Military History

Woodford County

World War I Click on Thumbnails to see larger photos
	World War I Circa 1916 Hilarius "Larry" Grebner (son of Frank and Angeline) of Worth Township near Metamora in Woodford County IL Donated by Marjorie Grebner Welsch
	World War I Circa 1916 Larry Grebner--Practice at the Rifle Range Donated by Marjorie Grebner Welsch
	World War I The back of the photo says Geo. Specht. There is a George Specht buried in Minonk Cemetery, 1902-1982 Please contact us if anyone knows recognizes this soldier and has any additional information on him. Donated by Amy Robbins-Tjaden
	World War I 1918 Private Anton Frank Birkner U.S. Army, 341st Infantry Regiment, 86th Infantry Division Born: December 21, 1893 Woodford County, Illinois Died: October 9, 1918 Suresnes American Cemetery Burial Plot A Row 2 Grave 3 Suresnes, France Donated by Marjorie Grebner Welsch
	World War I 1918 Private Frederick Herring Born: January 23, 1894 Woodford County, Illinois Died: October 25, 1918, killed in action American Legion Frederick Herring Post No. 89 was organized in Metamora, Illinois shortly after the close of World War I in memory of Fred Herring. Donated by Marjorie Grebner Welsch
	World War I 1918 Pvt. Frank Anton Schneider son of Adam C. and Elizabeth (Prinzinger) Schneider Born: January 17, 1888 in Woodford County Illinois Died: November 3, 1918 in France Buried: Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France, Plot E, Row 10, Grave 15 Donated by Marjorie Grebner Welsch
	WORLD WAR I 1918 Elmer Earl Bayles entered US Army June 27, 1918 at Camp Grant, Rockford, IL. from Woodford Co. He signed up at the Eureka Courthouse.....there is a plaque with his name and other veterans on it in the hallway today. He joined the 86th division, Black Hawks, 344 Infantry, 1st Battalion. He was sent to Long Island, NY., sailed overseas from Hoboken, NJ, and landed in England Sept 1, 1918. He performed guard duty at Liverpool for several weeks, then crossed channel to Bordeaux, France. Then assigned to 78th division, he transferred to 83 Division and then to 114th Service Corp where he served as Military Police in Lemons, France for 6 months. Then he went to Brest, France and on to home. In service 11 months, he arrived home July 18, 1919. Sources: as told by Elmer Earl Bayles sr. to his son Elmer Earl Bayles Jr. in 1979. Donated by Marie-Frances Bayles
	WORLD WAR I 1919 ELMER EARL BAYLES AT THE TIME OF HIS DISCHARGE 1919 Elmer was a returning WW I veteran and his small town of Carlock, Illinois had a parade in the returning vets honor. That night at the church social they had a box lunches that the men in the audience had to bid on. Elmer knew about, but had never met the pretty blonde new school teacher in town named Jessie Kiser, and made sure he knew which box lunch she prepared. When the bidding started, he bid the highest for her lunch box which was $3.50--a lot of money in July 1919 when men were making less than a dollar a day. They ate Jessie's fried chicken together, then started dating, and were married May 1, 1920. Donated by Marie-Frances Bayles
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