by Ayanna Smith

James Arthur Forrest was born on August 27th, 1893 to Ida Ganer and Robert Forest in Gold Point, Martin County, North Carolina. He had no siblings. They attended Baptist church services, and his highest education was in public school. Before he enlisted, he worked as a chauffeur for A. J. Wood & Co.

Forest enlisted in the Army on June 20th, 1918, at Camp Lee, Virginia. His original assignment was 535 engineers service battalion, but he was transferred to Company 45 service battalion. His enlisted bank was private engineers, and when discharged on December 17th, 1918, in Camp Humphrey, Virginia, he was at a private bank. He was awarded a Victory medal for his service. Once discharged, he resumed his profession as a Chauffeur. James married Nellie Jane Perkins on July 20th, 1919, in Princess Anne County, Virginia. They had no children. 

By 1920, James and Nettie Forest rented a room on Wool Street and he was working as a porter for a grocery store. The couple disappears from the historical record after this point.

Sources:

“United States Census, 1920”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJJ7-N2S : 4 February 2021), James Forest, 1920.

“Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics, County Marriage Registers, 1853-1935,” database, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DSRW-Q52M : 1 July 2022), James Arthur Forrest, 20 Jul 1919; citing Marriage Registration, Princess Anne, Virginia, United States, Virginia State Library and Archives, Richmond. 

Draft record: “United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918”, database with images, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6ZQ-P7K : 23 December 2021), James Arthur Forrest, 1917-1918. 

“Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics, County Marriage Registers, 1853-1935,” database, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DSRW-QR3Z : 1 July 2022), Nellie Jane Perkins in entry for James Arthur Forrest, 20 Jul 1919; citing Marriage Registration, Princess Anne, Virginia, United States, Virginia State Library and Archives, Richmond.