Southall, Howard W.

Passed: 1918-09-14

Age: 25

Source: Jackson County Newspapers

Death Notice: 1918-09-14

Obituary Date:

Information: HOWARD SOUTHALL DIES IN FRANCE - Last Friday Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Southall, who live near Staats Mills, received word of the death from pneumonia of their son, Howard, somewhere in France.  The young man's death causes the first break in a family circle of ten.  He was in the contingent of draftees who left in May for Camp Lee.  He would have been 26 years old October 18th and was a highly esteemed young man in his home neighborhood.  The family have the sympathy of all in their bereavement.  They had received a letter from him dated September 8th--the message of his death stated that the end came September 14th.  One brother is now with the Jackson county boys at Camp Meade, and two others were enrolled in the last registration.      A letter received by the stricken family from the chaplain of the young man's regiment follows:  329th Inf. A.E.F. Sept. 14.   Mr. James Southall, Gay, West Virginia.  My Dear Mr. Southall:  As the chaplain in charge of the final services in honor of your son, Pvt. Howard W. Southall, I wish to express my most hearty sympathy in this your bereavement.  You will be glad to know that every effort was made to save his life; that full military honors were rendered him; that he was carefully laid to rest in the Grand Century, Le Wans, Sarthe, under the ""Stars and Stripes"" and the location duly registered.  He has ""gone west"" in a sense peculiar to this war, with least in America and ""in line of duty"" in France laying down his life in the service of his country for a supreme cause.  May this knowlege assuage your grief and the hope of a final reunion in the land to which he has preceded you, drive away the clouds and turn your faces heavenward; with new courage and consolation.  Very sincerely yours, Cecil D. Smith, Chaplain 329th Inf. NURSE WRITES TO STRICKEN WIFE - American Hospital, Le Mans Sarthe, France, Sept. 14, 1918.  My Dear Mrs. Southall:  I am so sad having to write you this, but I think you will like to know the details and feel more consoled.  Your dear husband has been ill here for a couple of weeks with measles, and made a very good convalesence till he got influenza, like so many of the other boys, and it rapidly turned to broncho-pneumonia.  Everyting was done possible and all the attention and skill in this hospital, but alas, he got rapidly worse and passed away at 2 a.m. this morning.  He did not suffer much.  Yesterday afternoon he spoke of you all, and told me he had been married only two weeks.  He spoke of his mother and all.  I said I would write to you and he said. ""Just say whatever you think, my head is not too well"".  He tried to sleep off and on.  When I went to see him at eight o'clock, before going off duty, the doctors were around him and the night nurse.  He was dozing and rambling a little in his talk, but he opened his eyes and smiled so kindly and said, ""Theres my little nurse all in white."" He repeated it several times and went to sleep when I said goodnight.  However I came back later on about nine o'clock for I felt he was used to me and it would give him pleasure so I sat by him for two hours and held his hand all that time.  He opened his eyes at odd times and smiled and nodded his head but seldom spoke.  I said goodnight about eleven o'clock and the poor boy breathed his last quietly at 2 a.m.  I believe he said several times, ""Where is my little wife?"" ""She must be somewhere in the house"".  It is too sad for anything and I feel dreadfully cut up.  He was a good boy and read his testament regularly.  I got the clergyman to pay him a little visit.  I have his little testament and notebook which I shall send you personally myself.  It will be surer to reach you.  He looke very sweet and peaceful when dead. I felt so sad to see his kindly blue eyes closed forever.  I hope he is happy, as I am sure he is with God tonight.  The funeral was, I believe today.  There is a corner in the French cemetery here reserved for Americans and there are about eight of the boys there, the American Flag floating over them.  In am sure it could not be in a prettier corner.  Although far from the ""front"", there are sixty British on the other side of the path with their flag.  They died in 1914.  I am an Irish nurse and in the American Red Cross.  We were sent to Le Mans three months ago and have a very busy time with ill Americans.  Believe me, very truly, Your sympathetic friend, Emily McCullough. GIVEN MILITARY FUNERAL - The body of Howard W. Southall, who died in France, arrived here Wednesday evening, August 18.  The Jackson Post of the American Legion met the train and took charge of the remains, and held a military funeral at the court house at 8:00 o'clock that evening.  Thursday the body was taken to his home at Gay where interment was made.  Howard W. Southall was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Southall of Gay, and was 25 years of age.  He was inducted into the service May 27, 1918, at Ripley and went to Camp Lee, Va., sailed from Newport News, Va., July 31, and landed at Breast, France, August 12, and was assigned to Company H., 329 Infantry.  He was strickened with measles, influenza and pneumonia and died September 14, 1918.  Burial was made at LeMans Sarthe, France.  May 11, 1918 he united in marriage with Miss Ruby A. Kelley, who survives him.  The body was accompanied to Ripley by Private Howard W. Patterson, of Camp Dix, N. J.