Clement A. Jones signature

On this day in 1918 Clement Archie Jones enlisted in the United States Army in Rochester, New York. He was born in Deseronto on August 14th, 1890, the son of James Jones and Annie (née Clement). James died in 1892 and by the time of the 1915 New York census the family had moved to Rochester. Clement completed a draft registration card in June 1917, claiming exemption due to the need to support his widowed mother. He was described as tall, of medium build and with dark blue eyes and dark brown hair.

Jones enlisted in the 12th Company, 3rd Training Battalion, 153rd Depot Brigade and was transferred to Company K, 310th Infantry on April 25, 1918, according to the World War Service Record Rochester and Monroe County, New York. He trained at Camp Dix, Wrightstown, New Jersey and went overseas on May 20th, 1918.

Some 96 Deseronto-born men completed draft registration cards in the United States. However, only a small percentage of those who registered went on to serve in the armed forces. Most of the US army personnel files of the First World War were destroyed by fire in 1973, so it is not easy to establish which of these Deseronto men joined the America military.