Category Archives: VeteranBiography

Templeton, John Alfred

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John Alfred TempletonTEMPLETON, John Alfred, was born on August 13, 1889, near Clifton, Tennessee. John was born in a large family; he was the second son of the marriage of William Newton and Rachel RAY TEMPLETON. “Newt”, a Confederate veteran, and Rachel each had families from previous marriages.

When the United States entered World War I, John was twenty-nine years old. He was inducted into the Army at Savannah, Tennessee, on October 17, 1917. He served in the Army Corps of Engineers, where he held the rank of corporal. He always remembered facing the Germans in the trenches of Frances. John was discharged from the Army on June 23, 1919.

After the war, John married Pearl PRATER of Clifton. They had six children: four of their children lived to adulthood. One of their sons, Willard, was killed in Europe during World War II. Another son, Ray TEMPLETON, died in 1974. Their other children, Glenn TEMPLETON and Maxine TEMPLETON RAY, still live in the Clifton area.

Except for a few brief periods, John spent his entire life around Clifton. He worked in sawmills and served as the Clifton Police for a while. John TEMPLETON died of a heart attack on June 5, 1967. Pearl TEMPLETON died in 1970.

Taylor, Paul James

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TAYLOR, Paul James, private, 167th Infantry, 42 Division (Rainbow Div), was born May 2, 1895. He was the son of William Franklin TAYLOR, born June 1853, d. Sep 1, 1918; and Eliza Ann, born Mar 8, 1856, d. June 2, 1939. His siblings were Mattie B., born April 1885; Alfred, born Nov. 1887; Emma E., born April 1889, Tennie G., born May 1892; Sarah F., born Feb. 1900; Icie J., born 1894, died 1970, married Johnny C. BROWN; Neva married Fred BLANKENHORN; and Flo who married Jamie PALMER.

After the war Paul Jones TAYLOR married J. Beulah MARTIN. They had one son, Donald M. TAYLOR. He lived in Collinwood, Tennessee the test of his life.

During the war he was gassed, he also had minor wounds to his leg. He was in the Hines hospital in Chicago, IL where they removed 60% of his stomach because of the gas. They rebuilt his stomach using Guinea Pigs. At that time he was the second person to ever have this type surgery done. He had many surgeries after that to remove ulcers.

He ran a grocery store in Collinwood and was active in the V. F. W. and the American Legion. He died during surgery November 2, 1967. He is buried at McGlamery Cemetery, Collinwood, Tennessee.

Submitted by son, Don TAYLOR, 106 Kathy Ave., Florence, AL 35633 (email DTW7032911@aol.com)

The Taylor Grocery Store in Collinwood, TN. The store was located in the building which was later known as the VFW building. Pictured left to right: Mr. HOLT and Paul TAYLOR.

Surratt, Oscar

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SURRAT, Oscar, was born Feb. 1893, and killed 1918, buried at Praters Chapel, Wayne Co., TN. He was the son of James N. SURRAT and Elizabeth LOYD. He had three sisters: Mary Ann BROOKS (7 Aug 1871-27 June 1925); Fannie, b. May 1975; and Betty, b. April 1883. He was killed in WWI and brought back in casket. His sisters identified him. No other information available.

Stull, Harry F.

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STULL, Harry F., service number not given, Sergeant Co. F, 327th Infantry, National Army. Entered service on 5 Sep 1917, at Waynesboro, TN, and was discharged in France on 20 July 1918 to accept a commission as 2nd Lieutenant in National Army. He was 21 years and 7 months old when enlisted and was a salesman by occupation. He is described as 5’7�” tall with blue eyes, dark hair and a ruddy complexion. Was serving with the American Expeditionary Forces in France at the time of his discharge and subsequent commission. He was later discharged as a 1st Lieutenant at Camp Pike, Arkansas on 5 June 1919. He was in the Toul Sector from 24 June 1918 to 19 July 1919, Oisne & Aisne Offensive from 24 Aug to 2 Sep 1918; the Meuse-Argonne from 26 Oct to 11 Nov 1918 and in the Army of Occupation from 11 Nov 1918 to 20 April 1919. No other information given.

Stricklin, William T.

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STRICKLIN, William T. service number 3496609, Private, Co. F, 166th Infantry, inducted 24 June 1918 at Waynesboro, TN, was born at Martins Mills, TN and was 22 years old and a farmer at induction. He is described as 5’11�” tall, with blue eyes, light hair and a fair complexion. Served with the American Expeditionary Forces in England, France, Belgium, Luxemburg and Germany, from 18 Aug 1918 until 25 April 1919. Was discharged at Ft. Oglethorpe, GA on 13 May 1919. Was single during service. No other information submitted.

Stricklin, Herman Alexander

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Herman A. StricklinSTRICKLIN, Herman Alexander, (1894-1975).

Herman Alexander STRICKLIN was born at Lutts, Tennessee, Wayne County on 21 December 1894. To the late Nancy Caroline GREESON and Matthew Harvey STRICKLIN.

Mr. STRICKLIN received his elementary education at the Johnson’s Chapel and Pinhook Schools, and his higher education at Wayne County College, Waynesboro, Tennessee.

He began his professional career, as a teacher, in Wayne County Schools, as early as 1914, serving at Mt. Zion and at Bear Creek, near Copeland’s Chapel. His salary was thirty dollars a month.

On 12 December 1917, Mr. STRICKLIN and Dola Matilda LINDSEY of Martins Mills, Tennessee, Wayne County were married. Almost immediately, then, he left for service in the United States Army and basic training at Camp Gordon, Georgia. His young wife followed and lived in near-by Atlanta where they were together whenever they could be until he was sent in April 1918 to Camp Upton, Long Island, New York, to await shipment overseas.

A short time thereafter, Mr. STRICKLIN was in France with the 82nd Infantry Division where, at one time, he was in battle for twenty-three days, in the St. Mihiel Drive, and in the Argonne Forest, “one of the bloodiest battles that was fought during the war.”

The war over, by 5 May 1919, Mr. STRICKLIN was back in “the good old U.S.A.” and was soon given an honorable discharge with the rank of private first class.

Returning then to Lutts, he applied for an appointment with the United States Postal Service, and effective 20 June 1921, he was notified of his employment as a rural mail carrier, Route 4, Waynesboro, at the annual salary of eighteen-hundred and ninety dollars. Later, however, he transferred to the Lutts Post Office where he served as carrier for Route 1 from around 1922 until his retirement in 1955.

During these years Mr. and Mrs. STRICKLIN became the parents of three sons: Herman Lindsey, now of Florence, Alabama; and William Ellis of Hendersonville, Tennessee. The youngest son, Thomas Earl, died in Washington, D.C. in 1972.

On 3 June 1975, Mr. STRICKLIN died, and on 14 November 1979, Mrs. STRICKLIN died. They, with their son, Thomas, are buried in the Lutts Cemetery.
PictuFront of Post card: drawing of Gen. Pershingred at left:
Front of postcard sent by Herman A. STRICKLIN to his wife, Dola, from France in 1918.

Stockard, Clifford Lee

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Clifford Lee StockardSTOCKARD, Clifford Lee, was born 5 July 1895. He was one of eleven children of Eula Samuel and Elizabeth COPELAND STOCKARD. His grandparents were John and Mary PRIEST STOCKARD and Bob and Martha COPELAND. Seven brothers and sisters are still living: Clinton STOCKARD, Lawrenceburg, TN; Clemon STOCKARD in Michigan; Herman STOCKARD, Florence, AL; Lola CLAYTON and Eula KELLEY, Waynesboro, TN. The deceased are Hettie Brown, Elliot McCrory, and Jessie Melton.

Clifford grew up in Wayne County around Forty-eight creek until he went into service in World War I. He entered the US Army on 2 Oct 1917 as a Private in Co. E, 117 Infantry and received an honorable discharge on 15 April 1919. He took his physical at Ft. Oglethorpe, GA with light feet noted, and this was signed by Capt. BRUMBER.

During his months of training he was stationed at Camp Sevier in Grenville, SC. He was hospitalized at Camp Sevier from 18 – 30 Nov, 1917 with a severe case of measles and pneumonia. He only came home one time during his stay in the service.

Going overseas as a blacksmith, he shod Belgium horses behind the front lines. His orders had come to go to the front line on 12 Nov 1918, only one day after the war ended on 11 Nov 1918.

Before entering the service, Clifford was married to Ina LAY, daughter of Robert and Sarah MATNEY LAY of Factory Creek. After the war was over they made their permanent home on Factory Creek where they raised their family of eleven children all of whom are still living: Marie GRIGGS, Mamie DIXON, LouElla ANDREWS, Pauline KILBURN all of Wayne County; Harvell STOCKARD of Columbia, TN; Edmond and Robert STOCKARD, Grace AGNER, Bertha HADDOCK, Dorthy CLAY and Elsie COTHRAN all of Nashville, TN.

With all the family working together on the farm raising most of their food, they never went hungry. He did blacksmith work and traded horses for some extra cash. He served as a magistrate for several years performing many weddings and other duties of the courts. He drove the school bus for several years until he retired.

He took his family to church regularly and was a very active leader as a Sunday School Superintendent and song leader of Zion Baptist Church. If there was a church service or revival in any other church around, he would load all the children on a mule drawn wagon and go.

On 30 March 1959, he was killed in a farming accident on a tractor and was buried in the Gallaher Cemetery on Factory Creek. The community and family suffered a great loss of a great father, friend and leader. His wife Ina is residing in Nashville with her daughter Grace AGNER at the present time.

Stanfield, Alex George

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STANFIELD, Alex George, was born 22 Aug 1893, Barton, Colbert Co., AL and died 3 Oct 1982, Lauderdale Co., AL. He is buried at Memory Gardens, Collinwood, TN. He was the son of William G. and Eliza Jane HOLT STANFIELD. He married Myrtle JACKSON on 11 Aug 1915, Wayne Co., TN. They had the following children:

1. Margie STANFIELD, married Troy WORTHAM and lived in Lauderdale Co., AL.

2. Arville C. STANFIELD, b. 1 Jan 1925, d. 29 Nov 1938.

Alex George STANFIELD was married second to Flossie REAVES. No other information provided.

Springer, Ernest

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SPRINGER, Ernest, born in Waynesboro, TN in 1897, son of Willie “Bill” and Rose SPRINGER (Mar 1861 – Apr 1951). He was inducted at Waynesboro, TN on 26 Sep 1918, and died in service 7 Oct 1918 of bronchial pneumonia – only twelve days in service. His siblings were William, b. Sep 1882, Amos, b. Sep 1886, Brown, b. Oct 1888, Wert, b. Mar 1894, Roscoe, b. June 1900; Callie, b. Feb 1885, Laura, b. Nov 1890, and Annie, b. Sep 1896. No other information submitted.