When Grandma met Grandpa

My Grandmother, Elizabeth May Nelson, was born December 1899 into a solid middle class family.  She was the oldest of three sisters.  Their father worked as mid-level production management at several of the large lumber mills in the Portland Area. Most notably, Jones Lumber Co. in Southwest Portland for several years.  Her mother Minnie was well known as a seamstress at a downtown tailor shop.

Minnie and her daughters were prolific writers of letters and postcards their entire lives.  Over the years they wrote to each other, friends and family.  During the increasing U.S. involvement during World War I, it appears Elizabeth would write cards addressed to “Any Soldier” or similar[1].  Occasionally a response would come back.

This card from 1918 was sent from New York to Elizabeth[2]: “Dear Kid, I arrived at Camp Mills OK.  had a swell trip. will write a letter later ?? with love, Corp C.A. Smith, Co 143, Infantry Camp Mills NY.  40 Div”.  No other cards or letters from Corporal Smith were found in the nearly 300 items digitized by my brother.

There was a long series of at least 25 cards from a Portland, Oregon man – Fred Borsch between December 1917 and September 1919.  The first one in December 1917 was sent from Portland regarding best wishes on her birthday. He was in France and Germany between April 1918 and August 1919.  His writings generally were quite sweet, but seem to have become somewhat shorter and possibly stressed by spring of 1919.  The word “Love” kind of dropped out, and for a while he was writing a postcard every few days, then not very often.

His last card was mailed from the Spokane train station September 1919 to Elizabeth noting he would be back in the morning without much further sentiment.  Ouch – What could have happened[3]?

Local newspaper story about potential women recruits flooding the area U.S. Marine Corps recruiting station.

It seems circumstances far from any control that Fred Borsch may have thought he had totally disrupted any hope for a long lasting relationship between him and Elizabeth Nelson after the war.  Elizabeth had learned that the US Marine Corps was looking for women to enlist in the Marines to assist in clerical work.  She was one of several thousand that applied nationwide, and was ultimately selected as one of about 305[4] women Marines nationwide.  She and one other woman were selected to enlist in the Marines to work in Portland, Oregon.  Work began October 29, 1918.

Newspaper article reporting that Elizabeth Nelson had been placed on the Reserve List at the U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting Office in July1919 (discharged). She had enlisted on the first day that women could enlist, and had become an invaluable asset of the office for the remainder of the war.

After initial resentment and suspicion from the leadership, both women quickly integrated themselves into the workforce.  Ultimately the Marine Corps discharged all the women Marines in 1919, with Elizabeth having her last day July 31, 1919 with the rank of Corporal.  They women received high praise from their commanding officers!

Elizabeth Nelson in 1918 before, and in 1919 after, enlisting in the USMC during World War I.

Seldom-Seen Good Conduct Medal for WWI Woman Marine, CPL Elizabeth May Welk.

What neither Elizabeth Nelson or Fred Borsch could have predicted was that USMC Private George T. Welk would be wounded on October 4, 1918 from gas inhalation at Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge (with 55^th Co 2/5).  This set in motion a series of events that in all likelihood changed and/or ended postwar expectations for both of them!

Private George T. Welk

Welk was born 1889 and arrived in the US from Croatia in 1905 with the name George Trgovcic.  He added “Welk” as a last name, and traveled to Kansas City, Kansas where he with lived a few relatives of his extended family (generally cousins).  At some point and somehow he made his way to Oregon, showing as a logger in the 1910 Census living in Dallas, Oregon.

He lived in several small towns, primarily Yamhill, Oregon continuing his career in the logging industry.  In 1917 he was working for Kerry Timber Co (Neverstill, Oregon) as a Steam Donkey engineer when he registered for the draft.  He and a co-worker from Kerry Timber both boarded the train to Mare Island, California for Marine Corps Boot Camp.  They were sworn in and joined Co. F for basic training in February 1918.

Welk was assigned to combat unit 55^th Co. 2/5 in France and moved to the front on June 21, 1918.  He was awarded the Silver Star for his heroic actions on July 18^th near Vierzy, France as well as receiving a gunshot wound to the head.  After recovery he rejoined 55^th Co., and ultimately participated in the assault on Blanc Mont Ridge on October 4, 1918.  He suffered from gas inhalation and was taken to a recovery hospital.

The war was over before his recovery was complete, and he was released back to the US in February 1919.  He was stationed back at Mare Island and in April had the opportunity to take a twenty-seven day leave.  It is pretty clear that he went back to Oregon and visited with his friends in Yamhill.  The Marine Corps offered him the opportunity to transfer to the Recruiting Station in Portland which he accepted, arriving there June 7, 1919 (Saturday).

Knowing that the office was not likely open on Saturday or Sunday, it can easily be assumed that Elizabeth Nelson and George T. Welk met on June 9, 1919 (Monday).  Interestingly enough – she outranked him as a Corporal!  It was pretty clear according to stories told by my Mother that they were attracted to each other nearly immediately!  They were married in 1921.

MSGT George Welk, CPL Elizabeth Welk, and the Author – June 1957.

George Welk worked in the recruiting office until he retired in 1948, and passed in 1960.  Elizabeth died in 1968.  George and Elizabeth had two children, my Mother being born in 1932.

And – that is how grandpa met grandma![5]   I never thought it unusual to have both a grandfather and a grandmother who were Marines until about 8^th Grade or so after I realized nobody else I knew had a similar story!

[1]  We are blessed that multiple volumes of the incoming cards have been preserved, especially as they often wrote to each other!

[2]  Spalding Building in Portland is a solid modern office building that exists today (2026).  In 1918, #521 was home to Deem-Greer Manufacturers Agents where Elizabeth was working as a stenographer at age 18.

[3]    My brother contacted the Borsch Family in Portland about 2022 or 2023.  He gave them a lot of the background of his service in the Army and copies of the postcards.  They were pleased to receive this, but had no knowledge of any kind about this story!

[4]     This is a complex subject overall.  Best single source is “Women Marines of WWI” by Captain Linda Hewitt, USMCR 1974.  Free download several locations – https://archive.org/details/WomenMarinesInWorldWarI

[5]     I feel sorry for Fred Borsch – he seems a decent person from his postcards.

External Web Site Notice: This page contains information directly presented from an external source. The terms and conditions of this page may not be the same as those of this website. Click here to read the full disclaimer notice for external web sites. Thank you.