George Etherington Appleton (1894-1918)

George Etherington Appleton was a lifelong Pittsburgher, born on Sept. 23, 1894. He was the youngest son of Hewetson Etherington Appleton and Christine Huchel Appleton, and had two older brothers, Edward Webster Appleton and Samuel Etherington Appleton, who lived into their 70s and 80s.
According to the 1900 Census, the family lived on Broad Street. Sometime after her husband died in 1901, Christine Appleton moved to Harvard Street with her three boys.
By the time Appleton received his World War I Draft Registration Card, they were living in a rental at 311 Lehigh Ave. The draft card notes that he was of slender build and medium height, with light brown hair and gray eyes.
As a private in Company M of the 336th Infantry, Appleton set sail for Europe aboard the Rijndam on June 15, 1918.
George Appleton died less than four months later, on Sept. 29, 1918 in Montfaucon, France. The Battles of the Meuse–Argonne had begun just three days before, a major Allied offensive that stretched along the entire Western Front. The campaign didn’t come to a close for another 47 days, or until Armistice Day on November 11, 1918. Horrific casualties resulted on both sides. Approximately 350,000 soldiers were killed, including 26,277 Americans.
George Appleton was killed just one week after his 24th birthday. He is buried at Homewood Cemetery.