John Thompson Sayers Hoge, Jr.

Buried in the Wheatland original cemetery, we revealed a footstone with the initials JH Jr. We assume it is for John Thompson Sayers Hoge, Junior. He was Joseph Haven Hoge's grandson, John and Florence Hoge's son. In 1823, he passed away at 22 years old. He served in WWI in the Army. Family members reference him as dying in the war. However, the war ended in 1918. His draft card describes him as tall, slender, with grey eyes and brown hair. Noted on the card is that he lost a leg, hand, and an eye but had several surgeries. He died in the hospital in Bluefield, Mercer, West Virginia.

Based on his injury date, John Hoge Jr. was most likely part of what is known as the "hundred days." A string of Allied offensive successes on the Western Front led to the German army's collapse and the war's end. The infusion of American troops and resources into the western front finally tipped the scale in the Allies' favor. Germany signed an armistice agreement with the Allies on November 11, 1918. World War I was known as the "war to end all wars" because of the great carnage and damage it caused. John was part of the war's successful outcome for the allies. He served his country but paid the price with his life. He should be remembered as an American hero.