MILITARY HISTORY IN PAULDING COUNTY
By: Mark Holtsberry
Earnest Earl Tilley was born April 21, 1896, in Broughton, Ohio, the son of George W. Tilley, born September 1865 in Ohio, and Bertha (Grubb) Tilley, born April 29, 1876, in Fairfield County, Ohio. The couple was married February 12, 1893, in Paulding.
By 1900, the Tilley family was living in Latty, Ohio, where George was farming. They were raising three children: Louie Ann, born February 5, 1894; Earnest Earl, April 21, 1896; and Ida Mae, September 5, 1899. By 1910, the family had grown with the addition of Mary Ethel, born August 3, 1905, and Emma E., born in 1909.
Louie, Earnest, and Ida were in grade school, likely attending the old Latty school. The family continued to grow with the births of George Tilley Jr., February 2, 1911, and William Leroy Tilley, September 13, 1913. William later went on to serve in World War II.
On June 5, 1917, Earnest went to the Broughton Town Hall and registered for the World War I draft. He was described as medium height and build, with gray eyes and dark brown hair, and was working as a common laborer for Otto Schlatter in Broughton. He listed his family as dependent on him for financial support. Despite this, he was accepted into the United States Army out of Paulding on June 25, 1918.
He served in the 16th Company, 4th Training Battalion, 158th Brigade until July 15, 1918, completing his basic training. He was then assigned to Company D, 334th Infantry, where he served until August 12, 1918. He was subsequently sent to Camp Sherman to train with Company D, 2nd Developmental Battalion, 158th Depot Brigade.
While serving at Camp Sherman, Earnest developed pneumonia. On October 5, 1918, he passed away. His father, George Tilley, was notified. After Earnest was brought home, funeral services were held, and he was buried October 12, 1918, at Pleasant View Cemetery south of Latty. He was laid to rest in Lot 85, Block 7, Section, Grave 1.
In 1922, Mary married Charles Head, a World War I veteran. George Tilley passed away June 25, 1927, in Broughton and was buried in Hedges Cemetery east of Broughton. Bertha remarried in 1928 to George W. Sanderson. She passed away April 3, 1945, and was buried with George.
Mary passed away in 1943 and was buried in Hedges Cemetery, with Charles joining her in 1967. Ida Mae passed away in 1949. George Jr. passed away April 7, 1999, and William Leroy Tilley on April 7, 1980.
…Until Next Time!
