USA > Minnesota > Fillmore County > In the World War : Fillmore County, Minnesota > Part 11
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On May 1 the required formalities of or- ganization, such as the sending of the re- quired fee and membership statement to the Chicago headquarters, were completed.
The charter members called a meeting for May 5, 1917, to elect directors and officers.
The following directors were elected: S. A. Langum, E. B. Read, E. A. Highum, John Hopp, A. W. Thompson, E. T. Schoenbaum, T. I. Garratt, William Kuethe, F. J. Ibach, Mrs. J. Dunford, Mrs. H. Rollins, Mrs. George Harrington, Mrs. C. F. Lewis, Miss Ethel Becker, and Mrs. H. S. Bassett.
The following officers were elected: E. A. Highum, chairman; Mrs. H. S. Bassett, vice chairman; E. T. Schoenbaum, secretary; Laura Michener, assistant secretary; T. I. Garratt, treasurer.
The committees appointed were:
Membership: J. Dunford, A. D. Gray, Jr., Laura Michener, A. P. Nelson, and Esther Ott.
Supplies for branches in county: Mrs. E. B. Read and Mrs. H. S. Bassett.
Purchasing: Mrs. J. W. Broadwater and Mrs. R. E. Thompson.
Finance: S. A. Langum, E. B. Read, E. A. Highum, and E. T. Schoenbaum.
Entertainments: Mrs. John Hopp, chair- man.
During May and June, 1917, the chair- man, assisted by A. D. Gray, Sr., Mrs. E. B. Read, Rev. S. J. Wallace, John Hopp, and others, visited nearly all the villages and towns in the county where the work of or- ganizing branches was begun.
The following branches were put into be- ing: Spring Valley; Wykoff; Fountain; Lanesboro; Peterson; Pilot Mound; Aren- dahl; Granger; Mabel; Canton; Harmony.
Several of these branches organized auxil- iaries to take care of the work in the farming and rural districts. The work in Rushford was carried on and the organization directed from the Winona county chapter of the Red Cross and did not come under the jurisdic- tion of the Fillmore County chapter. In Chatfield the work was done under the juris- distion of the Olmstead County chapter.
The total membership of the Chapter, which includes the various branches and
their auxiliaries, exceeded six thousand active workers, added to which was a Junior mem- bership exceeding four thousand.
Shipment of all goods made by the Red Cross workers in the county and the handling of all the funds was made through the county chapter which retained headquarters at Preston, the county seat.
In addition to the regular work attached to the County Chapters routine, the Village of Preston was taken care of by the same committee and though at times the work piled up tremendously, the willing workers of Preston took care of it.
At various times in Preston, street fairs, auctions, sales of second hand articles and clothing, church socials and bees raised funds to carry on the work of humanity.
The total amount of money collected by the Red Cross from the town of Preston ap- proximated $18,000. This does not include the value of articles that were donated at various times for the sales and benefits.
Though the expense of carrying on the work in Fillmore County was very high, a total of $30,000 dollars remained in the County chapter's treasury in a report made by the treasurer in August, 1919. All un- finished articles, not completed at the close of the war, when the work was slackened because of the decrease in demand, were finished and shipped.
Red Cross funds reported to the County Red Cross chapter at Preston following the big drive in the summer of 1918.
Since the time of this report an estimated figure of receipts amounting to several thou- sands of dollars had been added to the total reported below.
All receipts of the various branches of the Fillmore County chapter were handled by the central chapter at Preston.
SPRING VALLEY DISTRICT Dr. W. N. Kendrick, Chairman Allotment
Subscribed
Spring Valley Township. $ 832
$1,551.00
Spring Valley City
1,999
3,200.00
Sumner Township
701
1,227.50
Bloomfield Township
953
941.75
Beaver Township. 651
604.50
Fillmore Township.
S24
1,013.50
Wykoff Village.
502
597.00
Totals $6,462
$8,739.25
PRESTON DISTRICT
Frank J. Ibach, Chairman.
Preston Village $1,313
$1,500.00
Preston Township
652
988.50
Forestville.
712
750.00
Carimona Township
679
850.00
Fountain Township.
690
800.00
Fountain Village
354
515.00
Totals $4,400
$5,403.50
O
+
RED CROSS
FILLMORE COUNTY
HARMONY DISTRICT
K. D. Olson, Chairman.
Harmony Village. $ 720
$1,400.00
Harmony Township. 779
861.96
York Township . . 910
686.15
Bristol Township 836
816.15
Totals
$3,245
$3,764.26
LANESBORO DISTRICT
F. M. Bean, Chairman.
Lanesboro Village .
$1,085
$1,573.50
Carrolton Township
673
794.70
Pilot Mound Township 735
753.15
Amherst Township 820
1,089.50
Holt Township 765
S38.75
Whalan Village 133
140.00
Totals . $4,211
$5,189.60
PETERSON DISTRICT
N. J. Amble, Chairman.
Peterson Village.
$ 293
$ 510.00
Arendahl Township
792
662.00
Norway Township.
999
1,060.00
Rushford Village in
Peterson District.
60.00
Totals.
.$2,084
$2,292.00
MABEL DISTRICT
J. O. Backman, Chairman
Mabel Village. 653
$ 700.00
Preble Township 741
. 741.00
Newburg Township. 892
1,020.00
Canton Township 994
1,370.00
Canton Village 380
400.00
Totals
.$3,660
$4,231.00
Totals for County
$24,062
$29,619.61
Output
In no other branch of home activity during the war was the work carried on with such an untiring, ceaseless effort, as by the women of the Red Cross who patiently knitted and sewed at home that their men at the front and in the various camps might be made as comfortable as possible.
The report below is on the work finished and shipped from the Preston chapter and covers the complete work done in this county up to the end of the war. Since that time a large amount of work has been finished and shipped for use in the convalescent hospitals.
Report of the knitted goods, hospital gar- ments and surgical dressings sent to head- quarters from the Fillmore County chapter shows:
Sweaters 2000
Helmets 106
Wristlets.
1000
Socks
3125
Mufflers
457
Sheets
S2
Pillow slips.
330
Substitute handkerchiefs. 2523
Hemmed handkerchiefs . 354
Shoulder wraps 222
Odd coats.
10
Bath robes
354
Bed socks
530
Pajamas
1042
Hospital bed shirts
1250
Operating leggins
231
Bed jackets.
75
Fracture pads
58
Abdominal bandages
540
Triangle bandages.
685
Substitute bandages
96
Socks for injured feet
363
Comfort cushions
82
Slips for cushions
23
Hot water bottle covers.
34
Ice bag covers
25
0
Dust cloths.
27
Wash cloths
493
Towels.
70
Hand towels
213
Bath towels
12
Sponges
25
Napkins
1103
Tray cloths.
395
Afghans.
16
Surgical dressings
29499
Junior Red Cross
The Junior Red Cross chapter for Fillmore County was organized with Miss Merl Ander- son, chairman; Mrs. A. P. Nelson, treasurer, and Miss Kathleen Meighen, secretary. Work of organization was carried on along the same lines as in the Red Cross chapter.
Miss Winifred Langum, Preston, went to Chicago in the fall of 1917 and completed both courses in the surgical dressings work and received an instructor's certificate. Re- turning to Preston Miss Langum was ap- pointed chapter superintendent of surgical dressings and taught at the various classes in the Red Cross and Junior Red Cross which were engaged in the preparation of the sur- gical dressings and bandages for the army and Red Cross hospitals both at home and abroad.
Of the total membership of the Junior Red Cross in the county a large share were en- gaged at one time or another in the prepara- tion of surgical dressings, and thousands upon thousands of various dressings were made up by them.
A large percentage of the Junior Red Cross work was handled through the schools and directly superintended by the teachers, who devoted a large part of their time during the school year and in the summer months.
The parents of the members of the Junior workers were heartily backing their work and were liberal in donations of both money and articles.
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HONOR ROLL
Spring Valley Branch
T THE SPRING VALLEY branch of Fill- more County chapter of the American Red Cross was organized July 5, 1917, with a charter membership of 53. At a meeting July 17, the organization was per- fected, and the temporary officers made permanent. At this time committees were appointed and plans outlined for the work.
The branch had its first meeting for work July 23, at the Commercial club rooms, where, through the courtesy of the club, the sewing was carried on regularly on Tuesday and Friday afternoons throughout the war.
At the close of the first year's work a membership of 1,010 had been obtained, which included the seven auxiliary units- Washington, Zion-Hardscrabble, Buckwheat Ridge, Ostrander, Etna, Cherry Grove and Frankford. In addition to this there were twenty Junior Auxiliaries, thirteen of which were organized in the rural schools with 241 Junior Red Cross members. The remaining seven Junior Auxiliaries were in the Spring Valley schools, with a membership of 271.
Much credit is due the officers of the chap- ter for handling the work in such an efficient manner. Following are the officers of the Spring Valley branch who served throughout the war:
Mrs. A. L. Conklin, chairman; Mrs. W. D. Hart, vice-chairman; Mrs. O. Aamot, secre- tary; Mrs. W. N. Kendricks, treasurer; super- visors of Surgical Dressings classes, Misses Pearl Smith and Florence Wood.
The report of finances for the first year's work of the Spring Valley branch shows:
RECEIPTS
Membership $1,010.00
Auction. 787.07
Twenty-five percent refund from
1917 war fund R. C .. 66S.53
Donations, socials, sale of wood, etc. 4,471.33
Total. $6,936.93
DISBURSEMENTS
Yarn . $3,070.02
Surgical Dressings Supplies 195.52
Muslin, Flannel, and other supplies for military relief . 2,628.24
Membership dues 505.00
Balance on hand. 538.15
Total. $6,936.93
Since the time of making the above report almost four thousand dollars have been re- ceived by this organization.
There have been since organizing, 351 knitters, 4,330 skeins of yarn have been pur- chased, and the following list of articles have been completed: 927 pair socks, 430 sweaters, 140 mufflers, 93 pair of wristlets, and 9 hel- mets. Two hundred and eighty-three addi- tional articles have been knitted since.
Much credit for this work is due to Miss Florence Viall, chairman of the knitting com- mittee, who has had charge of this work from
the beginning, and who has not missed a meeting of workers.
Nearly three thousand yards of outing flannel and four thousand yards of muslin were used in making hospital garments by the volunteer workers of the branch and auxiliaries.
Articles of clothing and various articles for use in Red Cross hospital work were made totaling 2,661. In addition to these 138 comfort bags were made and filled, these being sent to the boys in service from the neighboring townships.
All cuttings left from the making of gar- ments were used either for making quilts or for carpet rags which have been made into rugs and sold for Red Cross benefit. Much credit is due to the chairman of the cutting committee, Mrs. W. D. Hart and her prede- cessor, Mrs. Nettie J. Coleman, for efficient work in this department.
The classes in surgical dressings were or- ganized in March with Miss Pearl Smith and Miss Florence Wood as instructors. These young ladies went to Northern Division Headquarters at St. Paul to take the course of instruction at their own expense and de- voted their entire time to this work.
Two hundred workers were enrolled in the surgical dressings classes. Three thousand yards of gauze were used and made into nearly 22,000 dressings and bandages.
Chatfield Branch
The first steps taken towards the organi- zation of the Chatfield chapter of the Ameri- can Red Cross were made in the latter part of April, 1917.
The Women's Civic Club of Chatfield took up the matter and organized a tentative or- ganization with ten divisions in the township to carry on the work of sewing and the mak- ing of gauze dressings. On May 25, 1917, a meeting was held at which Dr. W. A. Moore, president of the Commercial club, appointed a temporary organization committee of nine men and women.
At a subsequent meeting held June 14, 1917, the Chatfield Chapter of the American Red Cross was ratified, which included the city and township of Chatfield, also the town- ships of Jordan in Fillmore county, and Orion and Elmira in Olmsted county, Minnesota.
The immediate organization of the chapter follo wed with the following officers election: Geo. R. Thompson, chairman; Medora O. F. Morrill, vice-chairman; E. J. Sutherland, secretary; G. A. Haven, treasurer.
These officers have served through the war period up to September, 1919, with the ex- ception of G. R. Thompson, who requested to be relieved at a meeting Jan. 16, 1918. The chairman was succeeded by Wm. Laird, who was later succeeded by L. I. Loveland.
The following committees served during the war:
Red Cross drive: S. E. Bibbins, Dr. W. A. Moore.
By-laws: Dr. W. A. Moore.
FILLMORE COUNTY
Membership: F. L. Tesca; Civilian relief: E. J. Sutherland; Military relief: Mrs. Medora O. F. Morrill; Finance and auditing: S. E. Bibbins, E. F. Harnish, Joseph Underleak; Special knitting: Mrs. M. Burke; Home ser- vice: C. W. Doud; Junior Red Cross: Miss Lillian Avery; Service Flag: Mrs. M. O. F. Morrill, Mrs. F. G. Barnard; Nurses Survey : Mrs. John Chermak; Inspection of boxes: Miss Ruth Haven.
In Fillmore County the following school districts were designated and engaged in the Red Cross work and also the Junior work: Dist. 82, Miss Nell Whalan; 83-100, Mrs. Fred Norton; 84, Mrs. Ole Sundet; 85, Mrs. M. Johnson; 87, 121, 122, Mrs. John Cra- vath; 98, Mrs. J. Oakey; 128, Miss Frances Kadlec; 147, Miss Lulu Butler; 176, Mrs. G. W. Bailey; 179, Mrs. Dallas Arnold; 117, 119, Mrs. N. McConnell.
Under the direction of the above women there were enrolled in Chatfield, 275 women and the above rural districts, 225 women workers.
The Chatfield chapter made an enviable record in surgical dressings work during the war. When 18,736 separate bandages and gauze dressings were made, packed and shipped during a year and a half it means the women worked long, hard hours with the only recompense of knowing they were doing their share to alleviate the horrors of war and suffering.
During this period also an additional num- ber of 31,645 hospital and refugee garments and supplies were shipped. In addition the Junior chapter made 100 scrap books for Belgian children. In the drive for old cloth- ing for refugee relief up to April 1, 1919, 37,000 pounds of second hand garments were collected and shipped to headquarters.
Two drives for funds were made here dur- ing the war. The first drive in 1917 netting $2,529.25 and the second drive in 191S totaling $4,514.87.
In addition to the above there is a record of miscellaneous contributions of $3,631.17.
On July 1, 1919, the chapter had a total of 951 members and the Junior a total member- ship of 600.
The following financial report of the Chat- field chapter is from May 1, 1917, to July 1, 1919:
Received from membership dues, $1,702; entertainments, donations, and sale of mate- rial, $7,955,35.
Paid for relief and supplies, $8,031.65.
Paid for stationery, postage, express and freight, $185.59.
In the process of the war work a total of thirty women and of two men were awarded service badges for hours of service. The least number of hours entitling a member to a service badge being 400 working hours. The highest number of hours awarded among the members of this chapter were put in by Mrs. M. O. F. Morrill, who is credited with a total of 3,200 hours' work.
As in the other chapters and branches of the Red Cross, the work was carried on with-
out the additional expense of rent, fuel, light, drayage, or salaries. The local merchants donated the packing material and the school authorities packed the second hand goods shipped.
Harmony Chapter
The Harmony chapter of the American Red Cross of Fillmore County was organized July 24, 1917, at Harmony, Minn.
Over sixty charter members attended the first meeting and plans were outlined for the carrying on of the work in this section of the county.
Officers elected at this meeting were: H. Grooteboer, chairman; Mrs. Guy seonnelly, vice-chairman; Viola Hellickson, Dcretary; Dora Daniels, treasurer.
The various committees appointed were Membership, Mrs. McGee, Mrs. C. B. Hel- lickson, Mrs. Ray, Mrs. Frogner, Crystal Munger, and Myrtle Wolsted. Finance, Dora Daniels, Mrs. Ray, and Mrs. C. B. Hel- lickson. Social, Mrs. Guy Donnelly, Mrs. Joel Wolsted, and Mrs. Julius Johnson.
Later auxiliaries were formed at Bristol, in charge of Mrs. Levi Jones, and Mrs. John Roberts. At York, under direction of Mrs. J. H. Dahly. Big Spring, in charge of Miss Ada Trende. South West Harmony, under Mrs. A. O. Morram. State Line, which was partly in Iowa. Willow Creek, in charge of Mrs. Theodore Applen.
One of the first campaigns to raise money to carry on the work centered on a so-called Street Fair held in Harmony, Sept. 8, 1917, at which time their total receipts amounted to $389.75.
The success of this fair was due to all the members working together and when they realized what could be done toward raising money by this means, on June 14, 1918, a second street fair and auction was held at Harmony. The amount raised at this time was $5,924.38. The success of this auction was largely due to the efforts of John Tha- cher and Lyman Boice, both from Harmony and J. W. Terbeest, Spring Valley, who of- fered their services as auctioneers gratis.
At various times new members were gained for the Harmony branch. Before the drive for members October 22, 1918, the member- ship totalled 360. Nearly 200 new members were gained in this drive.
H. Grooteboer, chairman and Mrs. Guy Donnelly, resigned shortly after this time . and Joel Wolstad and Mrs. Riseland were elected to fill the vacancies of office.
The surgical dressings class was composed mainly of school children in the various dis- tricts but the main work of filling the ever growing demands of the army for clothing and hospital needs were met by the women workers of the organization.
A total of 4,107 articles were made and shipped by this chapter during the war. The
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HONOR ROLL
largest number of these was knitted socks, of which there were 1,630 pairs knitted from yarn furnished by the chapter. Five hun- dred and sixty bed shirts and the same num- ber of pajamas were made and shipped. The other articles made were of every variety for use by the men in the trenches and in the hospitals. Some articles also were made for use by the French Relief workers in France.
The total receipts of the Harmony chapter up to August 15, 1919, were $11,371.79. The total expense of the chapter being $7,409.00.
Harmony Junior Branch
T HE HARMONY branch of the Fillmore County Junior Red Cross was organized shortly after the Red Cross chapter was organized here, July 24, 1917.
The work was carried out under the direc- tion of Mr. Higbee, superintendent of schools, Harmony, who was chairman of the Junior branch of the Red Cross for this section of the county.
The real burden of the work of organizing and carrying out the work planned was ably handled by Miss Alice Hanson, vice-chair- man, who was assisted in her work by the Misses Ella Sanderson,, Florence Ray, Emma Thundahl, and Prunella Trystad.
Work was carried on in an organized man- ner by the students in the various school dis- tricts in this section.
A splendid total of 49,573 surgical dressings and bandages were finished and shipped bv this chapter. In every case when a demand would come in from headquarters for a cer- tain kind of bandage or compress the order would be immediately filled without hurry or confusion.
The following list shows the money raised by the various auxiliaries of the Junior Red Cross in the Harmony branch to swell the General Red Cross Fund. Raised by the Harmony High School, $175.48; Henrytown school, $7.50; Daisey Valley, $2.50; District No. 39, $29.25; District No. 41, $31; District No. 44, $47.15.
Various little school plays and entertain- ments, in addition to donations were the source of the funds raised by the school chil- dren.
Lanesboro Branch
O RGANIZED early in the summer of 1917 the Lanesboro branch of the Fill- more County Chapter American Red Cross experienced a rapid growth. As in other districts of the county almost every woman in the district was busy on some form of Red Cross work.
The following officers served during the first two years of the organization, they hav- ing been re-elected at the end of the first year:
Chairman-O. M Habberstad
Vice-chairman-Mrs. A. Langlie 2nd vice-chairman-Mrs. F. F. Luskow Secretary-Mrs. F. M. Bean
Treasurer-A. Langlie
Supervisors: Surgical dressings-Mrs. James Lynch, Mrs. C. A. Williams. Sewing- Mrs. James Galligan, Mrs. F. F. Luskow, Mrs. T. McCarthy. Knitting-Mrs. M. Barrett, Mrs. P. A. Nelson. Comfort kits- Mrs. O. S. Knudsen. Refugee garments- Mrs. P. A. Kvernum, Mrs. A. P. Lommen.
Committees: Supplies-Mrs. O. M. Hab- berstad, Mrs. Mary Hoel, Mrs. James Galli- gan. Cutting-Mrs. Julius Olson, Mrs. P. A. Nelson, Mrs. R. C. Sackett, Mrs. Charles Gillin. Inspection-Mrs. A. M. Hanson, Mrs. Elmer T. Brekke. Pressing-Mrs. O. G. Ellingson, Mrs. E. K. Skrukrud. Packing -Mary Mccarthy, Mrs. Fannie Bresnahan. Membership-Mrs. O. S. Knudsen, Mrs. R. C. McCoy, Mrs. H. T. Aske, Mrs. J. F. Thompson, Mrs. A. P. Lommen, Mrs. F. A. Drake, Mrs. Julius Olson, F. F. Luskow, Olaf T. Thompson, F. M. Bean.
Report of the work of the Lanesboro branch for the years 1917-18 and 1918-19.
RECEIPTS 1917-18
Members dues. $1,000.00
War fund. 522.92
Ball game. 32.10
Donations, etc.
311.90
Band concert, etc. 526.31
Auction sale.
5,587.67
Totals $7,980.90
RECEIPTS 1918-19
Balance in general fund. $4,888.48
Balance in war fund. 228.92
Membership dues . 476.00
Refunds from A. R. C. 1,362.40
Donations, etc .. . 550.86
Ball game, etc., and interest 273.56
Totals $7,780.22
Above receipts were used for the purchase of materials and supplies for use in the mak- ing of garments and articles for hospital and other uses by the Red Cross. At the close of business July 15, 1919, a report was made showing a balance on hand in the bank of $5,117.40.
During the first year of work the following articles were made and shipped by the Lanes- boro branch of the Red Cross: Knitted goods, 347; Sewing department, 866; Surgical dress- ings, 14,403; Refugee garments, 57.
The second year's work produced: Knitted goods, 872; Sewing department, 2,790 pieces; Surgical dressings, 19,926. Comfort kits were filled by the Lanesboro women and one sent to each man in service from the Lanes- boro community. The above figures for the surgical dressings work includes the work done by the department during both years of work.
FILLMORE COUNTY
Wykoff Branch
T THE WYKOFF branch of the Fillmore County Chapter of the American Red Cross was organized July 12, 1917.
The following officers were elected and served the first year of the organization :
Chairman-Mrs. O. M. Rowley, Wykoff Vice-chairman-Mrs. J. J. Walker, Wykoff Secretary-Miss Agnes F. Langan, Wykoff Treasurer-Mrs. C. M. Allen, Wykoff
At the end of the first year of the organiza- tion's activity a total membership of three hundred and fifty-three had been reached. Every member being active in some form of Red Cross work. The receipts for the first year were $2,102.96, the expenses amounting to $1,644.20, leaving a balance of $458.76 to start the second year with.
Beginning with the second year's work of this organization the following officers were elected and served until the after closing of the war:
Chairman-Mrs. O. M. Rowley, Wykoff V-chairman-Mrs. Edward Pulford, Wykoff Secretary-Miss Agnes F. Langan, Wykoff Treasurer-Mrs. O. A. Wendorf, Wykoff
Miss Dora Quinn was elected as chairman of the knitting department of the chapter. In February, 1918, a Surgical Dressings class was organized under the direction of Miss Lucile Healey, who was instructor, having taken the course in surgical dressings neces- sary for one to become an instructor of this branch of the Red Cross work.
Auxiliaries were formed in the early days of the organization to take care of the rural members of the chapter who were unable to be in Wykoff to handle the work. These auxiliaries were the Fillmore Ladies Club, the Thriftyville Club and the Lutheran Club.
In the report of the second year's work a total of three hundred and ninety-nine mem- bers had been obtained it was shown.
The total receipts of the second year amounted to $1,713.79, the expenditures be- ing $905.76, leaving a balance at the end of this year of $808.03.
Thousands of articles for use by the sol- diers in camp and in the hospitals were made and shipped by this chapter in addition to the many thousands of bandages and various dressings which were turned out by the Sur- gical dressings class.
Mabel Branch
The 'Mabel branch of the Fillmore County Chapter of the American Red Cross first came into being in July, 1917. Since that time the work has been carried on by the ever-increasing membership and by the addi- tion of several auxiliary units in the rural districts surrounding Mabel.
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