Claude Benton Newman

Claude Newman was born on February 23, 1914 in Patrick County, VA, likely in the Mayo River district. He was the fifth of eight children; his father was farming in 1920, but had turned to carpentry by 1930 and later worked as a building contractor.

Claude finished seventh grade and then went to work. The family had moved to Martinsville VA by 1930, and Claude was working in the machine room in a furniture factory. By October 16, 1940, when he registered for the draft, he was working as a carpentry laborer for Snider Construction Company.

He enlisted on May 15, 1942, was assigned to the 603rd Engineer Camouflage Battalion as a construction carpenter, and saw service in Europe with the unit.

He was discharged from the Army on October 12, 1945 and returned to Martinsville.

Not much else is known about his life or work. He married textile worker Nellie Irene Gilbert on February 11, 1956; at the time he stated that he was a farmer in Patrick County, so possibly he had gone back to his father's old farm.

Claude died on March 14, 1995, in Martinsville, VA, a year after Nellie's death.

Sources:

1920 census

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/55488302:6061?tid=&pid=&queryId=e5e3284823c7678a30043ebf95231acf&_phsrc=Pne18&_phstart=successSource

1930 census

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/98188290:6224?tid=&pid=&queryId=2940f68b28bcdc284274068377525217&_phsrc=Pne11&_phstart=successSource

1937 city directory, Martinsville VA

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/565102156:2469?tid=&pid=&queryId=2940f68b28bcdc284274068377525217&_phsrc=Pne24&_phstart=successSource

1940 census

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/17814712:2442?tid=&pid=&queryId=e5e3284823c7678a30043ebf95231acf&_phsrc=Pne13&_phstart=successSource

1940 draft card

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/263766:2238?tid=&pid=&queryId=4ccb3fe013b6eb4869727389f4f0c938&_phsrc=Pne2&_phstart=successSource

1942 enlistment record

https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=all&tf=F&q=13064465&bc=&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=719388

1945 North Carolina discharge and statement of service record

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/162352:61952?tid=&pid=&queryId=4ccb3fe013b6eb4869727389f4f0c938&_phsrc=Pne4&_phstart=successSource

1956 marriage record

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=9279&h=11109492&tid=&pid=&queryId=2940f68b28bcdc284274068377525217&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Pne17&_phstart=successSource

1995 Social Security death index

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=3693&h=45248771&tid=&pid=&queryId=e5e3284823c7678a30043ebf95231acf&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Pne12&_phstart=successSource

1995 Find a Grave record

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47122346/claude-benton-newman