Sgt Earl Starr Wadsworth

Our Hometown Heroes

Earl Starr Wadsworth

The Influence of the Railroad in his Life

When he was born in Orchard Hill on November 5, 1892, railroads were king in stimulating the economic expansion of the United States.But never did Earl Starr Wadsworth imagine the influence trains would have on his life.

Wadsworth joined the U.S. Army on July 25, 1917 to fight in World War 1. He worked as a wood mechanic for the Central of Georgia Railroad company. Rising to the rank of sergeant, Wadsworth would travel to Lorraine (France) and would be killed in action on July 15, 1918, dying in the trenches in this foreign land. His wife, Mary, who lived in Macon, received notification of her husband’s untimely death.

Wadsworth, for some reason, was not listed on the World War I Monument, forgotten until now. This changed during the Memorial Day weekend, May 29-30, 2016 as Wadsworth and other, “Lost and Forgotten,” World War I soldiers were honored with individual plaques and their names on the Veterans Memorial Park “Doughboy” statue. Thanks to efforts of Griffin Archivist Cynthia Barton, the Veterans Military Affairs and Honor our KIA committees, Sgt. Wadsworth is now remembered as one of Griffin-Spalding’s Hometown Heroes.

An individual plaque honoring Earl Starr Wadsworth will be installed in Griffin’s Historic District sponsored by the Daybreak Rotary Club.