Monthly Archives: November 2019

William Thompson White’s great-granddaughter made an exciting find while cleaning out the barn behind his former home.

NC WWI Service Card
William Thompson White, or “Son” was previously introduced in a WWI Profile as one of the first two men from Brunswick County sent to France.

Recently, his great-granddaughter, Kelly Prestipino, contacted the Friends of Fort Caswell Rifle Range to share some fascinating news.

“Son was my great-grandfather and I grew up in his house. Kenneth Welch White was my grandfather and Kenneth Dale White was my dad. After my dad passed away, I cleaned out the barn behind the house and found a really old trunk. These were in it.” ~Kelly

Wow, what an amazing story!

The identification tags (“dog tags”) have his Army serial number, which matches his NC WWI Service Card. They also indicate his rank (Pvt – although he would ultimately hold the rank of Corporal), Division (1 Div), and company (Co. B M.S.T: Company B, Motor Supply Train).

The medal is the WWI Victory Medal, and each clasp identifies a battle he participated in.

Recall from Corp White’s WWI Profile that the First Division (“The Big Red One”) was the first to arrive in France and the first in battle. The Somme Defensive [sawm] clasp on his medal shows his participation. This is followed by Aisne-Marne [eyn-marn], St. Mihiel [san-mee-yel], Meuse-Argonne [myooz-ar-gawn], and the Defensive Sector.

Previously, Edward David Redwine and Doris F. Redwine, the family of Brunswick County WWI veteran Pvt David Bertram Frink, sent photos of Pvt Frink’s medals. They can be viewed on this post.

Corporal “Son” White should have also received the Army of Occupation of Germany Medal as shown on Pvt Frink’s post.

Another great find is this photo of Corporal White. This will be added to his WWI Profile, which previously included a very grainy newspaper photo.

Kelly also sent a copy of this photo of Son. As he served in the Motor Supply Train, it is especially exciting to have a photo of him behind the wheel of what must be a Liberty Truck.

The Liberty Truck was designed soon after the US entered WWI. Over 9,000 were produced and sent to France. Assembly contracts were awarded to 15 companies located from New York to Illinois.

There are several surviving trucks in existence today, including this restored one in the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton, OH.

Thank you, Kelly, for sending photos of these priceless artifacts!

Anyone having photos of their ancestor’s WWI medals, artifacts, ancestor in uniform, or anything else of interest, please send them and we will post them on the website.

To view this or an earlier profile or snapshot at any time, click on the veteran’s name on the WWI Brunswick County Veteran list, which is also accessible by the blue button on the top right of the webpage.

If you would like to help us honor William Thompson White or another Brunswick County WWI veteran, please use the following links:

Click here for the announcement:
Announcement: Honor a Brunswick County World War I Veteran
Click here for directions to donate and honor a veteran:
How to Honor a Brunswick County World War I Veteran

Several years after WWI, John Stevenson Moses was killed by gas leaking from a fixture at his residence.

NC WWI Service Card
John Stevenson Moses was born on September 29, 1899, in Morganton, NC.

On January 17, 1918, when John was 18, he enlisted at Fort Caswell. He served until December 24, 1918.

At age 25, John was killed in a tragic accident. A leaky gas fixture in his rooming house caused his death. The following accounts were published in The Washington Post.

Leaky Gas Fixtures Criticized by Coroner
Leaky gas fixtures in hotels and lodging houses, said to have caused the death of John Moses, 35 [25] years old, of Morgantown N.C., yesterday, will probably be condemned at the inquest to be held tomorrow morning, Coroner Nevitt said yesterday.

The defective gas fixture has been removed by police and will be produced as evidence at the inquest. Dr. Nevitt criticized hotel proprietors who risk the lives of their guests. The law requires gas jets to be of a safe pattern, but Coroner Nevitt wants additional law to have them regularly inspected.
Source: The Washington Post, 15 Dec 1924, p2.

More Gas-Fixture Inspectors Urged
Recommendation of the coroner’s jury that all gas fixtures in rooming houses be regularly inspected by the District may result in a request for additional inspectors, District officials said yesterday. The jury’s recommendation was made as a result of the accidental death from illuminating gas of John Moses, of Morgantown, N.C., in a room at 207 Pennsylvania avenue northwest. The gas fixture in the room was defective, although Carl Smith, the dead man’s roommate, testified the gas had been blown out.

Inspection of gas fixtures is made now, Plumbing Inspector McGonegal said yesterday.
Source: The Washington Post, 18 Dec 1924, p24.

John Stevenson Moses’ death likely saved many lives. His gravesite has not been located.

To view this or an earlier profile or snapshot at any time, click on the veteran’s name on the WWI Brunswick County Veteran list, which is also accessible by the blue button on the top right of the webpage.

If you would like to help us honor John Stevenson Moses or another Brunswick County WWI veteran, please use the following links:

Click here for the announcement:
Announcement: Honor a Brunswick County World War I Veteran
Click here for directions to donate and honor a veteran:
How to Honor a Brunswick County World War I Veteran

Alonzo Lee Murrell’s son was a World War II Prisoner of War.

NC WWI Service Card
Alonzo Lee Murrell was born on June 20, 1894, in Brunswick County, NC.

While living in Navassa, he was called to duty and inducted into the US Army in Southport on April 2, 1918. PFC Murrell served in the Medical Department, serving overseas from October 13, 1918 until June 10, 1919. He was honorably discharged on June 27, 1919.

Alonzo married Emma E. Allen in Wilmington on April 11, 1921. A son, Jack Allen, was born in Wilmington. In 1925 they relocated to the Cumberland, MD, area, where a daughter was born.

His son, Jack Allen Murrell, served in WWII and was reported missing for six months, from September 18, 1944 until March 16, 1945. Records indicate he was a POW. The following article describes his experience.

Lt. Jack Murrell Reported To Be Safe in England
Lt. Jack Allen Murrell, pilot of a C-47 transport plane is, “free and back in England,” according to a cablegram he sent his wife, Mrs. Mary Weakley Murrell, 42 Potomac Street, Ridgeley, yesterday. He was reported missing in Groesbeek, Holland September 18, the day his baby daughter was one month old.

Serving overseas since February 14, 1944, Lt. Murrell for seven months flew a regular run from England to France carrying paratroopers. At the time he was reported missing he was towing gliders over Holland.

The last word Mrs. Murrell had from her husband was October 3; recently she received a small note, she said, from an English paratrooper, stating that he hoped her husband would reach his base some day soon; on March 15 she received a letter from an English pilot who wrote he had been with Lt. Murrell eight weeks having left him on February 10, when the English pilot made his way back to England. In concluding, he wrote, “Lt. Murrell should be following any moment now.” Mrs. Murrell said she had reason to believe her husband and the English pilot were assisted by the underground in their escape of the Nazis and their return to England.

The son of Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Murrell, Ridgeley, Lt. Murrell entered the service April 25, 1941, and was commissioned and received his wings at Columbus, Miss., leaving from Fort Benning, Ga., in February 1944, for England. He was awarded the Air Medal for his part in the D-day invasion.
Source: Cumberland News (Cumberland, MD), 17 March 1945, p14.

Alonzo Lee Murrell passed away suddenly at work on March 18, 1955, at age 60. He was laid to rest in Oakdale Cemetery in Wilmington, NC. The following obituary was published.

Alonzo L. Murrell, 60, of Ridgeley, pipefitter for the Western Railway Company at Maryland Junction, died suddenly yesterday afternoon while at work.

A native of Wilmington, N.C., he was a son of the late John and Julia Murrell and had resided in Ridgeley for the past 30 years.

A veteran of World War I, Mr. Murrell was a member of the First Presbyterian Church here. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Emma Murrell; a daughter, Miss Faye Murrell, Wilmington, a son, Jack A. Murrell, city; and a granddaughter, Mary Elizabeth Murrell, city; two sisters and two brothers, Leland, N.C.

The body is at the Kight Funeral Home where a service will be conducted today at 7:30 p.m. with Rev. W. Randolph Keefe Jr., pastor of Grace Baptist Church, officiating.

Tomorrow the body will be taken to Wilmington for burial in the Oakdale Cemetery. The family requests that flowers be omitted.
Source: Cumberland News (Cumberland, MD), 19 March 1955, p6.

To view this or an earlier profile or snapshot at any time, click on the veteran’s name on the WWI Brunswick County Veteran list, which is also accessible by the blue button on the top right of the webpage.

If you would like to help us honor Alonzo Lee Murrell or another Brunswick County WWI veteran, please use the following links:

Click here for the announcement:
Announcement: Honor a Brunswick County World War I Veteran
Click here for directions to donate and honor a veteran:
How to Honor a Brunswick County World War I Veteran