> This information came to me via another list, and I thought it might be > useful to many of you. Sorry, but I don't have the email of the original > sender. > > >� M. Dean Hunt > >� Louisville, KY > > > >� Good Morning everyone: I played hooky from work yesterday and� spent the > > day� at the NARA Branch in Atlanta and it jogged my memory to pass on > > some� information to everyone. > > > >� Prior to the US's entry into WW1 (approx. 1917-1918) every male� between > > the� age of 18 and 40 was required to register for the draft. The > > information� found on the card was provided by the individual himself. > > The registration� cards vary in information depending on the individual > > draft board.� But by� and large the cards include: The full name of the > > person (this� means first,� full middle name, any additional middle names > > and last name); the current address of the man; his age; his birthdate > > (some include his place� of� birth); whether he is a US citizen or a > > naturalized citizen (some� ask if his� father was a naturalized citizen > > and his father's race); his race;� his occupation; where he is employed > > (name of employer); address or location of employment; name and address > > of his next of kin; some cards ask if the man is married or single and > > how many people he supports. The card is signed by the draftee. On the > > back of the card his physical description is > >� noted:� Height is broken down by short, medium, tall although some cards > > give the > >� actual height in feet and inches; Build by slim, medium, stout although > > some cards list actual weight along with the build; color of eyes and > > hair; any deformities or injuries are listed (such as one arm missing, > > blind in one eye, etc); the name and address of the draft board and the > > date. > > > >� When these original cards were transferred to the East Pointe NARA > > branch the LDS spent about 3 years microfilming these cards. There are > > hundreds and hundreds of boxes and the LDS opened one box at a time and > > filmed them -� in state order. However, within each state the cards were > > filed by draft board, not by county or by draftee. This makes the > > searching of the microfilm difficult to say the least. > > > > The good news is that the Friends of the National Archives took each box > > after it was filmed (and checked) and sorted all of these thousands and > > thousands of cards into - state and then COUNTY order and then in > > alphabetical order by surname and put then in new boxes. The Friends > > deserveall the kudos we can give them for this monstrous task. > > > >� So ... rather than spending hours and hours searching the LDS microfilm > > you can order copies of the original cards from NARA. if you know the > > county your ancestor lived in between 1917-1918. > > > >� And BTW - Ancestry.com lists WW1 Draft cards in their searchable data > > bases, however I know for a fact that there are 22 cards for the surname > > WHITE� found in McIntosh Co, OK and Ancestry only gave me 4 of them so > > don't depend on that site. I was told yesterday that some reps from > > Ancestry had visited the archives a couple of weeks ago to talk about > > filming the cards, took one look at the hundreds and hundreds of boxes > > and simply left. > > > > For copies:� Send a letter requesting copy(s) to: > >� NARA > >� Southeast Region > >� 1557 St. Joseph Ave > >� East Point, GA 30344 > > > > In your letter be sure to say you want copy(s) of the WWI Draft > > application Cards. Include the name of your ancestor and his race, the > > state and the county.� If you want copies of ALL of the cards with a > > given surname, ask them the cost of the copies and send a SASE for them > > to let you know the copying cost. In your letter be sure and say you want > > a copy of the FRONT and BACK of the card. Be sure to send a SASE for the > > return of you copies. > > > >� The cost for the copy is 50 cents - 25 cents for the back and 25 cents > > for the front. If you only want one copy send a buck and say the > > difference is to be given to the Friends of the Archives, because after > > all they did all this wonderful hard work for you <VBG> > > > >� If you have any other questions about the cards please write to me and > > I'll try to help. I've been "delving" into these cards for the past few > > years.�� But PLEASE don't ask me to get the copies for you. It is > > difficult for me to� take the time off from work to visit the archive to > > do my own research <g>. > > > >� And feel free to pass this on to any of the lists you are on.