Category Archives: VeteranBiography

Byler, Edgar

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BYLER, EDGAR, Pvt, Draft Headquarter, Nashville, TN Serial number 4445357, was born at Sage, Izard County, Arkansas on 21 September 1888. He was the son of Dr. S. E. BYLER and Lauraetta DOWNING BYLER, natives of Izard Co., Arkansas and Wayne County, Tennessee respectively.

In 1889, he came by train, steamboat and ox cart to Wayne County, Tennessee eventually settling with his parents in Iron City, Lawrence County, Tennessee. He graduated from the Iron City Institute in 1906 and entered the University of Tennessee that fall. In 1907, he began teaching school in Lawrence County, Tennessee, the Wayland Springs District. Later he taught at Thompson’s Station in Franklin County, Tennessee and other areas before entering the surveying business in 1912. He was a member of the surveying team which surveyed the Tennessee Western Railroad from Iron City to present day Collinwood and laid out the town of Collinwood under the supervision of Edward L. LULL.

He was inducted into the US Army in June 1918 and served in the Medical Corps as a Medical Examination Corpsman at the Induction Center in Nashville and later in Savannah, Tennessee. He was honorably discharged on 23 December 1918. and became a surveyor with the L & N Railroad, working in the building of the line from Sheffield, Alabama to Birmingham, Alabama through Russellville.

He married on 12 Nov 1919, in Russellville, Alabama to Mrs. Sarah Jane DUNN WALSH, a widow with two small children: Joseph E. WALSH and Robert E. WALSH. Sarah was the daughter of Joseph D DUNN and Frances Jane TILLEY DUNN, natives of England. Joseph D. DUNN was president of the American Products Company of Boyne City, Michigan and was in Collinwood during the war to supervise the building of the iron furnace which was part of the US Government Chemical Plant being erected by the Tennessee Valley Iron and Railroad Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania under a contract from the US Bureau of Aeroplane Manufacture.

Shortly after Mr. DUNN returned to Boyne City, Michigan in December 1919, Edgar BYLER joined them and worked with Mr. DUNN in the iron business. Edgar and Sarah’s first child, Laura Jane BYLER, was born at Manistique, Michigan on 7 July 1920. On 22 Dec 1920, Dr. S. E. BYLER died suddenly. Edgar and family moved back to Collinwood where they lived for a short time in the upstairs rooms of the drugstore. In 1921 Edgar was appointed Postmaster at Collinwood to fill out his father’s term. At the same time, Edgar and his brother-in-law, Allen BROWN formed a partnership to take over operation of the drug store. Thus Brown and Byler Drugs was born and would continue to serve the people of Collinwood until Edgar retired in 1962.

While living over the store Edgar and Sarah’s son, Edgar Donald BYLER was born on 19 September 1921. Shortly thereafter they moved into what was called the “Green” house on Second Avenue. Here their third child, Naomi Ruth BYLER was born 28 Jan 1923. With a growing family and a decline in profits from the store business, Edgar decided to seek work with the Tennessee Highway Department. He worked with the Highway department from 1923 until 1936, working to build Tenn. Highway 15 (later US 64). In 1936, he returned to the farm the family had bought in the McCall Community because of the Depression. Then in 1937 he returned to the Drugstore as Pharmacist.

Sarah Jane DUNN WALSH BYLER died 12 November 1965 at Wayne County General Hospital, Waynesboro, Tennessee and was buried at McGlamery Cemetery. Edgar BYLER died 17 May 1968 in Florence, Alabama. He is also buried at McGlamery.

During World War II, Edgar BYLER served on the Wayne County, Tennessee Draft Board and as a 1LT in the Tennessee State Guard. Three members of the family served in various services during World War II: Robert E. WALSH, U.S. Navy; LT. Laura Jane BYLER, US Army Nurses Corps; and SSG Edgar D.BYLER, Army Air Corps.

Butler, Reuben Vernor

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BUTLER, REUBEN VERNOR, was born 25 July 1894, the son of Thompson C. BUTLER and Mary Hulda HAY. He was a brother to Henry Arthur BUTLER above. During the war he was stationed at the Panama Canel. Date of induction and discharge not given. After the war, he returned to Lutts, Tennessee. Later he worked as a carpenter in Memphis, Tennesse and at Lutts. He spent several yeras working at Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Reuben later returned to Memphis and fianlly to Lutts, Tennessee where he served as a deputy sheriff. During his service as deputy sheriff, he was shot and paralized. He spent 12 years at the Veterans Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. He died 11 June 1966 and was buried in Pinhook Cemetery, Lutts, Tennessee. He never married.

Butler, Henry Arthur

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BUTLER, HENRY ARTHUR, was born 7 Aug 1890 ,the son of Thompson C. BUTLER (6 May 1860 – 26 Nov 1942, buried Punhook Cem.) and Mary Hulda HAY (25 Jan 1863 – 1 May 1910, buried in Decatur Co.,TN). He was inducted in 1917 at Waynesboro, TN. He served in Frances as a medic. His siblings were Omer Witt BUTLER, Benjamin Harrison BUTLER, Reuben Vernor BUTLER, Terry Cordelia BUTLER and William Hobart BUTLER.

His part in the Medical Corps was to go behind the fighting and help the wounded and to care for the dead. He fought in the battles of Rhine River, Argonne Forest and along the Meuse, from Verdun to Sedan, from 26 Sep 1918 through Armistice.

The Battles of Argonne Firest, September 27 – October 10, 1918, were a series of fierce and decisive battles. Twelve divisions of the American Army broke through the supposedly impenetrable German line. This was a rocky wilderness where there were barbed wire entanglements.

Henry Arthur BUTLER married first to Hester TININ (1 Feb 1890 – 1 Sep 1926, buried Pinhook Cem, Wayne Co., TN.) . He married second to Clarice DANIEL LAWSON, (7 Nov 1898 – 28 Aug 1942, buried Lawson Cem. Wayne Co., TN). He married third to Lillie LUCAS of Hardin Co., TN. His children were by Hester: Mary Louise BUTLER, stillborn, 22 Aug 1923, buried at Pinhook; by Clarice: Martin Hay BUTLER, b. 1941.

After the war, Henry worked up North for several years. After Clarice’s death, Henry moved to Martin, TN to live with his sister, Cordie and her husband, Charlie STRICKLIN. Cordie took care of Martin Hay BUTLER for three or four years.

Henry and son moved to Savannah to work for the Ice Company. He soon married Lillie. He died 19 May 1973 following a long illness and was buried at Pinhook Cemetry. Lillie died in a few years and Martin Hay BUTLER survives.

Burns, Albert

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burnsaBURNS, ALBERT, was born in the Houston community, Wayne County, Tennessee, the son of John and Alice McMULLIN BURNS. It is not known when he entered service, but he was dischaged in 1919 and returned home for a short time. He left and his later location was unknown. He had the following siblings: Erby BURNS (12 Nov 1890 – 24 April 1965) married Madgie Mildred MARTIN (25 Dec 1894 – 22 Nov 1932); Archie BURNS, b. May 1888, m. Ollie ADKISSON; Eddie BURNS, b. Oct 1895; Pearl BURNS, who married Jay MELSON; Etta BURNS m. William MORGAN; Edgar H. BURNS (7 Aug 1889 – 12 June 1890), Raymond BURNS m. Faithy J. CLAY; and Hubert BURNS, who married Sue BECKHAM. 

Burnette, Arthur Leroy

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BURNETTE,Arthur Leroy Burnette ARTHUR LEROY, born 1889 in Alabama, date of enlistment, service date and date of discharge not known. BRUNETTE was living in Collinwood, TN and working as an office clerk for the Tennessee Valley Iron and Railroad Company when he entered service. He returned to that job after the war.

He married Mamie ADKISSON on 10 June 1914 in Collinwood, TN. She was the daughter of Thomas A. and Mollie WILLIS ADKISSON of Collinwood. Arthur and Mamie had one known son, Arthur L. BURNETTE, Jr.

Bruce, Frank J.

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BRUCE, FRANK J. Sergeant Co. C, HQ BN, serial number 2,000,439, born at Eddyville, KY, Enlisted 2 Oct 1917 at Cadiz, KY, abd was 23 years and 5 months old at enlistment. He was described as 5′ 11″ tall, fair complexion with blue eyes and light brown hair. He left the US for foreign service on 4 March 1918 and served in France. He returned to the US on 30 June 1919 and was discharged at Mitchell Field,Long Island, NY on 8 July 1919. Soldier was single at enlistment. He was promoted to sergeant on 18 April 1919. No other information available.

Brown, James Taylor

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brownjtBROWN, JAMES TAYLOR, was born 23 November 1894, the son of James Irvin and Marguerite Roxanne PRINCE BROWN. He enlisted in the US Army on 24 June 1918 and was discharged 29 August 1919. He was a cook at Camp Gordon, GA. He was 22 years and 8 months old when inducted and a farmer. He was described as having brown eyes, brown hair, a fair complexion, standing 5′ 6¼” tall.

Taylor married in June 1919 to Nona BROWN of Milledgeville, Georgia. She died in 1981. Taylor died 2 July 1975. Taylor and Nona had five children: sons, James Taylor BROWN, Jr. (deceased), D. C. BROWN of Marianna, Arkansas, and “Pete” BROWN of Texas City, Texas; two daughters: Mrs. Annie Mei BROWN PARR of Wynne, Arkansas and Mrs. Thelma BROWN McELDUFF of Texas City, Texas. Taylor lived near Marianna, Arkansas where he was known as the “farmer with the green thumb.”

Taylor’s siblings were Frank G. BROWN (23 Aug 1884 – 16 Sep 1969), Alonzo BROWN (March 1889 – 2 Feb 1978), Archa BROWN (Oct 1890 – 15 Feb 1957), Henry C. BROWN (Feb 1892 – 1 Oct 1965), Milas BROWN (died 1955), Carroll BROWN (29 June 1898 – Nov 1988), Sarah BROWN (1 July 1886 – Nov 1965) and Jossia BROWN (18 Aug 1896 – 14 Feb 1986) who married Grady TREADWELL. He had two half-brothers: Bill and Woodruff BROWN.

Brown, James Russell

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brownjrBROWN, JAMES RUSSELL, was born in Wayne County, Tennessee on 10 June 1893, the son of Isaac T. and Mollie (BASTIN) BROWN. He moved to Lewis County, Tennessee soon after birth. He lived on Cane Creek in Lewis County, Flatrock Community until December 1915 when he moved to Topsy, Wayne County, Tennessee with his father, sister and two brothers.

He served in the US Army as a private in DEV BN, at Capt Gordon, GA. He was scheduled to go to France but had the influenza and his group went without him. When the war was over, he returned to Topsy where he resumed farming. He and his brothers, Grady and Raymond, farmed and operated a grocery store.

Russell married Maude RICKETTS of Hohenwald on 9 Dec 1920. They had five children: Ernest, Dora Etta, Rex, Alberta and Donna.

Russell was a kind, gentle man who loved farming and cared about the welfare of his family, friends and neighbors. He was an elder in the Church of Christ at Topsey and was instrumental in erecting a building for the church which was finished in 1948. He belonged to the American Legion Post at Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. He served as Justice of the Peace for the 6th district for several years.

Brown, Grady Rex

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browngr BROWN, GRADY REX, PVT, 307 Eng. 82nd Division, born 14 March 1896, at Cane Creek. Died 29 April 1940, buried at Whitehead Cemetery, Topsy, Wayne County, Tennessee. Inducted at Waynesboro. Father was Ike T. BROWN, b. 20 Dec 1862, d. 28 Jan 1933. Mother was Mollie, b. 12 Aug 1873, d. 25 July 1935. Both are buried in Bastin Cemetery located on N.E. side of Cane Creek Road on Bashie TALLEY property in Lewis County.

Had sister, Florence BROWN, b. 20 Nov 1901, who married Van RASBURY. Brothers: James Russell BROWN, b. 10 June 1893, d. 20 Feb 1949; C. Raymond BROWN, b. 24 Feb 1904, d. 5 March 1953. Both brothers are buried at Whitehead Cemetery, Topsy, Wayne Co., TN.

Grady Rex BROWN married Eslie WARREN in 1924. She was born 11 Nov 1895 and died 28 Nov 1956. Elsie was a school teacher. They did not have any children.

“On the eve of Induction Day, Ransom and Rosie LAFFERTY GRAVES assited by her parents, the William LAFFERTY family, entertained with a buffet supper at their home on the site where the Church of Christ now stands. After supper, the crowd from the Topsy Community gathered at the Topsy School building for a “farewell” party.

Raleigh PEYTON who married Ruth BROWN, Grady’s cousin, spoke for the community with tribute to the Topsy boys who would leave the next morning. Will MATHIS and “Sugar Boy” WHITEHEAD were among the “would-be” Army boys.

This was related by Grady’s sister, Florence BROWN RASBURY as she lay seriously ill in Regional Hospital, Columbia, Maury Co., TN on 30 October 1990.

Grady moved with this father, Ike, brothers and sisters from Cane Creek to the Myles EDWARDS farm at Topsy early in life. Later they moved to the Lewis D. WHITEHEAD farm in Topsy and continued to farm. They then operated the Brown Brothers Store and Grady was in charge of the ‘Peddling Route” throughout Wayne County.