15 December 2014

Military Monday: Otto August Fredrick




Source: "World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," [database on-line], Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 October 2011), Entry for Otto August Frederich; United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. Imaged from Family History Library microfilm.

Otto August Fredrick, my grandfather, registered for the World War I draft on 12 Sep 1918.  I found two different spellings of his last name on this record.  The first spelling was Frederich and his signature was Fredrich.  The original surname was Fredrich.  His father, Johann August Fredrich used that spelling thoughout his life. In my writing of Otto I use Fredrick, which eventually became Fredricks.  I don't know when the spelling was changed from using an "h" at the end of the name to a "k" and then adding the "s".

I enjoy finding the World War I draft registrations for my ancestors.  The detail the record provides is helpful to genealogists.  It is a record not to be overlooked in your research.  Although, I didn't learn much new from Otto's record, I still find it helpful. The record provided the birth date, place of residence, occupation, nearest relative (his wife, Daisy Fredrich), and physical description.

I enjoyed reading the description of my grandfather because I don't remember knowing him without gray hair, it was brown on this record.  He was medium height and medium build and had gray eyes. That reminds me of what I remember him looking like.

I use the draft registrations to add facts to my Roots Magic database.  I added Military, Occupation, Residence and Description to Otto's record.


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