Hi, all:
There's probably someone out there who knows more than me about this,
but, just in case there isn't, here goes.
The Cooties were (are?) associated with the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The
name came from the buddies that our troops acquired in the trenches of
France & Belgium during the Great War (WWI)
Much of their work revolved around helping indigent WWI vets, providing
camaraderie and social activity for the group, and other community
service. They had wonderfully delicious titles for their officers, which
I can't remember, except I think the secretary was call a Scratcher.
Genealogically speaking, if your ancestor was a Cootie, I think it means
he served in France, so there you go, military records!!!
The ladies, by the way, were Cootiettes. And I think the group were
officially Oh, My, Cooties. At least that's what they were called around
here.
Larry
--
You are what you are, and you ain't what you ain't. - John Prine