Erastus J. Perry: WWI Draft Registration

As I was starting to run out of luck with Erastus J. Perry in the census records, I decided to look him up in the WWI Draft Registration. All men born between 1873 and 1900 were required to register for the WWI draft in 1917 and 1918. I found the following:

Erastus Joseph Perry
Age 30
Resident of Vinton, Louisiana
Born 10 Sep 1886 in Edgerly, Louisiana
Self-employed farmer
Has dependent mother and niece (age 5)
Single
Caucasian
Grey eyes, red hair, medium height and build

Erastus registered on 5 Jun 1917. This seems to be the right Erastus, as he lives in Vinton, and his birth date roughly coincides with his age on the 1920 and 1930 census records. We finally have a middle name for Erastus, which makes sense, as his son's name on the 1930 census is given as Joseph Perry. His birthplace of Edgerly is in Police Jury Ward 5, where the family lived in 1880 and 1910. Perhaps the niece that he supported was the daughter of his younger sister, Levenia. Levenia was listed as the mother of one child still living on the 1910 census, although the child was not listed. However, if the niece's age is reported correctly on the WWI draft registration card, then she wouldn't have been born until 1911 or 1912, so this may not be the ghost child from the 1910 census.

I decided to also look for Erastus' known brothers in the WWI draft registration database at Ancestry.com and found the following:

William Henry Perry
Resident of Vinton, Louisiana
Age 38
Born 31 Dec 1879
Stockman for J.G. Gray in Vinton, Louisiana
Has dependent mother: Mrs. Wyona Perry of Vinton, Louisiana
Blue eyes, sandy hair, medium height, stout build

William registered for the draft in Sep 1918. His birth date and age matches that of the William H. Perry found on the 1880 and 1910 census records. It seems like William either hadn't married by 1918, as he did not list a wife as his dependent, or his wife had died by 1918. He does not appear to have any children either.

Richmond W. Perry
Age 25
Resident of Vinton, Louisiana
Born 23 Jun 1892 in Vinton, Louisiana
Oil field laborer for Gulf Refining Company in Ged, Louisiana
Has dependent wife and child
Gray eyes, black hair, medium build

Richmond registered on 5 Jun 1917. Ged is just south of Vinton. Richmond appears to be the only brother who had married by 1917. His birth date roughly matches that found on the 1910 census.

Sources:

"World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database and images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/search : accessed 3 Nov 2009), Erastus Joseph Perry, serial no. 1585, order no. 219, Draft Board, Vinton, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana; citing World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, roll 1684666.

"World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database and images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/search : accessed 3 Nov 2009), William Henry Perry, serial no. 3325, order no. 3318, Draft Board, Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana; citing World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, roll 1684666.

"World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database and images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/search : accessed 3 Nov 2009), Richmond W. Perry, serial no. 1595, order no. 109, Draft Board, Ged, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana; citing World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, roll 1684666.