BIO: James E. GRISSINGER, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Dave Wilson Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************************** __________________________________________________________ McElroy, James Thomas Jr., McElroy's Family Memories, Huntingdon, PA: (Author), 1930, page 71. __________________________________________________________ JAMES E. GRISSINGER Mount Union, Pa. Mechanic: James E. Grissinger is a son of James L. Grissinger, who was married to Elizabeth T. Bridenstine. He was a grandson of Samuel S. and Mary Grissinger and Joseph and Mary Bridenstine. His mother died in the year of 1899, and his father in 1926. James L. Grissinger in the earlier days drove a stage and carried mail from Mapleton to Wells Tannery, before and during the building of the East Broad Top Railroad, later going west and farming in Missouri and adjoining states, finally returning and spending the rest of his days near New Grenada. After the death of his first wife he was married to Rilla E. Lane, who has been a loved and affectionate stepmother to the following sons, Carl O., Cloyd A., James E. and Harry A. James E. Grissinger was a World War veteran; born February 20th, 1891, and remaining at home until the age of fifteen; was in the employ of J.S. Shapiro at Broad Top City; in the mercantile business for five years; worked for the Singer Sewing Machine Co., at Altoona, and was in the moving picture business for seven years, traveled from town to town, using tank gas for projection. Opened the first movie house in Robertsdale; was a partner in the Shapiro Theatre Co., and a manager when the Shapiro Theatre was first opened, for two years. He enlisted in the U.S. Army, April 2, 1918, and was assigned to Co. K, 317th Infantry, 80th Division, at Camp Lee, Va.; was made first-class private and transferred to Headquarters Co., 317th Infantry. Embarked for France July 1, 1918, at Newport News, Va., on transport; was fourteen days on the Atlantic; landed at Brest, France; entrained for St. Agnon; then to Duelons, on the British front; saw first action there; then to Bar-Le-Duc, in the all-American section, and in the Meuse-Argonne drive, taking turns at the enemy, and was at Grandpre, France, when hostilities ceased on November 11, 1918. He was favored among the first leaves to be granted; went to Aix- Les-Bains in beautiful Southern France, in the Alps, and later was granted a second leave to Paris for ten days; rejoined outfit at Ancy-La-Franc; remained there until March; was then transferred to Co. F, 305th Ammunition Train, in charge of distribution of gasoline supply to 80th Division, under First Lieutenant Rhoads, from Philadelphia; moved to Economy, in Le-Mans area; there for six weeks, then to Brest; embarked on transport for U.S.A., arriving at Philadelphia June 1st; mustered out at Camp Dix, N.J. June 9th, 1919; fourteen months in service. He has two daughters by a former marriage, Velda P., aged 20, and Iona B., aged 18. Was later united in marriage to Isabel Minerva Starr, daughter of Frank Starr, who is married to Elizabeth Lane. They have one daughter, Wanda June Grissinger, aged four years. He is a mechanic for the Mount Union Manufacturing Co., and resides at present at 134 E. Shirley St., Mt. Union, Pa.