USA > Illinois > Shelby County > Shelby County in the World War > Part 3
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-Courtesy Shelbyville Democrat LIMITED SERVICE MEN TO SYRACUSE, N. Y., JULY 31, 1918
-Courtesy Shelbyville Democrat
BRADLEY POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE, PE- ORIA, ILL., THURSDAY, OCT. 10, 1918 Clark Thomas Peterson John William Nees James Galord Webb George Kneller Clay Toothman Carl A. Turner
WE HAVE ANSWERED
(By Lieut. Col. John McCrae, of the Canadian Forces, Who Died at the Front.)
THE CRY
In Flanders fields the poppies grow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly, Scarce heard amidst the guns be- low. In Flanders fields.
We are the dead, Short days we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now lie In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe! To you from falling hands we throw the torch-
Be yours to hold it high!
If ye break faith with us who die, We shall not sleep, though poppies blow In Flanders fields.
AMERICA'S ANSWER
Rest sweetly in thy place where grow The radiant poppies, row on row. Far overseas we heard the cry;
We caught the torch, we raised it high. High it shall stay while poppies grow In Flanders fields.
In Flanders fields now poppies blow More deeply red; more brightly glow; For blood of thine and blood of mine, Mingling, bathed them in glory's wine; And triumph reigns where stood the foe In Flanders fields. -Willis G. Brown.
Songs of the Training Camps
THE RECRUIT
I used to wake up with a sticky tongue And an eye that was dull and red, And the songs that the early birdies sung I heard on my way to bed; But now I jump with the reveille And my eyes are bright and clear. And I thank my lucky stars each day That the government brought me here.
I used to be mean as a hermit crab Till I'd swallowed my morning drink, But now that I'm wearing the olive drab I'm blithe as a bobolink,
For the fresh air thrills through my throat and chest And I just want to shout and roar, And life has a savor, a zip, a zest
That I never have known before.
I used to be flabby and soft and white When I sat at a desk in town, But since I've been learning the way to fight, I'm husky and hard and brown; It took a cocktail to make me eat The choicest of food, but now You watch me march to a mess-shack seat And wade through the army chow.
So I smile a sort of shamefaced smile When I think how I pled exempt, And I'm glad that the board saw through my guile With a glance of cool contempt; And though I may perish across the seas, I'll be one of a splendid clan, For the army's taken a piece of cheese And made it into a Man! -By Berton Braley in Popular Magazine.
Page Twenty-One
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THIRTY MEN TO FT. THOMAS, KY., MAY 29, 1918 -Courtesy Shelbyville Democrat
Government Appeal Agent
One of the busiest individual war-time officials, whose work was coordinated with that of the local Exemption Board, was Judge A. J. Steidley, whom Governor Frank O. Lowden appointed Government Appeal Agent for Shelby County.
Judge Steidley's duties as such official commenced upon the organization of the local board, when the selective service law went into effect, and he served during the entire remaining period of the war, en- tirely without compensation.
That the duties of the office were no sinecure is indicated by their character. He was (1) legal ad- viser of all registrants; (2) assisted in perfecting all
appeals to the District Board; (3) attended to cor- rection of errors made in questionnaires: (4) pre- pared additional affidavits in connection with all questionnaires sent up on appeal; and (5) acted in conjunction with the local board in regard to classi- fication of registrants, when requested by the board to do so.
Judge Steidley also on January 18, 1919. was appointed by Adjutant General Frank S. Dickson as Acting Inspector of Local Board Records and Files, and in that capacity made a trip. under as- signment, to Mattoon, where he examined all files and records of the Local Board of Coles County, . and made a report thereon.
The First
Elmer D. Flowers and Leo C. Kelley ran each other a close race in getting into the military serv- ice. The former, however, had a little the "edge" on Kelley, as without waiting for the impending declar- ation of war on the part of the United States, he en- listed for infantry service and was one of the Amer- ican soldiers who landed in France with General Pershing with the vanguard of the fighters who were destined to bring the World War to a speedy close. Flowers enlisted in Mattoon on the 2d of April, 1917, and was sent from there to Jefferson Barracks, Mo. From that point he was transferred to Douglas, Ariz., and later landed with Pershing's first division in France the latter part of June. At the time of his enlistment Flowers was not 21 years old.
Corporal Leo Kelley was a close second to Flow- ers, being the first Shelby County boy to enlist after President Wilson declared a state of war with Ger- many existed. Then a student in Chicago and un- der the age of independent enlistment, Kelley hast- ened to his home in Shelbyville as soon as the Presi- dent's declaration was announced, obtained his parents' consent, returned to Chicago and enlisted on April 8. He passed all tests, took the necessary training course and was sent to France with the fa- mous Rainbow division. He received promotion, and after some time in the general service he was de- tailed as an instructor in a training camp in France, performing that service in a highly creditable man- ner until the signing of the armistice.
Page Twenty-Two
DR. J. C. WESTERVELT Chairman
MRS. MOLLIE ISENBERG ('lıairman Woman's Work
MISS EDNA CONN Secretary
THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
The story of the woman's work in Shelby County during the World War cannot be writ- ten.
The sacrifice, the devotion, the zeal, the one- ness of purpose with which the women of the county threw themselves into the big and un- accustomed job their hearts and hands found to do, approached those of the zealot.
Scorning their own ease, unmindful of their own comfort, forgetful of the quiet and shel- tered routine they had been wont to follow, in- different to social activities, they unhesitat- ingly donned the cloak of service and gave themselves to the alleviation of distress, the holding up of the hands of their soldier men, the bearing of unaccustomed burdens, the mul- titude of little tasks which in the aggregate bulked large in the great structure of united war work.
Nowhere does the service of women shine with greater luster than in the work of mercy and helpfulness performed through the medium of the Shelby County Chapter, American Red Cross.
Soon after America entered the war the initial steps toward forming a Red Cross in Shelby were taken, and on May 9th, 1917, the organization was effected at a meeting held in the Public Library building in Shelbyville, when the following officers were elected :
Chairman-Dr. J. C. Westervelt. Vice Chairman-Mrs. F. P. Auld.
Secretary-W. L. Kelley.
Treasurer-O. W. Walker.
Subsequently Mr. Kelley was superseded by Miss Edna Conn, who is still secretary of the Chapter,
and Mrs. Ella W. Hamlin, who first was made chair- man of the Woman's Committee on Hospital Sup- plies, was succeeded by Mrs. Mollie Isenberg, with Mrs. Geo. B. Rhoads as secretary.
Adopting the report of a nominating committee appointed at the first meeting, on May 11 the Chap- ter elected the following named directors for the terms indicated:
ONE YEAR
J. J. Ward H. E. Monroe
[. E. Powell
John G. Root
E. E. Herron H. D. Sparks 1. L. Yantis George Griffith
TWO YEARS
George D. Chafee
W. C. Headen
I. S. Storm William Edgar F. P. Bivins C. H. Beetle Mrs. Mary Lloyd
Mrs. C. E. Chester
THREE YEARS
B. P. Dearing Theo. Thompson
V. E. Mullins Mrs. F. O. Bisdee
R. I. Fritter
S. Alletta Herrold Mrs. Jacob Kull Mrs. C. E. Chester
A membership drive followed immediately, and a total of 473 members were enrolled. Later the number was increased to 1,407 in Shelbyville, with a grand total of something like 7,000 in the county, throughout which branches of the Chapter were quickly organized. The county's membership quota was only 4,700. The work of these branches is de- tailed in another section of this chapter.
THE PERFECTED ORGANIZATION
The perfected organization of the Shelby County Chapter was as follows:
Chairman-Dr. J. C. Westervelt. Vice Chairman-Mrs. F. P. Auld.
Secretary-Miss Edna Conn.
Treasurer-O. W. Walker. Chairman Hospital Supply Department-Mrs. M. Isenberg.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Miss Georgie T. Hopkins C. E. Bolinger
Miss Fleta Miller Dr. W. J. Eddy
Mrs. Mollie Isenberg
Page Twenty-Three
Keep this
MOTHERLESS FATHERLESS STARVING
-
end!
1
Hold
HOW MUCH TO SAVE THESE LITTLE LIVES ?
WA FUND WEEK ONE NUNDOLD MILLION DOLLARS MAY 20"-17"
THE WOMAN'S BRANCH
Chariman-Mrs. Mollie Isenberg.
Vice Chairman-Mrs. W. C. Kelley. Secretary. Treasurer-Mrs. George B. Rhoads.
Chairman Surgical Dressings Department-Mrs. F. P. Auld.
In the summer of 1918 Mrs. Ruby Walker was appointed chairman of a finance committee, and owing to the absence of Mrs. Auld, in the spring of 1919 Miss Ida Diddea was appointed chairman of the Surgical Dressings department.
For the first year Mrs. Mae Hambleton was chair- man of the Knitting Department, and was then suc- ceeded by Mrs. Minnie Baum.
Under the capable leadership of the various of- ficers and with the co-operation of a myriad of women and men, the work of the Red Cross imme- diately sprang into universal favor and was prose- cuted with great effectiveness, the traditions of the Red Cross being fully sustained.
An epitome of the work of the Chapter, inde- pendent of the nineteen branches, shows the follow- ing accomplishments:
Membership, 1,407. Money raised, $45,748.74.
Christmas boxes sent overseas, 600. Knitted articles made for soldiers, 4,578. Articles for hospital use, 4,735. Garments for destitute French, 1,925. Comfort kits, 1,784. Button bags, 100. Miscellaneous articles, 1,000.
Surgical dressings, 30,826.
The classification of these articles is as follows:
For the soldiers in camp or field: Helmets, 417; socks, 1,602 pairs; wristlets, 723; sweaters, 1,479; mufflers, 357. Total, 4,578.
For hospital use: Bed jackets, 96; bed socks, 342; bed shirts, 2,117; pajamas, 1,054; convalescent robes, 424; under- shirts, 369; underdrawers, 333. Total, 4,735.
For destitute French: Boys' suits, 195; children's under- shirts, 336; boys' underwear, 839; girls' pinafores, 70; chem- ise, 45; blouses, 246; petticoats, 224. Total, 1,925.
UNITS OF WORKERS
The Surgical Dressings department was com-' posed of five units of workers, each consisting of at least twelve women and meeting at hours that would not conflict with one another. The workers wore long sanitary white aprons and Red Cross caps covering the hair, with a red cross on cap and apron for the supervisors. It was so arranged that the women could give their time as they desired, but none gave less than a half day a week. Many gave more. The units were under the direction of the following named supervisors and assistants:
Unit No. I-Mrs. Theo. Thompson, supervisor; Mrs. F. R. Dove, assistant.
Unit No. 2-Mrs. Harry Gundelfinger, super- visor; Miss Ida Diddea, assistant.
Unit No. 3-Mrs Mate Pollard, supervisor; Miss Edith Garis, Miss Blanche Syfcrt, Miss Katherine Patterson, assistants.
Unit No. 4-Mrs. C. R. Mertens, supervisor; Mrs. Charles Igo, assistant.
Unit No. 5-Miss LaVone Shoaff, supervisor; Mrs. F. C. Bolinger, assistant.
Substitute supervisors were Mrs. Leslie Tallman, Mrs. Frank Parker and Mrs. W. S. Middlesworth.
Great care was necessary in the manufacture, handling and packing of the surgical dressings. All of these manufactured throughout the county were sent to Shelbyville, where they were inspected care- fully and packed according to prescribed rules, to reduce to the zero point the danger of insanitation. The packers were Mrs. W. E. Lowe and Miss Mary Seaman.
Several tons of second hand clothing was gath- ered and shipped to refugees. At one time there was a shipment of 3,200 pounds, and later shipments increased the total by more than 2,000 pounds.
Shipments of materials for use in France and Belgium, and to be manufactured into garments by the women of those countries, are still being for- warded by the Shelby County Red Cross Chapter and its branches, which continue the work upon which they entered more than two years ago.
The first call for aid came to the Shelby County Chapter out of the death-dealing cyclone that swept over Shelby and adjoining counties on the 26th of May, 1917. The local Red Cross fund was swelled quickly to $1,100, which was distributed as follows:
To Westervelt, Shelby County, $200.
To Mattoon, Coles County, $450.
To Charleston, Coles County, $450.
In addition to the cash donated, a large amount of food supplies and clothing was forthcoming, and officers and members of the Red Cross, as well as other citizens, gave generously of their personal service in alleviating distress at the stricken points.
SOME NOTABLE RED CROSS DATES
Notable dates in the history of the Shelby County Red Cross Chapter include Tuesday, Nov. 27, 1917; Saturday, April 27. 1918; Saturday, May 25, 1918, and Thursday, April 24, 1919.
On the first date the Chapter had its first big Red Cross rally for the entire county. The meeting and conference were held at the First Methodist church in Shelbyville and the Red Cross headquar- ters, respectively, the latter in the afternoon and the former in the evening. A large number of women were in the county seat, representing prac- tically every branch in the county. The conference was presided over by Mrs. Mollie Isenberg. Mrs. Geo. B. Rhoads called the roll of Branches and con- ducted a round table. Mrs. Agnes Palmer of Chi- cago talked on the general work of the Red Cross. Mrs. George Reinhart of Windsor, a registered Red Cross bandage instructor, talked enlighteningly on bandages and their making. Displays were made at the conference of many finished articles, knitted and sewed by various Branches.
Page Twenty-Four
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10.000.000 MEMBERS by~ CHRISTMAS
AM
RED CROSS MEMBERS
THIRD RED CROSS ROLL CALL
One Hundred Million Dollars
THE SPIRITT OF
AMERICA
The First Three !" Give till it Hurts - they give till they
JOIN
Week
+
WILT arc YOU doing to HELP? IO YOUR AMERICAN RED CROSS -----
The GRLATEST MOTHER in the WORLD
COME ON-JOIN NOW I SCHICKHI MIMRERS BY CHRISTMAS
In the evening the mass meeting at the church was addressed by Mr. Asher R. Cox, field repre- sentative of the Red Cross society, who had been representing this country in the foreign field, par- ticularly in Germany. He graphically described the needs of the work, and drew a direful picture of the consequences in the event the people did not rally to its support. Mrs. Palmer also spoke at this meeting.
THE AUCTION
On Saturday, April 27, the Chapter held an auc- tion sale on the streets of Shelbyville, and served a cafeteria dinner. Among the many things put up at auction were two Shetland ponies, numerous hogs, calves and other livestock. The auctioneers, who cheerfully gave their services and put their best efforts into the selling, were Del Bennett of Shel- byville, Hal Bennett of Windsor, T. A. Askins of Lakewood, Walter Prosser of Clarksburg and Curt Wilson of Findlay. The receipts of the sale were over $1,400, and a second session, with good results. was held on the following Saturday. The dinner netted the Red Cross $131.00.
FIELD DAY
The Red Cross Field Day was held Saturday. May 25, 1918. Fifteen thousand people assembled in Shelbyville for the celebration, and all Branches of the county participated in the big event. With spectacular parade, concerts by the famous Beau- manoir Commandery Band of Decatur, address by Professor Robert T. Herrick of the University of Chicago, the presence of two aeroplanes from Chanute Field, the exhibit of the great war picture, "The Unbeliever," and many other interesting fea- tures, the day passed into history as one of the red-letter events of the organization.
The parade was nearly a mile in length. Floats, cleverly wrought to depict the more striking of the Red Cross posters, the Shelby County Red Cross Chapter and Branches, surgical dressing units, the Boy Scouts, veterans of other wars and the women of the Relief Corps, various lodges, the service flags of the churches and other organizations were fea- tured in the procession that moved through the business section of the city and to Forest Park. Birma Kinnamon as a Red Cross knight, mounted on a pure white steed with Red Cross caparison, led the procession, and was immediately followed by "Old Glory," borne by John Wilburn, former color sergeant of the 130th U. S. Infantry. Following the band, J. C. Westervelt and Mrs. M. Isenberg, chair- men of the Chapter and of the Woman's Division, respectively, led the other units of the procession, which included the various Branches, decorated floats, the animated Red Cross posters and other features.
Perhaps the most affecting division of the entire procession was that composed of the mothers of soldiers and sailors. Fifty-nine of them, each with a service flag and more than one of the flags bearing two or more stars, silent testimony to the sacri- fice of the mother hearts, were in line.
One of the most interesting and practically help- ful features in line was the great Elks' flag, 15x24 feet in size, which was carried by the Shelbyville lodge and into which was cast a total of $125.45 as it passed through the lines of people. Additional contributions were received through the tagging system, and the financial returns of the day, turned into the Second War Fund of $25,000 asked of the county, were quite satisfactory.
In addition to the address by Professor Herrick at the park, there were exhibitions by the aeroplanes, concerts by the Beaumanoir Commandery Band, the May Pole dance by the high school girls, and the moving picture.
The only marring feature of the day was an ac- cident in which Lieutenants Cupp and Jeffries fell a distance of 100 feet with their aeroplane. The latter was wrecked, and Lieutenant Cupp was slightly hurt. Jeffries was uninjured.
DINNER FOR SOLDIERS
On Thursday, April 24, 1919, three hundred of Shelby County's returned soldiers, sailors and ma- rines were guests of the Red Cross at a sumptuous chicken dinner, as a feature of a patriotic demon- stration attending the visit of a War Relics Exhibit train, which came to the city in the interests of the Victory Liberty Loan. The reception to the sol- diers, initiated by the Shelbyville Commercial Club and cheerfully participated in by the Red Cross, was a happy feature of the day's interesting events. The room in which the soldiers dined was prettily decorated with the "colors" and Victory Loan post- ers. The "mess" was promptly disposed of, and in a meeting of the service men later in the day a vote of thanks was tendered the Red Cross for the splen- did treatment accorded by that organization.
Following the dinner, the soldiers, Commercial Club, Victory Loan organization and others, marched to the railroad station to greet the War Relics train and its complement of 59 men, which included a military band and details of soldiers and marines. A whippet tank was one of the many interesting ex- hibits, and this was prominent in the parade that was made through the streets, preceding the pro- grams of speeches and music that were given from platforms erected in the business district. The music was furnished by the Ladies' Victory Loan Glee Club, the Victory Loan Male Quartet and the military band. The speeches were delivered by Judge Fenton W. Booth of the United States Court of Claims, Randall Parrish, the noted author, Ser-
Page Twenty-Five
geant M. B. Chrissie, one of "Reilley's Bucks," and several returned Shelby County soldiers.
The Red Cross was given unstinted praise for its part in the demonstration, serving as it did an elaborate chicken dinner without cost. Its latest service of this sort was on the occasion of a re- ception to the soldiers and sailors Oct. 15, 1919.
Early in 1918 the Red Cross resorted to the monthly payment plan of raising funds, and re- ceived a generous response to its solicitation of subscriptions for a stated sum each month for a definite period of time. In January, 1918, the County Board of Supervisors appropriated $100.00 for each of the Branches.
CHRISTMAS SEALS
The Christmas Seals campaign was waged each year in the county seat and the county at large. In 1917 the sales were very gratifying. Incidents illustrating the alacrity with which the Seals were purchased include the following: Miss Catherine Anderson, teacher of the Empire school in the west- ern part of the county, originally was furnished 500 Seals. She soon ordered 1,000 more. Miss Mar- garet Welch of the schools in Moweaqua, where again and again it was demonstrated the people were 100 per cent patriotic, telephoned to headquarters for 2,700 Seals additional to her allotment. Miss Hester Clem of Ash Grove asked for a 500 per cent increase in her allotment, Mrs. Matthew Maurer of Rural ordered double the number she first re- ceived, Windsor called for an additional 2.000, and Findlay 3,000.
The campaign period showed a heavy increase in the sales. In fact, the advance was 2,000 per cent over the sales of 1916. This was due largely to the fact that the selling campaign was thor- oughly organized and carried into all parts of the county. School children alone sold 44,755 Seals. In the school contest the Strasburg school, of which Prof. E. N. Norris was principal, won the city school prize with an average of 11 13/17 sales to the pupil, while in the rural contest Empire school, near Assumption, of which Miss Catherine O. Anderson was teacher, won by an average of 48 stamps per pupil.
Mrs. J. C. Coplin, a member of the Shelby County Chapter, early in the service originated an improved helmet. The new feature was a flap which could be placed over the face to protect it from cold. dampness or the encroachments of the festive rat with which the trenches were said to be infested. while the soldier slept or rested. When not so used, the flap was laid up over the head, forming a second crown and held in place by a fastener. The plan was used extensively in the making of helmets, not only in Shelby County, but elsewhere.
AN EPITOME
An epitome of the work of the Shelby County Chapter, American Red Cross, and its Branches, indicates a grand total membership of 6,968, $87,- 898.85 in money raised, 921 Christmas boxes sent overseas in 1918, and the making of 28,850 gar- ments and other articles for the soldiers and French refugees.
STILL AT WORK
The Red Cross is still serving the men who gave themselves to the saving of the world. Since the war closed several hundred dollars have been ex- pended in the county for financial assistance to families of soldiers, and much else has been and still is being done for the returned service men.
In this work the Shelby County War Historians have co-operated extensively, initiating and carrying on for several months the free information bureau and the taking up of many matters, the scope of which covers allotments and allowances, compen- sation, back pay, bonus, reissue of clothing, con- version of insurance, decorations, registration of discharges and citations, employment, Victory but- tons and bars, vocational training and general in- formation and advice for all service men. The fill- ing out of all papers to secure the above was done by the War Historians up to Nov. 1, when the work was definitely taken over by the Red Cross. Claims for more than $30,000 were filed for the men by the War Historians, in co-operation with the Red Cross and American Legion, the Historians advancing the funds for the service.
This service is now being performed by the Red Cross through its Home Service Department, under the direction of the secretary, Miss Edna Conn, who recently took a six-weeks training course in methods of handling this work. Through this department, offices of which are maintained in the court house at Shelbyville, the Red Cross is keeping in touch with disabled soldiers, compiling their hospital rec- ords and reporting to headquarters on their condi- tion, and in many other ways maintaining the repu- tation of the American Red Cross as "The Greatest Mother in the World."
THE WORK OF THE BRANCHES
A detailed record of the Branches, with their of- fcers. membership, work accomplished, and other features, follows:
ASH GROVE BRANCH
The Ash Grove Branch was organized Nov. 19, 1917, on which date a Woman's Auxiliary also was formed. The officers of the Branch were: Chair- man, Mrs. Thomas Clawson, Windsor; vice chair- man, Miss Edna Storm, Windsor: secretary, Miss May Templeton, Gays; treasurer, Mrs. J. J. Thomas, Gays. Mrs. Clawson, Miss Templeton and Mrs. Thomas also were chairman, secretary and treas- urer, respectively, of the Woman's Auxiliary. There was a membership of 160, and the sum of $1,237.34 was raised, while 13 comfort kits were sent to Red Cross headquarters and the manufactured articles numbered 243, with 175 additional knitted pieces, including 42 sweaters, 24 wristlets, seven helmets and 102 pairs of socks.
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