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 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27
110
111
WAR HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
were striving-and believe us, those examinations were not all a continual round of pleasure for the Doctors and Clerks as some of the eigar store orators seemed to think. Men with affidavits of broken legs that an X-ray showed to be perfectly sound, men with glass eyes who had got by the first examination and cried when they were turned down by the eye expert- Registrants who on the other hand had every conceivable aihnent and wanted to trim the Doctors when told they were on their way to the Army. Days when Chairman Mitchell of the Whiteside County Local Board got his dates mixed up and sent us half of the population of his county to be examined and even then we sent back one hundred and fifty with complete examinations, working from 10 A. M. to 6 P. M. Those were days of real sport.
The Board at its regular sessions made nearly one thousand complete examinations of registrants and some examinations lasted an hour, frequent X-ray plates were made and many chemical tests made by John Roberts, Dr. Murphy's office assistant, and one of the really valuable assistants in the work of the board. Mr. Roberts served day after day without pay as did all members of the Medieal Board. Members even paid their own car fare taken in attendance at meetings. The only expense to the Government of the meetings of the board was the salary of the Chief Clerk, and a few assistants during the rush hours, when the board and Chief Clerk called to their aid to assist in the Clerical work during examinations, the following gentlemen:
Charles H. Johnson
Walter Earl Worthington
Mayor Mark D. Smith George B. Shaw
George Beals
E. T. Fulmer
Stewart Neetz
Att'y George C. Dixon
Richard C. Bovey William Krohn
Father James J. Clancy Vernon Cortright (deceased)
and Corp G. H. Simonson of Camp Grant.
The story of the workings of the board would not be complete without an acknowledg- ment of the assistance and invaluable help given by Henry S. Dixon, Chairman of the Lee County Local Board. No sacrifice seemed to great for him to make in time and personal effort to speed up the examinations and especially to get the Slacker into the Service.
This board not only examined the registrants living in Lee and Whiteside County but also examined for other loeal boards hundreds of registrants from nearly every state in the Union, made duplieate copies of the examinations and returned them to the board where they had registered.
After the appointment of Major John M. Dodson, former Dean of Northwestern University, as medical aid to the Governor and the selection of Major Edgar B. Tolman of Chicago to have charge of all the draft work in this state with headquarters at Spring- field, there at once was a better understanding in all departments of the draft work and between the different boards and work at once speeded up. Had Major Tolman been in charge from the beginning the work of the members and clerks of the various boards would have been a joy forever.
However, all tried to do their best, all gladly gave of time and money and their best efforts to the Cause and now that it is all over-We are content to
"Palmam que merent ferat "
CHAPTER XVII Dixon's Young Men's Christian Association
BY E. B. RAYMOND
With the signing of the armistice on November 11, 1918 suspending hostilities between the armed forces of Germany and other Central European powers and those of the United States, France, Great Britian and their allies, this tremendous conflict which for four years has involved many and affected to a greater or less degree all of the nations of the world, is virtually ended. The period of the war closes and the period of re-adjustment and re-construction begins. Perhaps never before in this country has there been such a union of all forces, such a blending of all classes, creeds and conditions of people working together for the accomplishment of a common purpose, as in the rallying of American citizenship for the defeat of Prussianism, and the permanent establishment of demo- cratie liberty and justice.
With the thought that efforts put forth in each community and the names of the men, women and organizations contributing to the success of the war policies will be of interest to future generations and that a record thereof should be preserved, it is the purpose of this article to set forth some of the activities undertaken by the Young Men's Christian Association of Dixon, Illinois, during the war period.
Soon after the outbreak of hostilities in 1914 and before the United States became involved, the International Committee of the Association with headquarters in New York was asked to undertake welfare work among the armies in the field and in hospitals and prison camps. Similiar work had been successfully carried on by this organization in the Spanish-American War, the Russo-Japanese War, and during the mobilization of American forees on the Mexican border. Work was at once inaugurated in Russia with the British forees in Flanders and in Germany, and American Secretaries placed in charge. Later the military authorities of France and Italy appealed to America for men and funds to carry on similiar work, as it was found effective and of great value in sustaining the morale of the men while away from their homes and in army camps. A national campaign for funds was inaugurated in the United States and campaign managers appointed for each State. In Illinois, Lee County and Ogle County were districted together, and the Dixon Association being the only organized unit in the two counties, was asked to he responsible for the campaign. The Directors of the Dixon Association at once met, accepted responsibility, sent representatives into the towns and villages of the two counties to enlist local co-operation and in November 1916, raised and forwarded the account requested from this District, about $1200.00.
At about the same time an urgent call came from the Foreign Work Department of the International Committee stating that the work in China, India, Japan and South America had been seriously embarrassed thru conditions in Europe from whence support for this Department had previously been drawn, and the Dixon Association held a public meeting in the Methodist Church with Harry White, a returned Association worker from India, as speaker and thru a canvass conducted locally about $700 was raised and for- warded for this foreign work.
112
113
WAR HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
After the declaration of war by the United States, and with the expansion of military and naval forces, the gathering together of millions of men in training camps, and the immediate transportation of troops abroad, the demands upon the Association for its work multiplied many fold. In the Autumn of 1917, John R. Mott, Chairman of the National War Work Council of the Y. M. C. A., and Sherwood Eddy, who had spent four months on the Western Front, issued a call for $35,000,000 to provide for the needs of the Association War Work for the coming six months. The country was appalled at the magnitude of the sum. Men accustomed to raising money stated that it was impos- sible. Lee and Ogle Counties together were given a quota of $35,000 and the Dixon Association was asked to organize a campaign and raise it. The Directors met one Sun- day morning at the Association Building, accepted the quota and arranged to cover the two counties in automobiles on the following Tuesday and enlist local leaders. A week or so later, representatives of both Counties met at luncheon in Dixon, accepted the quota and agreed that each County should assume 50" thereof. In Lee County workers were secured in nearly every Township, amounts apportioned and a definite week set for the campaign, in November 1917. More than $36,000 was raised, a report from State Head- quarters of subscriptions and collections under date April 3, 1918 being as follows: Lee County $20,053.26, Ogle County $16,035.57, total $36,088.83. Subsequent collections were made and remitted, increasing this amount, but definite record is not now available. The Campaign throughout the whole country resulted in the raising of more than $53,000 .- 000.00.
The success of Mr. J. Der Kinderen, General Secretary of the Dixon Association in effecting a county organization which made the above campaign a success, led to his appointment as Executive Head of the Membership Campaign for the Lee County Chapter American Red Cross in January 1918. He accepted the appointment, providing the Association released his time, which request was readily granted. At a Business Mens' Luncheon where the Red Cross Membership Campaign was discussed, Mr. Der Kinderen modestly stated that he believed 10,000 members should be secured in Lee County, which was more than three times the membership then existing. Certain Dixon men present replied that if he would put on a campaign and secure 10,000 members, they would present him with a suit of clothes, a bat and a pair of shoes. The campaign was organized, launched and completed in midwinter with snow and drifts making the roads impassable, and weather conditions which made publie meetings out of the question, but more than 12,000 members were secured. Mr. DerKinderen soon afterwards left for Europe to take up Association War Work, but the suit of clothes, hat and shoes were not overlooked.
At about this time the Lee County Finance Committee was organized with represen- tatives in cach Township and Village, which Committee undertook the direction of all subsequent campaigns for war purposes. Many of the workers enlisted by the Associa- tion, accepted positions on the County Finance Committee and rendered splendid service in every undertaking throughout the entire period. A complete record of the work of this Committee has been preserved and it is unnecessary to duplicate that record in this article. Suffice it to say that the next campaign for funds for Association War Work was merged in the United War Work Campaign in November 1918 wherein $170,000,000 was raised to provide for the needs of the various organizations including the Y. M. C. A. This is the largest sum ever known to have been raised by voluntary subseription for any philanthropic objeet. Lee County maintained its record and over-subseribed its quota.
The men officially connected with the management of the Dixon Young Mens' Christ- ian Association and active in war undertakings during the foregoing period are as follows:
114
WAR HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Jos. Der Kinderen, General Secretary, 1914 to March 1918 when he entered oversea's service.
Allen W. Davis, General Secretary May 1918 to present.
DIRECTORS
E. B. Raymond (President 1914 to May 1918) H. H. Hagen (V. President and President since May 1918) E. H. English Oliver M. Rogers Homer E. Senneff
Jno. B. Crabtree
J. C. Wadsworth Carl Buchner
Jno. E. Moyer
H. W. Harms Jno. T. Laing
J. W. Cortright A. W. Leland Dr. W. C. MeWethy
Ray Miller Harry Stauffer
B. S. Schildberg Dr. K. B. Segner Robt. W. Sterling
The Dixon Association sent from its membership four Secretaries, three of whom saw oversea's service, and nearly 100 officers and enlisted men. Many public meetings were held with able speakers, thus contributing to the right formation of public senti- ment.
With the close of the war and the return of the men to civil life, three months free membership with all the privileges of the building was at once extended to every return- ing soldier and sailor including young men in the Student Army Training Corps. A special Assistant Secretary and Physical Director has been secured to study the particular needs of the young men returning to civil life and assist in finding suitable employment. It is the aim of all those connected with the Organization to serve to the utmost these splendid young men who have gone from this community, laying aside every personal ambition, and enduring privation, hardship, separation from home and friends, and in some cases, returning disabled and incapacitated for manual labor, in order that the ideals of our country for right and justice, might be established and maintained.
CHAPTER XVIII Food Administration
BY A. B. WHITCOMBE
On September 1, 1917, Mr. L. S. Griffiths of Amboy was appointed Food Adminis- trator of Lee County. He proceeded to organize the county by appointing township administrators, wherever it seemed feasable, to help him in carrying out the requirements of the Government. This he did throughout the winter and spring until it became ap- parent that his duties as soil expert, which by the way was as necessary to the war activi- ties as that of Food Administrator, would necessitate his resignation.
In the spring of 1918 he was succeeded by Mr. Amos H. Bosworth who had held the position of township administrator since September 1917. Mr. Bosworth's work was very complicated and became more so as time went on, for it meant the checking up of all the elevators of the county to prevent their overloading and to see that the grain was shipped to the market as rapidly as possible, to see that farmers and laborers cooperated in the handling of wheat so that there might be no delay in getting it to the consumer, and to ferret out the hoarders of flour and sugar by those who were unscrupulous enough to defy the country's call to rally to her aid in caring both for the soldier and civilian population of the country.
Very few realized that when one man hoarded a quantity of flour or sugar it meant that some one of his neighbors might have to go without. This of course had to be investigated promptly and the injustice pointed out to the offender. The conservation of all kinds of food products had to be carefully watched and effectively promoted. This took untiring activity.
From September 1, 1918 to October 15, 1918 the allotment of sugar for Lee County was 2700 pounds, not nearly enough to care for the needs of the people in the preserving of the fall fruits that would otherwise have gone to waste. The Food Administrator succeeded in having this allotment increased to 6700 pounds. It took hard work to ae- complish this and to see that all were treated fairly in the distribution of this allotment. Then there were the complaints of the dealers and consumers which came into the office daily and hourly and which must be separately investigated and justly dealt with.
Mr. Bosworth loyally and faithfully devoted his time to the work of food adminis- tration, he succeeded in keeping the grain moving to the markets, he helped the dealers with their allotments and he was always ready to explain the requirements of the Govern- ment to those who were entitled to know.
The Food Administration was one of the most necessary adjunets of our war activities and its successful accomplishments in Lee County was due largely to the untiring energy and skill of Mr. Bosworth.
115
CHAPTER XIX. Memoranda of Delinquency Committee BY ALBERT BORST
As the various measures for financing the war were promoted, such as Liberty Bond sales, Red Cross, Y. M. C. A., Knights of Columbus, and other war fund drives, the de- termination to get as wide a distribution as possible became a part of the policy of those carrying on this work, and was a point constantly urged by the Government.
This was based on the true principle that this was a just war in which every individual within the confines of the United States should be interested, and should show an in- terest proportionate to his or her means in the support financially of these various en- deavors.
It also became apparent after the experience in floating the first and second loan, that there was not as wide a distribution as there should be. The attitude being that bonds were for people having ready money, people of means rather than the average individual. In most instances, this was through lack of knowledge of bonds, and because of the fact that the ordinary investments of the average individual had not heretofore had within its scope the buying of bonds.
It developed however, that there were a certain number of people who were amply able to do so, who did not perform their part in these activities. Naturally, those who were consistently doing their duty felt that all should do likewise.
This situation resulted in the creation of a committee on delinquent subscribers, which committee was created by the Finance Committee of Lee County, and had as its personell the following members:
Albert Borst A. B. Whitcomb
Henry S. Dixon Jno. P. Devine Henry Kenneth
Within a reasonable time after the date set for voluntary subscription in these various campaigns, the township chairman of each town within the county transmitted to this committee the names of those who had failed to subscribe together with the amount of their quota, and the committee mailed to these individuals a notice stating a time and a place at which they might subscribe, and also stating that in the event they considered their quota excessive, the committee would hear such arguments as they might produce to prove this to be the fact. In most instances these people appeared and paid the full amount of their quota, as in most cases it was evident that there was good and sufficient reasons why they could not attend to this on the day set apart for that purpose. In some instances, it was agreed that the quota was too high, and these quotas were reduced.
A second letter was then sent out to those who still failed to respond and another opportunity given them to do so. This brought in considerable number of those still in arrears, but whom through carelessness or otherwise had failed to perform their share.
Later, a final and more drastic letter was sent calling in those who up to this time had not performed their duty. This means resulted in narrowing the matter down to a few individuals, and in some instances resulted in the receipt of letters by the com- mittee from some of these people in which they asserted what they seemed to feel were their rights and in effect stated that it was no part of their obligation to support these
116
117
WAR HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
war activities. Usually a conference with the committee caused them to change their minds and subscribe.
As a result of this process of elimination, there were but few individuals who failed to respond. For instance, in the last Allied War Fund drive, the names of nine hundred throughout the county who had failed to subscribe on the day set apart for that purpose, were given to the committee. When the committee had completed its work, but about sixty remained.
After the day set apart for subscription to the Fourth Liberty Loan the names of four hundred non-subscribers throughout the county were turned in to the committee, and through the process previously stated, this was reduced to a point where there were but two men in the entire county to whom a quota had been assigned who had not performed their duty.
Every individual in Lee County who performed their share in these matters expected every other individual to do so likewise. Each also felt that they had a right to know whether or not other persons were performing their duty. There was demand that this be made known, and the committee decided that the best way of making this known was through the medium of a bulletin board, hence such a board was erected and located in a prominent place in the County Court House square. This was used in the Fourth Liberty Loan and on it was written the names of the individuals who failed to subscribe to the Fourth Liberty Loan, after having been given every opportunity to do so, and after their eases had been carefully reviewed and the committee had come to the conclusion that they were amply able to do so, and that it was simply a question of unwillingness on their part to perform a just obligation.
The committee on delinquents endeavored at all times to show no injustice to anyone, and a careful review of their work shows that this attitude was maintained throughout the entire course of their work. The bulletin board was not used so as in any manner to foree, intimidate, or scare people into taking a part in these activities, as it was not introduced until after the day set apart for voluntary subscription to the 4th Liberty Loan.
The people of Lee County may well be proud of the spirit of patriotism that mani- fested itself in concrete form through practically universal subscription to all war activi- ties, in fact we doubt if there is a county in the State of Illinois which is so nearly 100% perfect in this respect.
CHAPTER XX Committee on Meetings and Speakers HENRY C. WARNER, Chairman
Doubtless the most enjoyable features of the war activities in Lee County, were the speaking campaigns conducted throughout the County, on behalf of the Liberty Loans, and the various charitable organizations.
Able speakers addressed numerous meetings in each Township in the County, and proved conclusively that from the viewpoint of platform talent, Lee County could right- fully claim a position in the front rank, as well as in all other features of the splendid war record which her citizens made.
The patriotie spirit engendered as a result of the first meetings held, increased per- ceptibly as the campaigns progressed, and some of the communities that were perhaps a trifle tardy about heeding the appeals made through other channels, rapidly responded to the eloquent and convincing arguments of the members of the speakers' bureau, and interest in the meetings and the results obtained, increased perceptibly as the work pro- gressed and the organization became more proficient.
Reynolds Township in one of our last drives, adopted the unique method of getting results by holding a meeting on a certain Friday evening in each school house in the Town- ship. A prominent citizen of the Township invited the speakers of the evening to his home for supper, where his good wife provided a most bountiful and sumptuous repast, and one of the most effective speakers, an earnest and devout member of the Catholic Church became so enthusiastic and so interested in the work that he partook freely of a delicious pork roast, entirely oblivious and unmindful of the fact that by so doing he was infringing upon one of the established rules of his Church.
On this same evening, the local chairman of at least two meetings in the township, very thoughtfully and perhaps wisely, obtained subscriptions for the entire quota allowed to the school district, before introducing the speakers of the evening. If space permitted, much more might be related of the interesting incidents of the various campaigns; of the borrowing, without permission, of a Ford auto for a trip to a meeting at the Maytown Church on a stormy evening, and of its miring in the mud on the return trip late that night, and of the very spicy and entirely impolite conversation that evening between H. S. Dixon and M. J. Gannon after the chains, somewhat hastily and loosely adjusted, had torn both rear fenders from the car; of Clyde Smith, returning in great haste from the Reynolds Church to a beautiful object of his affections in Dixon, and forgetting to stop at Franklin Grove for Albert Borst, who reached Dixon by train about three A. M .- how John Byers in a heated argument at Compton related a boyhood experience of having his feet frosted by going barefooted to a pasture in Lee County after the cows the morning following the Fourth of July, and of Hon. J. P. Devine and H. C. Warner in a Ford auto floundering in the sand endeavoring to negotiate one of the sand hills in the southern part of the County, when they were finally rescued by a good farmer's wife and daughter who helped them out.
It is sufficient to say, however, that from the viewpoint of all who participated, the efforts made were highly compensatory, and will always afford most pleasant recollections of an agreeable service well performed.
118
CHAPTER XXI Town of Alto
BY M. M. FELL
The war activities of the town of Alto were conducted by committees organized by the Lee County Council of Defense. The organization appointed the town committee consisting of M. M. Fell, chairman, Andrew Richolson and Thomas F. Kirby. This committee had charge of the war work in the town. Under them, and having charge of the respective school districts, were the following, also appointed by the County organiza- tion of the State Council of Defense, as follows:
Steward district-M. M. Fell, Andrew Richolson, Thomas F. Kirby, H. K. Sherlock, Ira Cooper, L. D. Hemenway.
Bates district-Albert Bates, H. G. Herrmann, B. C. Chambers.
Bly district-M. H. Bly, Peter M. Johnson, Thomas Burke.
Peterson district-Isaac Peterson, Louis Prestegaard, Morris Cook.
Hill district-A. O. Hill, Martin Hall, E. C. Espe.
Thorpe district-R. C. Thorpe, C. J. Ferris, Patrick Kerry.
Smith district-Elmer Smith, H. W. Harms, Jr., Martin Hermann.
Acting under the general direction of the committees above named the town after the creation of these committees, in the fall of 1917, subscribed liberally to every call made upon it for money, and in each instance the amount called for was oversubscribed. The allotment of the town for the First and Second Liberty Loans was purchased entirely by the First National Bank of Steward, and by the bank sold afterwards to its customers. The amount so taken under the First loan being $25,000, and under the Second $50,000. The Third loan and subsequent loans were handled in a different way by individual sub- scribers, and this also was true of the War Savings Stamps campaign.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.