Military Legacy Of Letcher County, Kentucky And Beyond

MILITARY LEGACY OF LETCHER COUNTY, KENTUCKY AND BEYOND

GENEALOGY ~ PHOTOGRAPHS ~ LETTERS ~ HISTORY

Written And Compiled By Waukesha Lowe Sammons

Daughter of Daskum Combs (1917 - 2005) and Technical Sergeant, Albert Roy "Jake" Lowe (1917 - 1944),

who was awarded a Silver Star Medal for Action Taken on The Fourth of July 1944 in France,

and who was Killed In Action on September 16, 1944 in World War II.

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LETCHER COUNTY, KENTUCKY SOLDIERS, SAILORS, AIRMEN, MARINES

REMEMBER AND NAME, A - Z

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SPANISH - AMERICAN WAR AND PHILIPPINE WARS

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WHITAKER

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WHITAKER, FESS (1880 – 1927), U. S. ARMY, SPANISH – AMERICAN WAR (1898) AND COASTAL ARTILLERY, PHILIPPINE – AMERICAN WAR (1899 – 1902) AND PHILIPPINE – MORO WAR (1899 – 1913).
HOMETOWN: Whitesburg, Letcher County, Kentucky, USA.
OTHER RESIDENCE: Knott County, Kentucky. River, Letcher County, Kentucky. Justice, Potter County, Texas.
DATE OF BIRTH: 17 June 1880 in Letcher County, Kentucky.
PARENTS: Matilda Hogg and Isaac D. Whitaker.
GRANDPARENTS: Lavina Frazier and Stephen A. Whitaker, a Lieutenant, who served in the 13 th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry, Confederate States Army, American Civil War.
GREAT-GRANDPARENTS: Ellender ‘Nellie’ ‘Ellen’ Adams and Isaac ‘Little Ike’ Whitaker.
GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS: Ellender ‘Nellie’ Buntin and Stephen “Rockhouse” Adams.
SEVENTH-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS: Mary De Torres and Timothy ‘of Amarodtors’ Ezell.
SPOUSE: Samantha “Mantie” Ison.
ENTERED SERVICE FROM: Kentucky.
FIRST ENLISTMENT DATE: 12 February 1898, Spanish – American War.
FIRST DISCHARGE DATE: 1899.
SECOND ENLISTMENT DATE: 23 August 1901 in Norton, Virginia for a period of 3 years.
SECOND DISCHARGE DATE: 22 August 1904 at Fort Totten, New York.
~ “I was discharged out of the army August 22, 1904. I now hold two discharges of excellent character, first-class gunner and non-commissioned officer’s warrant.” – Fess Whitaker.
SERVICE NUMBER:
RANK: Private in and out, Fourth Kentucky Infantry, 1898, Spanish – American War. Corporal, Coast Artillery, 1901 – 1904.
BRANCH OF SERVICE: Infantry. Coastal Artillery.
COMBAT ORGANIZATION: First Enlistment, Private Fess Whitaker, Company L, Fourth Kentucky Infantry, Spanish American War. Second Enlistment, Corporal Fess Whitaker, 114 th Coast Artillery.
~ “I … enlisted for two years and was sent to Cuba and was signed to Colonel Teddy Roosevelt’s Brigade, where I [received] a bullet wound in my left arm.” – Fess Whitaker. [The First U. S. Volunteer Cavalry, aka Rough Riders, was assigned to the Second Brigade of Wheeler’s Cavalry Division.]
~ Battle of San Juan Hill, Cuba, July 1, 1898: “[Theodore ‘Teddy’] Roosevelt … led a series of charges up Kettle Hill towards San Juan Heights on his horse, Texas, while the Rough Riders followed on foot … other Regiments continued along side him, and the American flag was raised over San Juan Heights. Source: National Park Service; nps.gov.
BATTLES, CAMPAIGNS, THEATRES: Spanish – American War. Philippine – American War. Philippine – Moro War.
DATE OF DEATH: 17 September 1927 in a car crash in Letcher County, Kentucky.
CEMETERY: Fess Whitaker Cemetery, Letcher County, Kentucky.
SOURCES: Adams Families of Southeast Kentucky by Dorothy Amburgey Griffith & Robert E. Parkin, c. 1986. Appalachia Crossroads The Caudill Family, Volume 2, 3, 4 by Clayton R. Cox, c. 1993. Census. Findagrave. History of Corporal Fess Whitaker, by Fess Whitaker, c. 1918. National Park Service Soldier and Sailors; nps.gov. The Spanish American War; spanamwar.com. U. S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914. U. S. Spanish American War Volunteers Index To Compiled Military Service Records, 1898. U. S. Veterans Administration Master Index. U. S. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Potter Family and Friends; yeahpot.com.
NOTE: I placed my third-cousin-twice-removed, Fess Whitaker on my ~ Combs Collins Sumner Adams Holbrook Caudill Kelley Mullins; Brashear Young Campbell Cornett Woods Dorton Asher Bowling Sizemore ~ Maternal Family Tree, that I created on Ancestry.

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WORLD WAR I

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ADAMS

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ADAMS, LARKIN COLLINS (1888-1932), UNITED STATES ARMY, WORLD WAR I.
HOMETOWN: Indian Bottom, Letcher County, Kentucky, USA.
OTHER RESIDENCE: Hazard, Lothair and Masons Creek in Perry County, Kentucky. Berea, Madison County, Kentucky.
DATE OF BIRTH: February 1888 on 1900 census; born 11 April 1888 on Death Record. Born in Letcher County, Kentucky.
FATHER: Hiram “Bad Hiram” Adams, son of Hannah Collins and Moses “Rockhouse” Adams.
MOTHER: Dianah "Dinah" "Delilah" Collins, who had children by different men outside the bond of marriage.
GRANDMOTHER: Mary Jane Collins.
GREAT-GRANDPARENTS: Cinithia Williams and Larkin Collins.
GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS: Nancy Williams and Thomas Collins.
14 JULY 1881, MARRIAGE OF HIS MOTHER, DIANAH COLLINS TO HIRAM “BAD HIRAM” ADAMS IN WHITESBURG, LETCHER COUNTY, KENTUCKY.
DEATH OF “BAD” HIRAM ADAMS: Currently, his date of death and the circumstances have not been proven. ~ Family lore details: he was murdered at the home of his father, Moses “Rockhouse” Adams. Because Hiram had been shot in the head, his hat was part of his funeral attire.
SIBLINGS: Dianah’s child by Samuel Combs: Clarinda Collins Combs. ~ Family lore: Others considered Samuel and Dianah to be similar to a well known Biblical couple, and referred to them as “Samson and Delilah.”
~ Dianah’s children by Granville Combs: Sarah "Sally" Combs, Marion Combs and William Harlan Combs.
~ Dianah’s children possibly by Hiram Adams, depending on the year of his death: Moses Adams, Mary “Polly” (twin) Adams, Nancy “Nanna” (twin) Adams and Larkin Adams.
1900, PERRY COUNTY, KENTUCKY: Larkin Collins, a 12-year-old-day-laborer, was living in the home of his half-sister, Sally and her husband.
1910, PERRY COUNTY, KENTUCKY: Larkin Adams, age 21, his wife and his mother-in-law were living in his household.
SPOUSE: Sarah H. “Sallie” Messer, married 18 February 1910.
SON: Leemon Adams.
DAUGHTER: Evelyn Adams, who married Joseph Elmer Leming.
SON: Raymond Adams
DAUGHTER: Effie Adams, who married Elmer Lewis Linville.
ENTERED SERVICE FROM: Kentucky.
ENLISTMENT DATE: 4 June 1917 at Fort Thomas, Kentucky.
DISCHARGE DATE: 16 April 1919 at Camp Zachary Taylor, Kentucky upon Demobilization.
SERVICE NUMBER: 105182.
RANK: Private.
BRANCH OF SERVICE: U. S. Army.
COMBAT ORGANIZATION: 4th Company, Training Battalion, 28th Infantry. Company A-1 Division, M. G. Battalion, MITRAL.
U. S. ARMY TRANSPORT SERVICE, PASSENGER LISTS:
~ 38 Oct 1917 – 16 May 1918: MOUNT VERNON, sailed from Port Hoboken, New Jersey, outgoing. Larkin Adams, Private, 4th Company Training Battalion, 28th Infantry. Kin, Mose Adams, Brother, of Indian Bottom, Letcher County, Kentucky.
~ 5 November 1918: AEOLUS, sailed from Saint Nazaire. Private Larkin Adams, 105182, A – 1, MG. BN. MITRAL. Kin, Mrs. S. Adams of Hazard, Perry County, Kentucky.
U. S. NATIONAL HOME FOR DISABLED VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS, GERMAN WAR:
~ Admitted 19 June 1920, Disability, Pulmonary Tuberculosis (arrested). Admitted and Discharged many times from more than one place. Last Discharge, 21 March 1930.
DATE OF DEATH: 3 September 1932 in Berea, Madison County, Kentucky.
CEMETERY: Berea Cemetery, Berea, Madison County, Kentucky.
SOURCES: Appalachia Crossroads The Caudill Family, Volume 2, 3, 4 by Clayton R. Cox, 1993. Census. Findagrave. Kentucky County Marriages. Kentucky Death Records. U. S. Army Transport Service Passenger Lists. U. S. National Homes For Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, German War.
NOTE: I placed my great-granduncle, Larkin Collins Adams on my ~ Combs Collins Sumner Adams Holbrook Caudill Kelley Mullins; Brashear Young Campbell Cornett Woods Dorton Asher Bowling Sizemore ~ Maternal Family Tree, that I created on Ancestry.

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CORNETT

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CORNETT, CHESTER, SR. (1892-1974), U. S. ARMY, WORLD WAR I.
HOMETOWN: Gordon, Letcher County, Kentucky, USA.
OTHER RESIDENCE: Line Fork, Letcher County, Kentucky.
DATE OF BIRTH: 13 January 1892 in Gordon, Letcher County, Kentucky.
PARENTS: Sarah Eversole and William Cornett.
SPOUSE: Mary Ratliff.
SON: CHESTER CORNETT, JR. (1922-1944), KILLED IN ACTION, WORLD WAR II.
ENTERED SERVICE FROM: Kentucky.
ENLISTMENT DATE: 24 February 1918.
DISCHARGE DATE: 16 July 1919.
SERVICE NUMBER: 2000887.
RANK: Private, promoted to Corporal.
BRANCH OF SERVICE: U. S. Army.
COMBAT ORGANIZATION: Company I, First Pioneer Infantry, U. S. Army, World War I.
U. S. ARMY TRANSPORT, PASSENGER LISTS:
~ 9 July 1918, MOUNT VERNON Sailed (outgoing) from Port, Hoboken, New Jersey, USA. Private Chester Cornett 2000887, Company I, First Pioneer Infantry, U. S. Army, World War I, Kin, William Cornett, Father, of Gordon, Kentucky.
~ 25 June 1919, ANCON sailed (incoming) from Port, St. Nazaire, France, Corporal Chester Cornett, 2000887, Company I, First Pioneer Infantry, Kin, William F. Cornett, father, of Gordon, Kentucky. Arrived 7 July 1919 in the United States of America.
DATE OF DEATH: 19 August 1974 in Gordon, Letcher County, Kentucky.
CEMETERY: Chester Cornett Cemetery, Gordon, Letcher County, Kentucky.
SOURCES: Census. Findagrave. U. S. Army Transport, Passenger Lists. U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File.
NOTE: I placed my third-cousin-three-times-removed, Chester Cornett, Sr. on my ~ Combs Collins Sumner Adams Holbrook Caudill Kelley Mullins; Brashear Young Campbell Cornett Woods Dorton Asher Bowling Sizemore ~ Maternal Family Tree, that I created on Ancestry.

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