William McKinley Coward^[1]

1897 - 1939  (42 years)

• Name	William McKinley Coward  [2]
  	E-mail From Sandra June Reynolds May 20114 The family were farmers. He left home and went to Maryland to work in a factory, met the lady he married and joined the navy. His brother Melvin went with him to Maryland but came home for a visit and never went back but joined the military and served as a Flight Maintenance Gunner in the 483 Bomb Group from April 23, 1943 until Oct. 5, 1945. He flew 36 missions on a B17 Bomber and received a silver Star, Bronze Star as well as numerous medals during his career. He married Rachel Ann Reynolds. Had 4 sons who also served in the military. He also had one daughter. Their father, William M. Coward was a Constable who was shot in the line of duty at Grady store in Callands. Va. He has a stone in Chatham, Va along with other fallen officers of the court. Hassell's brother Fred was married and had 4 sons. Justice Edward Coward never married.
  Born	9 Feb 1897	Pittsylvania County, Virginia
  Gender	Male
  Died	28 May 1939	Callands, Pittsylvania, Virginia
  Buried	Aaron Family Cemetery Callands, Pittsylvania County, Virginia   [3]
  Person ID	I12178	My Reynolds Line | Descendants of James Mitchell
  Last Modified	29 May 2020

  
  

  Family	Tabitha Susan "Tabby" Aaron,   b. 20 Apr 1898, Pittsylvania County, Virginia ,   d. 12 Oct 1988, Callands, Pittsylvania, Virginia  (Age 90 years)
  Married	7 Feb 1918	Pittsylvania Co., Virginia
  Children	1. MM3 Hassell Spencer Coward,   b. 1922,   d. 8 Jun 1944, Died at sea when his ship the U.S.S. Rich struck a mine during the invasion of Normandy.  (Age 22 years) + 2. Frederick Herman 'Freddie' Coward,   b. 1918, Pittsylvania County, Virginia ,   d. 22 Oct 2003, Danville, Virginia  (Age 85 years)   3. Justice Edward Coward,   b. 18 Feb 1934, Pittsylvania County, Virginia ,   d. November 16, 2009, Martinsville, Virginia  (Age 74 years) + 4. Melvin Rupert Coward,   b. 23 Jun 1924, Callands, Pittsylvania, Virginia ,   d. 27 Oct 1997, Callands, Pittsylvania Co., Virginia  (Age 73 years)
  Last Modified	28 Dec 2017
  Family ID	F3780	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos		Tabitha 'Tabby' Aaron and Will Coward scan-30124.jpg
  		William McKinley Coward 32283_B086822-16747.jpg

  
  

  Documents » Slide Show		William M. Coward Registration card
  		Death Certificate for Sam Swanson- Electrocuted at the State Prison in Richmond for the murder of Officer William M. Coward (December 15, 1939) sam swanson.jpg
  		Death Certificate-William M. Coward wmmcoward.jpg
  		Hassell S Coward-Obit The Danville Bee Sep 21, 1944
  		William McKinley Coward-Killed Trying to Make Arrest The Danville Bee May 29, 1939

  
  

• Sources

  [S48] Ancestry Link, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/47032885/person/24007169039. Ancestry Tree of Wright Family Tree William McKinley "Will" Coward Birth 9 Feb 1897 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia Death 28 May 1939 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia Marriage to Tabitha Aaron 1918 7 Feb Age: 20 Pittsylvania, Virginia, United States Death 1939 28 May Age: 42 Pittsylvania County, Virginia Age: 42 This Tree shows only one son, Frederick Herman Coward 1918-2003 Will Coward & Tabitha Aaron 1898 - 1988 Frederick Herman "Freddie" Coward [S160] Correspondence. to reynolds Comments: Mr David BRUNEAUX 12 Avenue du Général de Gaulle 78290 CROISSY SUR SEINE, France E-mail : david.bruneaux@voila.fr Dear Sir, Dear Madam, Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is David Bruneaux and I belong to a French voluntary association named 'Les Fleurs de la Mémoire' (The Flower of the Memory' www.lesfleursdelamemoire.com). The aim of this association is to perpetuate the memory of the soldiers, sailors and airmen buried in the American Cemeteries of Colleville-sur-Mer and Saint James in Normandy (France), by placing flowers on their tombs. I am writing this mail to you from Croissy sur Seine, near Paris and I am looking for information on a Machinist?s Mate 3rd Class Hassell Spencer Coward, born in 1922 in Pittsylvania County (VA), son of Mrs Tabitha 'abbie' Susan Coward (Aaron) and William Mc Kinley Coward in Callands (VA). He had 3 brothers, Frederick, Justice Edward and Melvin. Mr. Hassell S. Coward was married with Mrs Ruth Arlene Coward to Baltimore (MD). Since two years I pay tribute to Mr. Hassell S. Coward by visiting his grave (Tablets of the Missing) to put flowers several times a year. Since I decided to look for information (date of birth, place of birth, relatives, etc?) to know more about him. Thus, I would be most grateful if you could send me a picture of Mr. Hassell S. Coward to put a face on a name. It is very important for me and my family. Mr. Coward belonged to the US Naval Reserve ? Destroyer Escort USS RICH. His army serial number was 09352224. He was died on the June 8th in Normandy. Mr. Coward was buried in the American cemetery of Colleville-sur-Mer. I would be most grateful if you have other information or pictures. Yours Respectfully, David [S32] Find-A-Grave.com, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/99335107/william-mckinley-coward. [S180] E-Mail, http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=angs-g&gsfn=Will&gsfn_x=XO&gsln=Coward&gsln_x=XO&msydy=1900&msypn__ftp=Pittsylvania+County%2c+Virginia%2c+USA&msypn=2376&msypn_PInfo=7-|0|1652393|0|2|3245|49|0|2376|0|0|&msfng0=Volney&msfns0=Aaron&msmng0=Mary+Henrietta&msmns0=Wells&_83004002=cauc&cpxt=0&catBucket=rst&uidh=2fl&msydp=10&_83004003-n_xcl=f&cp=0&mssng0=Tabitha&mssns0=Aaron&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=8482&recoff=7+9&db=OfficerMemorials&indiv=1&ml_rpos=1. Constable William M Will Coward Department: Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Office Department State: Virginia Date of Incident: 28 May 1939 Death Location: Virginia End of Watch Date: 28 May 1939 Age: 44 Birth Year: abt 1895 Cause of Death: Gunfire Weapon: Officer's handgun Suspect: Executed in 1939 Notes: Constable Coward was shot and killed with his own service weapon while arresting a man creating a disturbance at a church on Route 57 near Chatham. As Constable Coward made the arrest, two other men walked up behind him. One of the men grabbed Constable Coward's revolver from its holster and then handed it to the second man. The second man then shot Constable Coward in the back. The man then shot him four more times in the back as he laid on the ground. Constable Coward's 12-year-old son witnessed the murder. The suspect fled the scene but was arrested the following day at his father's home. He was convicted of murdering the officer and sentenced to death. He was executed in the electric chair on December 15, 1939. The accomplice was sentenced to 20 years. Constable Coward was survived by his two sons. Memorial Page