PVT Herbert Folsom
Pvt. Herbert Folsom was born in Statesboro, Georgia on October 15th, 1891. He worked in
agriculture on the farm of Henry Allen, just outside of Statesboro. He lived with his aunt on the property of W.W. Nesmith. Herbert was an African American and was 26 years old when the United States joined the First World War. On June 5th, 1917 he filled out his registration card for the draft. He was inducted into the military on April 1st, 1918 and was one of 83 black soldiers sent to Camp Gordon from Bulloch County that month. Folsom served in the 157th Depot Brigade at Camp Gordon and died there of Pneumonia on April 20th, 1918. His body was returned to his aunt in Statesboro for burial.
Edward George Renesch lithographic print used to encourage Black men to serve in the American military (1918)
Works Cited
Folsom, Herbert. “World War 1 Service Card." Ancestry, 1918. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/43067:3129?_phcmd=u(%27https://www.ancestry.com/search/?name=Herbert_Folsom&event=_Bulloch+County-Georgia-USA&birth=1891&successSource=Search&queryId=4b4484f3-ecc2-4cb9-a21b-368894687c9b%27,%27successSource%27)
Folsom, Herbert. “World War 1 Draft Registration Card”. National Archives, 1917. https://www.archives.com
"Ninety Two Soldiers off to Camp Gordon," Bulloch Times and Statesboro News, 4 April 1918, pg. 1.