Harold Wallace Bailey
Harold Wallace Bailey was born in Boston on February 11, 1898, to Katherine G. (Driscoll) Bailey and Wallace Bailey. Wallace worked as a railroad inspector. In 1900 the family, which include Harold, his parents and his older sister Mabel, was living at 823 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester. His father was then a car starter for the elevated railway.
By 1910, Katherine or Catherine reported that she was a widow. She and Harold were living on St. Margaret Street. There is no mention of Mabel. In the 19 teens, Harold worked as a clerk in an office.
Harold enlisted on January 29, 1918, and served with the Wagon Company Pack Train Auxiliary. He joined the American Expeditionary Force in Europe on August 24, 1918, and served there until March 5, 1919. He was discharged on March 17, 1919.
When he returned to the U.S., he again lived with his mother on St. Margaret Street. He listed his occupation the Boston directory for 1920 as electrician, although the census record shows no employment. In March, 1921, marriage intentions were published for Harold and Julia G. Dunn of 5 Mt. Vernon Street. In 1928 the Boston Globe reported the death of Gertrude Dunn, beloved wife of Harold W. Bailey, and this may have been Julia.
In 1930 Harold was living with his mother at 7 Brook Avenue, Roxbury, along with his daughters Mildred, 8; Dorothy, 7; and Eileen, 2. Harold must have married again, although his wife is not listed in the census. Harold worked as a carpenter. The 1940 census shows Harold’s address at 378vRiverway, Roxbury, along with his wife Mary and children Mildred, 18; Dorothy, 17; and Eileen, 12.
There is another Harold W. Bailey, not to be confused with this veteran. The other Harold became a police patrolman and also lived on St. Margaret Street.
Index card in a collection of photographs and service records maintained by Dr. Nathaniel Royal Perkins. During World I, Dr. Perkins was employed by the draft registration board to examine young men for the draft. During this job, he befriended many servicemen and kept track of their military service during the war. Dr. Perkins died in 1922, and his widow, Clara, donated the collection to the Dorchester Historical Society in 1924.
Sources:
Boston Directories on Ancestry.com
Boston Globe, Nov 16, 1928, on newspapers.com
Boston Post, March 26, 1921, on newspapers.com
US Census 1900, 1910. 1920, 1930, 1940 on Ancestry.tom
US Veteran’s Master Index on Ancestry.com
WW I typescript. Military, Compiled Service Records. World War I. Carded Records. Records of the Military Division of the Adjutant General’s Office, Massachusetts National Guard.