Military History in Paulding County

By: Mark Holtsberry

Cloyd Orville Walters was born March 28, 1892, in Paulding County. He was the son of Kearney Wright Walters, born in February 1870 in Indiana, and Lillie (Spray) Walters, born in Ohio. The couple was married March 15, 1891.

By 1900, Kearney, Lillie, and their children, Cloyd and Floyd, who was born in August 1893, were living in Washington Township. Sometime after 1900, while Cloyd was attending Roselms Grade School, Lillie passed away.

After 1901, Kearney married Lettie L. Longsworth. She was born in 1881 in Ohio. In 1902, a son was born, but he passed away on April 27, 1902. He was buried in Middle Creek Cemetery.

Kearney was farming, and by 1910, Cloyd had quit school to help his father on the farm. Kearney and Lettie had a son, Herold, born in 1903. A daughter, Leota W., was born in 1906. The family was living in Washington Township, where Kearney was still farming. Herold was a student in school. Floyd had moved on and left for other ventures. On March 5, 1911, a sister, Denelda W., was born.

On June 5, 1917, Cloyd registered for the World War I draft at the Washington West precinct. He was listed as 5 feet, 7 inches tall, with a medium build, brown hair, brown eyes, and a fair complexion. He was single and a barber by trade.

On May 25, 1918, he was inducted into the National Army out of Paulding. He was sent to serve in Company A, 114th Ammunition Transport Company. On August 30, 1918, Cloyd was sent to New York to board the ship Plattsburg and set sail for France. He was promoted to Private First Class on October 31, 1918. He was shipped home after the war and was honorably discharged on January 18, 1919.

That same year, his brother Floyd passed away from influenza. He was buried in Middle Creek Cemetery.

By 1920, Cloyd was living with his parents, his brother Herold, and sisters Leota and Denelda on Dudgeon Road in Washington Township. He was working for his father.

Cloyd moved to Detroit, Michigan, by 1925, where he attended barber college. On September 11, 1928, Cloyd married Ethel (Matthews) Rutledge in Detroit. She was born August 19, 1899, in Linton, Greene County, Indiana. Ethel had previously married Verner Rutledge on June 10, 1913. They were divorced June 5, 1928.

By 1930, Cloyd and Ethel were living at 1730 Michigan Street in Detroit, which was part of the 9th Ward. Cloyd was working as a barber in a barber shop, while Ethel was a clerk at a cigar shop. They took in two boarders, Lester McClellan and Ann Maxwell.

By 1940, Cloyd and Ethel were still living in the same house. Cloyd was still working as a barber, and Ethel was working as a clerk in retail. In 1942, Cloyd registered for the World War II draft. He was not chosen for service due to his age.

Cloyd and Ethel moved back to Grover Hill, Ohio, in the late 1940s. They owned and operated the Red and White grocery and hardware store.

Cloyd was also a member of the Roselms Christian Church and John Paulding VFW Post #587. In 1948, he became a founding member of the Grover Hill Lions Club.

Ethel passed away in 1953 and was buried in Middle Creek Cemetery. Cloyd’s father, Kearney, passed away in 1957 and was also buried in Middle Creek Cemetery.

Sometime in the 1970s, Cloyd moved to Los Angeles, California, where he lived out his remaining years with his niece. He passed away November 1, 1973, in Los Angeles. He was brought back home and buried in Middle Creek Cemetery, with Leland Taylor of Didrick-Taylor Funeral Home handling the funeral services. Rev. Dennis Henke and Rev. Don Baer officiated.

His military marker was ordered by his niece, Mrs. Ralph Hickey, on November 19, 1973.

… Until Next Time!