Elmer Spencer Short
2nd Division 6th Regiment
Snohomish, Washington
Elmer was a man who lived on 117 Residence Place Snohomish, Washington with his 9 other siblings and adopted parents, Martin and Addie Peterson. Since his parents both died when Elmer was only around seven years old, he lived with them and unlike being adopted by strangers, Addie and Elmer were related.
Since Washington State is a big place and Snohomish is just one small part of the state. Below, is a document that compares the populations of different places in Washington, this will help you get a better perspective on Washington during the time period.
Elmer S Short was born in Marysville, Washington and grew up in Snohomish County. When the war, first started, Elmer was around twenty two years old and the image below is his draft registration card. Elmer was in the 6th regiment of the 2nd division in the US Marine Corps.
"United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:29JH-X1H: 12 December 2014), Elmer Spencer Short, 1917-1918; citing Snohomish County no 1, Washington, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,992,015
We looked for images of Elmer and couldn't find any, instead we found images of the US Marines Corps during the time Elmer was in the war. These images show different parts of the process it took to come over to France. The registrations, the departure, the arrival, etc…
Bain News Service, Publisher. Recruiting Marines. [Between and Ca. 1920] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <https://www.loc.g ov/item /ggb2006000025/>. Marines depart for France. date created or published later by Bain. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <https://www.loc.go v/item/ggb2006000194/>. Marines Departing for France. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <https://www.loc.gov/item/ggb2006000232/> Marines now in France. Photograph. Retrieved from Library of Congress, <https://www.l oc.gov/item/ggb20060 00233/>.
Elmer fought in the war since the beginning, 1914 till July 23, 1918 when he died of wounds during the Soissons battle in the Soissons region. His obituary was published in August of 1918 in Cashmere.
Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society (Can’t get citation because the obituary is only in the library) We know: Our image is on page 48 of the 1918 Obituary Book from The Wenatchee Daily World.
Soldiers Of The Great War, Volume 3 by Doyle, A. C. (Alfred Cyril), 1893-; Haulsee, W. M. (William Mitchell), 1889-; Howe, F. G. (Frank George), 1890-; Soldiers Record Publishing Association. Published 1920 Usage Public Domain Mark 1.0
Soldiers Of The Great War, Volume 3 by Doyle, A. C. (Alfred Cyril), 1893-; Haulsee, W. M. (William Mitchell), 1889-; Howe, F. G. (Frank George), 1890-; Soldiers Record Publishing Association. Published 1920 Usage Public Domain Mark 1.0
Since Elmer died of wounds, these are some images of how his fellow soldiers might have felt or what it might have been like to see Elmer wounded, soon to be a lifeless body like many others.
Finally, this is a quote from a book that explains what it’s like to turn a corner to come across lifeless bodies, and since Elmer went through the same thing, this puts it into a clearer perspective.
“... took a couple of steps to the left, I saw, as if hallucinating, a pile of corpses ... At the entrance to the connecting trench, leaning on the slope, was a young German who looked like he was asleep. There was no visible wound. Death had brushed him with its wing, and preserved the smile which still marked his youthful face.”
“... took a couple of steps to the left, I saw, as if hallucinating, a pile of corpses ... At the entrance to the connecting trench, leaning on the slope, was a young German who looked like he was asleep. There was no visible wound. Death had brushed him with its wing, and preserved the smile which still marked his youthful face.”
From the Book: A People's History of Modern Europe Copyright Date: 2016 Published by: Pluto Press Page Count: 12 Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1c2crfj.12 Topics: World wars, Mutiny, Soldiers, War, Socialism, Political protests, Veterans, Armed conflict, Armies, Military alliances
Snohomish CO. Directory (1915)
This in an oath written by Flore Vandervoort stating the wishes of the deceased Francis Short (Elmer Short’s father)
Short, Alonzo. "State of Washington." Letter to Family Short. 22 Dec. 1917. MS. Marysville, Snohomish, Washington.
