Lovick Pierce Lingo

was born in McIntyre, Ga. July 23, 1893 to Dr. Joseph Franklin Lingo and Ophelia Branan Lingo, His parents  married Feb. 20, 1888 in Wilkinson County . Five children were born of this marriage: Lovick Pierce Lingo, John William Lingo, Lucille Elizabeth Lingo Allbritten, Nannie Claire Lingo Russell and Lorene Lingo Davis. His grandparents were Richard Bolling Lingo and Amanda M. Horne who had settled in Alabama.

  Dr. Lingo's family moved from Wilkinson County to Milledgeville in 1911. Three years later, in 1914, the doctor died and his family continued to make Milledgeville their home.

   Lovick  attended Georgia Military College In Milledgeville for 3 yrs and was a  2nd Lt. Cadet. He  was working as a jeweler at Williams & Ritchie  when he joined the U. S. Reserve Army at Fort McPherson in the 1917 along with Lt. A. J. Carr, Jr., Albert Swan, John M. Burke, John Holloway, Guy McKingley, Stewart Wooten and J.  F. Bell, Jr. They reported for duty August 28, 1917.

In the summer of 1918, Lovick was with the 328th Infantry in France, "seeing service in the trenches." His brother John Willie Lingo was also in the service in France doing "clerical work."

An article in The Union-Recorder, Jan 28, 1919 tells of his  award for the Distinquished Service Cross in 1918 while in the hospital. In a letter written to his mother Mrs. J. L. Lingo he says:

'December 27th, 1918
Dear Mother:
  Well I am a happy boy tonight for I am wearing my D. S. C. which was presented to me this afternoon by the Colonel in command of the Hospital. One Captain and myself were the two to receive it, there were a good many officers present at the presentation.
  I am as proud of it as I can be, it is very pretty, wish you could see it, you can tell Mr. Ritchie for me.
  I told you in my last letter here how I got the D. S. C. well here is the citation as it came in the order:
 "Liet Lovick P. Lingo, 328th, Inf. For extraordinary heroism in action at Cornay, France, 9-10 October 18. Lieut Lingo was with an attacking party which after driving off the enemy, was counter attacked and surrounded, upon being called upon to surrender he refused and despite the fact that ten men had been shot down trying to get away, fought his way out and though wounded reached his own lines. Later Lieut. Lingo learn that his Company was without officers, he returned and remained with it for several days until weakened from his wound forced his evacuation." The is the citation that I received.
  I am well now and will return to duty the first of January.
  Tell Grandma when I get back that I will tell her about what I went through and saw.
  Hope that I will be able to see you sometime soon. Love to all, your son, LOVICK'

   After the war, he moved back to Wilkinson County and lived alone on a farm between Gordon and Irwinton, most likely 14 acres he inherited from his father who had died in 1914.  In  1922 he married Helen Katherine Wright of Jones County. The couple settled in Macon after their marriage and he was employed as a salesman for Birdseye Flour Mills eventually becoming the district supervisor. . They lived on Vineville Avenue in Macon.  Lovick Pierce Lingo, Jr. was born December 28, 1927 in Macon and died April 10, 1978 in Dalton, Ga.  Lovick Pierce Lingo Sr. died December 9, 1950 in Macon Ga. and is buried in Riverside Cemetery next to his wife Helen Katherine who died January 18, 1982.

Sources: The Union Recorder, Milledgeville News, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 Federal Census Records, U. S. City Directories.

Eileen Babb McAdams copyright 2012