Sometimes people hide who they are. Sometimes they hide because society limits their choices. What follows is the story of a woman who hid so effectively that her heritage remained in shadows for over a century.

During World War I, women known as the “Hello Girls” became the unsung heroes of communication. Formally called the Signal Corps Female Telephone Operators Unit, they were recruited to operate switchboards in France, connecting calls to ensure smooth and efficient communications for the U.S. Army. These bilingual operators often connected calls to and across the French telephone system, requiring fluency in both languages. They were crucial in overcoming language barriers and expediting military commands. Despite their significant contributions, their military status was not formally recognized until decades later. Even now, over a hundred years after their service, research continues and more is learned about these exceptional Veterans.

An experienced amateur genealogist, I recently joined the team working to document the lives, deaths, and final resting places of each woman who served in this unique capacity. This team was formed to advocate for a Congressional Gold Medal for the Hello Girls, an important recognition of their sacrifices. The team thought we knew who the women were. We knew their names. We knew that they were extraordinary people. They were women who answered the call of the United States, before they could vote. They were women of intelligence, courage, and tenacity. And, it turned out, women who were determined to serve, even if it meant hiding who they really were.

Fewer than 300 women served as Hello Girls, including approximately 223 who served in France. The task of finding the final resting place of each woman was challenging, albeit not insurmountable. Significant research had already been done by James Theres and Elizabeth Cobbs as well as members of the descendants community. Mr. Theres had produced the documentary, “The Hello Girls.” Dr. Cobbs had written a book, entitled “The Hello Girls: America’s First Women Soldiers.” Over 100 women’s final resting places had been documented by the time I joined the effort.

Armed with a list of the women’s names, the research for an individual begins with her entry on the ship’s manifest. As the women shipped to France, the Army Transport Service recorded an emergency contact for each one. These emergency contacts were most often a parent, and occasionally a family friend. Along with the names, the Army recorded emergency contacts’ addresses. If a woman had listed a parent as her emergency contacts, she could often be found in the Federal Census records, either living with them again in 1920, or in 1910. Confirmation that we had found the right person would be done by comparing her address at the time of the Census with the address listed in the manifest.

Some women’s names were sufficiently unique that their final resting places were also found quickly. Those who had lived to see the official recognition of their Veteran status might have been issued the traditional VA headstone.

Within a month, we had confirmed another 50 women’s final resting places.

Other women were harder to find track down. They returned to France or Belgium or Canada, not appearing in the US Federal Census.

Little did we know that at least one woman was deliberately hiding from her family.

Genealogists know that women are often harder to track than men, due to their name changes upon marriage or sometimes upon divorce. Because of these changes, we turn to newspapers as an excellent source with wedding announcements. Also, a parent’s obituary may name their daughters with their married names.

Renee Messelin was somewhat tricky, with an aunt as her emergency contact, and no evidence that she lived with that family either in 1910 or 1920. Fortunately for the research (if not for her), a newspaper article in California reported on her divorce from Mr. Maurice Messelin in 1916. This article helped to establish that “Messelin” was her married name rather than her birth name.


https://doughboy.org/renee-messelin-out-of-the-shadows-after-a-century/


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