ELLWOOD CITY — In 1919, the American Legion Post 157 in Ellwood City was named in honor of J. Wilbur Randolph.
The July 3, 1919, edition of the Ellwood City Citizen described Randolph as "Ellwood City’s soldier, hero, and martyr to the cause of liberty.”
One of 15 local men to lose their lives in World War I, Randolph was killed in action. The Ellwood City Citizen reported his death Nov. 14, 1918, "J. Wilbur Randolph Meets Hero’s Death While Fighting For His Country. Loved And Honored By Everyone."
His parents, Lawrence and Duria McGraw Randolph, came to Ellwood City in 1897 and lived on Fourth Street between Wayne and Franklin avenues, where they also had their grocery business.
They had two sons, Lloyd Leverne, born in 1882, and James Wilbur, born in 1885. J. Wilbur Randolph graduated from Ellwood City High School in 1912 and was a senior at Westminster College when he was drafted in 1917. After training at Camp Sherman in Columbus, Ohio, he was sent to Camp Pike in Arkansas and served in Company L, 23rd Infantry. In June 1918, Randolph was sent to France and was killed in action Oct. 4, 1918.
His reputation was that of a quiet, cheerful and faithful soldier.
In letter to Randolph's parents, his commanding officer, 2nd Lt. George F. Dugger, wrote, “I never knew a more willing boy to do his duty than he. After going over the top three times with me in his last battle, October 4, 1918, we were holding a place in the line that the Germans were continually bombarding. He and his partner asked to go after some water and later I found him dead a piece of shrapnel went through his neck."
In a letter to his mother published in the Citizen on March 6, 1919, Randolph's brother, Lloyd, wrote, “My plan is to have Wilbur’s body put into a coffin. If I haven’t enough money to buy one I shall have a plain one made of boards. Then I shall have the body buried in a quiet place, put flowers and flags on the grave, build a neat fence around it. If I have enough money left I shall have it marked with a small stone cross. I shall photograph the grave and its surroundings and also take some pictures of the battleground over which he fought and, if possible, the spot where he fell.”
Later in the letter, Lloyd noted, “I just found out yesterday that the 23rd Infantry of which Wilbur was a member was a part of the famous 2nd Division, made up of the far-famed Marine Brigade and the 9th and 23rd Infantry Regiment. They first gained the name of ‘The Fighting Devils for our American Dough Boys.'”
It was widely believed that the Legion post was named for Randolph because he was the first man from Ellwood City to die in WWI, but as Robert Morabito, past commander of the Legion, was doing research he learned that he was not the first hometown boy to die in the war.
"The first reference I can find stating the Randolph was the first to “make the supreme sacrifice” in WWI is in a Legion Post 157 History written in 1938. It is echoed in the book “History of Ellwood City 1892-1942” and remains common lore within the post today," Morabito said.
"However, an article on the ceremony for the burial of Dewey Minteer, who was killed in France on March 20, 1918, states: “He enlisted with his brother John, 900 Crescent Avenue, in 1917 and served in Co. E 166th Infantry, Rainbow Division. He is believed to be the first local boy to die. His name was learned from a passbook he carried on the First National Bank of this city."
The New Castle News reported Minteer's death May 27, 1918, "Dewey G. Minteer of Ellwood City is probably the first Lawrence County soldier to be killed in action, on the battlefront in France."
Minteer, 19, was working at the Shelby Tube Co. when the war broke out and he joined the 10th Ohio Artillery in April 1917. On July 27, he was transferred to the infantry and was one of the men selected to go with the Rainbow Division. On Sept. 10. 1917, he was one of the first Lawrence County boys to land in France.
Minteer's brother Frank, who lived at 211 Eighth St., received a letter from Lt. F. M. Hall with details of the incident.
"Dewey was at his post in the front line trenches. About 4:30 p.m. the Germans began shelling our front lines. Dewey stood at his post as every true soldier is expected to do and was looking toward the German trenches with his rifle in his hand, when the fatal shell dropped in the trench beside him. When he was found minutes later, he was still grasping his rifle but life had gone out instantly."