USA > Illinois > Lee County > War history of Lee County, Illinois, 1917-1919 : a history of the part taken by the people of Lee County, Illinois, in the World War, 1917-1919 > Part 1
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LEE COUNTY WAR HISTORY
1917 1919
WAR HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY ILLINOIS, 1917-'18-'19
A HISTORY of the part taken by the people of Lee County, Ill- inois, in the World War. 1917 - 1918 - 1919
Planned under the direction of the Lee County Executive Committee of the Auxiliary Committee, State Council of Defense, 1919 Published by Dixon Post Number 12, The American Legion
SAUK VALLEY COLLEGE LRC 56056
2
WAR HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
War Record of Lee County, Illinois 1917-1918-1919
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.
6
Executive Committee. Auxiliary Committee of the State Council of Defense By Henry S. Dixon, Chairman.
Finance Committee. By Edward Vaile, Chairman.
CHAPTER III.
21
Neighborhood Committee. By John P. Devine, Chairman.
CHAPTER IV. .
33
Food and Conservation Committee. By L. S. Griffith, Chairman. 39
CHAPTER V. .
United States Boys Working Reserve. By L. W. Miller, Chairman.
CHAPTER VI. 41
Publicity Committee. By Charles E. Miller, Chairman.
CHAPTER VII 42
Woman's County Organization. By Mrs. Lucile R. Ralston, Chairman. 48
Federal Fuel Administration. By Horace G. Reynolds, Chairman.
CHAPTER IX.
Liberty Loan Committee. By A. P. Armington, Chairman CHAPTER X. 56
War Savings Stamps Committee and Red Cross. By W. F. Hogan, Chairman.
American Protective League and Four Minute Men. By A. B. Whitcombe
CHAPTER XII. . 59
Lee County Chapter American Red Cross. By Louis Pitcher, Secretary.
CHAPTER XIII. 62
Legal Advisory Board. By Edward E. Wingert, Chairman.
C'HAFTER XIV. 63
Non War Construction Bureau. By Henry S. Dixon, Chairman.
CHAPTER XV. . 66
Local Exemption Board. By Henry S. Dixon, Chairman.
CHAFTER XVI. 110
Medical Advisory Board. By A. E. Simonson, Secretary. CHAPTER XVII. 112
Dixon's Young Men's Christian Association. By E. B. Raymond.
CHAFTER XVIII. 115
Food Administration. By A. B. Whiteombe, Chairman.
CHAPTER XIX. 116
Memoranda of Delinquency Committee
By Albert Borst, Chairman. CHAPTER XX. 118
Committee on meetings and speakers. By Henry C. Warner, Chairman.
52
CHAPTER XI. 57
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER II. 7
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WAR HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
CHAPTER XXI. . 119
Town of Alto. By M. M. Fell.
CHAPTER XXII. 121
Town of Amboy. By P. M. James. CHAPTER XXIII. 126
Town of Ashton. By Ralph J. Dean.
CHAPTER XXIV. 130
Town of Bradford. By Andrew Aschenbrenner.
CHAPTER XXV 131
Towns of Brooklyn and Viola, comprising the Western one-half of both townships. By Oliver L. Gehant.
2nd Precinet of Brooklyn. By Charles Bradshaw.
CHAPTER XXVI. . 138
Town of China. By Dr. F. M. Banker.
CHAPTER XXVII. 140
Town of Dixon. By C. F. Preston
CHAPTER XXVIII. . 149
Battery C, 123rd Field Artillery, (formerly Co. G, 6th Inf. Illinois National Guard) By Capt. Lloyd G. Lewis.
CHAFTER XXIX.
Town of East Grove. By Homer Parsons.
160
CHAPTER XXX. 162
Town of Hamilton. By H. G. Keigwin.
CHAPTER XXXI. . 165
Town of Harmon. By Geo. Ross.
CHAPTER XXXII. 168
Town of Lee Center. By S. L. Shaw.
CHAPTER XXXIII. 170
Town of Marion. By Rev. C. F. Conley.
CHAPTER XXXIV. 175
Town of May. By Rev. C. J. Kirkfleet.
CHAPTER XXXV. 177
Town of Nachusa. By Rev. W. N. King. CHAPTER XXXVI. 179
Town of Nelson. By W. W. Hardin.
CHAPTER XXXVII. 181
Town of Palmyra. By Fred A. Lawton. CHAPTER XXXVIII. 185
Town of Reynolds. By M. Sullivan.
CHAPTER XXXIX. Town of South Dixon. By J. W. Cortright. 187
CHAPTER XL. Town of Sublette. By Wm. Brucker. 189
CHAPTER XLI. Town of Willow Creek. By William J. Brown 192
CHAPTER XLII. Town of Wyoming. By Charles F. Preston. 197
CHAPTER XLIII. Letters written by soldiers and sailors while in service. 200
Selected by L. W. Mitchell, P. M. James and F. M. Banker, committee.
CHAPTER XLIV. 232
List of men in military service and of men and women in Red Cross, Y.M.C.A., K. of C. and kindred service.
INTRODUCTION
In order that the details of the aid given by Lee County toward the winning of the great war may be preserved for posterity it was necessary that prompt attention should be given towards collecting the facts that have largely never been made matters of record.
The part that our county has borne in our country's past history has been largely for- gotten- except as to a few of its leading men's participation in great events, because of a failure in previous years to gather and preserve the material then available.
The work done by our soldiers and sailors in the great war ean never be adequately portrayed, for, with the exception of Battery C, 123rd F.A. there was no distinetly Lee County unit.
At the present it is possible to state with substantial accuracy what those in eivil life did towards the winning of the war and that story is herewith presented.
The services performed in Lee County by those in civil life was largely under the diree- tion of the State Council of Defense organization and an attempt is made by this volume to make a matter of record the work done by this body and also of the work done by organiza- tions outside the jurisdiction of the State Council of Defense.
In addition to the foregoing, each of the 22 towns in Lee County has its own story. Each Town was loyal, made sacrifices and performed its part of the arduous duties of the times and for the information and benefit of future generations the story of each town's labor is here given, written in each instance by a person who aided in the doing of that which was done.
The Lee County subsidiary organization of the Illinois State Council of Defense was created on September 5,1917, by the appointment of a committee of five, called the "Auxil- iary Committee of the State Council of Defense for the County of Lee." This Committee was appointed by Samuel Insull, Chairman of the State organization, and consisted of P. M. James of Amboy, John W. Banks of Compton, Mrs. Lueile R. Ralston, Wm. B. Brinton and Henry S. Dixon. The committee selected Henry S. Dixon as Chairman, and P. M. James as secretary. From time to time therealter the organization was changed as directed by the State Council of Defense. The county organization consisted of a county executive committee, with the chairman and secretary above named, and composed, as a whole, of the several chairmen of the State Council of Defense County organizations and allied organizations. The executive committee as finally established consisted of the following persons:
NAME
County Executive Finance Neighborhood Food & Conservation
United States Boys Working Reserve Publicity Women's County Organization Federal Fuel Administration
CHAIRMAN
Henry S. Dixon Edward Vaile John P. Devine
L. T. Griffith
L. W. Miller
Charles E. Miller Lucile R. Ralston H. G. Reynolds
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WAR HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Liberty Loan War Savings Stamps 4 Minute Men American Red Cross Legal Advisory Board
A. P. Armington Wm. F. Hogan A. B. Whitcombe Wm. B. Brinton
Edw. E. Wingert
Tuberculosis War Problem
Dr. E. S. Murphy
Non-war Construction Bureau Commercial Economy Administration
Henry S. Dixon O. H. Martin
In addition to the above John M. Egan, P. M. James and John W. Banks, although not committee chairmen, were members of the Executive Committee.
The executive committee did not have occasion to call frequent meetings as the war activities were conducted almost entirely by the several sub-committees under the direc- tion of their committee chairmen and other officers.
Coordinated with the executive committee but working along different lines as the titles of the several bodies would indicate were other organizations whose chairmen as such did not have membership in the executive committee, but whose reports are contained as a part of this war history of our country. Those committees with their chairmen, were as follows:
Local Exemption Board American Protective League and Loyalty Com. Food Administration Delinquent subscribers to necessary war activities Meetings and Speakers
Henry S. Dixon A. B. Whiteombe A. H. Bosworth
Albert Borst Henry (. Warner
The chairmen of each of the foregoing committees or organizations have prepared a paper descriptive of the activities of his or her committee and their stories follow each as a separate chapter of this volume. Some of the chapters are short and others of such greater length as the material available and the necessities of the case seemed to require. Without exception, however, each chapter pictures an instant response of the people of Lee County to our country's call to service and reflects correetly public opinion and popular action at the time of a great national demand.
CHAPTER I County Executive Committee BY HENRY S. DIXON, CHAIRMAN
The names of the officers and members of this committee are given in the introduction and it is not necessary to here repeat them. The original committee of five appointed by the State Chairman of the State Council of Defense on September 5, 1917, met as soon as convenient after their appointment and organized by selecting Henry S. Dixon of Dixon as Chairman and P. M. James of Amboy as Secretary. They served as such officers thereafter during the period of the war. Occasional meetings, as necessity required, were held. There was no occasion, however, of holding frequent meetings for the reason that the war activities of the County were conducted by the subordinate committees, each of such committees being held responsible for the efficient performance of their duties, and which without exception, were well done.
The Chairman and Secretary of the Executive Committee were in close touch with the state organization, both by correspondence and personal interview and when requested to do so made recommendations from time to time of persons in the County to fill posi- tions in the County organization as it was gradually enlarged to its final size. The Com- mittee and its officers framed the county organization in accordance with the plan re- commended by the State Council of Defense and a sound and substantial organization was perfected which functioned in a most satisfactory manner.
From the time the county organization was perfected until the end of the war, every call made upon Lee County was promptly met, every money raising requisition immediately oversubscribed and a most inspiring condition as to loyalty and willingness to sacrifice became evident.
The results achieved may be ascribed to the comprehensive plan of organization pre- scribed by the State Council of Defense in connection with the constant, daily application by the right kind of men and women who were the executives and members of the several committees.
The details of the work done follow in the chapters written by the respective committee heads.
6
CHAPTER II
The Work of the Lee County Finance Committee in the War
By EDWARD VAILE
The meaning of President Wilson's expression that "This is a War of Nations" was more generally understood when the work began of backing up those who were in the service. Then it was fully realized that a modern war was a war of the whole people of a country instead of armies.
It is very doubtful if there was a home in Lee County that did not in one way or another contribute toward the prosecution of the war. To many it meant the giving up of one or more members of the family; to others the curtailing of the necessities of life and to comparatively all, it meant standing by their country with whatever financial and moral support they were able to render.
In awarding credit, those who made the supreme sacrifice, those who gave and offered their lives in the cause of humanity, have a place in the hearts of their fellow men that is far too sacred to be shared by others, regardless of the service they may have rendered. But full recognition should and will be given to the people of Lee County for their splendid and ready response to every call that was made upon them.
While the handling of the war activities in the County devolved upon comparatively few persons it was the moral support given by the people as a whole that enabled the Finance Committee to carry on its work and made it possible for Lee County to attain such a good record in the various campaigns.
BANK DEPOSITS INCREASE DURING PERIOD OF WAR
Notwithstanding the great amount of money raised during the war period, the Bank deposits in the County increased, and there was no evidence of a strain upon the finances of the people. In fact, the contributions to the war activities were coming more easily with each succeeding drive.
The Fourth Liberty Loan, the largest that was floated, was subscribed on the first day of the drive. One and a half million dollars in bonds were taken voluntarily by the people who went to the polls and registered their subseriptions.
On the first day of the United War Work Campaign, which was held Nov. 11th, the day of the signing of the armistice, Fifty thousand dollars were voluntarily subscribed. This represented about twenty-five per eent over-subscription of the County's quota.
Fifty Three thousand, nine hundred forty one dollars, forty-three cents, (853,941.43) was the total subscription to this fund. Of this amount $60.00 was all that remained un- paid.
The United War Work drive might well be considered the most successful of all the money raising campaigns conducted during the war period. The Amount given by the people was larger than they were ever called upon to contribute at one time. This, coupled with the fact that the war was over and the day for subseribing fell on Nov. 11th, when the greatest excitement prevailed, was the best proof that the Patriotism of the people of Lee County was genuine and had the right ring.
7
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WAR HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Who before the war would believe that $6,319,718.24 could be raised in the County for war purposes? This is the amount of money that Lee County subscribed for Bonds and other war activities in a period of less than two years. A fact that is more notable because the subscriptions were voluntary.
Lee County had an enviable record in the various money raising campaigns.
In the Victory Loan Lee County was first in 57 Counties of the 7th Federal Reserve district of the Illinois division. In the general average of the counties, in the 7th Federal Reserve district, Illinois division, Lee County held the 9th place in subscriptions to all loans.
Lee County had the twelfth place of the 26 honor Counties of the State that went over the top in the sale of War Savings Stamps.
In Red Cross, Y. M. C. A. and K. C. drives, Lee County's record was equally as good as in the Bond and War Savings Campaigns
ORGANIZATION OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
In the beginning of the war activities campaigns it was evident to those identified with the work that raising money was largely a question of organization. It was also quite apparent that little help, aside from publicity, could be obtained from Federal or State organizations. Each County was left to work out its own method of campaign. With this in mind the State Council of Defense directed that a Finance Committee be created having the following duties:
"To pass upon the merits of all applications for licenses for the collection of money for war relief purposes and advise the license bureau of the State Council of Defense; to create a permanent county organization to advise with and assist the various war relief organizations in the raising and collection of all money for war purposes, which organiza- tion with its records will be available for instant use for any purpose approved by Federal authority or the State Council of Defense; to keep a permanent record of all subscriptions and gifts from each person in the County; and to cooperate with and assist all of the only authorized war activities in the County."
The Finance Committee was composed of an executive committee of seven members and a township organization which included a Chairman and three or more members in each township. An office was maintained in the Court House and a Secretary employed who remained in the office during business hours.
The Executive committee which had general supervisory power consisted of the follow- ing persons:
Edward Vaile, Chairman
John M. Egan, Vice-Chairman; John Davies, Vice-Chairman; A. C. McBride, Vice- Chairman; N. A. Petrie, Vice-Chairman; M. M. Fell, Vice-Chairman; Albert Borst, Vice- Chairman; Tim Sullivan, Secretary and Treasurer.
This Committee met from time to time, laid plans for condueting the campaigns and passed upon all bills that were paid.
THE VOLUNTEER SYSTEM OF RAISING MONEY WAS ADOPTED
There were two reasons for the adoption of the volunteer plan. First, the people had evinced a willingness to be placed upon their honor and of doing their part without solicitation. Secondly, a feeling existed among the workers that the time had come when it was unnecessary for one loyal citizen to go through stores, factories and fields after another equally loyal citizen to obtain his subscription.
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WAR HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
The saving of labor was also a factor in changing to the volunteer idea. Before this system of collecting money was adopted more than five hundred persons in the county were obliged to leave their different fields of endeavor to assist in the war activities cam- paigns.
These campaigns which lasted from one to three weeks entailed a great loss of time and effort that was needed on the farm and in other lines of production.
The Lee County volunteer plan was a modified idea of the system in vogue in Yankton, South Dakota.
It was during the second Red Cross drive that the volunteer system was first used in Lee County. Only three or four townships tried it at that time and the results were so good that it was generally adopted by all the townships throughout the country in the succeeding campaigns.
The success of this innovation also attracted the attention of the National Red Cross Committee which sent a telegram of congratulations to the local Red Cross organization.
METHOD OF CONDUCTING CAMPAIGNS
A campaign of education was carried on to prepare the publie for the various drives which were following each other with increasing frequency. The plan was, while in the midst of one campaign to appraise the people of the next campaign which was soon to follow. This idea proved very effective inasmuch as surplus money which might be invested in other ways was held in reserve to meet individual bond quotas.
During the Third Liberty Loan Campaign the press and the speakers who went out through the county told the people to plan for the Red Cross and War Savings drives which were to follow in the succeeding months.
Through this method of publicity the people were prepared for the Fourth Liberty Loan, the largest floated, which was subscribed the first day of the campaign.
One week prior to the opening of the drives, meetings were held in every township in the county at which speakers explained the nature of the work at hand. Four minute men were at every picture show and entertainment, newspapers were very liberal in the use of space, and merchants gave page advertisements to the cause. All urged the people to go to the polling places on the first day of the drive and subscribe their quota.
Polling places and schools were opened on the day advertised where committees were on hand to receive subscriptions. In same instances the township committee mailed out the individual quotas, but generally sul seribers did not know the amounts allotted to them until they went to the polls.
CARD CATALOGUE OF THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTY
Prior to the organizing of the Finance Committee a record was kept of only those who subscribed to the various war activities. But as time went on it was evident that these loyal citizens did not require any special attention to urge them to perform their duty. A card catalogue was made of all persons in the county who were financially able to pay toward the funds being raised for war purposes.
This card catalogue contained the names of more than Eight thousand subscribers. Each township was treated as a separate unit. At the top of the card was the name and address of the subscriber; the township in which he or she resided was also given.
The card was ruled in columns as follows: first column Liberty Loan, second United War Work, third Red Cross and fourth War Savings Stamps. Following each drive individual subscriptions were posted on these cards. The posting involved considerable
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WAR HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
work. Approximately sixty thousand entries were made. While the townships were all separate and indexed it was slow work sorting out each card and posting the amounts subscribed.
When it became known throughout the County that this record was being kept it aided materially in bringing in those who would no doubt have escaped paying their proper share toward the various war activities. The efficacy of this method in checking up sub- scribers was attested by the fact that there were only three persons in the county listed as delinquents in the Fourth Liberty Loan Campaign, whom the Finance Committee believed should have subscribed.
In the United War Work drive which took place after the armistice was signed, there were forty-seven delinquents, a comparatively small number considering the war was over and the wide distribution that was made.
The method of handling delinquents was a novel one and is explained in the report of the Delinquent Committee. The names of those who failed to subscribe their quotas were turned over to the township Chairman who forwarded them to the County Chair- man. If the Finance Committee failed to obtain the delinquents subscription the name was referred to the Delinquent Committee for action and they seldom missed an oppor- tunity to make the slackers see their patriotic duty.
DETERMINING QUOTAS
Each township in the county had to raise its proportion of the whole amount allotted to the county. The percentage which the townships were given was determined by taking a mean average of the assessed valuation and the population. To make the allotments on a purely assessed valuation basis would be unfair to the rural districts. To make them on a population basis would be equally unfair to the towns and cities. Hence the mean average was taken of the assessed valuation (not including Railroad property) and the population.
There was no rule by which individual quotas could be made. The finance commit- tees of the townships allotted each precinct or school district its proportionate share of the total amount to be raised. The district or precinct committee in turn allotted to the individuals their proportionate share of the township and district quota.
No set plan was used in the making of individual quotas. The district or precinct committee made the quota from general information as to the financial standing of the person. These quotas were reviewed by an executive committee composed of Bankers, real estate men, merchants and others who would be in a position to pass upon the financial standing of the individual.
The fairness with which these quotas were made was remarkable. Here and there was a case when some one was overrated but as a rule the subscribers paid more than was allotted to them. A Review committee was in session at the Court House on appointed days to consider the cases of those whose quotas were thought too high.
The relatively small number of persons who came before that committee evidenced the fairness and thoroughness in which the men on the Township Finance committees did their work. These men had their work so well systematized that it was possible to make a fairly accurate estimate of the number of contributions to each activity and the amount of money that would be raised for that particular cause.
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMITTEE AN EFFICIENT AID IN THE WORK
Early in the war the Neighborhood Committee was organized. The purpose of this committee which was composed of three men in every school district in the county, was
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WAR HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
to promote patriotism and arouse publie sentiment. While it may not be traced entirely to the work of the Neighborhood Committee there was a gradual awakening of interest taking place among the people as the war progressed.
The writer recalls several meetings held in the rural districts during the First and Second Liberty Loan drives where there were not enough in attendance to warrant the speakers discussing the issues of the campaign.
In the succeeding drives it was much different as public sentiment seemed fully aroused and every meeting was attended by large and enthusiastic crowds.
The Neighborhood Committee because of the interest which it had stimulated was an efficient aid to the Finance Committee in carrying out its work. Because of their organization in each school district they assisted the Finance Committee in the distribu- tion of its work.
Frequently before launching a campaign the Neighborhood and Finance Committees were called into joint conference. The purpose of these conferences was to outline the plan of campaign. They were usually held in Amboy and Dixon. Members living in the northern part of the county came to Dixon and those living in the southern and eastern part of the county went to Amboy.
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