military duty

Corp. Amos L. Batts, Army and Navy veteran, drowns.

Wilson Daily Times, 26 September 1950.

——

In the 1930 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farmer Amos Batts, 29; wife Elizabeth, 29; and children Arlettie, 10, James, 8, Roosevelt, 7, and Amos Lee, 5.

In the 1940 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: widowed farmer Elizabeth Batts, 43; and children James H., 19, Roosevelt, 16, and Leander, 12.

In 1944, Amos Leander Batts registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 22 May 1926 in Black Creek, N.C.; lived at 1207 Queen Street; his contact was mother Elizabeth B. Batts, 1207 Queen Street; he was a student at Darden High School; and he worked after school for Paul Bissette, Bissette’s Drug Store. 

Corporal Batts’ body was eventually recovered and returned to Wilson for burial in Rest Haven Cemetery. On 19 February 1951, his mother applied for a military headstone for his grave.

The reverse of the application card reveals interesting details of Corporal Batts’ military service:

“Prior service: induction and active duty date 6 September 1944 honorably discharged 30January 1946. Re-enlisted 31 January 1946 active duty same date honorably discharged 2 December 1946. Enlisted Reserve Corps from 3 December 1946 to 19 December 1946; re-enlisted on 20 December 1946 discharged under honorable conditions 11 February 1949.”

Presumably, this was service in the U.S. Army. At the time of his death, Batts was enlisted in the U.S. Navy and working aboard USNS Gen. W.F. Hase, a Military Sealift Command vessel.

Men ordered to report, no. 1.

On 31 July 1918, the Wilson County Draft Board inducted these 17 African-American men into military service and sent them to Camp Greene, outside Charlotte, North Carolina, for basic training.

screen-shot-2016-10-28-at-7-05-51-pm

  • John Henry Hunt registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born January 1891 in Spring Hope, North Carolina; lived at 613 Goldsboro Street, Wilson; was married; and was a laborer for contract and engineering company R.G. Lassiter & Co., Wilson. He was of medium height and build, with brown eyes and black hair. He signed his name “John Henry Hunt.”
  • Lovett B. Harris
  • Mark Guy Smith registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born March 1896 in Wilson; lived on RFD#2, Wilson; was single; and was a laborer for his father. He was medium height, slender, with brown eyes and black hair. He signed his name with an X.
  • Louis Lampley registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born 29 April 1896 in Red Springs, North Carolina; lived at Black Creek; was single; and was a self-employed farmer in Black Creek township. He was tall and slender, with black eyes and hair. He signed his name “Louie Lampley.”
  • Luther Harris
  • John Coon
  • Frank G. Newsom registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born 15 February 1889 in Lucama; lived in Lucama; had a wife and child; and was a self-employed farmer in Black Creek township. He was of medium height and build, with black eyes and hair. He signed his name “Frank G. Newsome.”
  • Henry Bullock registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born 1 June 1896 in Wilson; lived at RFD#1, Wilson; was single; and was a quarry hand for The [illegible] Granite Quarries Company, Neverson, North Carolina. He was of medium height and build, with brown eyes and black hair. He signed his name with an X.
  • Joseph Palmer registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born 15 August 1893 in Wilmington, North Carolina; lived in Wilson; was married with dependents; and was a prisoner in Wilson County. He was of medium height and build, with dark eyes and hair. He signed his name “Joe Palmer.”
  • Jonah Artis registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born 7 August 1895 in Wayne County, North Carolina; lived in Stantonsburg; was single; and worked as a laborer and farmer. He was of medium height and build, with black eyes and black hair. He signed his name with an X.
  • Turner Mitchell
  • Columbus King registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born 13 July 1890 in Wilson County; lived in Stantonsburg; was single; and was a farm laborer for W.T. Harrison. He was short and stout, with brown eyes and black hair. He signed his name with an X.
  • Johnie Farmer registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born 4 February 1895 in Wilson; lived on Finch Mill Road, Wilson; was single; and was a butler for Mrs. F.S. Davis. He was tall and stout, with black eyes and black hair. He signed his name “Johnie Farmer.”
  • Arthur Vance Williams registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born 25 February  1896 in Wilson County; lived on R.F.D. route, Elm City; was single; and farmed for W.M. Whitehead near Elm City. He was of medium height and build, with brown eyes and black hair. He signed his name “Arthur Williams.”
  • Howard Barnes registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born May 1889 in Wilson township; lived on Green Street, Wilson; was single; and was a servant for W.S. Harriss. He was tall and stout. He signed his name with an X.
  • Abner Gorham registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born 19 November 1893 in Washington, North Carolina; lived at East Goldsboro Street, Wilson; was married; and was a drayman for Wells Grocery Company. He was tall, of medium build, with brown eyes and black hair. He signed his name with an X.
  • Liston Hales registered for the draft on 5 June 1917. Per his registration card, he was born 3 June 1896 in Lake View, South Carolina; lived at 605 Green Street, Wilson; was single; and was a laborer for W.W. Simms Company. He was of medium height, stout with brown eyes and black hair, and his “arm [had] been broken.” He signed his name with an X.

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.