Will Burns US Army veteran

PVT Will Burns - Find A Grave

 Just like his older brother Turner, Will Burns also served in the military. However, it appears he stayed stateside and had a far briefer tenure in the military. Both Turner & Will had served during the 1st World War, a conflict often referred to as the "War to End All Wars".

As you see from the below draft registration, Will Burns was born May 1, 1896 in Learned, Mississippi. Learned is located in Hinds County which was also where we found mother Aggie and her sons Turner, Will, and James (our tribal chief) possibly living with a white family on a plantation in the 1900 US Census. Learned, MISS is also the origin of their older sister Bessie Lewis Butler.

It appears like his brother Turner, he also worked at the Brookhaven Lumber Mill in Hattiesburg, MISS when he registered for the draft. As a dependent, Will listed his mother presumably Aggie Andrews Burns at this time. Keep in mind that Turner had listed his mother Aggie as an emergency contact on an Army transport list.

Will was inducted into the service on Sept 1, 1918. He was part of Company D of the 65th Pioneer Infantry and was honorably discharged on Dec. 16, 1918 according to his service card below. On November 11, 1918 (we know that date as Veteran's Day, now) an armistice was signed ending the 1st World War. 

What I have found is that Will was married, his widow is Maggie Burns. It appears from this union there were no children. Will Burns had passed away on May 3, 1975 as matter of fact it was only two days after his 79th birthday. This is his obituary published in the Hattiesburg American newspaper.

Below is the application for the veteran's headstone you see at the very top of this post listing Will's rank of private. This is what his widow Maggie applied for after her husband's death. 

Will is buried in Pineview Cemetery in Hattiesburg, MISS.

Thanks for your service to the United States of America great-uncle Will.

Gilder Lehrman Collection