Private Elbert Burton Samford
United States Army, World War I
64 Infantry Regiment – 14 Infantry Brigade - 7 Division
©By Larry Hume, VFW Post 8904, Center, Texas
July 8, 2025 - Elbert Burton was born on Sunday, November 18, 1894, in what was known as “the Sandhills” near Center, Shelby County, Texas. He was the fifth child of seven born to Sarah Louisa Thomas and Elkanah Buchanan “Buck” Samford who were married in 1881. His siblings were Allen (1882), Beulah (1883), Lavina (1887), James (1891), Joseph (1899), and Rogers (1902). Joseph died as an infant of eleven months and Lavina passed at the early age of 20. Buck and Lou moved to Tenaha while the children were still young and bought a restaurant that they ran for several years. The children first went to school at Cicero and later at Tenaha.
On June 5, 1917, two months after the United States entered the World War, all men between the ages of 21 and 30 were required by the Selective Service Act of 1917 to register for the military draft. Elbert now 22 years old complied at Precinct 15 in Shelby County. His registration card (Form 1) noted the following: home address as Paxton, Texas; natural-born citizen; self-employed as a farmer; single; white; no prior military service, and no exemption to the draft was claimed. Physically he was described as of medium height and built with blue eyes and blonde hair.
World War I Draft Registration Card (Partial) June 5, 1917
Elbert received his draft notice and took the oath of enlistment in Center on May 27, 1918, becoming US Army Private Samford, serial # 3063089. The Champion newspaper, Center, Shelby County, Texas, May 29, 1918 [Wednesday] described the activity. “The local board entrained eighty-nine men here yesterday, 87 going to Camp Travis and 2 to Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio. At the Baptist church Monday [May 27] afternoon a very large audience assembled to pay tribute to those going away. The services were very impressive and very much appreciated. Rev. C. H. Adams, Rev. F. L. Hall, and Hon. J. P. Anderson made appropriate talks. The Champion has a note this morning from two of the boys going away, asking us to express to the citizens here their appreciation for the splendid treatment during their time here, for the church services, and to those who cared for the ones remaining overnight here. Yesterday morning those going away lined up on Cora St. had their pictures made and then marched to the depot. The Elm Grove band came in and rendered splendid music. Practically every store in town closed and the crowd at the train was the largest that has gone their (sic) to see soldier boys off.” Of the 89 names listed, one, Calvin Ramey would not survive the war.
Following their 328-mile trip to San Antonio, Elbert and his fellow inductees began basic training with the 165 Depot Brigade. Following weeks of grueling training, Private Samford graduated and was assigned to the 64 Infantry Regiment, 14 Infantry Brigade, 7 Division, that had been organized at Camp MacArthur in Waco. He and the 64 Regiment departed the port of New York aboard the USS Manchuria on August 14, 1918, bound for the war in France. His Father Buck of Paxton, Texas was listed as the next of kin. Arriving some eleven days later they were sent to the Fifteenth Training Area at the commune of Ancy-le-Franc in the Yonne department, north-central France. Private Samford and the 64 Regiment saw combat in the Puvenelle Sector from October 10 to the armistice that ended the war on November 11, 1918. During operations, the 7 Division captured 69 prisoners and suffered 1,693 casualties.
The division remained in France until June 9, 1919, when they departed Brest aboard the USS America. Again he listed his Father Buck as next of kin. The Camden, New Jersey Morning Post reported “On Wednesday, June 18 the America along with two other transports the Agamemnon and Duca d’ Abruzzi arrived at the port of Hoboken, New Jersey with nearly fifteen thousand officers and men”. Elbert and the 64 infantry were then transported to Camp Mills on Long Island, New York for physicals and discharge processing. He was honorably discharged on June 30, 1919, and for his thirteen months of military service he was awarded the World War I Victory Medal.
Following the war, Elbert returned and helped work the family farm in Shelby County. In the early 1920’s he and Miss Wylma Thomas were married in Arkansas and would be blessed with two sons, Carl and Dan, and a daughter Helen who would tragically die ten days after her birth in 1929. On April 27, 1942 Elbert again registered for a military draft and although not called to service at age 47, he would see another world war begin and end in his lifetime.
For the next two decades, census records show that he and the family lived in both Shelby County where he farmed, and in El Dorado, Union County, Arkansas where he was a general store merchant. The Shreveport Journal, Shreveport, Louisiana, dated June 17, 1972 reported his death. “El Dorado, Ark. – Elbert B. Samford, 77 died Friday [June 16]. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Van Trees Methodist Church with the Rev. James Shaddox officiating. Burial will be in the Arlington Cemetery [Memorial Park] under the direction of Young’s Funeral Home. Mr. Samford was a member of the Masonic Lodge No. 13 F & AM, member of Senior Citizens, and of Barracks No. 1223 of World War I. Survivors include his wife; one son, Dan A. Samford of St. Louis, Mo.; two grandchildren; one brother, Allen Samford of Tenaha, Tex.”. His wife Wylma lived to age 92 and joined him at Arlington Memorial Park in 1993. Day is done, God is nigh.
SOURCES:
(1): Shelby County Historical Commission, History of Shelby County, Texas 1988.
(2): Registration State: Texas; Registration County: Shelby County
(3): "Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89MN-C9LZ-L?cc=2202707&wc=3... : 26 March 2015), Enlisted men > Runnels, Andrew-Schendel, Will R, 1917-1920 > image 1974 of 4439; Texas Military Forces Museum, Austin.
(4): The National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland; Record Group Title: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985; Record Group Number: 92; Roll or Box Number: 465
(5): Brief Histories of Divisions, US Army 1917-1918.
(6): The National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland; Record Group Title: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985; Record Group Number: 92; Roll or Box Number: 21
(7): United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: El Dorado, Union, Arkansas; Roll: 1433; Sheet Number: 13; Enumeration District: 70-15
