Resources
Militia Roll 1917
In the year 1917, with an all-encompassing war already three years old in Europe, a military census of men between the ages of 18 and 45 was taken. It was used to make up a draft roll when the time came to send American troops overseas in 1918, but it was billed at first as a census of all men eligible for the militia.
Two exact handwritten duplicates of Yates County's roll exist, separate alphabetical lists of men for each town. The on-line index to this roll has been consolidated to a single list, county-wide.
The information included on each man is the date of enrollment, his name, his town or city of residence, his street address or RFD, his age, his date of birth, his occupation, and details on his previous or existing military or naval service, including his original date of enlistment, his date of discharge, and his grade or rank. Because of the United States' long period of peace, relatively few men could show previous service, but a few had served in the Spanish-American War in 1898, or in the American or some foreign Army since.
Because of the large size of the index, it has been broken into seven alphabetical files. The original rolls are on large fragile sheets of paper and photocopying could open them to damage. If a transcript of a particular person's listing is desired, it can be supplied at $1 per name.
To get your transcripts, you must include the following in your request:
Your transcripts will be sent to you with a bill.
- the name and page number as listed in the index,
- your name and postal address
- the phrase "1917 Militia Roll request" in the subject line.
To submit a request, click here:
To search the index, use one of these links:
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