Wilbur Elwin Kistler grave, Jerusalem Union Church Cemetery, Stony Run, Pennsylvania; image credit ; image credit
Wilbur Elwin Kistler (16 September 1892 – 7 October 1918) died of pneumonia ("Spanish Flu") while serving with Company A, 310th Machine Gun Battalion, 79th Division in France. He was twenty-five years old.
Born at Kistler's Valley near Kempton, Pennsylvania, sometime in the 1890s his family moved to Slatington when his father took a job at the Lehigh Valley Railroad depot in town. His father died unexpectedly in January 1910, and Wilbur and his sisters were scattered to different families in the area. As of 1915, Wilbur was living in Allentown with his aunt.
We do not have many details of his army service.
18 September 1917, inducted at Allentown
19 September 1917, departed Allentown for Camp Meade, Maryland
8 July 1918, sailed to France
September-October 1918 participated in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
Private Kistler was originally buried in the American cemetery at Bazoilles-sur-Meuse, Vosges, before being re-interred in the Jerusalem Union Church Cemetery, Stony Run, Pennsylvania in 1921.
Draft registration listed occupation: assistant machinist
Draft registration listed home address: Allentown, Pennsylvania (He listed his place of birth as Slatington.)
Family
father Edwin John Kistler, 1869-1901
mother Amanda Klase, 1871-1943
sister Pearl May Kistler, 1894-?
sister Anna Amanda Kistler, 1896-1979
sister Verna Evelyn Kistler, 1898-1919 (Mauer)