Paul Emory Mentzer1 was born on 28 Mar 1896 in Yates Center, Woodson, Kansas, United States.1–5
He was the child of Charles Oliver Mentzer and Nettie Adell Wells.6
Paul Mentzer was listed as the son of Charles Mentzer on the 1900 census in Woodson County, Kansas. According to the census, Paul was born Mar 1896 in Kansas.7
He was listed as Paul Mentzer, an 8 year old male born in Kansas, on the 1905 census living in Neosho Falls, Woodson, Kansas, United States on 1 Jul 1905.8
The 1910 census shows a 13 year old single male born Kansas who was listed as Paul E. Mentzer living in Liberty Township, Coffey, Kansas, United States on 27 Apr 1910.9
The 1915 Kansas census shows an 18 year old agriculture laborer born in Kansas who was listed as Paul Mentzer in Neosho Township, Coffey, Kansas, United States.10
Paul registered for the draft on 5 Jun 1917 in Woodson, Kansas, United States.11
On 25 Apr 1918, he departed aboard the Caronia as part of the 139th Infantry from New York, New York, United States.12
About Sep 1918, he was wounded when a 9 inch shell burst near him while serving in Co. E 139th Infantry A.E.F. He had shrapnel wounds in his chest and and on his left leg just above his knee. He also was burned by the powder from the shell and gassed.13–14
On 13 Jan 1919, Paul sent a Niagara Falls postcard to his sister, Mrs. E. O. Briles, stating that he was on his way to Funston.15
The 1920 census shows a 23 year old male born Kansas who was employed as a garage mechanic who was listed as Paul Mentzer living in Everett Township, Woodson, Kansas, United States.16
He married Ada Ellen Saferite on 25 Aug 1921 in Neosho Falls, Woodson, Kansas, United States.17–20
He lived in Pittsburg, Crawford, Kansas, United States in 1925.21
He received Bachelor of Science Degree on 28 May 1925 in Pittsburg, Crawford, Kansas, United States.22–24
In Aug 1925 Paul was in Burr Oak, Jewell, Kansas, United States.25
In Aug 1926 he was a manual training instructor at the high school in Council Grove, Morris, Kansas, United States.26
He registered as a veteran of WWI in 1930 in Saline, Kansas, United States.27
The 1930 census shows a 34 year old male born in Kansas who was employed as a teacher who was listed as Paul E. Mentzer in Eureka Township, Saline, Kansas, United States.28
In Aug 1933 Paul was a principal in Gas, Allen, Kansas, United States.29
He lived at 247 Fillmore in Denver, Denver, Colorado, United States in 1937.30
He lived in Lyons, Boulder, Colorado, United States in Feb 1939.31–32
The 1940 census shows a 44 year old male born in Kansas who was employed as a manual training teacher and who was listed as Paul Mentzer living in Lyons, Boulder, Colorado, United States.33
About 1941, Paul was being treated for injuries suffered during World War I at Fitzsimmons Hospital in Denver, Denver, Colorado, United States.34
He registered for the draft in 1942 in Springfield, Baca, Colorado, United States.35
He lived in Springfield, Baca, Colorado, United States in Aug 1942.1,34
Paul died on 14 Aug 1942 in Lamar, Prowers, Colorado, United States at the age of 46. He fractured his skull in an accident at a public school building in Springfield, Colorado.1,4–5,34,36–39
He was buried on 18 Aug 1942 at Cedarvale Cemetery in Neosho Falls, Woodson, Kansas, United States.1,4,34,38–41
1. Paul Emory Mentzer, death certificate #10912 (August 1942), State of Colorado, Colorado Department of Health, Denver, Colorado.
2. Mentzer, George, Family Bible of Emeline Minnick Mentzer (no place: no publisher, no date); Doris Ryan, Yates Center, KS, (Doc. #: Mentzer.KS.006)
3. Charles Mentzer family, Holy Bible Self Pronouncing Edition (: , ); Marcia Philbrick, Seneca, Kansas, stored in filing cabinet
4. Find a Grave, database and images, Find a Grave (www.findagrave.com : viewed online April 2017), memorial for Paul E. Mentzer (1896-1942), Find a Grave Memorial no. #118586494, created by larry gifford, citing Cedarvale Cemetery, Neosho Falls, Woodson County, Kansas; accompanying photograph by larry gifford, Paul E. Mentzer.
5. “U.S., Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940,”Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online (28 July 2021), Paul Emory Mentzer.
6. Social Security Administration, “Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007,” database on-line, Ancestry, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60901/ : viewed online October 2017), Paul Emory Mentzer.
7. 1900 U.S. Census, North Township, Woodson County, Kansas, population schedule, North Township, Woodson County, Kansas, SD 4, ED 186, page 1A Image 1 of 12, household 2, Mentzer Charles; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online July 2016); FHL microfilm: 1240503
8. 1905 Kansas Census, Neosho Falls, Woodson County, state census, Neosho Falls, Woodson County, Kansas, page 12 Image 152 of 173, household 72, C. O. Mentzer; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online November 2017); Kansas State Historical Socity
9. 1910 U.S. Census, Liberty Township, Coffey County, Kansas, population schedule, Liberty Township, Coffey County, Kansas, ED 15, sheet 7B Image 14 of 30, household 124, Charles O Mentzer; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online November 2017)
10. 1915 Kansas Census, Coffey County, State Census, Coffey County, Neosho Township, 11 (image 21 of 58) Image 21 of 58, dwelling 91, C. O. Mentzer; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online March 2016)
11. “World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” database, Ancestry (Ancestry.com : viewed online April 2017), Paul Emory Mentzer.[WebRecord].
12. U.S., Army Transport Service, Passenger Lists, 1910-1939, Paul E Mentzer, database with images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed online 23 December 2019).
13. “From Our Soldier Boys,” The Yates Center News (Yates Center, Kansas), 11 October 1918, page 1; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 26 July 2021).
14. “From Our Soldier Boys – Chaplain letter,” The Yates Center News (Yates Center, Kansas), 11 October 1918, page 1; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 26 July 2021).
15. Crawford Family Papers; privately held by Marcia Philbrick, Seneca, Kansas, 2016. Postcard from Paul Mentzer to Mrs. E. O. Briles dated 13 Jan 1919. passed down from Mrs. E. O. Briles to granddaughter, Marcia Philbrick.
16. 1920 U.S. Census, Woodson County, Kansas, population schedule, Everett Township, Woodson County, Kansas, ED 155, Sheet 6A Image 11 of 14, household 116, Charles O Mentzer; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online November 2017); NARA microfilm publication T625
17. Kansas State Department of Health and Environment, Office of Vital Statistics, Marriage License #104 445 (August 1921), Paul E. Mentzer and Ada E Sferite; Kansas State Department of Health and Environment, Topeka, KS.
18. Marriage License Record, Woodson County, Kansas, Mentzer Marriage Affidavit, Woodson County Courthouse, Yates Center, Woodson County, Kansas.
19. Duncan, L. Wallace and Chas F. Scott, History of Allen and Woodson Counties, Kansas (Iola, Kansas: Iola Register, 1901), pp. 831-832 (Doc. #: Mentzer.KS.025).
20. “Mentzer-Saferite,” The Neosho Falls Post (Neosho Falls, Kansas), 9 September 1921, page 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 14 January 2021).
21. 1925 Kansas Census, Crawford County, Kansas, Kansas census, Pittsburg, Crawford County, Kansas, page 28 Image 311 of 668, Paul E Mentzer; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online January 2018)
22. “Local News,” The Iola Register (Iola, Kansas), 29 May 1925, page 3; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 28 July 2021).
23. United States, School Yearbooks, 1900-1999, Paul E Mentzer, 1925; Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed online 28 July 2021).
24. United States, School Yearbooks, 1900-1999, Paul E Mentzer – The Kanza 1925, 1925; .
25. “Local and Personal,” Burr Oak Herald (Burr Oak, Kansas), 3 September 1925, page 2; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 28 July 2021).
26. “Manual Teacher Here,” Council Grove Republican (Council Grove, Kansas), 27 August 1926, page 1; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 28 July 2021).
27. “Kansas, Enrollment of WWI Veterans, 1930,” database online, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online December 2018), Paul Mentzer; ENrollment of Word War One Veterans or Their Widows and Orphans, 1930. Kansas State HIstorical Society.https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2955/40851_620305176_0921-00304?pid=26437.
28. 1930 U.S. Census, Saline County, Kansas, Eureka, Saline County, Kansas, enumeration district (ED) ED6, sheet 2B, household 44, Paul E Mentzer; digital images, (: viewed online January 2018).
29. “Gas City Events,” The Iola Register (Iola, Kansas), 2 June 1933, page 5; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 28 July 2021).
30. 1937 Denver Directory (Denver, Colorado: The Gazetteer Co., Inc., 1937), Denver, Colorado, p. 1625, Paul Mentzer; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online April 2017).
31. “Obituary of Mrs. C. O. Mentzer,” undated clipping, from unidentified newspaper; Crawford Family Papers, saved by Pauline Briles and passed to granddaughter; privately held 2021 by Marcia Philbrick, [address for private use], Seneca, KS.
32. “News of Neosho Falls,” The Iola Register (Iola, Kansas), 15 February 1939, page 5; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 21 July 2021).
33. 1940 U.S. Census, Boulder County, Colorado, population schedule, Lyons, Boulder County, Colorado, enumeration district (ED) ED 7-20, sheet 8B, household 15, Paul Mentzer; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online January 2018); NARA microfilm publication T627.
34. “Local Teacher Killed in Fall from Roof of High Bldg.,” undated clipping, from unidentified newspaper; Crawford Family Papers, passed down from Pauline Briles to Marcia Philbrick; privately held 2021 by Marcia Philbrick, [address for private use], Seneca, KS.
35. “U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942,” digital images, NARA Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online April 2017), Paul Emory Mentzer; citing .
36. Pauline Mentzer Briles family, The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments King James Version (: The World Publishing Company, ); Letha Doolittle, San Bernadino, California, Transcription (Charles Mentzer Notebook)
37. Social Security Administration, “Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007,” database on-line Paul Emory Mentzer.
38. “Paul Mentzer Rites Tuesday,” The Iola Register (Iola, Kansas), 17 August 1942, page 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 23 December 2019).
39. “News of Neosho Falls,” The Iola Register (Iola, Kansas), 20 August 1942, page 2; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 26 July 2021).
40. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, “Applications for Headsones for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1963,” image, Ancestry.com, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed online April 2017), Paul Emory Mentzer.
41. “News of Neosho Falls,” The Iola Register (Iola, Kansas), 24 August 1942; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 26 July 2021).