LAWSON, DeWitt Talmadge, Co. C, First Field Sig. BN, American Expeditionary Forces. The following letter was printed in the “Wayne Countian” in 1918.
“Dear Father and Folks at Home:
“This leaves me happy and well everything just going fine. I am very sorry because I have delayed in writing so long but have been impossible to write without beaucop trouble in getting our letters mailed.
“Well, dad, we are near the German line now taking a few days’ rest. We came through Belgium which was held by the Germans and also near through Luxemburg. The people sure are glad to see us. In all towns they meet us with a hand and say, “Welcome to our country.”
“It won’t be very long until we will look upon the Rhine, and then on our way home. You can bet on me being with you by spring if nothing happens.
“Well tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I won’t have the dinner like I had last year in New Jersey with my girl. We will have corn bill or slum, not much better for Christmas, but I will make it up when I come back. I will have to have to some time when I get back for I have been through so much hardship, I have went without food and sleep, have slept in the mud night after night while the shrapnel is flying through the air. Well I am proud I am through with it safe. I begun with the first and stayed with it unto the last hour. I was near the last shell that come over from the Hun. Will tell you all about it when I get back.
“That was too bad about Mr MENTON, but there is a time we all have to go.
“Trusting this will find you well will close, Your son,
DeWitt Talmage LAWSON
Co. C, First Field Sig. Bn. A.E.F.
Biegelback, Luxemburg, Nov 27, 1918.”
Submitted by Ancil Balentine, Collinwood, TN.
Obituary from the Wayne County News, Wednesday, 12 May 1999
Funeral services for Dewitt Talmadge (D. T.) Lawson, 103 of Seminole County, OK were conducted Tuesday, Mary 2 [1999] at Stout Funeral Home Chapel with Claude Bohannon officiating. Burial followed in Oakwood Cemetery. / Mt. Lawson died Friday, February 26 [1999]. He was a native of Waynesboro, a son of the late John and Kate (King) Lawson. He worked as a rural mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service for many years before his retirement. He served in the U.S. Army with the Signal Corp., 2nd Division during World War I and served with teh 45th Division during World War II. He was he last World War I veteran in Seminole County. He was a first cousin to the late Waymon Skillern and Lorene Caudle of Collinwood. / Survivors include two daughters, Betty Barb of Midland, TX and Pamela A. Lawson of the home; four grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren and three great-great-granadchildren. He also has several other cousins in Wayne County.