Floyd Anthony (1895/8-1961)

Posted on by kjohnson

By: Kelly Johnson

Photograph of Floyd Anthony wearing a high collared shirt in front of a wood sided building.
Floyd Anthony, c. 1917. Image courtesy of Sargent Memorial Collection, Slover Library, Norfolk, VA.SMC-MSS-0000-182-ind-c-043.

Floyd Anthony Born August 25 between the years 1895 and 98 in Scotland Neck, North Carolina to Ervan Ashberry Anthony and Nan Anthony. As a boy, Anthony never received even an elementary education let alone a college education. As a man, Anthony was employed at the Southern Railway Co. in Norfolk, and it was in Norfolk where he met his wife, Mary, who he married in 1917.  At age 21, Anthony was required to register for the draft, doing so on June 5, 1917.

This is likely how he entered the service as no enlistment records can be found. Upon entering, Anthony was sent to Camp Lee, known today as Fort Lee, Virginia, to receive training in 88th Co., 10th Training Battalion. Following this, Anthony was assigned to Camp Dix, New Jersey. Anthony never went abroad or saw action, while at Camp Dix he underwent care in the base hospital for stiff joints and an inability to use his fingers. Because of this, Anthony was determined to be unqualified for going abroad, and discharged from the Army.

Anthony lived a varied life following the war. Immediately after his discharge, Anthony returned to Norfolk and the Southern Railway Co and in 1920 worked as a longshoreman for Southern Pier. At some point over the next decade, Anthony moved to New York City and worked for a private family. His wife also worked as a maid, so it is possible that they worked for the same household. Around 1940, he began to work for the Works Progress Administration as part of the New Deal. Together with his wife, they had 3 children: Helen, Joseph, and Wilson. Floyd Anthony died January 3, 1961.

Sources:

1920 Census https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJJW-YPV

Virginia bureau of vital statistics https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:83V8-B82M

Draft registration https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBS-96YH?i=154&cc=1968530&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AK6ZQ-LHP

Service Questionnaire https://fromthepage.com/lva/wwi-va-questionnaires/anthony-floyd

1930 Census https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRC6-PVV?i=13&cc=1810731&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AX4LW-1RM

1940 Census https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9MB-M3F4?i=31&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AK3YK-6WJ

VA Record