On 30 March 1918, the Wilson County Draft Board inducted these 25 African-American men into military service and ordered them sent to Camp Grant, Illinois, for basic training.
- Charlie Harris
- Jimmie Pender registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born in December 1888 in Georgia, resided on a rural free delivery route outside Wilson, worked as a railway laborer for Norfolk Southern Railway Company, and had a wife and child. He was of medium height and stout, with black eyes and hair. He signed his card with an X.
- Willie Donald
- Arthur Darring
- Paul A. Kelly
- William Gaston registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born in 1896 in Elm City, resided in Elm City, farmed for P.C. Cobb near Elm City, and was married. He was tall and slender, with dark blue(?) eyes and black hair. He signed his card with an X.
- David Barnes
- Charlie Rice registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born in 25 June 1886 in Danville, Virginia; resided at 522 East Nash Street, Wilson; was a laborer for W.T. Clarke in Wilson; and was single. He was tall and slender, with black eyes and hair. He signed his card with an X.
- Julius Franklin Freeman registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born in 9 December 1887 in Wilson; resided on Nash Road, R.F.D. #4, Wilson; worked as a brickmason for H.T. Crittenden in Wilson; and was single. He was of medium height and weight, with brown eyes and black hair. He signed his card ‘Julius F. Freeman.’
- Will Dixon registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born in 1896 in Farmville, North Carolina; resided in Stantonsburg; was a laborer at W.L. Russell Box Company; and was single. He was short and of medium weight, with black eyes and black hair. He signed his card with an X.
- Luther Williams registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born in6 June 1890 in Wilson County; resided in Walstonsburg; was a laborer on H.H. Walston Jr.’s farm; and was single. He was of medium height and weight, with dark brown eyes and black hair. He signed his card with an X.
- Eddie Dew registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born in May 1896 in Wilson County; resided at 617 Darden, Wilson; was a laborer for John B. Deans, Wilson; and was single. He was slender, with dark eyes and hair. He signed his card ‘Eddie Dew.’
- Mancie Gaston registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born 10 June 1892 in Elm City, resided in Elm City, worked as a barber for G.A. Gaston in Elm City, and was single. He was of medium height and weight, with dark brown eyes and black hair. He signed his card ‘Mancie Gaston.’
- Moses Parker registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born in 31 August 1889 in Nash County; resided at 305 Barnes Street, Wilson; was a hack driver for Crockett & Aikens, a stable on Barnes Street; and was single. He was tall and of medium build, with dark eyes and hair. He signed his card ‘Moses Parker.’
- Alonza Coley registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born 8 September 1890 in Pikeville, Wayne County; resided at 105 East Street, Wilson; worked as a carpenter for Barney Reid “in the Town of Wilson”; and was single. He was tall and of medium build, with dark eyes and hair. He signed his card ‘Alonzo Coley.’
- Dave McPhail registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born in April 1896 in Wade [sic, Wayne? Wake?] County; resided in Darden’s Alley, Wilson; worked as an auto driver for S.H. Vick in Wilson; and was single. He was of medium height and weight, with black eyes and hair. He signed his card with an X.
- Augustus Gaston registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born 28 March 1894 in Elm City, resided in Elm City, worked as a barber for G.A. Gaston in Elm City, and was single. He was of medium height and weight, with dark brown eyes and black hair. He signed his card ‘Augustus Gaston.’
- Ernest Moore registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born in August 1894 in Greenville, North Carolina; resided at 517 Nash Street, Wilson; worked as a laborer for C.E. Moore in Wilson; and was single. He was of medium height and weight, with black eyes and black hair, and had rheumatism. He signed his card with an X.
- Hayes Boatman registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born in 23 August 1896 in Raeford, North Carolina; resided on Hines Street, Wilson; was a box factory employee for W.J. Russell Box Company, Wilson; and was single. He was of medium height and slender, with black eyes and black hair. He signed his card with an X.
- Julius Rountree registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born in 4 March 1895 in Greenville, North Carolina; resided in Wilson; worked as a mechanic for Samuel Vick in Wilson; and had a wife and child. He was tall and of medium build, with brown eyes and dark hair. He signed his card ‘Julius Rountree.’
- Roscoe Williams registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born in 28 December 1895 in Wilson; resided on Vance Street, Wilson; was an unemployed laborer; and was single. He was tall and of medium build, with brown eyes and black hair. He signed his card ‘Roscoe Williams.’
- Orlando Farmer registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born in 5 November 1886 in Wilson; resided at 643 Nash Street, Wilson; was a drayman for Boykin Grocery Company, Wilson; and was single. He was tall and stout, with brown eyes and black hair. He signed his card ‘Olander Farmer.’
- John Tyler registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born in 26 March 1895 in Charleston, West Virginia; resided in Darden’s Alley, Wilson; worked as a barber for Charlie Knight, Wilson; and was single. He was of medium height and weight, with black eyes and black hair. He signed his card with an X.
- John Hardy Ellis registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born in 10 January 1895 in Wilson County; resided in Stantonsburg; was a section hand for Norfolk Southern R.R. Company; and was single. He was of medium height and weight, with dark eyes and hair and had “one finger off on right hand.” He signed his card ‘John Hardy Elies.’
U.S. Lists of Men Ordered to Report to Local Board for Military Duty, 1917-1918, [database on-line], http://www.ancestry.com; U.S. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line], http://www.ancestry.com.