Pvt James Milton Farley

Our Hometown Heroes

James Milton Farley

Killed in Action in France in WWI

Army Private James Milton Farley was older than many men when he enlisted in the U.S. Army to fight in World War 1. Private Farley was born on October 31, 1888. He enlisted in the Army when he was 29 ½ years old. Many of the enlistees, including Farley, were called to fight overseas in France. Serving with Company M of the 327th Division, Farley was pronounced killed in action on October 16, 1918, just two weeks shy of his 30th birthday. His mother and father, Emma R. McCullough Farley and father, Abner J. “Bud” Farley got the sad notification of their son’s death in Fleville, Northern France.

Private Farley’s body was returned to his hometown Griffin and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery. Although Farley did not come home alive, a community now honors the World War I, soldier. An individual plaque honoring Arthur Roland Ballard will be installed in Griffin’s Historic District. The plaque was donated by an anonymous donor in honor of Sonny Hunt.