Administrative Information

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Preferred Citation

Roanoke County (Va.) Muster Roll in the War with Germany, 1917-1938 (bulk 1917-1918). Local government records collection, Roanoke County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

This item came to the Library of Virginia in shipment of court papers from Roanoke County.

Historical Information

Roanoke County was named for the Roanoke River. The name is an Indian word meaning shell money. The county was formed from Botetourt County in 1838, and part of Montgomery County was added later.

An act passed by the Virginia General Assembly on March 16, 1918 required the recordation of the names of drafted men. The chairman of each of the Local Draft Boards of the Virginia counties and cities were to furnish their clerk of court were deeds of land were recorded, with the list of residents who through the selective draft law have become members of the military forces of the United States. In cities that were separated into divisions, the chairman of the Local Draft Board of each division was to keep the records. In Richmond City, the Clerk of the Chancery Court was to keep the records. When the clerk of the court received this information, he was to copy it in a book or books provided for the purpose and also create an index for the book. The Adjutant-General of the State was to furnish a list of names of those who joined volunteer companies from the counties or cities. These lists are also to be recorded in to the book and also indexed. Persons joining the naval or military forces of the United States or its allies were allowed to have their record listed in the book. They or someone for them made an application and provide proof of service and when this was done; their record would be recorded in the book.

Scope and Content

Roanoke County (Va.) Muster Roll in the War with Germany,1917-1938 (bulk 1917-1918), is a listing of men who served in one of the several branches of the armed services during World War I. Information included in the muster roll includes name, address (name of town), age, color, selective service (date drafted), volunteers for army, navy and marine corps (date accepted and which branch), National Guard and naval militia (date and where mustered), rank, branch, and remarks which include notations about date discharged, reason and date of deaths, whether someone was a chaplain, etc.

Page 1 of the volume has a record of March 16, 1918 Act of Assembly that required the Clerk of Court make the Muster Roll. Page 2 has a copy of the November 12, 1918 Order of the Circuit Court giving instructions on how the Act of Assembly would be enacted in Roanoke County. Pages 3-8 give a list of enlistments provided by Jo. Lane Stern, the Adjutant General. Pages 9-17 give a suppliemental list provided by Mr. Stern. Pages 24-57 have two lists furnished by the Local Board for Roanoke County of men inducted or enlisted from the Registration of June 5, 1917. Pages 58-59 give a list of men who died in service or were missing in action. Pages 60-61 has a copy of the obituary of Captain George E. Adams and the letter from his commanding officer to his mother telling of his death. Pages 62-81 contain Photostat copies of official records concerning the service and death of other soldiers and sailors. Pages 82-83 has a report of the life and service of Commodore Thomas Dillard Griffin, U. S. Navy Retired. Pages 108-173 have copied into the book the Honorable Discharges and Enlistment Records of numerous men. Pages 174-178 have Photostat copies of Honorable Discharges from the Navy and the Army. Stuck in the book is a picture of a group of Civil War Reenactors.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Roanoke County (Va.). Circuit Court

Subjects:

• Veterans -- Virginia -- Roanoke County
• Virginia -- History -- World War, 1914-1918

Geographical Names:

• Roanoke County (Va.) -- History -- 20th century
• Virginia -- History -- World War, 1914-1918

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records -- Virginia -- Roanoke County
• Military records -- Virginia -- Roanoke County
• Muster rolls -- Virginia -- Roanoke County