Pvt. William "Willie" Wiseman Honoll

Submitted by: William D. Honnoll, Grandson of Pvt. Honnoll

Pvt. William "Willie" Wiseman Honoll served in World War 1 with the U.S. Army. The dates of service are: Known 04/01/1918 -01/17/1919.

 

William Wiseman Honnoll was born May 30, 1895, in Ben Lomond, Arkansas. The moved to Macey in 1910 with his father John Frederick Karr Honnoll after the death of his mother Ida Lee Maxey Honnoll. He was called Will or Willie by some mostly family members, but most on Buffalo Island knew him as “Peanut” Honnoll. Will married Rachel “Jane” Pitts, January 3, 1918, and made their home in the Macey community until 1944. They had three children: Ida Lee Helen, John Albert, and James Abner Monroe. Will was a farmer, ginner, cotton picker, and rural letter carrier out of Monette and Black Oak.

 Willie enlisted in the Army, on April 1, 1918, at Jonesboro, Arkansas. He was a World War I Veteran and served as a Private, in the Cavalry. Private Honnoll was listed as a farmer, 22 years old, light blue eyes, fair complexion, and was 5‘ 7” tall. His service number was W2115218. He was with the 18th Co., 5th Rec. Battalion 157 DB. His Army Horse’s name was Ole Fiddler. He received his Honorable discharge on January 17, 1919, at Atlanta, GA and given $36.34 for traveling expense.

Will learned the craft of grafting trees from his father. Many of the trees that Will grafted are still in the Macey area. He was very good at this craft and he mainly enjoyed grafting pecan trees together. Some of these trees are just south of where the Macey Methodist.

The Honnolls moved to St. Louis in 1945. They lived at 3311 St. Vincent St. where they owned and ran an apartment complex.

Will and Jane moved back to Arkansas in 1960. They settled in Nettleton, Arkansas where their oldest son John lived.

Will was in poor help for the last 25 years of his life. He died January 5, 1968, at his home in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Rachel died April 9, 1987, at Lane’s Nursing Home in Monette. They are both buried in Macey Cemetery located in Macey, Arkansas.

Honnoll Will W on old Fiddler, at Camp Gordon GA WW1