John F. Larkin
Early Life
John Francis Larkin was born on August 4, 1891, in Rye, New York, the son of James P. Larkin and Margaret Agnes McCord Austin. He grew up in a large family with two brothers and four sisters, rooted in the Rye community during a period of transition from rural village to suburban town.
By 1910, Larkin was working as a chauffeur, a skilled occupation in the early automotive era. His mechanical expertise would later prove critical in his military service.
World War I Service
John F. Larkin enlisted in the U.S. Army on September 26, 1917, at Fort Slocum, New York. He served with the Motor Transport Corps and later with Base Hospital 31 in the American Expeditionary Forces.
He served overseas from April 19, 1918, to August 28, 1919, participating in major campaigns including the Aisne, Champagne, Aisne-Marne, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, some of the most significant engagements involving American forces in World War I.
Larkin rose to the rank of Sergeant after serving as Private and Corporal. On July 21, 1918, he was severely wounded by shrapnel during combat operations, sustaining injuries to his leg and shoulder.
In a letter home dated July 29, 1918, he described the incident, noting how the shell struck near his position by a truck and injured him while others nearby were unharmed, reflecting both the randomness and danger of front-line service.
He was honorably discharged in 1919.
Life After Service
Following the war, John Larkin worked for many years with the Franklin Simon Company in Greenwich. He lived in Byram, Connecticut, while maintaining strong ties to Rye and remained associated with local organizations such as the Poningo Engine and Hose Company.
John F. Larkin died on December 30, 1955, at United Hospital in Port Chester, New York, at the age of 64.
He was survived by his wife, Esther Fenlon Larkin; his mother, Margaret Austin Larkin; his brother, William Larkin; and his sisters, Mary Daniels, Mrs. Edward Langeloh, and Mrs. Ernest Lewis.