William Paul Kefes, Jr. was the son of William Paul Kefes, Sr., who was the son of the emigrant, William Kefes from Bavaria, Germany. His ancestry on his father's side includes a combination of German from Bavaria (Kefes) and Austrian from the Tyrol region (Schwemberger). On his mother's side it is Irish (Scully), his grandparents, John and Katherine Scully emigrated to Cincinnati in the mid 1800's. William was born in Cincinnati, OH, moving with his parents to Chicago as a young boy. His family moved to Kenosha in about 1915 where he met a beautiful daughter of a candymaker; he married Katherine Harbaugh in Gettysburg, PA while in training with the U.S. Army Tank Corps before going overseas in 1918. His first child, Virginia was born June 28, 1919----his son, Donn, was born in October 6, 1930. They lived in a lovely two story house In Kenosha for a number of years. There was a lot of squabbling between Bill and his wife Kathie, and ultimately Kathie and Bill divorced in the early 1930's. Bill's daughter told a story about her father who was strict and somewhat distant: one Sunday afternoon Bill stood with Virginia and her mother at the end of the wharf in Kenosha. He jokingly looked down at Virginia, and said "Jump in." She did! Much to Bill's consternation, he had to jump in the water in his "Sunday Best" to retrieve his dutiful young daughter.
----------------------
Kenosha News article about the passing of William Kefes in April 1964:
William P. Kefes, Jr., 70, 4535 Wilson Road, a long time and well known employee of American Motors Corp., and its predecessor companies, died at Kenosha Memorial Hospital Tuesday noon following a long illness. Mr. Kefes joined the Thoms J. Jeffrey Company cost accounting department in 1915. On May 15, 1918 he enlisted in the U.S. Army and he served in the Tank Corps, 304th Battalion Company C and was with the A.E.F. overseas. Following his honorable discharge on June 4, 1919, Mr.Kefes returned to Kenosha and was made supervisor in charge of car scheduling at Nash Motors. In 1948 he was named superintendent of planning of American Motors Corp., a position he held until his retirement in December of 1958. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio on Nov. 29, 1893, he was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Paul Kefes. The family moved to Chicago when he was a young boy. He spent his early life there and was educated in Chicago schools. He was a graduate of the North Chicago Business College. On July 10, 1948, Mr. Kefes married Helen Seymour who survives him. He was a member of St. James Church. Mr. Kefes also was one of the organizers and a past president of the American Motors Corp. Supervisors Club, a member of Kenosha Lodge 750 of the Elks, a member of American Legion Paul Herrick Post 21 and of the Last Man's Club. Surviving besides the widow are a son, Donn of Los Angeles; a daughter, Mrs. Virginia Vine of Van Nuys, Calif; a sister, Mrs. Helen K. Callahan of Los Angeles, Calif. and two grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a sister, Marie, in 1915.
--------------
Military information from Ancestry (thank you Alice!)
From World War I draft registration cards
William Paul Kefes Jr 11/29/1893 born in Ohio, 503 Sheridan Rd, Kenosha, Wisconsin – World War I draft registration card 1917 – 1918
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=6482&h=19494151&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=iFj7&_phstart=successSource
William Paul Kefes left 10/20/1918 from New York, NY; address 570 Prarie Ave, Kenosha, Wis; spouse Megantic; Military Unit 304Bn; Rank Corporal; service number 453761; Company “C” 304th Battalion Tcusa
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=61174&h=4072364&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=6482
William P Kefes; Male; Departure date 15 May 1919; Departure Place Bordeaux, France; Arrival date 27 May 1919; Arrival Place Hoboken, New Jersey; address 410 Pomeroy St, Kenosha, Wisconsin; Spouse Catherine Kefes; Ship Santa Barbara; Military Unit Co B TKC; Rank CPL TKC; Service Number 453,761; Notes: Bordeaux Special Casual Companyy No 571 (Discharge)
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=61174&h=9482291&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=6482
----------------------
Kenosha News article about the passing of William Kefes in April 1964:
William P. Kefes, Jr., 70, 4535 Wilson Road, a long time and well known employee of American Motors Corp., and its predecessor companies, died at Kenosha Memorial Hospital Tuesday noon following a long illness. Mr. Kefes joined the Thoms J. Jeffrey Company cost accounting department in 1915. On May 15, 1918 he enlisted in the U.S. Army and he served in the Tank Corps, 304th Battalion Company C and was with the A.E.F. overseas. Following his honorable discharge on June 4, 1919, Mr.Kefes returned to Kenosha and was made supervisor in charge of car scheduling at Nash Motors. In 1948 he was named superintendent of planning of American Motors Corp., a position he held until his retirement in December of 1958. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio on Nov. 29, 1893, he was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Paul Kefes. The family moved to Chicago when he was a young boy. He spent his early life there and was educated in Chicago schools. He was a graduate of the North Chicago Business College. On July 10, 1948, Mr. Kefes married Helen Seymour who survives him. He was a member of St. James Church. Mr. Kefes also was one of the organizers and a past president of the American Motors Corp. Supervisors Club, a member of Kenosha Lodge 750 of the Elks, a member of American Legion Paul Herrick Post 21 and of the Last Man's Club. Surviving besides the widow are a son, Donn of Los Angeles; a daughter, Mrs. Virginia Vine of Van Nuys, Calif; a sister, Mrs. Helen K. Callahan of Los Angeles, Calif. and two grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a sister, Marie, in 1915.
--------------
Military information from Ancestry (thank you Alice!)
From World War I draft registration cards
William Paul Kefes Jr 11/29/1893 born in Ohio, 503 Sheridan Rd, Kenosha, Wisconsin – World War I draft registration card 1917 – 1918
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=6482&h=19494151&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=iFj7&_phstart=successSource
William Paul Kefes left 10/20/1918 from New York, NY; address 570 Prarie Ave, Kenosha, Wis; spouse Megantic; Military Unit 304Bn; Rank Corporal; service number 453761; Company “C” 304th Battalion Tcusa
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=61174&h=4072364&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=6482
William P Kefes; Male; Departure date 15 May 1919; Departure Place Bordeaux, France; Arrival date 27 May 1919; Arrival Place Hoboken, New Jersey; address 410 Pomeroy St, Kenosha, Wisconsin; Spouse Catherine Kefes; Ship Santa Barbara; Military Unit Co B TKC; Rank CPL TKC; Service Number 453,761; Notes: Bordeaux Special Casual Companyy No 571 (Discharge)
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=61174&h=9482291&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=6482
William Paul Kefes, Jr. was the son of William Paul Kefes, Sr., who was the son of the emigrant, William Kefes from Bavaria, Germany. His ancestry on his father's side includes a combination of German from Bavaria (Kefes) and Austrian from the Tyrol region (Schwemberger). On his mother's side it is Irish (Scully), his grandparents, John and Katherine Scully emigrated to Cincinnati in the mid 1800's. William was born in Cincinnati, OH, moving with his parents to Chicago as a young boy. His family moved to Kenosha in about 1915 where he met a beautiful daughter of a candymaker; he married Katherine Harbaugh in Gettysburg, PA while in training with the U.S. Army Tank Corps before going overseas in 1918. His first child, Virginia was born June 28, 1919----his son, Donn, was born in October 6, 1930. They lived in a lovely two story house In Kenosha for a number of years. There was a lot of squabbling between Bill and his wife Kathie, and ultimately Kathie and Bill divorced in the early 1930's. Bill's daughter told a story about her father who was strict and somewhat distant: one Sunday afternoon Bill stood with Virginia and her mother at the end of the wharf in Kenosha. He jokingly looked down at Virginia, and said "Jump in." She did! Much to Bill's consternation, he had to jump in the water in his "Sunday Best" to retrieve his dutiful young daughter.
----------------------
Kenosha News article about the passing of William Kefes in April 1964:
William P. Kefes, Jr., 70, 4535 Wilson Road, a long time and well known employee of American Motors Corp., and its predecessor companies, died at Kenosha Memorial Hospital Tuesday noon following a long illness. Mr. Kefes joined the Thoms J. Jeffrey Company cost accounting department in 1915. On May 15, 1918 he enlisted in the U.S. Army and he served in the Tank Corps, 304th Battalion Company C and was with the A.E.F. overseas. Following his honorable discharge on June 4, 1919, Mr.Kefes returned to Kenosha and was made supervisor in charge of car scheduling at Nash Motors. In 1948 he was named superintendent of planning of American Motors Corp., a position he held until his retirement in December of 1958. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio on Nov. 29, 1893, he was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Paul Kefes. The family moved to Chicago when he was a young boy. He spent his early life there and was educated in Chicago schools. He was a graduate of the North Chicago Business College. On July 10, 1948, Mr. Kefes married Helen Seymour who survives him. He was a member of St. James Church. Mr. Kefes also was one of the organizers and a past president of the American Motors Corp. Supervisors Club, a member of Kenosha Lodge 750 of the Elks, a member of American Legion Paul Herrick Post 21 and of the Last Man's Club. Surviving besides the widow are a son, Donn of Los Angeles; a daughter, Mrs. Virginia Vine of Van Nuys, Calif; a sister, Mrs. Helen K. Callahan of Los Angeles, Calif. and two grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a sister, Marie, in 1915.
--------------
Military information from Ancestry (thank you Alice!)
From World War I draft registration cards
William Paul Kefes Jr 11/29/1893 born in Ohio, 503 Sheridan Rd, Kenosha, Wisconsin – World War I draft registration card 1917 – 1918
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=6482&h=19494151&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=iFj7&_phstart=successSource
William Paul Kefes left 10/20/1918 from New York, NY; address 570 Prarie Ave, Kenosha, Wis; spouse Megantic; Military Unit 304Bn; Rank Corporal; service number 453761; Company “C” 304th Battalion Tcusa
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=61174&h=4072364&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=6482
William P Kefes; Male; Departure date 15 May 1919; Departure Place Bordeaux, France; Arrival date 27 May 1919; Arrival Place Hoboken, New Jersey; address 410 Pomeroy St, Kenosha, Wisconsin; Spouse Catherine Kefes; Ship Santa Barbara; Military Unit Co B TKC; Rank CPL TKC; Service Number 453,761; Notes: Bordeaux Special Casual Companyy No 571 (Discharge)
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=61174&h=9482291&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=6482
----------------------
Kenosha News article about the passing of William Kefes in April 1964:
William P. Kefes, Jr., 70, 4535 Wilson Road, a long time and well known employee of American Motors Corp., and its predecessor companies, died at Kenosha Memorial Hospital Tuesday noon following a long illness. Mr. Kefes joined the Thoms J. Jeffrey Company cost accounting department in 1915. On May 15, 1918 he enlisted in the U.S. Army and he served in the Tank Corps, 304th Battalion Company C and was with the A.E.F. overseas. Following his honorable discharge on June 4, 1919, Mr.Kefes returned to Kenosha and was made supervisor in charge of car scheduling at Nash Motors. In 1948 he was named superintendent of planning of American Motors Corp., a position he held until his retirement in December of 1958. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio on Nov. 29, 1893, he was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Paul Kefes. The family moved to Chicago when he was a young boy. He spent his early life there and was educated in Chicago schools. He was a graduate of the North Chicago Business College. On July 10, 1948, Mr. Kefes married Helen Seymour who survives him. He was a member of St. James Church. Mr. Kefes also was one of the organizers and a past president of the American Motors Corp. Supervisors Club, a member of Kenosha Lodge 750 of the Elks, a member of American Legion Paul Herrick Post 21 and of the Last Man's Club. Surviving besides the widow are a son, Donn of Los Angeles; a daughter, Mrs. Virginia Vine of Van Nuys, Calif; a sister, Mrs. Helen K. Callahan of Los Angeles, Calif. and two grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a sister, Marie, in 1915.
--------------
Military information from Ancestry (thank you Alice!)
From World War I draft registration cards
William Paul Kefes Jr 11/29/1893 born in Ohio, 503 Sheridan Rd, Kenosha, Wisconsin – World War I draft registration card 1917 – 1918
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=6482&h=19494151&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=iFj7&_phstart=successSource
William Paul Kefes left 10/20/1918 from New York, NY; address 570 Prarie Ave, Kenosha, Wis; spouse Megantic; Military Unit 304Bn; Rank Corporal; service number 453761; Company “C” 304th Battalion Tcusa
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=61174&h=4072364&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=6482
William P Kefes; Male; Departure date 15 May 1919; Departure Place Bordeaux, France; Arrival date 27 May 1919; Arrival Place Hoboken, New Jersey; address 410 Pomeroy St, Kenosha, Wisconsin; Spouse Catherine Kefes; Ship Santa Barbara; Military Unit Co B TKC; Rank CPL TKC; Service Number 453,761; Notes: Bordeaux Special Casual Companyy No 571 (Discharge)
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=61174&h=9482291&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=6482
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