Wounded in Action - Received Purple Heart
Researched and written by Linda Fluharty.
In the book, History of Marshall County, by Scott Powell, 1925, JAMES R. WILKINSON is named as one who was Killed in Action during World War I.
He was not.
In the 1900 Federal Census of Marshall County, James R. "Wilkinson," age 8, lived in Webster District with his parents, William E. and Mary E., and siblings, Orla M., Lestie H., Robert N., William F., Mary E., Orphia E., Andrew E., and Frederic P. The father was a blacksmith.
According to the West Virginia Death Records, the father, William E. "Wilkerson," a blacksmith, died of La Grippe on May 5, 1906.
At the time of the 1910 census, James "Wilkerson" is found in Webster District with mother, Ella, and siblings, Orpha E., Andrew, Frederic, Gracie and Harold. - The mother was Mary Ellen McGary Wilkerson, 1860-1922. The parents married in Marshall County in 1882.
James moved to Akron, Summmit County, Ohio. In his World War I Draft Registration, he stated he was James Ralph Wilkerson, born on February 11, 1892 at "Wolfrun, W. Virginia, US." He was employed as a Rubberworker at Firestone T & R Co., Akron.
From Ohio Soldiers in WWI, 1917-1918: "Born abt 1892, Wolfrun, West Virginia. Enlisted at Akron 2 Apr 1918. Enlistment Division: National Army LB 3. 38 Co 10 Training Battalion 158 Depot Brigade to 21 Apr 1918; Co A 323 Machine Gun Battalion to 28 Aug 1918; Machine Gun Company 102 Infantry to Discharge Private St Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne; Defensive Sector. Wounded In Action slightly 28 Oct 1918. American Expeditionary Forces June 12/18 to Apr 7/19. Hon disch Apr 29/19. 10% disabled."
The first wife of James Ralph Wilkerson was Mary Ethel Pettit, born in Calhoun County, West Virginia. They were married in Ohio County, West Virginia on June 23, 1917. They had daughters, Edith Almira and Mary Madeline.
On June 11, 1929, James Ralph Wilkerson, 33, married Edna Marie Hixon, 23, in New Cumberland, Hancock County, West Virginia. They had a daughter, Lucy Mae, born in 1930. In the census of Akron that year, James was employed as an auditor at the Railroad. [Whether he was divorced or a widower has not been determined because the actual marriage record is missing from the West Virginia Archives & History database. This transcription is from familysearch.org.]
By 1940, according to the census of Akron, Summit County, Ohio, James, an auditor with the Railroad, and his wife, Edna M., had two more children, James R. and Rae Marie.
In 1942, James R. Wilkerson registered for the draft. He stated he was born on February 11, 1892 at Wolfrun, W.Va. and he was worked for the "A C & Y Railroad [Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad].
From: U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963: James Ralph Wilkerson, born February 11, 1892, died October 16, 1958. He had enlisted April 2, 1918 and was discharged April 29, 1919. He served as a Private "A Co. 323 Mach. Gun Bn. Mach. Gun Co. 102nd Infantry, U. S. Army." He had received a Purple Heart. He is buried at Rose Hill Burial Park, Akron, Ohio.
James is named in the West Virginia Blue Book, 1919, as having been "Wounded Severely."
At least one brother, Fred P. Wilkerson, born in West Virginia on December 26, 1897, also moved to Akron and then served in WWI. He enlisted October 17, 1917 and was discharged on June 18, 1919. According to Ohio Soldiers in WWI, 1917-1918, he was born in Cameron, W.Va. He was a Wagoner, Co #3 23rd Engineers and served in France. He died November 13, 1951 and is buried at Ellet Memorial Park, Akron.