Accidental Death of an Old Corps Cadet: Old Charlestonian Research

1st Lieutenant John L. Weeks,
Citadel Graduate. 

Strange accidental death, athletic excellence, beloved by the community; nothing less can be expected from a former cadet from the Citadel. Through resources provided by the Citadel, “In the Arms of Angels” by Patrick Harwood, and photos and articles gifted to me by my professor, I was able to investigate John L. Weeks, a Charleston native and 1917 Citadel graduate. Weeks was born in 1895 and died in 1920 and is now buried or put to rest at Magnolia Cemetery. 

I selected John L. Weeks, who was a soldier in WWI and Citadel Graduate from A Company, for my “Old Charlestonian” research project due to my personal connection to the Citadel and his odd death. The 1st Lieutenant John L. Weeks Memorial can be found in the Weeks plot in Magnolia Cemetery, near the entrance in Charleston, South Carolina in a beautiful corner of the cemetery.

My father was a Citadel graduate and I almost went to the Citadel for college myself, so the Citadel holds a special place for me and piqued my interest in Weeks. I also found Week’s death to be an interesting and tragic one.

Weeks excelled at athletics during his time at the Citadel and was a Lieutenant in The Great War or WWI. Weeks played football, baseball and basketball in which he started all four years in football and three in the other sports at The Citadel. In 1916 Weeks was quarterback for the Citadel football team and led them to a victory season in which the schools Clemson and University of South Carolina were defeated by The Citadel's football team. Weeks is included in the Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame and the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame.

Weeks was affectionately called Johnnie and commended in the 1917 Citadel yearbook, The Sphinx. Fellow students in The Sphinx described John as a “Kind reader, behold an all around man!” and that he “...held almost every office at the disposal of the Faculty and Corps...Strange to say, this athlete is also a student, maintaining a high place in his academic work.”

Page out of the Citadel yearbook,
The Sphinx, in which Weeks appears. 

Weeks died at war but oddly enough not through combat injuries, but from a football accident in The Rhine River city of Koblenz (formerly Coblenz), Germany. This could be due to the fact that during this time period, helmets were not often used, but the exact reason for Week’s demise during a football game are relatively unclear. Week’s family includes parents Thomas J. and Annie Weeks as well as three sisters and a brother. The cablegram his family received regarding John’s death said nothing more than “John injured Sunday playing football. Died Tuesday night. No pain. Will write details.” 

Newspaper clipping from Week's Funeral.

Week's funeral was held at Citadel Square Baptist Church and attended by hundreds. The Week’s plot is elegant in its design, and Weeks’ headstone itself has a military air about it that appeals to me. The detail in the eagle arms and stars that sit along the bottom of the grave are very delicate and the script beneath it describes Weeks lovingly, one line for every year of his life. The engraving describes Week’s military career and includes a biblical passage “God gave, He took, He will restore,” “His toils are past, his work is done,” and “He is not dead but sleepeth.” The pots or urns on either side of Week’s headstone are greek symbols for mourning.