Arthur Boyd Winn
Arthur Boyd Winn was born 27-FEB 1896, His father was Abraham Winn, and his mother was Nora McGown. He had ten siblings including half siblings. He enlisted 14-DEC 1917 at Jefferson Barracks. He served in a machine gun company, the 370th. The 370th, 93rd Infantry Division is one of few African American regiments that served in combat in World War I and notably was the only regiment commanded entirely by black officers. Few people know about this unit of young black men, which served alongside 1st Army during World War I.
The regiment fought in the battle of St. Mihiel, Argonne, and Soissons. The regiment was nicknamed the blue hats and would wear the distinctive blue helmet patch denoting the wearing of French equipment during the war. Immediately upon the 370th’s return from France, the black communities of Chicago began fundraising to erect a monument to the 370th Regiment, “Black Devils.” The monument was completed in 1928 and dedicated on 11 November, Armistice Day.
Arthur departed Brest France on the troopship Patricia 24-JUN 1919 arriving on 5-JUL 1919 in Hoboken, NJ. His spouse is listed as Florence Winn on the manifest. He was discharged 15 JUL 1919. He came home and lived in St. Charles, MO on Benton Ave. His occupation according to the 1920 census was “chauffer for a private family.” In 1928 he married Mattie Hampton, and they had one child. In 1930 the census lists his wife as Mattie (1901-1931) . Later he married Mae Laura Belle on 5-OCT 1933. When he was 43, he registered for the “Old Man’s Draft” he lived on Washington Street in St. Charles. He does not list an employer. The 1940 census lists his wife as Susan Winn. He died 29-JUN 1945 and is buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis MO.
Editor note: The Fourth Registration, or Old Man’s Registration, was held on April 27, 1942. The purpose of this registration was to collect information on the industrial capacity and skills of men who were born between April 27, 1877 and February 16, 1897 (ages 45 to 64).