Private Rufus Lovell
World War I – Company A, 435 Labor Battalion
“Served His Country”
June 28, 2023 - Rufus Lovell was born in the far east Texas town of Shelbyville, Shelby County on February 18th, 1897. He and brother Sydney lived with their paternal grandparents Mary and Limas Lovell and a number of aunts and uncles. The only information about his parents that could be found is his mother’s name was Jennie Lovell.
The United States entered the World War on April 6, 1917 and Rufus now age 21 complied with the Selective Service Act of 1917 by registering on June 5th, 1918. The P.M.G.O. Form 1 that he completed at the county seat located in Center, Texas showed; his residence as Shelbyville; self-employed as a farmer; married to Ezzie Lovel; of the negro race; medium height and slender built; with black eyes and hair.
Three months later, on September 25th, 1918 Rufus took the oath of enlistment at the county courthouse in Center. He and other African-American inductees were then sent to Camp Bowie, Texas by railroad train where they completed basic training and then were assigned to the 435 Labor Battalion. The war ended less than two months after induction on November 11th, 1918 and Rufus was honorably discharged with a ten percent service connected disability on February 5th, 1919.
He returned to Shelby County after being discharged where he and Ezzie farmed on Patroon Road. The date of his wife’s death is not known but in 1930 Rufus is living in Fort Worth, Tarrant County working as a trucker for the railroad and the census shows he is widowed.
With the Japanese attack on the US Naval Base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii, December 7th, 1941, Rufus would see a second world war in his lifetime. Although he would not be drafted this time at age 44, he was required to registered which he did on February 16, 1942 at Local Board # 1 in Fort Worth where he was living. Upon completion of D.S.S. Form 1, Registration Card, it showed; residence was at 709 E. 17 Street, Fort Worth; employed by J. Gachman; was five foot nine inches tall, weighed 164 pounds; negro race; brown eyes and light brown complexion.
The remainder of his life is sketchy until his death on February 10th, 1967 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Fort Worth of heart failure. He was sixty-nine years old and may have been remarried as his death certificate shows his marital status as divorced. On February 13th Rufus was laid to rest in Cedar Hill Memorial Park, Arlington, Tarrant County, Texas. His sister Iva Gadison made application for his veteran headstone the same day. Day is done, God is nigh.
References:
(1): Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.
(2): "Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 13 February 2021. Texas Military Forces Museum, Austin.
(3): The National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War II Draft Cards (4th Registration) for the State of Texas; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147
