World War I in Bulloch County Memorial Project: PVT Louis Otis Stanford

Lewis/Louis Otis Stanford was born in Statesboro, GA on Oct. 24, 1986. He was the son of Ann Elizabeth Woodcock and David Quentin Stanford. He lived with his parents and his four siblings, Mitchell, David, William and Mary Ellen. He and his siblings worked on the family farm until Lewis/Louis enlisted for the army on May 29, 1917. He was a part of four regiments in both the Army and the Marines before going overseas himself in July 1918. He was in the 1st Infantry Division, the Georgia National Guard, a backup regiment, and then Battery E 321st Field Artillery, 82 Division as one of the seasoned soldiers until the day he died. It was with that regiment that he went overseas in 1918. 

Before he left the U.S. on June 21, 1918, he wrote a very sad but inspiring letter to his cousin Miss Ruby Akins. He wrote, “I am waiting for this war to close, and if I can do any good by going over I am willing to do my part if it should cost me my life there. It may give some little child freedom who cannot help itself, and I have got little brothers and sisters who can enjoy the freedom of the U.S.A.” 

While he was overseas, he fought in St. Mihiel, Argonne, and Meuse. It was after these battles that he died. Not because of battle wounds, but due to pneumonia. Private Stanford died on February 10th, 1919, in a French hospital. He was later exhumed from France and moved back home to be buried at Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church Statesboro, GA, where his father was later buried next to him.

Letter from Lewis O. Stanford to Ruby Akins of Statesboro, American Legion Auxiliary, Dexter Allen Unit no.90 records, Zach S. Henderson Library Special Collections, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA.