William O Spies (1897-1943)

Chart | Baptism | WWI | Marriage | WWII | Death | Census

Son of Bernard Spies and Celia Overy √
Husband of Augusta Dvorak √

Facts (with source information): Narrative Report

What's so great about these records?
The transport records document his World War I service in Panama. What? Panama? Yes, indeed. There were troops in the Canal Zone during the great war, and he was among them.  Notice in one of the transport records there is a clear distinction between troops and colored troops. This was long before the military was ordered to stop segregation.

Also in these records you see some of his mother’s pedigree. She was descended from French Catholic settlers. Primary records of French people are readily available.

Chart:


Records:

1897 Baptism (primary record)

St. Thomas of Aquin, St. Louis, Missouri
upper left corner

At baptism, his name was Gulielmo (William) Athanasius Spies. Nearly all records say his name was William O. Spies. Only in the application for a social security card do we find his preferred middle name spelled out: 1936 Social Security Application.

1918-1919 World War I Service

What was his unit doing in Panama? 33rd Infantry Regiment

U.S. Army Transport Records:

U.S. Army transport “Kilpatrick,” ridden by William O Spies on July 5, 1918

July 5, 1918, William O Spies, recruit, is sent to the Canal Zone.

August 5, 1919, travels to the Canal Zone from New Orleans. (note the men shown as colored troops)

September 17, 1919: Special Order 126, which released men to civilian life.

September 17, 1919, William O Spies is on the list. He’ll be returned home.

1921 Marriage License (primary record)

St. Louis, Missouri
lower right corner

They were married by a justice of the peace, and this type of marriage record does not name their parents. Notice his name: William O. Spies.

1942 Draft Card

Even though he had served during World War I and received an honorable discharge, and even though he was 44 years old, he was required to fill out a draft card during World War II.

1943 Death Certificate

There is an Illinois death certificate. For a small fee, we could send for a copy. In the meantime, the information is shown here. This is from an index database on Ancestry.com. The compiler of the database had access to the original records. The original (primary) record names his parents. It also provides the date and place of his death. He died in a veteran’s hospital in Danville, Illinois.

Transcription of the death certificate: 1943 Death In Illinois

1943 Burial

Church Record

St. Thomas of Aquin, St. Louis, Missouri
right side, second entry

The church burial record includes a copy of the obituary. The “national cemetery” is Jefferson Barracks Cemetery in south St. Louis. William and his wife both rest there.

Military Interment Record

The military interment record includes the dates of his service.

Census Records:

I cannot find the 1900 census record.
I cannot find the 1920 census record.

1910 Census

lines 97-99
The head of the household is William’s brother-in-law, William O’Dorn. Everyone living at that address is a relative. Bernard Spies is William’s father. Mary Spies Vendt is William’s aunt. Her daughter is Lillian Aubuchon.

1930 Census

lines 1-4
This is the only census record in which the family is together. They live on Osage Street in south St. Louis.

1940 Census

lines 62-65
William is not working. The record says he is unable to work. Possibly sick already.