Cherokee Co., TX - Military: Cherokee Guard ***************************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb by: Don R Brownlee USGenWeb Archives. Copyright. All rights reserved http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ***************************************************** Company A, First Battalion, 143rd Infantry, Texas National Guard, 1940 Although Company A, 143rd Infantry, dates only to November 21, 1921, the military history of Rusk, Texas, dates to Company A, Seventh Confederate Cavalry, which fought throughout the Civil War. A militia company, organized about 1883 with Captain Walter Whitman, lasted until 1895. In 1904, Captain R. L. Coleman organized Company F, Third Texas Infantry. In 1914 it was disbanded because Captain Coleman and Lieutenant Charles R. Guinn moved away. Company D, 143rd Regiment, was Federally recognized November 21, 1921, as a machine gun company, with Captain James I. Perkins, First Lieutenant Pope A. Guinn and Second Lieutenant Thomas Shearon. In 1924 Charles E. Kerr became Captain on the resignation of Captain Perkins. First Lieutenant Guinn transferred to the 72nd Brigade Headquarters Staff as Aide to General George P. Rains. Lieutenant Shearon resigned. Through efforts of Captain Kerr, Company D became a rifle unit, designated Company A. The exchange was made with the company then at Alto, Texas. COMMISSIONED OFFICERS Captain Pope Guinn First Lieutenant Edgar Ford Second Lieutenant Thomas S. Fitts NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS First Sergeant James H. Fitts SERGEANTS Benton, Paul S. Butterfield, C. L. Chapman, Guy S. Echols, H. M. Humphfus, M. L. McKellar, J. P. Miles, L. M. Sartain, A. W. CORPORALS Alexander, J. T. Creekmore, T. V. Davis, A. B. Fitts, J. B. Jones, V. T. McIntyre, P. G. Parrott, W. F. Sartain, Tom E. Smith, D. L. PRIVATES FIRST CLASS Alexander, E. F. Alexander, P. R. Bane, B. R. Banks, J. A. Bounds, R. B. Bowman, C. A. Creekmore, Jonathan A. Halsell, C. Holcombe, Willie N. Hudson, Willie M. Jackson, James M. Jenkins, Odes W. Jimmerson, J. W. Jones, G. C. Sanders, C. Singletary, Jonathan C. Singletary, T. R. Stancil, S. R. Tullis, G. J. Van Sickle, O. C. Yarbrough, B. PRIVATES Bell, L. Brewer, D. Bridges, J. C. Butler, W. E. Clapp, E. L. Collins, H. T. Creekmore, P. B. Cribbs, O. O. Dickey, G. W. Dickson, T. A. Egbert, F. L. Gardiner, C. C. Gardiner, W. D. Goff, L. J. Harbor, L. J. Higginbotham, G. F. Jackson, J. L. Jenkins, E. H. Jones, B. F. Jones, Ben H. King, J. A. Lambright, A. L. Langston, M. W. McIntyre, J. B. Murphy, R. L. Musgraves, E. O. Pyle, H. A. Quimby, J. L. Rich, H. A. Rich, W. L. Roycroft, A. R. Singletary, J. M. Smith, R. M. Sowell, T. F. Stanley, G. P. Strahan, N. L. Stubblefield, J. E. Teer, Crit T. Thomason, E. C. Thompson, J. W. Walker, J. T. Weaver, C. H., Jr. Weaver, Dan F. Willis, D. F. Source: Historical and Pictorial Review National Guard of the State of Texas, 1940, p. 146-147