Marion County, West Virginia Biography of Ward LANHAM This file was submitted by CJ Towery, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, pages 232-233 WARD LANHAM. Now a part in the growing responsibilities of his law practice at Fairmont, Captain Lanham is probably one of the best-known younger citizens of West Virginia. He has a great following among college and university men, has been a successful athletic coach, but his most distinguishing record so far was made as a gallant American officer during the World war. Captain Lanham was born at Newburg in Preston County, West Virginia, May 17, 1889. His grandparents were James and Malinda (Lowe) Lanham. The former was born on the east side of the. mountains in Old Virginia, and when a boy his parents settled in the Bakers Creek neighborhood, within the present limits of the City of Morgantown. Captain Lanham is a son of Dr. Thomas Fleming and Alberta May (Shaffer) Lanham. Doctor Lanham was born on his father's farm about six miles from Fairmont, in Marion County, in 1847, was graduated from the Fairmont Normal School, and received his M. D. degree from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore. For many years he enjoyed a wide, extended and successful practice in Preston County, but for several years has made his home at Grafton in Taylor County. Doctor Lanham while in Preston County had a large practice as a mining physician, chiefly for the mines owned by Martin L. Shaffer. Doctor Lanham married the daughter of this prominent coal operator, Alberta May, who was born in Preston County in 1847. Capt. Ward Lanham attended school at Newburg, graduated from the Grafton High School in 1908, received his Bachelor of Science degree from Wesleyan College at Buckhannon in 1912, and for about five years was successfully engaged in educational work. He taught school at Grafton and coached the athletic team two years, and was then instructor and coach in the Fairmont High School one year, following which he was teacher and coach in the Buckhannon High School. In 1916 Captain Lanham entered West Virginia University and had carried his studies about a year when America declared war on Germany. He was one of the first university men to enter the active service of the Government. He immediately sent his application to the War Department for appointment to the Officers Training School, and on May 10, 1917, he entered the camp at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis. He was commissioned first lieutenant and on August 15, 1917, was ordered to Harvard University to receive special instruction in trench warfare under French instructors sent over for that purpose by the French Government. He was detailed for duty at Camp Sherman, Ohio, where he was assigned to the Three Hundred Twenty-ninth Infantry in the Eighty-third Division, Headquarters Company. Lieutenant Lanham left Camp Sherman in April, 1918, sailed from New York City, landed at Liverpool, crossed England to Southhampton, thence over the channel to LaHavre, and was immediately assigned to the Twenty-eighth Infantry, First Division. He was with that division in service until they crossed the River Rhine, and he had the honor of being the first American officer to cross the River Mozelle into German territory and also the first to cross the River Rhine. Immediately following the battle of St. Mihiel he was commissioned captain in September, 1918. The high lights in his service can best be described in quotations and abstracts from the army records. He was cited for the Distinguished Service Cross by Brigadier General O. C. Barnhart, and was awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French Government. U. S. Army citation: Capt. Martin W. Lanham, Regiment Intelligence Officer, Twenty-eighth Infantry, for distinguished and exceptional gallantry at Meuse-Argonne on October 6, 1918, in the operations of the American Expeditionary Forces. In testimony thereof and as an expression of his valor I award him this citation. Signed, John J. Pershing, Commander in Chief. Awarded March 17, 1919. While on German territory the following citation was made: "December 4, 1918, in General Orders, Headquar-ters, Germany. Capt. Martin Ward Lanham, Regiment Intelligence Officer, Twenty-eighth Infantry. Brave and zealous throughout the operations without thought of personal danger, furnished his regimental commander valuable and necessary information by keeping constantly where the movements of the enemy might be observed; on the final day, although suffering greatly from gas, volunteered and successfully accomplished an important and dangerous mission; upon his return was evacuated, owing to gas burns and exhaustion. By command of Major General McGlachlin. Signed, Stephen C. Fuqua, Chief of Staff." French Army, General Order, Extract D: With the approval of the General Commander in Chief A. E. F. in France, the Marshal of France, Commander in Chief of the French armies of the Government, cites in the orders of the army Capt. Martin Ward Lanham of the Twenty-eighth Regiment Infantry: "He gave on October 10, 1918, a good example of courage and sang froid in volunteering to traverse a zone swept by the fire of the Infantry and Artillery, in order to maintain liaison between the first line and the post of command of his support. Signed, The Marshal, Commander in Chief French Armies of the East, Petain." Headquarters First Division. The Commander in Chief has noted in this division a special private service and high state of morale never broken by hardship or battle. G. 0. No. 20, C. H. D., A. E. F.! November 10, 1919. General Order No. 1, January 11, 1920, cities the following officers and soldiers for gallantry in action and especially meritorious service. First Lieut. Martin Ward Lanham, Twenty-eighth Infantry, was wounded in action in the Mense-Argonne offensive October 18-19, 1918, by command of Major General Summerall. Signed, Stephen C. Fuqua, Chief of Staff. Second Infantry Brigade, Camp Zachary Taylor, Kentucky, December 20, 1919. General Order No. 11. 1. The Brigade Commander cites the following officers and enlisted men for gallantry in action and devotion to duty during the operations of the Second Infantry Brigade in the Meuse-Argonne offensive of October 6-8, 1918. Extract from General Order No. 11: Capt. Martin Ward Lanham, H. Q. H. S., Second Infantry Brigade, a staff officer of tireless energy and endurance, resourceful, loyal and highly courageous, he contributed greatly to the complete success of the final operations of the Second Infantry Brigade, November 1-11, 1918. Signed, F. C. Marshall, Brig-General. After leaving Germany and before his discharge Captain Lanham spent six months in the study of law in Inns of Court at London, during which time he also traveled in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. He sailed for the United States July 1, 1919, and when the vessel was midway home he was operated upon for appendicitis. He was discharged while an inmate of Walter Reid Hospital at Washington on September 10, 1919, and mustered out. Following his discharge from the service Captain Lanham returned to West Virginia University, took up his studies in the law department, and graduated LL. B. with the class of 1920. In the same year he began practice at Fairmont, but he also coached the West Virginia University freshman football team for 1920-1921. Captain Lanham is a member of the American Legion, West Virginia Department, and a Phi Kappa Psi. A brilliant, resourceful young native son of the state, he possesses all the qualities to insure leadership and usefulness in his chosen profession.