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 18
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CHAPTER XXXVIII Reynolds Township
BY MICHAEL SULLIVAN
The war work for Reynolds township was started in October, 1917. N. A. Petrie of Ashton recommended William Ewald as town chairman and M. Sullivan was named as assistant. Messrs. Ewald and Sullivan met and devised a plan for the Second Liberty Loan campaign which was a house to house canvass. The town's allotment was $38,000 of which $12,000 was subscribed. This was a very hard task to undertake at that time as our people did not understand the importance of these calls but they learned soon after this first call.
Before the next work was begun a committee of four was named by the Finance com- mittee of the State Council of Defense, as follows: M. Sullivan, chairman; Charles Ewald, William Ewakl, and E. H. Weiner. This committee met and named the working organiza- tion of three persons from each school district in the township. The first work to be done by this body was the Y. M. C. A. drive in November, 1917, the required sum of $800 being collected. Following this was the first drive for Red Cross membership starting in Decem- ber, 1917. A meeting of our school district committeemen was held at the Sullivan school in January 1918. This meeting was addressed by Attorneys Harry Edwards and A. H. Hanneken of Dixon, after which we secured about 350 members.
The following April, our allotment of the Third Liberty loan was made, being the sum of $21.000 and $24,000 was subscribed. Next in order and right on the heels of the Third Liberty loan came our share of the first Red Cross drive. Our allotment was $1050, and we collected about $1200. This was done in the month of May, 191S.
War Savings Stamp Drive
In June, 1918, our drive for the War Saving Stamps was made. The amount of our allotment, which seemed to be high, was $16,000. Fearing that we could not get this amount in pledges, meetings were held in each school house and addressed by speakers from Dixon who were brought to Reynolds by Chief Deputy Sheriff Frank Schoenholz and after having supper at MI. Sullivan were assigned as follows:
Rev. A. B. Whitcombe to the H. Kersten district,
Edward Vaile to the Hawkins district,
Harry Warner to the Stone Ridge district,
Harry Edwards to the Sullivan district,
E. E. Wingert to the Weiner district,
H. H. Hagen to the Miller district.
These meetings were well attended and after the speakers finished pledges were asked for and then and there some $15,500 was taken. This certainly was well done. This shortage of $500 was made good by an oversubscription by some of our landowners who were living in Ashton.
Red Cross Unit Organized
In July, 1918, a meeting was called at the German Evangelical church for the purpose of organizing a Red Cross auxiliary. This meeting was addressed by Judge John B. Crabtree, Harry Edwards, and Harry Warner of Dixon and the pastor of the Church,
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Rev. F. W. Doede. The organization was made by the election of E. H. Weiner as chair- man; Rev. F. W. Doede as secretary, and Jacob Henert as treasurer.
In September 1918 our allotment for the Fourth Liberty loan was made and the allot- ment being $42,000 a meeting was held at the German Evangelieal church and John E. Erwin, Clyde Smith and Edward Vaile of Dixon as speakers. On this drive the school distriet committees went to their several school houses after giving notice to the people to come and subscribe to each one's share of the allotment which they did nobly, finishing the drive in one week's time by taking $15,000 which was over the top again for Reynolds and by this time it seemed clear that everyone was on the heels of Kaiser Bill, but when our next work was ordered, being the United War Work campaign from November 11 to 18, which happened immediately after the signing of the armistice, this fact made the getting of our share, which was $1150, very hard. This was the first time that a delin- quent list was returned and 17 names were so returned but we finally finished by eolleet- ing $1275.
Finally there eame a second eall for annual memberships in the Red Cross in Decem- ber, 1918. This work was handled by the regular chairman of Red Cross, together with the aid of school district committeemen. Memberships obtained were about 350. The first registration was June 5, 1917, and was held at the Sullivan school under the super- vision of Charles Ewald as chief registrar, together with Justus Henert and Henry J. Wagner, assistants. Some 75 men were registered.
Twenty-five in Military Service
The Patton brothers enlisted in Company A, 3rd Ill. Infantry at DeKalb. This regi- ment was called by the president into service on July 3, 1917, and mobilized at the home station, De Kalb, IH., July 25, 1917. They were mustered into the federal service Aug. 5, 1917, and left DeKalb for intensive training at Camp Logan, Texas, on Sept. 13, 1917. They arrived at Camp Logan Sept. 16, 1917. On Oct. 11, 1917, the name of this regi- ment was changed to 129th Infantry. The regiment left for overseas serviee early in May, 1918, and was put into the first line service early in July, 1918.
Erve Patton was wounded at Verdun, Aug. 5, 1918 and William Patton was killed in the Argonne Forest, Oct. 11, 1918.
The second registration, Sept. 11, 1918, was held at the regular polling place, the school house, District 112. In this work M. Sullivan was named as chief registrar, Charles Ewald and E. H. Weiner, assistants. Under this call there were registered 100 persons, none of whom were inducted into service. They were just beginning to call them for examination when the armistice was signed.
CHAPTER XXXIX South Dixon Township
BY J. W. CORTRIGHT
The town of South Dixon looked upon the beginning of the great war with many mis- givings and many doubts. Being a farming and dairy community with a scarcity of labor, and one-half of its citizens German, or of direct German decent, made a very bad combination to draw on for soldiers, or to raise money to carry on the great cause for democracy and human rights. But she came through with flying colors, with loyal citizens who stand for but one country and one flag.
RALPH O. WILL,-son of Charles I. and Marietta Mossholder Will, was born Aug. 3. 1886, in South Dixon township. He was inducted into service September 1918, at Camp Grant. He was in camp, but three weeks, when he was taken siek with influenza and died of pneumonia Sept. 27, 1918. He was buried at Heckman cemetery, South Dixon.
South Dixon's civilian war workers comprised many committees.
The head committee consisted of J. W. Cortright, chairman; John Hoyle, Peter Hoyle, Frank Young, J. P. Brechon and W. H. Remmers.
The school committees consisted of three men from each district as follows: Kelley School district-James Bollman, Fred Rhodes, John Gilbert. Lievan School district-W. H. Remmers, Osear Missman, Frank Glessner. Ortgiesen School district- Daniel Ortgiesen, J. W. Lievan, Ed Duis. Will School district-J. P. Brechon, Alfred Tourtillott, John Conroy. Preston School district-J. C. Wadsworth, Geo. Travis, Fred Manning. White Temple School district- G. B. Linderman, F. L. Young, E. E. Toot. Brick School district- Charles Whitebread, Herbert Bahen, F. M. Royster. Eldena School district-Leroy Glessner, Henry Shippert, John Hoyle.
Liberty Loan Work
In the First Liberty Loan drive our township made a poor showing, only a few of our citizens having purchased bonds.
In the Second Liberty Loan drive a greater effort was put forth, and the committees soon found who the delinquents were. Some of our prominent citizens actually refused to buy bonds, saying that they had no money to throw away. I heard one young man say: "I have a good erop of wheat and I won't sell it until the Kaiser comes over here, and then I will give it to him." Since then his attitude has changed but I question if his heart has.
In the Third Liberty Loan drive our township was thoroughly canvassed, but from lack of organization we were over $8,000 behind our quota. However, by the efforts of one patriotic citizen, and the cooperation of our townsmen, South Dixon was nearly $1000 over our quota the day the loan drive closed.
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The Fourth Liberty Loan quota was gained after a hard struggle. We had to our credit one-half of the delinquents names which were published on the Council of Defense black-board, but of these names all but one was finally erased. This man never bought a bond.
In the Fifth or Victory Loan drive, South Dixon was again victorious and gained her quota.
War Saving Stamp Drive
In the W. S. S. drive we had become better organized and the citizens better acquainted with the work. By figuring out our quota we could more nearly place our amounts and were sure of getting results. At the elose of this drive we reached our quota.
Y. M. C. A. War Work
In the fall of 1917, the Y. M. C. A. war drive was not very strong in South Dixon. Our citizens could not see any use of taking care of our soldiers' souls, or looking after their physical welfare, otherwise than the way Unele Sam was treating them, and in our solicita- tion for members and money we received but a small percentage of what we should have.
Red Cross War Work
In the Red Cross drive for membership in the winter of 1917, a great effort was made to rank first in Lee county, and for awhile it looked as though we might win. Palmyra township, in the meantime, was making strenuous efforts for first place; and a few pat- riotie citizens came forward and took memberships, and in this manner covered the short- age of those who would not, and those who could not. Palmyra was the first 100 percent township, and South Dixon had to take second place.
In the Red Cross drive in June, after a hard fought campaign, we found we were short about $50. This shortage was due to some of our head committeemen being afraid to bid good-bye to their dollars, and not because some of our poorer citizens failed in their duty.
One ease deserves partieular mention. An okt mother, who was very poor, doing a man's work, in the field most of the time, and her son, were assessed, and when the mother came she paid the full amount assessed against both. A receipt was written, covering the amount of both her son and herself. She objected when she read it, and said "No sir, that is my amount; he will pay his." He did.
In our drive for membership the Dutch road, or Ortgiesen School distriet, was again the 100 percent district in the township.
United War Work Drive
In this drive we were again successful, the Dutch road being the only 100 percent district in the township. To this district, being one of the smallest, must be given the eredit of sending four of her boys to the front.
And thus, out of this terrible world war, South Dixon has emerged with a fair reputa- tion, with but the loss of one of her sons, Ralph O. Will gone to the Great Beyond, and the rest of her boys home. We thank God that they and we had a chance to do our duty in this great eause-the annihilation of autoeraey and the upholding of democracy.
CHAPTER XL Sublette Township BY WILLIAM BRUCKER
Besides contributing its full quota to every campaign conducted within its borders, Sublette township gave the life of one of its boys- Edwin Oscar Koch- who died at Camp Devens, Mass., of pneumonia. His body was returned to Sublette and interred in Peter- son cemetery, where his grave is a mute memorial to the service performed for Unele Sam by the youth of the township.
The township gave 32 men for service, all except one surviving the dangers they faced.
EDWIN OSCAR KOCH-son of Jacob and Elizabeth Koch, was born at Grandfork, Madison County, Illinois, Sept. 2. 1894. He enlisted July 26, 1918 and was sent to Camp Dodge and became a member of Co. B 212th Engineers. He was sent to Camp Forest, Ga., later and then to Camp Devens, Mass., where he was taken ill with pneumonia. He died Sept. 27, 1918 and his body was brought back to Sublette by his wife, where interment was made in Preston cemetery.
Public Meetings
During the several war drives in the township four public meetings were held.
The first meeting was for the Second Liberty loan, being held at Armory hall, with about 175 people in attendance. The meeting was conducted by Charles E. Bettendorf. The principal speakers were Judge John Crabtree, Harry Warner and Harry Edwards. Entertainment was furnished by Biester's orchestra and songs by Mrs. Angear, Mrs. F. C. Reis, Mrs. Frank Letl and Miss Romania Lauer.
The second meeting was held at Armory hall in behalf of the second Red Cross drive, conducted by William H. Brucker, with the Amboy Community chorus entertaining. Attendance was about 200 people. The principal speakers were R. H. Scott, J. P. Devine, Grover Gehant and A. H. Hanneken.
The third meeting was held at St. Mary's school, Sublette, to lay plans for the Fourth Liberty loan, with usual attendance. It was presided over by Wm. H. O. Brucker, and entertained by the Amboy Community Chorus. The principal speakers were Henry S. Dixon and J. P. Devine.
The fourth meeting was held by the Sublette Union church in interest of the United War Werk fund. with a large attendance, Rev. P. Koeneke presiding. It was entertained by the choir. The principal speakers were William E. Leech, R. H. Scott, John E. Erwin and Rey. Burrows.
Red Cross
On Monday, June 17, 1918, a Red Cross branch was organized at Sublette, Illinois, with a membership of 72 members. Louis Pitcher and Mrs. MeCleary of Dixon, being present to help organize the branch. William Brucker was elected chairman of this branch, Mrs. F. C. Reis, Secretary, and A. A. Lauer, Treasurer. The St. Mary's School
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hall was used as a workroom. Mrs. Leslie Abell and Mrs. Mary Auchsterter were appointed as superintendents of the work room; Miss Catherine Kuehna, chairman of hospital gar- ments; Mrs. Otto Kohler, chairman of surgical supplies; Mrs. John Stilz, chairman of kit bags; Mrs. G. M. Reis, chairman of the knitting department.
An auxiliary of the Red Cross was started in the southwest part of the township some- time before. This branch was started with Mrs. Lydia Fauble as president, and Miss Elsie Theiss, vice-president. This auxiliary did very good work, meeting onee in two weeks.
The ladies in this vicinity assembled at the Armory on Sept. 19, 1917, for the purpose of organizing for war work. There were thirty in attendance with Mrs. D. C. Haskell as speaker, representing the Mendota, Illinois Needlework Guild. At this informal meet- ing it was decided to hold the next meeting at the Union church parlors, on Sept. 24, 1917, when the following officers were elected:
Miss Catherine Malash, president; Mrs. William Easter, secretary and treasurer.
Meetings were held one afternoon every week in the Union Church parlors doing war work for the Mendota Needlework Guild, later transferring the work to Lee county. Mrs. George Lauer was appointed general chairman of Sublette township, with the following officers and committees:
Mrs. William Brucker, chairman of the unit; Mrs. Charles Hatch, Sr., chairman of registration; Miss Anna Theiss, secretary and treasurer; Mrs. Joseph Long, chairman of information; Mrs. William Easter, Mrs. George Fauble, Mrs. Cornelius Dinges, Miss Catherine Kuehna and Mrs. Burright, committee.
In November, 1917, 264 registrants were entered. In December $10.94 was received from the sale of Red Cross Christmas seals. In January, 1918, a unit of the W. C. C. N. D. was organized under the direction of Mrs. Forsyth and Mrs. Armington of Dixon, Illinois, this unit becoming a branch of the W. C. C. N. D. of Dixon, Illinois.
The work done and turned in was: 197 hospital shirts, 114 pajamas; 80 bandages, 45 sweaters and 92 pairs of soeks, with a large number of helmets, wristlets, quilts and other supplies we are unable to itemize. It might be interesting to know that one lady 75 years of age knitted forty-two pairs of socks.
In March, 1918 we collected eanned fruit, vegetables, chickens, a hog and many other articles too numerous to mention, which were sent to Dixon, and donated to the Allied Bazaar.
A party was given, which with some subscriptions, netted $241.74. This money was used to supply the boys, called or volunteered for service, from this township, with com- fort kits, sweaters and socks. The following will show the amount on hand when the armistice was signed which was sent to Dixon to be sent overseas: 12 comfort kits, 34 pair socks, 16 sweaters and $15 was sent for the sheet and pillow ease fund.
On October 3, 1918 this registration weighed and measured 112 children under six years of age, which was 100 percent for our township. Mrs. Otto Koehler was appointed chief nurse for Sublette township.
We arranged for the adoption of five fatherless children in Franee, with the following organizations and individuals: Ladies' Friendly club, one; Ladies' Birthday elub, one; Mrs. Catherine Malash, one; Mr. and Mrs. Peter Dinges, one; Mrs. Frank and Miss Catherine Kuehna, one.
In closing this letter, which is a brief report on the work done through this organiza- tion, it would be unfair not to mention the fact that every member worked very hard with no aim whatever from a selfish viewpoint. Those who couldn't do their part by
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sewing and knitting, did it by raising poultry and garden truck and doing dairy and farm work, which resulted in good team work in committees working with the organization as a whole.
Mrs. Geo. Lauer, Chairman Miss Catherine Malach, Vice-Chairman
FINANCIAL ACCOUNT
C'amp Grant Comfort fund $ 140.00
First Liberty loan . $ 2,000.00
First Red Cross memberships 225.00
Second Liberty loan 48,200.00
Second Red Cross mem. . 122.00
Third Liberty loan 29,000.00
Second Red Cross Drive 1,425.00
Fourth Liberty loan 59,600.00
United War Work fund 2.381.50
War Savings Stamps
21,480.00
K. of C. 200.00
Y. M. C. A.
125.00
$160,280.00
$4,618.50
CHAPTER XLI Willow Creek Township
BY WM. J. BROWN
At the outset of the great world war there was a great variance of opinion in Willow Creek, some taking the side of the Allies while others took the side of the Central Powers with the vast majority, however, on the side of the Allies. America's entry into the war changed the complexion of the Central Power adherents and while there also appeared to be some ProGermanism in the township, the overwhelming number of loyal, American spirited citizens caused the Pro-German attitude to fade into insignificance to such an extent that it is safe to assert that before many moons had rolled around Willow Creek became 100 percent American in so far as doing its part on the firing line at home was concerned. The vast amount of work, however, fell upon the loyal citizens and willing workers in this as well as all other communities.
The first service performed by the township was in the registration of June 6, 1917 for the purpose of registering all male persons between the ages of 21 and 31, inclusive, for military service. In this instance W. J. Brown was appointed chief registrar with F. A. Bach and W. E. Byrd as assistants. This registration disclosed the fact that there were 91 persons eligible to military service in the township under this rule and also dis- closed the further fact that of this number 77 were natural born and three naturalized citizens while there were seven declarents and four aliens. From this number 23 were inducted into the service.
Willow Creek township was organized on April 3, 1855, and is one of the youngest townships of Lee County. It has participated in the Civil war, the Spanish-American war and the great world war. It furnished many volunteers in the Union army of the Civil war from 1861 to 1865, and also two doughty volunteers in the Spanish-American War, they being Edward Ponell and Winfield Scott Wigginton.
In the fall of 1917 the Second Liberty Loan came on with the township quota at $48,000.00. Lars C. Risetter was appointed chairman of this drive and he in turn appointed J. A. Miller, J. Henry Eide and J. H. Grove his assistants. The sum of $31,700.00 was subscribed during this drive. The fact that Willow Creek did not make its quota at this time was not due to the committee, who worked incessantly and diligently to obtain their quota, but was due entirely to the lack of understanding on the part of the citizens as to the necessity of backing their government and that United States government bonds were the best investment obtainable. As the understanding of the value of these bonds became more general, Willow Creek immensely made up for this deficiency.
In September of the year 1917 the first Y. M. C. A. drive was launched. This drive was delayed on account of neglect as well as lack of time on the part of the persons appointed to carry on this drive. The township's quota was $500.00 with but two days to make the drive. Seeing the necessity, as well as the importance, of Willow Creek bearing equal burden with the rest of the county in this matter, a meeting was called at the Lee State bank and W. J. Brown elected chairman. A volunteer committee composed of S. M. Maakestad. O. C. Brown, J. H. Eide and G. P. Peters canvassed the entire township and at the prescribed time went over the top with $30.00 to the good.
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Shortly following this the State Council of Defense was created. The county members of the council appointed a finance committee for the township composed of five members as follows: Lars C. Rissetter, P. J. Schoenholz, P. S. Snyder, J. II. Eide and W. J. Brown. At a meeting held at the town hall, this committee nominated W. J. Brown as township chairman and J. H. Eide as its secretary and appointed three members in each school distriet as members of the neighborhood committee of the State Council of Defense as follows:
District 140-W. E. Byrd, chairman; W. H. Herrmann, G. T. Noe.
District 141-W. J. Hardy, chairman; T. E. Hillison, Vernon Noyes.
District 142-F. X. Herrmann, chairman; August Herrmann, C. H. Risetter.
Distriet 143-W. H. Vosburgh, chairman; S. A. Skromme, Joe A. Johnson. Distriet 144-J. A. Miller, chairman; Paul Henry Snyder. Lewis Haekman. District 145-L. H. Risetter, chairman; Eling Petterson, Bernard Hopps.
Distriet 146-H. L. Rhoades, chairman; James E. Nelson, Charles G. Hackman.
District 154-W. D. Barringer, chairman; G. W. Sanford, James Bond.
District 165-G. P. Peters, chairman; S. B. Eden, James Kennedy.
That part of District 139 lying in Willow Creek township was taken care of through the courtesy of the Alto committee of the same district :
Peter M. Johnson, Martin H. Bly and Thomas Burke.
After the creation of the Council of Defense the various committees took charge of all drives in their respective school districts until the close of the war. This wasa remark- able improvement over the former method of three or four persons canvassing the whole township, the method obtaining better results as well as being more efficient.
The Women's Committee of the Council of National Defense, Illinois Division, and the State Council of Defense was created with the appointment of Mrs. W. J. Brown of Lee, as chairman. The singular event in this appointment being that her husband had Feen appointed chairman of the Men's Council of Defense and left the executive authority in the hands of this one family as it had been previously established that the chairman of the Men's Council of Defense and the chairman of the Women's Council of Defense together with a third person appointed by them constituted the executive committee of the township. This was properly done by the appointment of Miss Ida Durin of Searboro which left the personnel of the executive committee as follows-W. J. Brown, Mrs. W. J. Brown and Ida Durin.
After ber appointment Mrs. Brown in turn appointed Miss Ida Durin as sub-chairman, and Miss Hla Olson, Miss Ruth Schoenholz and Mrs. Florence Pitcher as members of the Women's Committee of the Council of Defense for Willow Creek township. The women did splendid work. In their registration of the women of the township they worked cease- lessly and untiringly until every woman in the township had been registered except six who, although repeatedly requested, positively refused. The peculiar coincidence in connection with this registration and which was immensely amusing to the committee, was the fact that a great many of the women, after registering, launched upon an earnest meditation of the matter and came to the conclusion that it was a serious matter and that by registering they became liable to be drafted into the military service of the United States the same as men, and not a few in the wee hours of the next morning after they had registered arrived at the residence of the chairman long before she had intended to arise and earnestly pleaded and requested to have their registration cancelled, but upon being forcefully and courteously assured that their Unele Sam had no design on such purpose, they in every instance allowed their registration to stand.
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