WWI draft registration card, Form 469 no. 30, Salt Creek precinct, Reno Co., Kansas, registered 5 June [1917] - Ward Walcott Cooper

What this document records

Record

First-registration WWI draft card (men aged 21-31), with the registrar's physical description

Date

registered "5 June" (year not written on the card)

Note

THE CARD GIVES HIS EXACT BIRTH DATE AND HIS BIRTH TOWN, neither of which the catalog held: "September 16 1892" and "Sylvia, Kansas". Ward Walcott Cooper carried only "SEP 1892" and no birthplace. It also carries his signature, which is now his first image of any kind.

Reading notes

THE YEAR OF REGISTRATION IS NOT WRITTEN ON THE CARD. The date line reads "5 June" and stops. It is recorded here as written. The first national registration day was 5 June 1917 and this is a Form 469 first-registration card for a man of 24, so 1917 is what the date means - but that is stated as context, NOT transcribed as though it were on the page. AN OPEN QUESTION THE CARD RAISES, recorded at Ward Walcott Cooper: item 9 says he supported a "Wife and 2 Children" in June 1917, and the 1920 household [D.-] holds Kenneth (b. abt 1915), Harland D (b. abt 1918) and Eugene (b. abt 1919). Kenneth accounts for one of the two. The second child of June 1917 is either Harland born earlier than the census age suggests, or a child who did not survive to 1920. NOT RESOLVED HERE and not asserted either way. Item 11 "What military service have you had? Rank" is answered "None" - so at June 1917 he had no prior service. Whether he was later called up is not on this card.

Body

[Form] 469 — REGISTRATION CARD — No. 30 [pencilled at top: 2084]

1 Name in full: Ward Walcott Cooper Age, in yrs.: 24 2 Home address: R.F.D. # 2, Nickerson, Kansas 3 Date of birth: September 16 1892 4 Are you (1) a natural-born citizen … ? Natural Born 5 Where were you born? Sylvia, Kansas, U.S.A. 6 If not a citizen … ? [blank] 7 What is your present trade, occupation, or office? Farmer 8 By whom employed? By Self Where employed? [blank] 9 Have you a father, mother, wife, child under 12 … solely dependent on you for support (specify which)? Wife and 2 Children 10 Married or single (which)? Married Race (specify which)? Caucasian 11 What military service have you had? Rank None; branch [blank]; years [blank]; Nation or State [blank] 12 Do you claim exemption from draft (specify grounds)? Support of Family

I affirm that I have verified above answers and that they are true.
[signed] Ward Walcott Cooper   (Signature or mark)

REGISTRAR'S REPORT [stamped] 15-2-47-A 1 Tall, medium, or short: Medium Slender, medium, or stout: Medium 2 Color of eyes: Blue Color of hair: Light Bald? No 3 Has person lost arm, leg, hand, foot, or both eyes, or is he otherwise disabled? None

I certify that my answers are true, that the person registered has read his own answers,
that I have witnessed his signature, and that all of his answers of which I have
knowledge are true, except as follows: [blank]

[signed] J. W. Adams   (Signature of registrar)
Precinct: Salt Creek    City or County: Reno    State: Kans
Date of registration: 5 June

[stamp] RENO COUNTY BOARD, HUTCHINSON, KANSAS