World War I Soldiers Remembered: Earlie Austin Rigsby

Earlie Austin Rigsby was born May 4, 1895 in Goochland. His parents were Washington and Amanda Rigsby He was a 22-year-old farmer when he was drafted. According to his Registration Card, we know he was single, tall and had light brown eyes and light brown hair.

He was inducted into service on September 19, 1917 and sent to Camp Lee, Virginia, assigned to Co. C. He left Newport News, Virginia on September 27, 1918 aboard the “Patria”. He arrived at Brest, France on September 28, 1918. Shortly after he arrived in France, he was transferred to the front where he served for the duration of the war. According to his war record, he first saw action on November 3, 1918 and he was part of the Battle of Argonne Forest. He received the Bronze Star after being wounded in battle on November 10, 1918, leaving him in the Base Hospital for over a month.

He departed St. Nazaire, France aboard the “Matsonia” on June 18, 1919. He was suffering from chronic tonsillitis and the ship was carrying sick and wounded men. He arrived back in the U.S. at Newport News and was officially discharged on June 28 of the same year. About his service, he wrote that he was “perfectly willing to give my services to my country”

On December 7, 1920, he married Constance Bowles Hughes. Together they had 1 child. He passed away on January 26, 1966 at the age of 69 and is buried in the Forest Grove Church cemetery in Goochland, Virginia.

If you have any photographs of World War I service men and women from Goochland, please contact the Goochland County Historical Society. We would love to scan your photographs and add them to the World War I Commemorative Collection. Contact us at 804-556-3966 or at goochlandhistory@comcast.net.

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World War I Soldiers Remembered: Eddie Clay Parrish

Eddie Clay Parrish was born March 24, 1887. His father was Andrew L. Parrish and his mother was Mary Frances Singleton.

He was a private first class but we don’t know much about his time in the military because he did not fill out his questionnaire after the war.

He returned to Goochland after the war and married Lillian Irene Griffin and started a family. He passed away on July 24, 1965 and is buried in the Ragland Memorial Cemetery in Sandy Hook.

If you have any photographs of World War I service men and women from Goochland, please contact the Goochland County Historical Society. We would love to scan your photographs and add them to the World War I Commemorative Collection. Contact us at 804-556-3966 or at goochlandhistory@comcast.net.

World War I Soldiers Remembered: George Moore Lawrence

George Moore Lawrence was born October 26, 1892 in Shako, Virginia. His father was Robert H. Lawrence of Hanover, Virginia and his mother was Margaret Keane of Goochland. He was a 24-year-old lathe hand at Machine Products Co. in Cleveland, Ohio when he registered for the draft in 1917. According to his Registration Card, we know he was single, tall and had gray eyes and brown hair.

He was inducted into service on May 10, 1918 and was assigned to 4^th Co. and trained at Handcock, Georgia. He left for Europe aboard the S.S. America on July 24, 1918 and arrived at Brest, France on August 6. While in France, he was stationed at Bourges.

He arrived back in the United States on board the U.S.S. Mallory on July 19, 1919 and was officially discharged on July 25 of the same year from Camp Dix, New Jersey. He apparently had difficulty enlisting and wrote “I was drafted from Goochland after trying to enlist while in Richmond and Cleveland, Ohio, on account of severe physical conditions, I was refused and then was drafted from my home county on 24 hours notice.”

After the war, he returned to Ohio, married and became a salesman. He died on October 7, 1959 and is buried in the Cemetery of Spring Grove in Cincinnati, Ohio.

If you have any photographs of World War I service men and women from Goochland, please contact the Goochland County Historical Society. We would love to scan your photographs and add them to the World War I Commemorative Collection. Contact us at 804-556-3966 or at goochlandhistory@comcast.net.

World War I Soldiers Remembered: Norman Ira Johnson

Norman Ira Johnson was born February 6, 1890 in Goochland. His father was George Henry Johnson and his mother was Virginia Lee Fitzgerald. He was a 27-year-old box maker with Alleghany Box Factory when he was drafted on May 27, 1918. According to his Registration Card, we know he was single, tall and had brown eyes and black hair.

He was inducted into service on June 12, 1918 at Camp Lee, Virginia. He left Newport News, Virginia and arrived at Brest France on August 12, 1918. Shortly after he arrived in France, he was sent to the front where he served for the duration of the war. He first went into battle in September of 1918 and was in place for the Battle of Argonne Forest (Meuse-Argonne Offensive). He got sick while in France and spent most of October and November in different hospitals. About the effects upon himself of overseas experience, he wrote “was made sick and kept sick”.

He arrived back in the United States aboard the Saxonia when it docked on February 7, 1919 in New York. He was discharged from service at Camp Lee on March 12, 1919. He wrote in his war record “wasn’t exactly scared but had a very disagreeable feeling, and was glad when I got out…I don’t regret going but would rather not go back, but would go, if necessary”.

He returned to carpentry after the war. He married a girl named Blanche Lavelon Dupuy and had 2 children. He passed away on June 9, 1939 and is buried in Oakwood cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.

If you have any photographs of World War I service men and women from Goochland, please contact the Goochland County Historical Society. We would love to scan your photographs and add them to the World War I Commemorative Collection. Contact us at 804-556-3966 or at goochlandhistory@comcast.net.

World War I Soldiers Remembered: Forrest Harwood Johnson

Forrest Harwood Johnson was born March 19, 1897 in Hylas. His father was Charles Evander Johnson and his mother was Lelia Satterwhite. He was a 21-year-old farmer when he was drafted on September 28, 1918. According to his Registration Card, we know he was single and had blue eyes and light hair.

He was inducted into service on September 5, 1918 at Goochland Courthouse and sent to Camp Lee, Virginia. According to his war record, he stayed at Camp Lee training center and never went to Europe. He stated that he “wanted to do my duty” and that camp life was “beneficial” to his mental and physical well being.

On December 29, 1930, he married Isabella Barron Franklin. He passed away on June 4, 1992.

If you have any photographs of World War I service men and women from Goochland, please contact the Goochland County Historical Society. We would love to scan your photographs and add them to the World War I Commemorative Collection. Contact us at 804-556-3966 or at goochlandhistory@comcast.net.

World War I Soldiers Remembered: William Bryan Holland

William Bryan Holland. Photograph courtesy of Sharon Kelley.

William Bryan Holland was born April 1, 1896 in Goochland. He was a 21 year-old saw mill hand when he was drafted on May 27, 1918. His father was William Newton Holland and his mother was Florence Gay Childress. According to his Registration Card, we know he was single, tall and had blue eyes and light brown hair.

He was inducted into service on June 12, 1918 and sent to Camp Lee, Virginia. Like many soldiers after the war, he did not fill out a War Record. According to his granddaughter, he was stationed stateside, building ships for the war effort.

After the war, he married Lena Rivers Siddons and started a family. He passed away on March 15, 1990 and is buried in the Ragland Memorial Baptist Church cemetery in Sandy Hook.

If you have any photographs of World War I service men and women from Goochland, please contact the Goochland County Historical Society. We would love to scan your photographs and add them to the World War I Commemorative Collection. Contact us at 804-556-3966 or at goochlandhistory@comcast.net.

World War I Soldiers Remembered: Arthur Houston Holland

Arthur Houston Holland was born May 22, 1891 in Fluvanna County. His parents were Bruce Albert Holland and Mollie Cleveland. He was a 26-year-old Pemberton farmer when he was drafted on September 19, 1917. According to his Registration Card, we know he was single, of medium build, and had gray eyes and brown hair.

He was inducted into service on September 21, 1918 at Camp Lee, Virginia, assigned to Co. C, 317^th Regiment, 80^th Division. He left Newport News, Virginia on May 23, 1918 aboard the “Mongolia” and arrived in Brest, France on June 8, 1918. He first went into action on July 24, 1918 during the battle of the Somme. He also participated in the St. Mihiel Offensive, Verdun and the Battle of the Argonne Forest. He was wounded by shrapnel on October 4, 1918 during the Argonne Forest battle and was hospitalized until December of that year. This left him with a permanently weak left arm.

He arrived back in the United States in New York City aboard the “Goentoer” on January 25, 1919 and was officially discharged on February 16 of the same year from the rank of bugler. About his service, he wrote “it was a nerve wracking experience that I would not be without.”

He returned to farming in Pemberton and wrote on his War Record “my plan is to go to school this fall and by spring my arm will be strong enough to back to work.” He later married a girl named Emily and moved to West Virginia where he taught high school. He passed away on August 21, 1978.

If you have any photographs of World War I service men and women from Goochland, please contact the Goochland County Historical Society. We would love to scan your photographs and add them to the World War I Commemorative Collection. Contact us at 804-556-3966 or at goochlandhistory@comcast.net.