William Rollings- Early Life
Soldier's Information
William Stephen Rollings was born on July, 12, 1918 to John Rollings Sr. of Liverpool, England and Ellen Jones of Pennsylvania.
He was 21 years old when World War II began on September 1, 1939, and registered for the draft on October 16, 1940 at the age of 22. He originally registered for the draft in Wiconisco in 1940, but later enlisted in Harrisburg, PA on February 4, 1943 at the age of 24.
William Rollings's draft registration card, dated for October 16, 1940.
Prior to his entry to service, Rollings graduated from Wiconisco High School and had worked at a Samuel Miller- owned convenience store.
School information?
He was a "semiskilled routeman". At the time of enlistment. he was single and lived at Unit 3, Pottsville Street, Wiconisco PA. In 1940, the Census-recorded population of Wiconisco Township was 2,273.
Sibling Information
William S. Rollings was the middle of five children.
Baby Boy Rollings- Born May 10, 1915, but passed the same day.
Marion Rollings- Born 1917
William S Rollings- Born July 12, 1918
John Rollings Jr- Born July 21, 1920
Gertrude Rollings- Born 1935
At the time of William's passing, his siblings were the ages 26, 23, and 8.
Obituary articles following the deaths of John Rollings Sr. and Mrs. Ellen Rollings, dated for 1940 and 1970.
Family Information
William Rollings' father, John Rollings Sr., was born on October 23, 1891 in Bedfordshire, England. He lived with his mother, father, and majority of his seven siblings at Houghton Conquest, Bedfordshire.
John immigrated to New York, NY from Liverpool, England in 1912, at the age of 20. He arrived in the US on March 2, 1912 aboard the Campania. He came to the US to join his eldest brother Harry Rollings and his younger brother William Rollings joined in 1920. John settled in Wiconisco after his arrival in the US, where he met his wife, Ellen Jones.
R.M.S.(Royal Mail Ship) Campania, the ship in which John Rollings arrived in the US, dated for seven months prior to his immigration.
After marrying Ellen Jones, he worked as a Blacksmith in Wiconisco, PA and he rented a living space on Center Street.
Around 1930, just five years before the birth of his last child, John was working as a foreman and had moved residences to Unit 3 Pottsville, Wiconisco.. He later passed on December 27, 1940 at the age of 49.
William Rollings' mother, Ellen Jones, was born on October 24, 1895 in Pennsylvania, and she was the oldest of seven brothers. In her teens, she was a farmer at a Hosiery Mill and lived on Center Street in Wiconisco where her husband later joined her.
She married at the age of 19 to John Rollings Sr. on December 9, 1914. They lived together on Center Street in Wiconisco until around 1925 when they moved to Unit 3 Pottsville Street.
Ellen Rollings gave birth to her five children within 20 years, all while married to John Rollings and living in Wiconisco.
John Rollings Sr. passed on December 27, 1940 at 12:oo noon due to a lasting two-week illness. He was 49 years old. Following her husband's passing, Ellen Rollings moved to Kanawha, West Virginia where she passed on January 8, 1970. She was 74 years old.
William Rollings had a large extended family, with a total of ten uncles and four aunts. His family tended to marry young and have many children.
Below is William's family three, showing his siblings and parents' siblings. His cousins are not shown.
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