Private Otha Allen Ramsey
United States Army, World War I
Company C, 315th Engineers, 90th Division
September 29, 2026 - The “dog days of summer” had just ended in the small far east Texas town of Timpson when Otha Allen arrived on August 20, 1893. His father Charles Lovard Ramsey was from Alabama and married native Texan, Nancy “Nannie” Jane Crawford in Shelby County in the year 1873. He grew up on a farm his family owned in rural Shelby County with three brothers, Kelly Otto, Lawrence, and Elza along with three sisters, Dema, May, and Ona Lee.
Three months following the United States’ entry into the World War, Otha registered for the military draft on June 5, 1917, as required by the Selective Service Act of that year. His registration card (Form 1) noted: home address as Gary, Texas; natural born citizen; self-employed as a farmer; single; Caucasian race; three years prior military service with the Timpson Militia; and he did not claim an exemption from the draft. Physically Otha was described as of medium height with a stout build, blue eyes, brown hair and, not bald.
Three months later he received his draft notice and took the oath of enlistment at the county seat of Center on September 19, 1917, and became US Army Private Ramsey, serial # 2237069. The Champion Newspaper, September 19, 1917, described the activity as “Contrary to the first instructions published in the Champion last week, the department changed the plans and called for all eighty of the men from this county to entrain from here Wednesday morning [September 19]. When this information was given out the ladies of Center became busy and called for assistance from Shelbyville, Josquin, Tenaha, and Timpson to assist in getting ready comfort bags for the boys. These comfort bags were made of khaki and contained soap, buttons, needles, thread, toothbrush and paste, shaving soap, etc. The men came here Tuesday morning, and many were accompanied by fathers, mothers, sisters, and other relatives as well as sweethearts. The town was full of people all day, and many remained overnight to see the final entrainment this morning. A special program was held at the courthouse at 8 o’clock where Revs. Russell and Hall made splendid and timely talks and extended every encouragement to the men called to the aid of their country. This morning the soldiers formed in line on the courthouse lawn and marched to the station under the captainship of J. F. Willis. All stores closed at train time, schools turned out and practically every citizen of the town went to the depot”. Of the eight inductees that day, two, John W. Temple and Jodie Ferguson would not survive the war.
The eighty newly enlisted men were sent to Camp Travis, San Antonio, Texas to begin basic training with the 165th Depot Brigade. Following basic, Private Ramsey was assigned to the 315th Engineers of the 90th Division. The 90th was organized in August 1917 at Camp Travis and was composed of drafted men from the states of Texas and Oklahoma and their insignia contained the monogrammed letters of T and O in red.
Otha’s unit was one of the first in the division to go overseas, departing the port of Brooklyn, New York on June 13th, 1918 aboard the troopship SS Huntsend. His father Charlie of Route 1, Gary, Texas was listed as the next of kin in the event of an emergency. The voyage to France took approximately eleven days via Liverpool, England and upon arrival, they were sent for training to the Department of Côte-d’Or with headquarters at the commune of Aignay-le-Duc. The 315th Engineers saw combat in the Villers-en-Haye Sector, Sain Mihiel Offensive, Puvenelle Sector, and the Meuse-Argonne Offense that ended the war on November 11, 1918. During operations, the division took 1,876 prisoners and suffered 7,277 casualties. Following the armistice, the 90th Division was assigned to the Army of Occupation and crossed into Germany on December 6, 1918 where it remained until June 2, 1919. On the second, Otha and Company C, 315th Engineers boarded the troopship USS Alaskan at St. Nazaire, France where they began the journey home to the United States.
As reported by the June 16, 1919 edition of the New York Herald: “The USS Alaskan docked hours late at six o’clock on the evening of the fifteenth due to heavy fog that kept them outside the port. The Alaskan brought home 22 officers and 1,611 men of the 315th Engineers, all in command of Colonel William E. Sage. Most of the boys are from Texas and Oklahoma”. Although where Otha was released from active duty is unclear, he was honorably discharged on June 28th, 1919.
Following his discharge, he returned to Shelby County, Texas where he married Era Lane on December 28, 1918. They were then blessed with the birth of daughter Dorothy Imogene in 1923. The family settled in Richland Parish, Louisiana where they rented a house, and Otha was employed as a meter reader for the United Gas Company. On April 27, 1942, for the second time in his life, he registered for a military draft and although not called to service at the age of 48, Otha saw a second world war begin and end in his lifetime.
At some point in his life, the family moved back to Shelby County and lived in Tenaha where he died on December 3, 1975 at the age of 82. The Shreveport Times edition of December 5 reported that “services were held that day at the Old Tennessee Presbyterian Church with Rev. Sammy Rice and Rev. George Helton officiating. Burial followed in the old Tennessee Cemetery under the direction of Mangum Funeral Home, Center. At that time, he was survived by his widow [Era]; daughter Mrs. Dorthy Hammond; one grandson; two great-granddaughters; and three sisters”. His wife Era joined him in the Tennessee Cemetery in 1992 at the age of 90. Day is done, God is nigh.
“Time Will Not Dim The Glory of Their Deeds”…General John J. (Blackjack) Pershing
Sources:
(1): Year: 1900; Census Place: Justice Precinct 7, Shelby, Texas; Roll: 1669; Page: 26; Enumeration District: 0092; FHL microfilm: 1241669
(2): Registration State: Texas; Registration County: Shelby County
(3): "Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 18 July 2022. Texas Military Forces Museum, Austin.
(4): The National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland; Record Group Title: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985; Record Group Number: 92; Roll or Box Number: 453
(5): (Brief Histories of Divisions, US Army, 1917-1918) Historical Branch, War Plans Division, General Staff, June 1921
(6): Year: 1930; Census Place: Police Jury Ward 4, Richland, Louisiana; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 0011; FHL microfilm: 2340552
(7): The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War Ii Draft Cards (4th Registration) For the State of Louisiana; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147
