Nilkanth Ramchandra Chavre
Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo
Nilkanth Ramchandra Chavre born 1895. Nilkanth Chavre served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1918 and the service was completed in 1918.
Story of Service
Private Nilkanth Ramchandra Chavre was born on September 2, 1895 in either Vaduja or Kolhapur, British India. He immigrated to the United States on February 16, 1916 on the ship Stumpalia via Genoa, Italy. Chavre settled in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
He studied at the College of Engineering and Architecture at the University of Michigan. Chavre was listed in 1919 Catalogue of the University of Michigan under the College of College of Engineering and Architecture's roster.
On June 5, 1917, Chavre registered for the draft while as an engineering student at University of Michigan. His draft card recorded his race as Caucasian, birthplace as Kolhapur, naturalization status as an alien. The card also recorded that he was single and resided at 210 Glen Ave.
According to 1919 Catalogue of the University of Michigan, Private Chavre enlisted into Student Army Training Corps (SATC). He served in the SATC from November 4, 1918 to November 26, 1918.
After the war, Chavre returned to Michigan. On October 26, 1920, he applied for U.S. passport to go to Bombay, British India for 2 years to do business. His application recorded his complexion as dark and occupation as a student. He was working for the Columbia Motor Company, which was based in Detroit. The application also recorded his birthplace as he had a wife, Johanna. She was born in Holland in 1898, immigrated to the U.S. in 1916, and was naturalized. His return passport application in 1922 recorded his birth of place as Vaduja, India.
Chavre and Johanna returned to Detroit after their trip to India and had a son, Kumar, born in 1923. By 1930, Chavre was a stationery engineer at Columbia Motor Company and was naturalized. Chavre's 1930 census recorded his race as white and language as Hindi. The 1930 census also recorded that Kumar's race as white.
By 1940, Chavre was living in Cincinnati, Ohio with his wife Eleanor and their 5 year old daughter Carol A. He worked as a civil engineer. Eleanor was born about 1914 and was born in Pennsylvania. She competed two years of college. Carol A. was born about 1935 in Michigan. The family'1940 census recorded all their races as white. Chavre's World War II draft card recorded his race as white, birthplace as Vaduja, India. The card also recorded his occupation as the United States Naval Department Inspection Service and living in Cincinnati.
Nilkanth Ramchandra Chavre died in Settle, Washington on December 1972.
