Death of Roanoke's Last Confederate Veteran in 1941: James Washington Gwaltney

Fromthe October 3, 2016, Roanoke Rimes (Va.) "Looking Back."

"James Washington Gwaltney, Roanoke's last surviving Confederate veteran and the city's oldest resident died at 4:45 p.m. at his home."

He was 96 years old and lived in Roanoke's Virginia Heights neighborhood.  Enlisted at age 16 in Tennessee and fought at Chickamauga.  He attended the veteran's reunion at Gettysburg in 1938, the 75th anniversary of that battle.

--CootConfed

U.S. Declares War on Germany in 1917

Some of the headlines from the Roanoke (Va,)  Times April 7,1917.

Congress declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, marking the United States' entry into World War I.

**  United States Accepts Challenge of Germany To Join Great World Strife.

**  After President Wilson Signed Resolution Word Flashed Across the Sea,

**  Congress Convenes on Monday.

**  Order Arrests of Leaders In German Plots.

**  Sixty Alleged Ringleaders Refused Bail and Ho to prison.

**  Thousands Still Kept Under Watch.

**  Warlike Measures Going Forward Briskly To Meet Hostility of Kaiser.

Guess We're All In Now.  --Cooter

Another Crazy Halloween in Roanoke, Va., in 1941: Merrymakers All Over the Place

From the October 3, 2016, Roanoke (Va.) Times  "Looking Back."

1941, 75 Years Ago.

"Another Halloween has come and gone.  Gone insofar as the thousands of merrymakers are concerned, but for the business men and car owners, and not-a-few residents, the work of soap or kerosene oil is just beginning."

And They Say Our Youths Are Crazy These Days.  --CootBoo

Prohibition Comes Early to Virginia (1916)

From the October 3, 2016 Roanoke (Va.) Times)  "Looking Back."

1916, 100 Years Ago.

"At the stroke of midnight tonight, Old John Barleycorn will be banished from Roanoke and Virginia for the first time since Captain John Smith landed at Jamestown."

What Would the Baldwin Sisters and Their Father's "Recipe" Do?  (If You Watched the "Walton's.)  --CootDry

Three Roanoke Men Thought to Have Been Lost on British Steamer Marina, Sunk By German Submarine in 1916

From the October 31, 2016, Roanoke (Va.) Times  "Looking Back."

1916, 100 Years Ago.

"Two men of Roanoke -- Jack Davis and J.R.C. Brown -- known to have been on the ill-fated British steamer Marina, sunk by a German submarine while on her way from Glasgow to Newport News, and a third, J.M. Hanley, believed to have joined her crew before she left an American port nearly a month ago, may have been among the seventy members of the steamer's crew who lost their lives."

I'll do some more research.

Never Heard of This Attack.  --Cooter

Roanoke, Va. Looking Back to WWI: Preparing for War

From the March 20, 2017, Roanoke Times (Va) "Looking Back."

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"Every male resident of Roanoke between 18 and 35 years of age, it is urged, should avail himself of the opportunity to learn at least the rudiments of military discipline and drill."

After all, you never know when you might be called to war.

--Cooter

Roanoke Times "Looking Back to WWI": No Col. Theodore Roosevelt

From the March 20, 2017, Roanoke (Va) Times  "Looking Back"

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"Keen disappointment is felt by every member of the Chamber of Commerce over the note received by Secretary John Wood yesterday from Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, stating that he would be unable to speak to the Chamber of Commerce at their meeting on April 15th."

Was this the ex-president Col. Roosevelt?  Or his son?

--Cooter

Roanoke Times "Looking Back, World War I": Roanoke Besieged

From the March 13, 2017, Roanoke Times (Va.) "Looking Back."

I came across this excellent look back into history put out by the Roanoke Times.  I also follow one in the weekly MidWeek for DeKalb County, Illinois.  During the course of the World War I  (or do you say First World War, I?") I will be writing what these two publications say about the war.

All dates are 1917, 100 years ago.

"  Roanoke is being besieged by recruiting offers and officers from all branches of Uncle Sam's fighting forces, and through their efforts many are answering the call to the colors."

This was just under a month before the official U.S. Declaration of War against Germany.

--Cooter

Roanoke Times "Looking Back to WWI": Company F Returns From the Mexican Front

From March 6, 2017 Roanoke Times (Va) "Looking Back."

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"Celebrating the return of Company F, Second Virginia Infantry, which was ordered to report to the Mexican border last summer, ... hundreds of patriotic citizens of Roanoke assembled at the City Auditorium last night to give the soldiers one of the most loyal receptions in the annals of the city."

And to Think, Their Next Stop Would Be Europe.  --Cooter