Military Monday ~ Sam Handler's Draft Cards

Draft registration records at Ancestry.com are a wealth of information for those men born during certain years in the late 19th century. (I shared Joseph Handler's Draft Cards last week.) My husband's great uncle Sam Handler (Joseph's brother) is found in a World War I Registration Card dated June 5, 1917.

Ancestry.com, U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 (Provo, UT, USA,
The Generations Network, Inc., 2007), www.ancestry.com, Database online.
Roll: WWII_2246615; Local board: Cleveland, Ohio. Record for Sam Handler.

This record tells me that Sam Handler is 30 years old, living at 6304 Central [Avenue], Cleveland, Ohio. He was born December 27, 1887, in what looks like Hungar Austria (okay, that's a little vague, but borders were changing...). In answer to the question "Are you a natural-born citizen, a naturalized citizen, an alien, or have you declared your intention," he is "Declared." (He became a citizen in May 1920.) He considers himself a citizen of Austria.

His occupation is "confectionary" and he is employed "By himself" in Cleveland. He is supporting a wife and three children; he is married; and he considers himself caucasian. He has no military experience. He claims exemption from the draft due to wife and 3 children.

On the right hand side of the card, it is noted that he is tall and stout, with gray eyes, dark hair (and not bald - Handlers keep their head of hair!) "None" refers to the fact that he has no disability.

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He is also found in a World War II Registration Card in 1942.

Ancestry.com, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 (Provo, UT, USA,
The Generations Network, Inc., 2005), www.ancestry.com, Database online.
Registration Location: Cuyahoga County, Ohio; roll: 1831856; Draft Board: 13. Record for Sam Handler.

This card tells me that Sam Handler and wife Sadie are living at 782 East 105th Street in Cleveland (and his phone number is Glenville 9202). The birthdate is as expected, December 27, 1887, and this birth location is what I expect to see: Illok, Hungary. (Although in 1942, Ilok was not part of Hungary, but Sam must have considered Hungary his birth country.)

His occupation is "Own business Sante Beverage."

I even found a Cleveland City Directory from 1943 (courtesy of Ancestry.com) that shows the Cleveland Handlers and references his business. I have noted Handler, Arth S. (wife Lena D.) and Saml (wife Sadie) with a gray underline. This Arthur is Samuel's son, and is first cousin to my father-in-law's oldest brother, Arthur Handler, who was in Atlantic City, New Jersey, by this time.