VA-Harrison-Monongalia-L Archives

From: Brian D Core <>
Subject: [VA-Har-Mon] Good Genealogical Resource
Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2003 17:07:54 -0600

I've just discovered that the LDS Family History Centers have World War I
Draft Registration cards available on microfilm. They were originally
filmed by the National Archives and Records Administration, but were
duplicated by the LDS. Different districts used different cards, with
slightly different information. Most cards have the applicant's full
name, including the middle name. Sometimes middle names can be hard to
find. Most cards seem to have a precise birth date, but I noticed that a
few were missing. Some cards list the next of kin, some don't. Some cards
list birthplace, some don't. Some list occupation, some don't. Most give
the applicant's current address (as of 1917-1918). All cards list the
race of the applicant - I don't believe that black men were eligible for
combat service in the First World War, but could serve in support roles.
All cards list height (tall, medium, short), build (slender, medium,
stout), color of eyes, color of hair, or bald (some prefer to be called
follically deprived). All of the cards that I saw also listed reasons
that a person could not serve. One example for a relative was "lost left
leg;" that usually works to keep you out of combat. One of my Core
relatives listed "weak mind;" nobody doubted him, and he avoided the
draft. Another relative listed that he was a conscientious objector; that
ruse didn't work, and he's buried in France. Others listed that they had
dependent parents or a wife and children; I think that may have helped to
keep them at home. These cards weren't necessarily just for young men; I
think that men had to register up to about the age of 45, so you may find
that a father and his son both had to register.

If you'd like to rent the microfilm from your local LDS Family History
Center, you can find the correct microfilm number by checking the Family
History Library portion of their web site, familysearch.org. Look under
West Virginia, military records First World War. The Monongalia County
records are split on two microfilms:

West Virginia, World War I Selective Service System draft registration
cards, 1917-1918

WEST VIRGINIA Mingo County, S - Z Monongalia County, A - L FHL US/CAN
Film 1992863 OR:

WEST VIRGINIA Monongalia County, M - Z Monroe County, A - V FHL US/CAN
Film 1992864

You might find information about an institutionalized relative on a
different roll of microfilm:

WEST VIRGINIA Indians, Prisoners, Insane, In Hospitals, Late Registrants,
A - Z FHL US/CAN Film 2022637 Item 6

As far as I know, these records are also available for all of the states
and territories. This won't help you with your 18th-century brick walls,
but it's tremendously useful for recent research.

Brian Core
P. O. Box 1166
Brighton, CO 80601

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• [VA-Har-Mon] Good Genealogical Resource by Brian D Core <>