World War I Deaths

This is a documented list of servicemen from Henderson County who died in World War I.
An original list was compiled from the book “A Partial History of Henderson County” by J.T. Fain, state archives, the book “Soldiers of the Great War, Vol. II,” cemetery records and families.
An attempt was made to then document each name using military records from the National Archives and state archives, documents related to individual military units, census reports, and military and other cemeteries.
Research on men serving in World War I is extremely difficult. Many records were destroyed in a fire in 1973 in St. Louis, Mo. Many enlistment records, discharge reports, death reports, compiled service records, etc., are missing. Most of the men who died in Europe are buried in Europe. In some instances the bodies were disinterred and brought back to the United States in the 1920s. Many families contacted did not know where the family member’s grave site was located. In several cases there is no death certificate or record of death stating whether the person died in the United States or overseas. Further compounding the problem is that the worst worldwide flu epidemic in history occurred during the war. Hundreds of men, if not thousands, died of the flu overseas and at camps within the United States. No death records could be located for many of these men.
Therefore, there may be men from Henderson County who died while serving in the military in World War I who are not on this list. Persons with more information are requested to e-mail [email protected]
The military service members were listed as Henderson County servicemen who died in World War I using the following criteria:
1. Residence at the time of draft registration
2. Residence at the time of birth
3. Residence on census reports
4. Residence on military records
5. Death occurred from 1917 to 1918
6. Death occurred when the service member was an active duty member of the military

After documentation was completed, it was determined that 19 men from Henderson County died in World War I.

Killed in Action

1. Collins, Robert – (May 11, 1893-Oct. 27, 1918) He was born in Henderson County, the son of Jeremiah “Jerry” M. Collins and Jane Rosa Cox Collins. In 1910, he was living with his grandparents in Hendersonville. He registered for the draft June 5, 1917, in Indiana, where he was working as a cabinet maker. He listed his grandmother in Hendersonville as next of kin. He is listed in the book “Soldiers of the Great War, Vol. II,” as a private and a North Carolina casualty of World War I from Hendersonville. There is no military cemetery listing of a Robert Collins from North Carolina. The family in Hendersonville received a letter stating that he was killed in action or missing in action. The family never heard anything else from the Army. There is a Pvt. Robert Collins who served with the U.S. Army 804th Pioneer Infantry Regiment who entered the service from Tennessee. There was a Robert S. Collins who died in World War I from Tennessee, but his date of death is May 28, 1917. The Robert Collins in the Army’s 804th Pioneer infantry was killed in action Oct. 27, 1918. His grave site is Plot C Row 20 Grave 19 St. Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, France. This possibly is the Robert Collins from Henderson County.

2. Cox, Marshall – (May 2, 1894-Nov. 7, 1918) He was born in Hendersonville, a son of Marshall E. Cox and Martha Jane Dalton Cox. He was a carpenter when he registered for the draft in 1917. He served with the Army’s 167th Infantry Regiment, 42nd Division. He was killed in action Nov. 7, 1918. His grave site is at Plot E Row 20 Grave 40 Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France.

3. Dukes, George Harper (Jr.) – (April 22, 1896-May 7, 1918) He was born in St. James, Clarendon County, S.C., a son of George H. Dukes Sr. and Alice Elizabeth Dukes (maiden name not proven). On the 1900 and 1910 census reports he was living in South Carolina. He registered for the draft in South Carolina. He enlisted in the Navy on Oct. 11, 1917, in Raleigh. He was a fireman third class on the USS Mount Vernon. Navy records state that he was killed in battle with an enemy submarine (the transport ship did not sink). At the time of his death, his mother was living in Hendersonville and his father was deceased. Since he enlisted in North Carolina, he may have lived in Hendersonville for a short time. U.S. Headstone Applications for U.S. Military Veterans state his grave site is at St. Paul Cemetery in Summerton, S.C.

4. Garren, Volley Paton – (Feb. 6, 1887-Sept. 29, 1918) He was born in Henderson County, N.C., a son of Wiley Kinsey Garren and Martha Jane McElrath Garren. He was living in Henderson County on the 1900 and 1910 census reports. His World War I enlistment record spells his name as Valley Patton Garren. He is listed in the book “Soldiers of the Great War, Vol. II,” as one of the men from North Carolina killed in action with his name misspelled (Valley Paton Carron). He enlisted Oct. 2, 1917. He was a private with Company, H, 119th Infantry, 30th Infantry Division. He was killed in action in France. His grave site was moved from France to Arlington National Cemetery in 1921, Plot: Section: 18, Site 1480.

5. Holmes, James Hill – (Oct. 9, 1895-July 19, 1918) He was born in Charleston, S.C., a son of James H. Holmes Sr. and Septima Toomer Holmes. In 1900 he lived in Hendersonville with his grandmother and mother. In 1910 he lived in Charleston, S.C., with his parents. He was a 1915 graduate of the Citadel in Charleston, S.C. He was a captain with the 26th Infantry, Co. C. His grave site is at Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, S.C.

6. Johnson, James R. – (1893-Oct. 8, 1918) He was born in the Mills River community, the son of Liston Leander Johnson and Eloise M. Morris Johnson. He served as a private with the Medical Detachment, 118th Infantry, 30th Division. He was killed in action Oct. 8, 1918. His grave was originally in France. One Arlington National Cemetery form gives state of residence as South Carolina, but there was not a James R. Johnson who died in the war from South Carolina. His residence is listed as Fletcher, N.C., in the book “Soldiers of the Great War, Vol. II.” His grave site is at Section WH EU Site 4350 Arlington National Cemetery.

7. Jones, Thomas Jefferson – (April 20, 1893-Oct. 8, 1918) He was born in the Dana community, the son of James Jones and Elizabeth Adeline Waters Jones. He was living in East Flat Rock when he enlisted in the Army. He is listed as a private who was killed in action in the book “Soldiers of the Great War, Vol. II.” A military record was not located stating the unit in which he served. His tombstone states “killed while crossing Hindenburg Line.” His grave site is at Refuge Baptist Church Cemetery in the Dana community.

8. Smith, Clancy “Clannie” W. – (Dec. 1, 1899-July 18, 1918) He was born in the Crab Creek community, the son of Edward Griffin Smith and Serepta Jane Hamilton Smith. He lived in Etowah when he enlisted. He was a corporal in Co. E, 28th Infantry, 1st Division, when he was killed in action. He was originally buried in France. His grave site is at Section EURO Plot 18 Site 1579 Arlington National Cemetery.

9. Smith, Hubert McRee – (Oct. 8, 1894-Nov. 9, 1918) He was born in Hendersonville, a son of William Alexander Smith and Ann Haseltine Jordan. He was attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill when he enlisted. He was serving as a lieutenant in the 324th Infantry Regiment, 81st Division, when he was killed in action. His grave site is at Plot C Row 24 Grave 9 St. Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, France. See separate link on Hubert M. Smith.

10. Wilcox, Robert E. – (-May 28, 1918) He is listed in the book “Soldiers of the Great War, Vol. II” as an Army corporal from Hendersonville, N.C., who was killed in action May 28, 1918. He served with the 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division. His grave site is at Plot C Row 18 Grave 8 Somme American Cemetery, Bony, France. Searches of census reports and genealogical records were not successful in locating this person in Henderson County. Persons with more information are asked to e-mail [email protected]

 Died of Wounds

1. Owensby (Owenby) Lola L. – (Jan. 26, 1896-July 23, 1918) He was born in the Fairview community of Buncombe County, the son of Fidellio D. Owensby and Mary Elizabeth Reed Owensby. In 1910, the family lived in Edneyville. His residence was listed as Fletcher when he enlisted in the Army. He served with Co. K, 9th U.S. Infantry. His grave site is at Patty’s Chapel Cemetery in the Hooper’s Creek community.

2. Pace, Cumbee – (Feb. 22, 1894-Sept. 14, 1918) He was born near Saluda, a son of Henry H. Pace and Ann Matildah Hart Pace. He lived in Henderson County and was working in a cotton mill in Inman, S.C., when he registered for the draft in 1917. The military unit in which he served could not be located. His grave site is at Mountain Page Baptist Church Cemetery in the Mountain Page community of Henderson County.

 Died of Disease

1. Bishop, Simpson Seagle – (Sept. 29, 1894-Oct. 6, 1918) He was born near Saluda, the son of William Douglas Bishop and Nancy Caroline Revis Bishop. By 1910, the family lived in the Green River community. He died of disease (flu) while serving in the Army in Europe. His grave site is at Plot D Row 11 Grave 5 Brookwood American Cemetery, Brookwood, England.

2. Bly, Donald Hunting – (May 1891-Oct. 21, 1918) He was born in New York, a son of Frank A. Bly and Helen Hunting Bly. By 1900, the family lived in Hendersonville. He was a radio sergeant and died of influenza at Fort Monroe, Va. His grave site is at Oakdale Cemetery in Hendersonville.

3. Jones, James Clyde – (May 19, 1895-April 6, 1919) He was born in the Edneyville community, a son of George Twitty Jones and Laura Alice Laughter Jones. He was living in Edneyville and working as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service when he registered for the draft in 1917. He died of pneumonia while serving with the Army in France. His grave site is at Mount Moriah Baptist Church Cemetery in Edneyville.

3. Kuykendall, Robert Roy – (May 9, 1897-Nov. 21, 1918) He was born in the Green River community, a son of Robert Valentine Kuykendall and Effie Elizabeth Ward Kuykendall. The family lived in Greenville County, S.C., when he registered for the draft. He was serving in Co. A, 60th Pioneer Infantry when he died of influenza at Camp Wadsworth, S.C.  His grave site is at Mud Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Flat Rock.

4. McAbee, Sydney Norman – (Jan. 16, 1894-Oct. 1, 1918) He was born in the Fairview community of Buncombe County, a son of James M. McAbee and Catherine Marshall McAbee. By 1910 the family lived in the Edneyville community of Henderson County. He died of influenza while serving in the Army at Camp Hancock, Ga., near Augusta, Ga. His grave site is at Barnwell Baptist Church Cemetery in the Edneyville community.

 Died of Unknown Causes

1. Cox, Edgar – (May 1, 1896-Oct. 11, 1918) He was born near the Bat Cave community, a son of Valentine R. Cox and Mary Nix Cox. He was living near Gerton when he registered for the draft. He served as a private with the Medical Corps. The location of his death and the cause of death were not located. His grave site is at the Nix Family Cemetery in Middle Fork, between Bat Cave and Gerton.

2. Leverett, Roy L. (Jan. 7, 1896-Sept. 22, 1917) He was serving with the 2nd Recruiting Co., Columbus Barracks, Ohio, when he died in Franklin County, Ohio. The cause of death was not stated.  He was born in Henderson County, a son of Joseph L. Leverett and Ida Fleetwood Hill Leverett Stepp. His father died prior to 1900. He is listed incorrectly on census reports as Roy L Stepp in 1900 living with his mother and stepfather. His grave site is at Oakdale Cemetery in Hendersonville.

Louis Gordon Durham was listed in several local references as a soldier who died in World War I from Henderson County. His death certificate states that he was a student at A&E College (N.C. State) when he died Oct. 9, 1918, of pneumonia in Raleigh. There is no military record. He was a student at the Blue Ridge School for Boys when he registered for the draft. He was a son of Thomas L. Durham and Martha Sherrill Durham, and was living in Hendersonville on the 1900 and 1910 census records. His grave site is at Oakdale Cemetery in Hendersonville.