This page contains biographical sketches (full or extract) of former Howard County residents. The majority come from pre-1921 published sources as cited in the sketch. If you have a sketch you would like to add, please view the Submission Policy
CHANCELLOR, Robert M., son of William C. and Lucy M. CHANCELLOR, entered the army at Kokomo, Ind., April 26, 1918, and was assigned to the Twenty-fifth Co., Seventh Battalion, 159th Depot Brigade, Camp Zachary Taylor.
On June 16, 1918, he was transferred to Camp Greenleaf, Chickamauga Park: Ga., where he was on duty at Hospital No. 27, of the Evacuation Hospital Group, Division of Hospital and Sanitary Trains. On July 20, 1918, he was promoted to sergeant, and in August was ordered on detached service as property sergeant, group supply office, and transferred to Headquarters Co. No.3.
He received his discharge Jan. 15, 1919.
NOTE: Many possible matches were located in a basic search of the Social Security Death Index.
CHANDLER, Charles Elmer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry CHANDLER, was born in Clinton Co. Ind.
He entered the army in August, 1918, and was assigned to the First Supply Co., Camp Zachary Taylor, Kentucky.
He was discharged there Dec. 23, 1918.
NOTE: Many possible matches were located in a basic search of the Social Security Death Index.
CHANEY, Earnest Wesley, son of Mrs. Jennie CHANEY, entered the army March 5, 1918, at Kokomo, Ind.
He was a member of the Third Co., 413th Engineers, Eighty-fourth Division.
NOTE: No entry was located in a basic search of the Social Security Death Index.
CHAPLIN, Earl Jennings, was born May 13, 1896.
He enlisted in the army July 17, 1917, and served in Co. E, 152nd Infantry, and later in Co. F, 113th Engineers, Thirty-eighth Division. Corporal CHAPLIN served eight months in France.
On June 25, 1919, he arrived in New York, and was discharged a few days later.
NOTE: The following entry was found in the Social Security Death Index at Rootsweb http://ssdi.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi
EARL CHAPLIN: Born 12 May 1896 - died Aug 1954. SSN: 316-30-9846, issued in Indiana.
The following probable match was found in the Cemeteries of Howard County website:
Crown Point Cemetery: CHAPLIN Earl James: born 1896 - died 31 Aug 1954; buried 3 SEP 1954, age 58. Section 214, lot 89. Link to photo of gravestone
CHAPMAN, Albert Thurman, son of John and Alice CHAPMAN, was born at West Middleton, Ind., Jan. 16, 1888.
He graduated from the Marion Normal in 1909, and from Cumberland University in 1918.
When he entered the army April 26, 1915, he was sent to Camp Zachary Taylor, Ky. Later he was at Camp Sheridan, Montgomery, Ala., from which place he entrained for Camp Upton, L. I., preparatory to sailing for France with Bat. B, 134th F. A.
He returned home in the summer of 1919 and received his discharge in July.
NOTE: No entry was located in a basic search of the Social Security Death Index.
CHARLES, Robert Foster, son of John B. and Margaret M. MARTZ CHARLES, was born in Kokomo, Ind., Oct. 3, 1899.
He attended high school two years.
His service in the navy began Oct. 3, 1917, when he was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Training. School. He was transferred to Charleston, S. C., Dec. 20, 1917, and March 23, 1918, he was sent to Hampton Roads, Va,. On April 2, 1915, he was placed on the U. S. SS. "New Jersey," which cruised along the eastern coast of the United States, and at times acted as a convoy. On Nov. 1, 1918, he was promoted to second class carpenter; then on Dec. 3 he was transferred to the naval training camp at Newport, R. I., where he was stationed six weeks; later he was placed on the torpedo boat destroyer U. S. Stringham, and stationed in Boston until transferred to New York City, Feb. 10, 1919.
NOTE: The following entry was found in the Social Security Death Index at Rootsweb http://ssdi.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi
ROBERT CHARLES: born 03 Oct 1899 - died Mar 1979. Last Residence: Alhambra, Los Angeles, CA. SSN: 569-05-7727 issued in California
NOTE: The following entry was found in the California Death Index at Rootsweb:
CHARLES ROBERT FOSTER: born 10/03/1899 in INDIANA. Died 03/29/1979 in LOS ANGELES county, age 79 yrs. SSN: 569-05-7727.
CHEEVER, Frank William, son of John and Elizabeth SPRIGGS CHEEVER, was born in Jennings Co., Ind. His wife is Eva ROBERTSON CHEEVER.
He entered the army April 26, 1918, at Kokomo, Ind., and was assigned as follows: Twenty-fifth Co., Seventh Training Battalion, 159th Depot Brigade, Camp Zachary Taylor, Ky.; Fifty-seventh Co., Fifteenth Training Battalion, 159th Depot Brigade, June 16, 1918; Eleventh Co., Development Battalion No.3, Oct. 9, 1915; transferred to Camp Beauregard, La., Dec. 16, 1915, assigned to Co. C, Development Battalion No.2.
Corporal CHEEVER was discharged Feb. 16, 1919.
NOTE: Several possible matches were located in a basic search of the Social Security Death Index.
CHILDS, Roland, son of Mrs. Frances CHILDS, entered the army at Camp Zachary Taylor, Ky., April 26, 1918. Although connected with the Twenty--fifth Co., Seventh Battalion, 159th Depot Brigade for a short time, he went to France with Bat F, 136th Field Artillery.
The following information was found in the Cemeteries of Howard County website:
Crown Point Cemetery: CHILDS Roland Hugo: born 1896 - died 19 Feb 1964; buried 22 FEB 1964, age 67. Section 21, lot 19. Link to photo of gravestone
CHRISTIE, Clarence John, was born Oct. 31, 1890.
He joined the Regular army in 1913, and was assigned to the Sixteenth Cavalry (or the Sixteenth Motor Transport Corps).
NOTE: No entry was located in a basic search of the Social Security Death Index.
CHURCH, Fred L., was born at Tipton, Ind.
He was twenty-four years of age when he was inducted into the army.
His discharge from Bat. A, Second Regiment, F. A. R. D. was dated Dec. 11, 1915.
NOTE: Many possible matches were located in a basic search of the Social Security Death Index; need more info.
CLARKE, Courtland Earl, son of Albert J. and Daisy ADARAH CLARKE, was born in Howard Co. Ind.
On Dec. 22 1917, he volunteered and was sent to Fort Thomas.
Ky., and then to Camp Hancock, Ga. At the former place he was a dispatch rider, and at the latter camp he was placed in the Motor Mechanics Regiment, Signal Corps.
After arriving in France, he was made tester of airplane motors in Paris, and while serving in this capacity, he was sent to the front lines for a crippled machine. For three weeks he was confined to a hospital suffering from
shell shock.
On March 4, 1919, he was stationed at La Palice, France, as a member of the Fifteenth Co., Second A.S.M. Regiment. He returned to the States in May, 1919 and was mustered out of the service early in June.
NOTE: The following entry was found in the Social Security Death Index at Rootsweb
Courtland CLARKE born 01 Sep 1899; died May 1978. Last Residence: Milford, Sussex, DE SSN: 221-03-5360 issued in Delaware.
Additional info from Karen: Courtland Earl Clarke, son of Albert Jerry Clarke and Daisy Ada (Rodman) Clarke was born in Kokomo, Howard County, Indiana, on Sept. 1, 1900.
Note the first error in the biography posted about "Howard County in the World War (1920) on Thu, Aug 05, 1999:" Courtland Earl "Clarkie" Clarke's mother's maiden name was Daisy Ada Rodman, not Daisy Adarah.
His military history also seems to belong to someone else. According to Clarkie and at least one of his three sisters [Rhetta Laura (Clarke) Anderberg, Dorothy May (Clarke) Kiel, and Wanda Virginia (Clarke) Roberts], C.E. Clarke's military service began when he was 17 following his "misrepresentation" of his age to the military recruiters. He lied and said he was one year older than he actually was so that he could get into the military without his parents' permission. Social security still continues to list his birthdate as 1899 rather than 1900.
Because of the huge loss of U.S. military records in a fire, including most of the WWI and WWII servicemen's records, I have found it difficult to track down information that actually "proves" his military service record is different than the one represented in this website and in the source from which the information was drawn. However, as his granddaughter, I will attempt to provide an alternative version of his military record based on both Clarkie's own words and on the family's stories about his military service.
I am certain that Courtland Earl Clarke served part of his military service in Delaware. I believe he was stationed at Fort Delaware, near Delaware City, New Castle County, Delaware. One of his favorite stories was a tale about going AWOL to court my grandmother and the time he was forced to spend in the brig as a result. It was in Delaware that he met my grandmother, Jennie M. Still, married her (on Oct. 19, 1922), and settled down in her home town to raise their daughter. It was in Delaware that he lived all of his adult life and it was in Delaware that he died on May 13, 1978, in the Salisbury Hospital following a heart attack -- the first major illness he had had since he was in the military. He was buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetary in Milford, Sussex County, Delaware.
His daughter, Gertrude "Trudy" Marie Clarke (b. July 24, 1923; d. Aug. 5, 1985) married Disston McCullough "Mickey" Carter (b. Nov. 26, 1921; d. Jan. 7, 1978) on Oct. 19, 1947, the 25th anniversary of her mother and father's wedding. Trudy and Mickey provided Jennie and Clarkie with four grandchildren, who gave him five great-grandchildren. All of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren except one still live in Delaware. So, you see, I am certain that his stories about meeting my grandmother when he was stationed in Fort Delaware must be true. How else would a young Kokomo, Indiana, youth with a close-knit family have gone to Delaware during war time and what temptation other than a new family could have kept him there after the war?
I also know that during WWI he served in the Panama Canal zone from which he was returned to the states for nose surgery in a military hospital (? Johns Hopkins in Baltimore ?). I believe he was assigned to serve at Fort Delaware when he was discharged from the hospital following his surgery and I think that his honorable discharge from the army came while he was still stationed in Delaware. However, it is possible that he was stationed in Panama after he met my grandmother and that he returned to Delaware to marry her following his military service in Panama.
As children, my siblings and I were told many stories about Clarkie's military service -- including how he watched a fellow serviceman dive through a man-o-war jelly fish which rose to the surface of the water just as the man dove into the Panama Canal. He told us how he and the others who had been swimming during their off duty hours covered the injured man with butter as they took him to get medical care, but the man subsequently died from the injuries. He often wished he had photographs of the relaxed military clothing rules that were prompted by attempts to find relief from the hot, blasting equatorial sun. He told us about getting bitten on the ear by a scorpion and how common scorpions were in the Panamanian jungle. And he regaled a tale of how he got his beautiful tatoos following an evening of unmitigated revelry with some of his mates. He awoke in the morning with a tatoo on each arm (butterfly on one, a rose on the other) much to his surprise and ultimately to the chagrin of his mother. Fortunately, the tatoo artist was truly an artist since he had to live with this permanent arm art for the rest of his life!
Although the AWOL story and the tatoo story could have occurred at any military site, I wonder whether there are many six foot man-o-war jelly fishes, equatorial temperatures, and scorpions in France, especially on the front line. The richness of the stories about Panama and the dearth of stories about France would suggest that Clarkie was in Panama and he was not in France.
Since my family lived with my grandparents until I was 8 and since I returned to live with them when I was 15 and stayed until I graduated from high school, I had many opportunities to observe and discuss his life, including his military career. He never once mentioned being trained to work on airplanes nor did he ever mention doing so. I do not believe he repaired airplane motors -- he could barely take care of his car. He was never a person who worked on or showed any interest in working on motors.
And, even though he could completely dismantle a watch or a parking meter and subsequently reassemble it (at various times in his adult life he worked as a jeweler and, in retirement, as a parking meter repair person for the City of Milford). . .
-- and even though he could from photographs completely reconstruct a ship in miniature (the U.S. Navy once offered him $2000 for one of his ships because it was such a beautiful masterpiece of an historical craft) . . .
-- and even though he was an accomplished carver of wood sculptures . . .
only once in my whole life did I see him try to work on a car and that was under the careful tutelage of my father when my car dropped its universal joint on the road next to the driveway and they were trying to rescue it and me. My grandfather clearly had no idea how to begin to reconstruct my old, pre-computer, 1950 something car. I certainly would not have wanted him to work on an airplane in which I was going to travel! Clarkie, like his father before him who was a diamond cutter, was a man whose gifts involved working on SMALL things.
I also think reports of his efforts to join the VFW serve as proof that he never served in France. Our family was a very involved VFW family. Military personnel could not join the VFW unless they had served overseas during a war. When my grandfather applied for membership as a charter member of the Milford, Delaware, VFW Post, there was some contention about my grandfather's qualifications. Some members argued that he should join the American Legion and be done with it! After all, he had not served OVERSEAS; he had ONLY served in Panama. Other members pointed out that Clarkie's service in Panama was service in a foreign country and that it was service designed to prevent the enemy from capturing and controlling the Panama Canal, service as potentially dangerous as any service designed to protect and defend sites critical to the American military. The "yea" votes prevailed. Ergo, Clarkie was registered as a charter member of the VFW Post in his adopted home town of Milford, Sussex County, Delaware.
I have applied to receive copies of his military medical records since many of these records do still exist (in contrast to the regular military records which were destroyed in a fire). When and if these records become available to me and if they contain more accurate information about his service record, I will provide the more concrete form of "proof" regarding his service activities. (Or I will be an extremely surprised person who will have to admit that her family lied to her and her siblings for years!)
COLLINS, Clarence Sylvester, son of James W. and Martha COLLINS, was born in Howard County Ind. in 1890.
He enlisted in the army in Kokomo Ind. and was assigned to duty in New York where he was promoted to corporal.
The following information was found in the Cemeteries of Howard County website:
Memorial Park Cemetery: COLLINS Clarence S.: born 19 JAN 1890 - died 15 AUG 1956; buried 15 AUG 1956, age 66 . Memorial
Section. --
link to photo of gravestone - link to photo of military plaque
COLLIS, Garfield Harrison, was born July 9, 1893.
He lived in Indianapolis Ind., when a child, but moved to Kokomo, where he enlisted in the ordnance department
of the army and was stationed for a time in Penniman, Va. before going to France.
He received his discharge 26 Feb 1919.
NOTE: No entry was located in a basic search of the Social Security Death Index.
COMER, Robert F., son of John H and Emma FRAZIER COMER, was born at Center, Ind., June 18, 1891.
In May, 1918, he entered the army at Detroit, Mich., and was sent to Hampton Roads, Va., where he was assigned to Co. No. 714 Signal School.
NOTE: The following entry was found in the Social Security Death Index at Rootsweb
Robert COMER born 18 Jun 1891; died Jan 1971. Last Residence: Michigan SSN: 383-20-5940 issued in Michigan.
Paul COOK, son of John and Ada COOK, was born in Crystal City, Mo. 19 Oct 1894. He enlisted in the army at San Antonio, Texas 15 Jun 1917. He was stationed at Laredo Texas, until he was transferred to Camp Bowie, Fort Worth, Texas. Corporal COOK was a cook in Co. K. 37th Infantry. His term of enlistment ends in Jun 1920.
NOTE: The following entry was found in the Social Security Death Index at Rootsweb
PAUL COOK born 19 Oct 1894 - died Oct 1975 Last Residence: Sault Sainte Marie, Chippewa, MI. SSN: 371-03-1462 issued in Michigan
Glenn Charles COSTLOW, son of Morton and Olla B KELLAR COSTLOW, was born in Kokomo Ind 9 Sep 1892.
He graduated from high school in 1912. Having been commissioned first lieutenant at the first O.T.C. at Ft. Benjamin Harrison in Aug 1917, he was ordered to Camp Zachary Taylor Ky and assigned to Co. D 335th Infantry, 84th Division.
During the months of July & August 1918, he was on duty at Camp Sherman, OH and on 4 Sep 1918, sailed for France.
Lt. COSTLOW was in 4 engagements and was twice wounded, once in the left hand on 19 Oct 1918 in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, and the second time in Flanders on 31 Oct, when he was struck with a machine gun bullet, shattering the bone of the left leg.
His service in France was with the 91st Combat Division.
After he was wounded and had undergone an operation in France, he was sent to London to American Base Hospital No. 29. Upon arrival in New York, he was sent to a hospital for further treatment, but it became necessary to amputate his left foot on account of gangrene.
Finally he was sent to US Base Hospital # 26 at Des Moines Iowa and was discharged there 17 Jul 1919. While stationed at Louisville KY, he married Mattie Marshall CURD of that city.
NOTE: The following entry was found in the Social Security Death Index at Rootsweb
GLENN COSTLOW born 09 Sep 1892; died Mar 1970. Last Residence: Deerfield Beach, Broward, FL SS#: 263-16-5433 issued in Florida.
Jesse Patrick COSTLOW, son of Benjamin Judson and Katie LAWERY COSTLOW, was born in Howard Co IN 7 Mar 1888.
After graduating from the high school at Kirklin Ind, he attended the Marion Normal. In Jul 1918, he was married to Anna THOMPSON.
He had previously entered the army at Lusk, Wyoming in Oct 1917 and was sent to Camp Lewis, Wash and then to Camp Kearney, Calif. He was assigned to the sanitary detatchment of the 115th Ammunition Train, which went overseas.
NOTE: The following entry was found in the Social Security Death Index at Rootsweb
JESSE COSTLOW born 07 Mar 1888; died May 1967. Last Residence: Colorado Springs, El Paso, CO. SS#: 520-34-5905 issued in Wyoming.
Edward & Lurenna GOYER CRABTREE are mentioned in the BRUNNEMILLER-ARNOLD sketch on this page.
Their daughter, Rebecca CRABTREE (b. 1863 in Ohio - d. 1903) married Wesley COLESCOTT. The CRABTREES came from England in 1819, with Edward & Lurenna settling in Howard County around 1871.
CRANOR, Arthur
Born: 14 Aug 1893, Sycamore IN
Parents: Leroy and Barbara
Married: 7 Apr 1917, Alta TROTT
Enlisted: 18 Feb 1918, Vancouver WA
Discharged: 4 Jun 1919, Camp Sherman OH
Isaac Harvey CREASON, was born in Howard Co. Ind 28 Nov 1890.
He entered the army at Kokomo Ind. 30 Aug 1918 and was sent to Camp Custer, Mich. where he was assigned to Co. M 78th Infantry. He received his discharge 22 Jan 1919.
NOTE: The following information was found in the Social Security Death Index at Rootsweb.com: Harvey CREASON born 28 Nov 1890, died Jan 1965. Last residence was probably (Indiana). SS# 308-09-7657, issued in Indiana.
The following information was found in the Cemeteries of Howard County website:
Shiloh Cemetery: CREASON Isaac Harvey: born 28 Nov 1890 - died 10 Jan 1965, age 74 -- link to photo of military plaque
CROOK, Henry M. was born May 1, 1900.
He enlisted in the navy in August, 1917, and was in service on the U.S. SS Westgate at New York City.
NOTE: The following entry was found in the Social Security Death Index at Rootsweb
Henry CROOK born 01 May 1900; died Feb 1979. Last residence: Muncie, Delaware, IN. SSN: 307-07-0357 issued in Indiana.
Frank CRULL, son of Thomas Jefferson CRULL and Josephine CRULL, was born in Howard Co. Ind. On Sep 23. 1917, he entered the army and was sent to France in the artillery branch of the service and promoted to corporal.
The Kokomo Tribune Obituary Index lists an obituary for CRULL Frank in the 1958 book, page 221.
Thomas Jefferson CRULL, son of Thomas Jefferson CRULL and Josephine CRULL, was born in Union Twp. Howard Co Ind. 7 Jun 1895.
His wife is Carrie CRULL. on Sep 21 1917, he entered the army at Kokomo Ind. and was sent to France with the field artillery.
NOTE: The following entry was found in the Social Security Death Index at Rootsweb: Thomas CRULL, born 07 Jun 1895 who died Aug 1969. The last benefit was sent to 46901 (Kokomo, Howard, IN) SSN of 308-09-3773, issued in Indiana.
The following information was found in the Cemeteries of Howard County website:
Memorial Park Cemetery: CRULL Thomas J.: born 7 JUN 1895 - died 27 AUG 1969; buried 27 AUG 1969, age 74. Memorial section -- link to photo of gravestone - link to photo of family stone
CURRENS, Charles W., son of John and Catherine HESS CURRENS, was born at Sycamore, Ind., 10 Sep 1894.
He joined the army 21 Sep 1917 in Grant Co., Ind., and from that time until 10 June 1918, he was on duty at Camp Zachary
Taylor, Ky; then he went to Camp Sherman, Ohio, and on 2 Sep 1918, he sailed for England, landing there seven days later.
On the 11th of September he crossed the channel to France . On July 18, 1919, he embarked from a French port and was
mustered out at Camp Sherman, Ohio 13 Aug 1919. Corporal CURRENS was a member of the Headquarters Co. 334th Infantry, Eighty-Fourth Division.
NOTE: The following entry was found in the Social Security Death Index at Rootsweb:
Charles CURRENS born 10 Sep 1894; died Oct 1987. Last Residence: Kokomo, Howard, IN SSN: 308-09-5334 issued in Indiana.
The Kokomo Tribune Obituary Index lists an obituary for CURRENS Charles W. in the 1987 book, page 233.
CURRENS, Clarence C, son of Robert J and Eliza Rose FERRIL CURRENS was born in Howard Co Ind., 9 Jul 1896.
He enlisted in the army at Indianapolis Ind. 22 May 1918 and was sent to France in June. He was attached to Bat. E 345th F.A. Ninetieth Division, and after five months in France, he was sent to Germany.
The following information was found in the Cemeteries of Howard County website:
Greenlawn Cemetery: CURRENS Clarence: born 1896 - died 1944, section 3 lot 42 -- link to photo of gravestone
Greenlawn Cemetery: CURRENS Naomi (Palmer): born 1901 - died 11 Jul 1972; buried 13 JUL 1972. Section 3 lot 42
The Kokomo Tribune Obituary Index lists an obituary for CURRENS Smiley in the 1944 book, page 179.
Information from Doug Currens: I'm Smiley's grandson ... he died young as Sheriff in Greentown, IN. ... He won multiple terms as Howard County sheriff. I have a yellowed copy of the Kokomo Tribune of May 7, 1932 with the electoral results showing him winning for the democrats by 907 votes, and a certificate appointing him sheriff from Harry G. Leslie, governor of Indiana from 23 Dec 1932. He married Naomi Laronna ELLIOTT (b 28 Feb 1901 in Howard County, d. Jul 1972 in Greentown) on 28 Jun 1921 at the Weslayan methodist parsonage, service performed by Rev. C. L. Enyeart. I have that certificate as well. Naomi helped run the jailhouse and later became a well-known and highly regarded antique collector, helping to found the Greentown Glass Museum and bequeathing many pieces from her collection to them as well. .. Smiley [died] of a sudden heart attack in 1945 [sic].
CURRENS, Rufus Howard, son of Robert J. and Eliza Rose FERRIL CURRENS was born in Howard Co Ind., 13 Feb 1893.
He left Kokomo Ind. for Louisville Ky 23 July 1918 and remained at Camp Zachary Taylor, until 29 Dec 1918, when he was discharged with the rank of sergeant.
NOTE: The following entry was found in the Social Security Death Index at Rootsweb
Rufus CURRENS born 13 Feb 1893; died Aug 1965. Last Residence: Indiana SSN: 313-34-0235 issued in Indiana.
The following information was found in the Cemeteries of Howard County website:
Greenlawn Cemetery: CURRENS Rufus Howard: born 13 Feb 1893 - died 4 Aug 1965; buried 7 AUG 1965, age 72. Section 3, lot 59 -- link to photo of gravestone - link to photo of military plaque
William Henry CURTIS, son of J.T. and L.A. HUEY CURTIS, and husband of Lora P. HART CURTIS, was born at Ogden, Kansas 25 Apr 1894.
He was graduated in mechanical engineering from the Kansas State Agricultural College at Manhattan. He enlisted at Fort Logan, Colo. 9 May 1917. From Fort Logan, he was transferred to Kelly Field, Texas; Dayton, Ohio; Garden City, L.I. and finally to Princeton University where he was a cadet. He had been attached to the following units in the air service: Seventeenth, Nineteenth, Forty-Forth, Thirteenth, 211th and 628th. His discharge was given at Princeton NJ 26 Nov 1918.
NOTE: No entry was located in a basic search of the Social Security Death Index
