Private Claude Brown , A Soldier's Story
Private Claude Brown, A Soldier's Story
Private Claude Brown was born in September 1895 in Abbeville, Alabama. Prior to military service, he worked as a farm laborer on the Solomon and Oates Farm, reflecting the agricultural labor that defined much of rural Alabama in the early twentieth century.
In June 1917, following the United States’ entry into World War I, Brown enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was assigned to the 157th Depot Brigade at Camp Gordon in Georgia, where thousands of soldiers were trained and organized for wartime service. Depot brigades played a critical role in preparing and sustaining the Army during its rapid expansion.
Brown served through the war and remained in uniform until early 1919, returning to civilian life as the nation transitioned from wartime mobilization to peace.
In 1928, Private Brown relocated to Roanoke, Virginia. Like many veterans of his generation, he faced the long-term health challenges common in the years following World War I. He died of tuberculosis on September 26, 1933.
Private Claude Brown is buried at Old Lick Cemetery in Roanoke, Virginia. He is remembered as one of many working Americans who left labor in the fields to answer the call during World War I, served quietly, and returned home to resume civilian life under difficult circumstances.
* Read about a.d. elliott's Everyday Patriot Project here*
_____________________________________________________________________________
About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.
✨ #TakeTheBackRoads
Enjoyed this post? Support the adventure by visiting my sponsors, shopping the gallery, or buying me a cup of coffee!
