District Board Division Number 2 Western Federal Judicial District, State of New York Records

Upon American entry into World War I, the Selective Service Act was passed on May 18, 1917, allowing for a temporary increase in the size of the military via conscription. The Act established a centralized system under the leadership of the Provost Marshal General which would enroll eligible men and carry out the act of conscription. At least one district board was created for each Federal judicial district; a district board oversaw, on average, 30 local boards, each of which was responsible for approximately 5000 registered men. District boards had appellate jurisdiction over the decisions of local boards in some claims and original jurisdiction in others. A local board was established for each county or similar subdivision in each state, and for each 30,000 persons (approximately) in each city or county with a population over 30,000. The local boards were responsible for the registration, determination of order and serial numbers, classification, call, and entrainment of draftees.

The District Board Division Number 2, Western Federal Judicial District, State of New York (henceforth, the Division Board) was formed on August 4, 1917, initially under the leadership of Dr. Charles R. Sumner. A reorganization soon followed on August 13, following which William Pitkin (at the time, a director of the Central Trust Company and president of Chase Brothers Nursery Company) was made chairman, a role he held for the rest of the Division Board’s existence. The Division Board had jurisdiction over local boards in Monroe, Wayne, Livingston, Ontario, and Seneca Counties, and reviewed all claims for exemption allowed by local boards, along with appeals for claims denied by them. The District Board began hearing appeals on August 26, 1917, including the review of every exemption allowed by a local board in the district. These appeals and reviews were held on a regular basis for the duration of the war. With the signing of the Armistice on November 11, 1918, the Select Service apparatus was immediately shut down, with both local and division boards focused on ending their activities as soon as possible. While no date for the official dissolution of the District Board could be located, the entire New York State system was declared closed on March 31, 1919.