Farmers in Military Service

My great-grandfather, William Roy Jewell, was born in 1918 and was native to the state of Illinois. His father and mother, Harry and Susan Jewell came from farming communities in Illinois, and t

I have come to learn over the course of my family history research that there is a lot of military draft registration cards, and even some digitized images of draft cards pertaining to great-grandparents.

I will focus on my great-grandfather, William Roy Jewell, who was born in 1918 in the state of Illinois to Harry Alvin Jewell and Susan Peters. They were farmers, and the both William and his father, Harry, happened to serve in the military.

Harry Jewell registered for the draft during World War I, and he was married to Susan at the time. Both of whom were living in Easton, Mason, Illinois.[1]

And, according to the 1920 U.S. Census, Harry served in the United States Navy, and was stationed on the U.S.S. Wickes, in San Francisco, California. (I haven't been able to locate Harry's wife and children, yet, but I imagine that they were taking care of their family farm back in Illinois.)[2]

There are records to indicate when Harry Jewell was discharged from his service in the Navy, but he and his family relocated to another farming community in Varina, Henrico, Virginia. They raised a poultry farm. Harry and Susan Jewell would both pass away in Virginia.[3]

The above census record is the first document to list all members of the Jewell household, but the individual I'd like to focus on is William R. Jewell.

William eventually moved away from Mom and Dad to find work on his own, and he was living in McDermitt, Oregon. He was a hired laborer on a cattle farm at this time.

If there is one thing I have come to appreciate about the 1940 U.S. Census, it's the fact that you can usually find the residence of the person you are searching. And, as for William Jewell, he was living in Virginia in 1935.[4]

After the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, my great-grandfather enlisted to serve in the United States Naval Reserve in 1942. He was stationed on the U.S.S. Hobson, and served until the ending of the war in 1945.[5]

[1]"United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," digital image, FamilySearch Record Search ((https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 20 August 2015), card for Harry Alvin Jewell, serial no. 1695, Mason Co. Local Board, Easton, Mason, Illinois; citing United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, NARA.

[2]1920 U.S. Census, San Diego County, California, population schedule, Seaport San Diego, California, enumeration district (ED) U.S.S. Wickes, p. 150 (stamped), sheet 1-A, line 72, Harry A. Jewell; digital image, FamilySearch.org (http://www.familysearh.org : accessed 21 August 2015).

[3]1930 U.S. Census, Henrico County, Virginia, population schedule, Varina, enumeration district (ED) 44-16, p. 278 (stamped), sheet 3-A, household 44, Harry A Jewell; digital image, FamilySearch.org (https://familysearch.org : accessed 8 April 2015); NARA.

[4]1940 U.S. Census, Malheur County, Oregon, population schedule, McDermitt 6 election-precinct, enumeration district (ED) 23-25, 147 (stamped) sheet 1-A, dwelling 11, William Jewell; digital image, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 19 March 2015); NARA.

[5]Muster Rolls of U.S. Navy Ships, Stations, and Other Naval Activities, 01/01/1939-01/01/1949; Report of Changes, 30 June 1942, U.S.S. Hobson (DD-464); U.S. World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949; William Roy Jewell; Record Group 24; NARA, National Archives Catalog ID: 594996; National Archives, Washington, D.C. This is a rather loose citation, using Evidence Explained by Elizabeth Shown Mills.