerson, Clyde
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Aix-les-Bains, Savoie, France
Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, Belleau, France
Abstract of Military Service for Fred White
World War, 1914-1918
Veterans--Florida
World War, 1914-1918--African Americans
The abstract of World War I military service for Fred White (1898-1919). The document includes Antuono’s surname, Christian name, Army serial number, whether White or Colored, home address, place of enlistment, place of birth, date of birth, organizations served in, with dates of assignments and transfers, grades, with date of appointment, engagement, wounds or injuries received in action, dates served overseas, date of discharge, and remarks.<br /><br /> Fred White was born on March 14, 1898, in Marianna, Florida, and was raised by his grandparents. He moved to Youngstown in neighboring Bay County, where he worked as a laborer. On June 5, 1918, he registered for the draft, adding a year to his age to make himself eligible. On June 15, he married Mamie Grey Kennedy. Two months later, on August 21, White was inducted into the United States Army and trained at Camp Joseph E. Johnston. He joined Company C of the 547th Engineer Service Battalion and departed for France on October 27, 1918. After the war, White succumbed to the influenza epidemic of 1918-1919 on February 1, 1919. White is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in Romange-sous-Montfaucon, France, at Plot C Row 7 Grave 3.<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 continues, engaging a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in national cemeteries 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 headstones at four national cemeteries, two in Florida (Florida National Cemetery and St. Augustine National Cemetery) and two in France (American Battle Monuments Commission cemeteries at Aisne-Marne and the Meuse-Argonne), where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
General Adjutant's Office
Digital reproduction of original typewritten abstract of military service, February 1, 1919: World War I Army Card Roster; Florida, Box 16.
General Adjutant's Office
White, Fred
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Panama City, Florida
St. Luke's Episcopal Church Historical Records
Merritt Island (Fla.)
Episcopalians--United States
Churches--Florida
Church records and registers--Florida
Selected pages from St. Luke's Episcopal Church's record book covering the period 1888 through 1959 including a brief history of the mission. The record book includes baptisms, confirmations, communicants, marriagess, and burials. St. Luke's Church is located at 5555 North Tropical Trail in Courtenay, an unincorporated community in Merritt Island, Florida. In the 1870s, the church founding families of LaRoche, Porcher, and Sams migrated from Charleston and John's Island of South Carolina and settled in Courtenay, Florida. The Carpenter Gothic-style church was erected in 1888, with funding from Lucy A. Boardman and land from Edward Porcher. The first resident Vicar of St. Luke's, Reverend Paul A. Perrine Jr., was appointed in 1962 and the congregation began to grow steadily. On November 15, 1974, the church was admitted as a Parish in the Diocese of Central Florida, with Father Perrine as the first rector. The church and cemetery were added to the National Register of Historic Places under the name "Old St. Luke's Episcopal Church and Cemetery" on June 15, 1990.
<a href="http://www.stlukesmi.org/" target="_blank">St. Luke's Episcopal Church</a>
Original record book: <a href="http://www.stlukesmi.org/" target="_blank">St. Luke's Episcopal Church</a>, Merritt Island, Florida: <a href="https://myfloridahistory.org/library" target="_blank">Florida Historical Society Library</a>, <a href="http://www.brevardcounty.us/PublicLibraries/Branches/Central/Home" target="_blank">Central Brevard Public Library</a>, Cocoa, Florida.
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St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Courtenay, Merritt Island, Florida