Spanish -American War Soldiers - Private James J. Harper

 

#27 -A. B. Votrie, #28 J.J. Harper

# 28 PRIVATE JAMES JOHNSON HARPER

Born on April 28, 1874, to Joshua and Carolina (Hosey) Harper, James grew up in Defiance and stayed there most of his life. He had a brother, William H. and a sister, Clara Hattie. In 1892, he had a job with the H.C. Gerken Company. 

On July 2, 1898, he enlisted in Company M, 6th Regiment and served with them in Cuba until mustered out on May 24, 1899, at Augusta, Georgia.

On November 4, 1901, the twenty-year-old James married Lois L. Hadley, who was also 20. The Defiance Democrat, November 21, 1901 reported:

"JAMES HARPER AND LOIS HADLEY MARRIED

James Harper, of Holgate Avenue, and Miss Lois Hadley of Burr Oak, Mich., were married on Monday, Nov. 4th at Paulding.

The marriage was kept a secret while the bride and groom were visiting in the southern part of the state.

They returned home Saturday and will reside in this city.

It may have ended in divorce, but no record could be found.

J J. Harper's name made the Defiance Democrat on November 16, 1906, when he was part of a fracas in one of the saloons in Defiance.

"THREE MEN FACE COURT

WHITEFORD, COMPANY, AND HARPER HEAR THEIR FATE IN COURT

Three of the five men who were indicted by the grand jury on the charge of assault and battery, with the exception of one, for participating in the affray at Ed. Company's saloon, near the B&O depot, faced Judge Snook Tuesday afternoon.

Fred Whiteford came into court and changed his plea of not guilty entered some time ago to that of guilty. He was given a fine of $50 and costs and sentenced to serve four months in the Toledo work house.

Edward Company, who was indicted for keeping his saloon open on Sundays, plead guilty to the charge, and he was fined $50 and costs. He paid up rather than go to jail.

James J. Harper, the man who claims to have received a bullet in his body at the hands of Company, when the fracas was on tap, plead guilty to assault and battery and was given a fine of $15 and costs..."

In 1910, James Harper married second Laura Antoinette Maynard (Archer) on October 4. They set up residence at 1103 Holgate Avenue in Defiance. It was Laura's second marriage; she was a widow of Mr. Archer. Harper registered for the World War I draft in 1918 at the age of 44 when he worked as a salesman. 

One of the biggest surprises about Mr. Harper was that he owned a patent for inventing an egg tester. More can be read about that HERE. He applied for the patent on June 13, 1913, and it was granted in August 1914.

By 1920, James was single again at age 45 as listed in the Federal Census. He lived with his mother, Caroline, on Holgate Avenue, and she was listed as the owner. It is unsure what happened to his wife, Laura. His mother died in 1923 of pneumonia, and James' health began to decline as well.

At the age of 53 in 1928,  J. J. Harper was admitted to the U.S. Home for Disabled Soldiers in Dayton. His health issues were listed at admittance as arthritis, dental disease and deficient vision. At the time, he was 5'8", with brown eyes and gray hair. He received a pension of $50 a month.

He stayed there until his death on February 14, 1930. 

"JAMES HARPER RITES MONDAY

Spanish-American War Veteran Dies in Soldiers' Home, Dayton

The body of James J. Harper, 55, Spanish-American War veteran, who died of heart trouble at 5:10 a.m. in the soldiers' home at Dayton, arrived here this morning and was taken to Mansfield funeral home.

Last rites will be held there Monday at 2 p.m., with Rev. Theodore Strauss, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran church, officiating. Burial will be made in Riverside Cemetery.

Mr. Harper was born in Defiance April 28, 1874, a son of the late Joshua and Caroline Harper, and had spent most of his life in this city.

Surviving are a brother, William Harper, Defiance, and a sister, Mrs. Hattie C. Flanigan, Flint, Mich."

The Crescent-News, February 15, 1930, p. 1

Riverside Cemetery, Defiance, Ohio

His death certificate indicated that bronchial pneumonia was the cause of  death. His personal effects were sold at auction on December 19, 1930..

Two sources dispute the death date engraved on his tombstone as 1931.

Spanish - American War Soldier -#27 Sergeant Albert B. Votrie

 

Left to right: A.B. Votrie 

#27 ALBERT B. VOTRIE

Albert was a little elusive at first as his name was misspelled on the photo as Votree.  Votrie was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with his family moving to Ohio later. His mother, Josephine F Pariset,  married Peter Votrie, the second of three husbands (Huss, Miller). Albert was born on December 28, 1865.

In 1883 Albert was married to Ida Musselman and they had a daughter, Cleo, in 1885. At the time of his enlistment in 1898, they lived in Emmett, Ohio, now a ghost town of Paulding County. He was 32 years old when he enlisted as a Private in Company M, and he climbed the military ladder quickly. In November 1898, he was promoted to Corporal and then in April 1898, he became a Sergeant.

In November 1898, he wrote a letter to the Defiance Daily Express defending Captain James Crandall against what Votrie felt were disparaging and false rumors spread by the press. Crandall was considering a run for sheriff when the troops came home, and some did not like that.

"AN OPEN LETTER

Another Soldier Tells The Truth

Camp Poland, Knoxville, Tenn.

Nov. 1st, 1898

Editor of Express:

    Some time ago my attention was called to an article which appeared in the columns of the Defiance News attacking the military as well as the political record of our commanding officer, Captain James F. Crandall. The captain defended his military position in a well-written letter to the Express and the boys of Company M endorsed the same as being a true statement of affairs up to the time of writing, but still the News appears in our camp loaded with statements which we know are false.

    A person not acquainted with the facts and conditions of the park at Chickamauga would be lead to believe that Captain Crandall of our own good company was directly responsible for the epidemic of typhoid fever which swept so many to eternity, and took from us our comrade, Ed Kindig.

    I am not a citizen of Defiance, therefore it is immaterial to me whether Captain Crandall is elected to fill of office of sheriff of Defiance county or not, but in justice to him, I believe I am safe in saying that his military record is without a blemish. He took upon himself the duty of commanding a company of young men who were inexperienced and not used to the hardships generally endured by men in times of war.The captain is a veteran of the civil war and he knows the needs of his men. And there is not in the Sixth Regiment a captain more diligent in looking after the comforts of their men than is Captain Crandall.

    True, it is natural for soldiers to grumble without cause; I have done my share of that, but my grumbling has never went beyond the confines of my own company street, and I trust it never shall.

     Now as to the statement of Mr. Crandall's cruel treatment of military prisoners, you have the word of a prisoner then confined in the 6th regiment guard house and Mr. Crandall's denial. I leave it to the people of Defiance to decide in between the two. For my part, I trust I shall never regret having become a member of Mr. Crandall's company. I also trust that when we again arrive at home with friends and relatives, that my regard for my commanding officer will not have diminished one iota. The sensible boys of Co. M, both Democrats and Republicans know that the - of the News is for political effect and nothing more.

Yours truly,

Albert B. Votrie

Co. M 6th O.V.I."

 From his letter, it would seem that he was loyal, educated and understood military life. He mustered out with Company M, and at some point, he joined Company K of the 39th Volunteer Infantry who went on to fight in the Philippine Insurrection (Philippine-American War), beginning in January 1899. He was killed in action on February 3, 1900, at Baybay, Luzon.

The story of Sergeant Votrie's death is a complicated one. The Lima Times Democrat first reported on April 25, 1900, p.6, that he was shot in battle.

"Thrilling Experience of Five American Soldiers

Sergeant Votrie Was Shot

"A scouting party of the Thirty-ninth was sent out to cover the country west of Tauanan and ascertain if there were any insurgents in that locality. During the day five men of K company who had ventured some distance from the rest of the party were cut off about four miles west of Tauanan and fired upon by rebels supposed to be about 150 strong...

The men put up a running fight for some distance in hope of either reaching the rest of the scouting party or that, hearing the sound of firing, their comrades would come to their relief. They continued their retreat, firing as they went, until one of their number, Quartermaster Sergeant Votrie, fell, having been shot through the head.

When the sergeant fell, the bullets were flying like hailstones..."

The following day a searching party was sent out to find the bodies and give them burial. They found Sergeant Votrie where he had fallen, shot and terribly boleed after death by the savages and buried him where he fell."

Even though his name was spelled incorrectly in that article, the story was upheld by a later newspaper article that finished Votrie's story.

The Defiance Democrat, June 14, 1900:

"VOTRIE MURDERED

General Otis Exercises Clemency on His Slayers

Not in Battle But By the Assassin's Hand was a Former Member of Company M Killed

The following special from Washington appeared Saturday which shows that Albert Votrie, formerly of Company M, Sixth OVI was murdered by three natives and not killed while in battle:

Newspaper reports just received at the war department shows that three natives were convicted by a military commission of having murdered quartermaster Sergeant Albert Votrie, Company K, 39th volunteer infantry, at the Barrio of Bagbag, near Tananan, in the province of Batangas, February 2, and were sentenced to death by hanging.

In passing upon the case, General Otis, as the final reviewing authority, said that the findings of the commission were fully sustained in the evidence and that the death sentence imposed by it had the express sanction of the laws of war. 

He was, however, unwilling to direct the execution of the sentence, as he believed that the accused were influenced to commit the crime of which they were convicted by local guerilla chiefs, who he said were the principal criminals in the affair. Moreover, he said the prisoners were ignorant of the legal consequences of their art. Therefore, he commuted the sentence in each case to 20 years imprisonment at hard labor in the presidio at Manila."

               Hedges Cemetery, Paulding County, Ohio

The story goes that Albert's mother, Josephine, fought hard to have his body exhumed and reburied in the United States. She won the battle and his body was returned home for burial in Paulding County.

By June of 1900, his widow, Ida, 37, and his only daughter, Cleo, 14,appeared on the census of Ukiah City, Mendocino, California, where Ida found work as a seamstress. They remained there for their lifetimes, as far as can be determined.

Murder, Manslaughter, Accident? Frank Sabo and Steve Oswald

 

T

Both Frank Sabo and Steve Oswald were born in Hungary and immigrated to the United States, Sabo in 1907 and Oswald in 1912. Both lived in Ohio and Michigan at various times and had met each other, but around 1942, they reestablished their acquaintance in Defiance County, Ohio.

Frank Sabo, 67 and divorced, was born in 1875 in Hungary. He was enumerated in the Defiance County census in 1940 where he was renting a house and farming, as well as doing some cattle buying. Living with him was Joseph Molnar, 52, also born in Hungary; Sabo had hired him as a farm hand. The census stated that Sabo was at the same home in 1935.

Newspaper articles revealed that Steve Oswald, 66, was born in a small community near Budapest. His father died when he was three and his mother when he was twenty-one. His father had owned a small vineyard - one acre - and he supplied wine to the local village tavern. His mother kept the small farm going until her death. Oswald served in the Hungarian Army for five years, "breaking horses for officers." In 1912, at the age of 36, he came to Illinois in the United States where he joined a small Hungarian community.

Later, the two men met in Detroit, Michigan, where they worked together. Oswald went to South Bend to work at Studebaker and then became a seasonal farm laborer and other times collected ashes and rubbish. In September 1941, he came to the William Forder home near Hicksville where he was hired as a farm hand. In that winter, he renewed his acquaintance with Sabo, as they met at a stock sale in Hicksville.

It was reported that Oswald, at least, could not read and barely could write his name. He spoke broken English, even though in the United States for thirty years.

Now, for the story...in the Defiance Crescent-News on November 21, 1942:

"GUN OWNER SOUGHT AFTER MAN

FOUND SLAIN"

That was the headline that faced the citizens of Defiance County on Saturday, November 21, 1942. The victim was a local man, Frank Sabo, 67, local farmer and cattle buyer, found lying on the Washington-Delaware County Road near his home. A shotgun was found in a ditch near the body. Who would do this? The hunt had begun before the readers had even had their breakfasts.

"FRANK SABO KILLED ON TOWNSHIP ROAD NORTH OF SHERWOOD

Acquaintance Who Discovers Body Quizzed, Distance from Weapon Rules Out Suicide.

"...Steve Oswald, 66 year old farm laborer of route 3, Hicksville, was held after questioning while officers checked his story. Oswald discovered the body about 12:10 p.m. Friday when he went to the home of 'my friend' Sabo to invite him to go hunting, he told authorities.

Oswald was taken into custody after Deputy Sheriff Alner D. Ryan found a shotgun and a box of shells, with five cartridges missing, in the car in which Oswald had driven from his beet wagon home, one mile southwest of Hicksville, on the Williams-Forder farm, to the Sabo place three miles north and one half mile west of Sherwood."

When he was questioned, Oswald said that he had taken five shells from the box last week to shoot at woodchuck. Officers were going to his home to check out the story that Oswald had swabbed out the gun he had borrowed from a friend, Lewis Tote, Hicksville - the 12-gauge shotgun found in Oswald's car. That story was true, but there was a second shotgun also, which was found 3 hours after finding the body, and that gun had been fired recently - also a 12-gauge. A hunting party found it tossed behind some bushes at the bottom of the ditch.

"Hollis Breininger, 35, route 1, Ney and Donald Fix, 26, Ney, who were driving west along the township line road to go hunting, discovered Sabo's body just a few minutes after Oswald had made his discover. They informed officers...

Officer Crawford took Oswald back to the scene...(where) he denied ownership of the shells found near the body. Officers said he claimed he did not notice the cartridges in the pool of blood until the second trip back to the body."

"We are certain," Sheriff Bridenbaugh declared early today, "that because of the nature of Sabo's wound he must have fallen almost on the spot where he was killed...There is no doubt that someone shot Sabo at close range and from behind." Suicide was ruled out early on.

A full investigation ensued, first with ballistics experts who recovered pellets from Sabo and took fingerprints from the gun. Acquaintances informed police that Sabo often carried large sums of money; could that be a motive? No, only $5 was found in his pockets. Friends said he hardly ever hunted and had no hunting license.

Not Oswald

Oswald's story, at that time, was "that he arrived at the Sabo place about 11 a.m. He said he found the door open and called for Sabo and got no answer. He said he then went back outside and called for him, thinking he might be in a field husking corn. When he got no answer, he said he walked over to a small orchard of Sabo's place east of the house and it was then he first saw the body in the road.

He said he walked up to it, leaned over and shook the body by the shoulder and called to Sabo to arouse him. He said he then saw blood and realized he was dead.

 Oswald said he was very excited as he ran back to the Sabo place for his car and on arrival at the Crawford farm had considerable difficulty getting people there to understand what he wanted them to do."

He entered a "NOT GUILTY" plea to manslaughter.

The Defiance Crescent published this on December 14, 1942, on the front page:

"OSWALD ENTERS NOT GUILTY PLEA

Steve Oswald, 66 -year old Hicksville farm hand pleaded not guilty to a charge of manslaughter when arraigned today before Common Pleas Judge C. W. Palmer. He was bound over to the grand jury under $5,000 bond and returned to the county jail. The jury will convene Jan. 4.

The charge was brought by Prosecutor Erwin L. Clemens in connection with the shotgun slaying Nov. 2 of Frank Sabo, 67, Washington Twp stock buyer. Oswald had contended he shot Sabo accidentally when he stumbled in a ditch and his gun discharged as they were walking along the road near Sabo's home."

It took a second lie detector test in Toledo to verify the story that Oswald told on his first test. This time a Hungarian priest also talked to Oswald to be sure he understood the proceedings. 

The jury absolved Oswald of blame in the shooting, believing that it happened accidentally. He said he slipped and fell in the ditch, his finger on the trigger, and his gun accidentally discharged. A day and a half was spent examining evidence at the trial, and Oswald did not take the stand in his own defense.

The jurors: Ruby Hall, Dorothy Lavan, Beatrice Haller, Clifford English, Julie Ann Ryan, Helen Seither, Adam Riger, J. Ray Schlib, Clayton Dunmire, Maria Monroe, Mary Ames, Estella Singer, Ralph Richardson, Henry Blunk

The Verdict: NOT GUILTY

Chickasaw School - Pupils Home Record-1927

 

Chickasaw School

 Sept. 6, 1927

Waiva Brunner, Teacher

Her Records for Pupil Information

Carmie Beattie -Born Sept. 6, 1914, age 13, 8th grade, parent - Samuel Beattie, Ney, Ohio

 Robert Grine - Born Feb. 29, 1912, age 15, 8th grade, parent Nick Grine, Ney, Ohio

Gusta Lambert -Born Oct. 4, 1912, age 15, 7th grade, parent - Charles Lambert, Ney, Ohio

Deloris Crawford - Born Feb. 14, 1915, age 12, 7th grade, parent- Iven Crawford

Wilbur Hale - Born Aug. 23, 1912, age 15, 7th grade, parent - Daskey Hale, Ney, Ohio

Velma Brown - Born May 9, 1917, age 10, 5th grade, parent- Fred Brown, Ney, Ohio

Gardelia Lambert - Born Oct. 10, 1916, age 11, 5th grade, parent - Charles Lambert, Ney, Ohio

Dalton Goller -Born Apr. 13, 191Tee7, age 10, parent Clarence Goller, Ney, Ohio

Ted Haase - Born May 21, 1917, age 10, 5th grade parent - Fred Haase, Ney, Ohio

Marrien Lambert -Born June 7, 1915, age 12, 5th grade, parent - Charles Lambert, Ney, Ohio

Oscar Lambert -Born April 8, 1914, age 13, 5th grade, parent -Charles Lambert, Ney, Ohio

Charles Kozumplik -Born Oct. 22, 1915, age 12, 5th grade, parent - Tony Kozumplik, Bryan, Ohio 

Emily Crampton -Born Feb. 22, 1914, age 10, 4th grade, parent - Bert Crampton, Ney, Ohio

Grace Lambert, Born July 17, 1917, age 12, parent- Charles Lambert, Ney, Ohio

John Kozumplik -Born Mar. 21, 1917, age 10, parent- Tony Kozumplik, Bryan, Ohio

Bonnie Hale - Born Sept. 26, 1920, age 7, parent -Daskey Hale, Ney, Ohio

Roba Stotler - Born July 4, 1919, age 8, parent - Walter Stotler, Ney, Ohio

Doris Crawford - Born Mar. 2, 1919, age 8, parent - Iven Crawford Ney, Ohio

Helen Kozumplik - Born Aug. 11, 1919, age 8, parent - Tony Kozumplik, Bryan, Ohio

Dorothy Crawford - Born Aug. 17, 1919, age 8, parent- Bert Crawford, Ney, Ohio

Gladus Hellemn -  Born Dec. 20, 1919, age 8, parent - Wm. Hellemn, Ney, Ohio

Kathryn  -Hadsell Born Dec. 13, 1920, age 7, parent - Van Hadsell, Ney,, O

Ned Haase - Born Apr. 30, 1920, age 7, parent - Fred Haase, Ney, Ohio

Dana Van Hadsell - Born Dec 18, 1918, age 8, parent - Van Hadsell, Ney, Ohio

Betty Rose Goller - Born Feb. 2, 1921, age 6, parent - Clarence Goller, Ney, Ohio

Random class phoyo

Teacher, Waiva Brunner, the daughter of Fred and Ada (Barrack) Brunner, completed two years of at Defiance College to earn a license to teach.

Born in Washington Twp, Defiance County on October 10, 1903, she was 23 when she taught the above class at Chickasaw. 

The very next year, she married Kenneth Bavin Yoah in June 1928 when she was 24. Her teaching career probably ended after her marriage.

Her husband died in 1974. They had one daughter, Patty Yoha Schell, who died in August 1997.

Waiva had passed in January of 1997 in a nursing home in Edgerton. Waiva was buried with Kenneth in the West Franklin Cemetery in Fayette, Fulton County.

WORD WAR I - PFC Foster M. Linton

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS FOSTER MARK LINTON

Forest Home Cemetery, Hicksville, Ohio  - Lot 28

The oldest son of John Walker Linton and Bertha Mae (Teegarden) Linton, Foster, was born in Hicksville, Ohio, on November 1, 1901. It was the second marriage for his father, one that had lasted ten years, and a first marriage for his mother, Bertha. 

In the 1910 census, John, 40, was working on his own as a lumberman, while Bertha, 30, stayed home with the five children: Foster and Sarah, 8; Unward, 5; John, 3; and Pearl, 1 year and 4 months. The couple had lost one child.

When only 17, Foster decided he would enlist in the world war army.  In August 1918, he was promoted to Private First Class and by September, he was on a ship headed for Brest, France.  As an infantryman, he was involved with the Allies fight to liberate France and Belgium from the Germans.

"Four American divisions fought alongside their Allied counterparts in the Ypres-Lys offensive, providing critical reinforcements to war-weary armies that had been fighting for four long years. The offensive featured recurrent major assaults as the Allies brought forward supplies and reinforcements to renew the attack. Shortly after the offensive began, the Germans sought to withdraw from exposed forward positions back to the formidable defenses of the so-called Hindenburg Line.

The Germans delayed or stalled Allied positions using intense machine gun fire, gas attacks, booby traps, snipers and artillery. The Germans were forced back to the Lys River, and then to the Schedlt River, in less than three months."  (Wikipedia)

This was the situation PFC Linton was in the midst of on November 1, 1918, when he was killed by shrapnel.  An Armistice was declared soon after on November 11, 1918. Ten days too late for PFC Foster Linton.

"THIRD HICKSVILLE LAD GIVES LIFE FOR LIBERTY

(Special to the News)

HICKSVILLE,O. Nov. 26

Another blue star on the service flag of Defiance County has turned to gold since the news Sunday morning that Foster Linton, a former Hicksville boy, had been killed in action in France.,

Young Linton was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Linton, who resided here until about two years ago. At the time of his death, he was about 18 years of age and had enlisted in the service in the early part of this year and was soon sent overseas.

The flag on the municipal flagstaff was floated at half-mast Sunday in honor of his memory as another to give up his life on the field of battle, this being the third Hicksville son to have made the supreme sacrifice."

(Fort Wayne News & Sentinel, Nov. 16, 1918, p. 3)

His body was returned home for burial, and on May 5th, 1919, in the Huber Opera House in Hicksville, a memorial service was held for a group of solders from Hicksville and vicinity who sacrificed their lives, among them Pfc Foster Linton.

 In the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, May 6, 1919:

"HICKSVILLE HONORS HER SOLDIER SONS

...Foster Mark Linton, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Linton, was born Nov. 29, 1902 at Hicksville. He enlisted July 26, 1917. He trained at Camp Sheridan with Co. B of Paulding and sailed for France in June 1918.

On his arrival overseas, he was assigned to Co. K 146th infantry and was sent to Belgium. He was killed by shrapnel while delivering a message to his commanding officer in one of the last drives that marked the ending of the conflict."

The Memorial Service featured speakers, one of which was Amelia Bingham, the Hicksville actress from New York City. Veterans of the Spanish-American War and World War I marched there in uniform led by Hart's Girl Band. Other choral music was included along with the reading of the military biographies of deceased or missing soldiers: Earl Myers, Edward Smart, Tracy Clark, Stephen McKinley, Ralph Mabry, Donald Cottrell, George Tustison, Charles Headley, Lewis Newman and Ellis Dull. 

"Hicksville and vicinity furnished over 300 of her sons for the military and naval service of our country, twelve of whom sleep on foreign soil and one having died while enroute home and brought here for burial.

The Huber opera house proved too small to accommodate those who desired to attend the memorial services, notwithstanding the very inclement weather of Sunday." 

(Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, May 6, 1919, p. 18)

The Only Defiance County Officer Fallen on Foreign Lands During WW I - Lieutenant Herbert E. Anderson

 

The Herbert E. Anderson Post No. 117 of the American Legion in Defiance, Ohio is named after this brave World War I soldier.

LIEUTENANT HERBERT OSWALD EDWARD ANDERSON

Born to Albert and Mary (Olson) Anderson on Jan. 28, 1894, in Defiance, Herbert lost his mother, perhaps in childbirth. He had an older brother, Robert, and a younger brother, Wilbert, called Dewey, and a sister, Esther.

Albert, the father of four remarried on September 19, 1894, to Sarah H. Shelhart. Herbert gained eventually two half siblings, Marie and Dorothy. The family were members of Zion Lutheran Church.

On June 24,1916, Herbert enlisted at the Defiance Armory into Company G, 6th O.V.I. as a Private under Captain DeKay. He was sent to the Mexican border where he patrolled until March 1917. A move followed to Fort Riley, Kansas to muster out, but "contrary orders sent his outfit to Cleveland for guard duty. While serving there, he was advanced to a sergeancy.

From Cleveland, he went into training for foreign service at Camp Sheridan, Ala. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in September 1917 and received his first lieutenancy commission in February 1918, before going to Camp Lee, Va., preparatory to sailing to France, June 22, 1918."

(The Crescent-News, October 17, 1921, p.1)

He arrived in Brest, France on July 5, 1918. Captain DeKay was promoted, so 1st Lt. Anderson took command of Co. 6, 147th Infantry, 37th Division.

"

It was between 9 and 9:30 on September 27, 1918, in the Avacourt section of the Meuse-Argonne offensive (circled above). Lt. Anderson was leading his company over Montaucon when he received mortal wounds.

 

"Red Cross stretcher bearers, carrying a private back to the lines, stopped to unload the private in order to take the wounded officer first. This Lieut. Anderson refused to allow, saying, 'I once was a private, take him to a place of safety and then come back for me.' In the turmoil of conflict, they never returned. Lt. Anderson died at 24 years, 8 months and two days." (The Crescent-News, October 22, 1938, page 1)

The body arrived home by train on the day before the planned funeral at 6:45 p.m, October 16, 1921, and it was immediately taken to the home of his father, Albert Anderson, for services the next day at the home on 517 East Second Street; rites were said at 1:30.

Then a funeral procession started for the Armory, led by mounted Marshalls, Clarence Nestleroad and Walter Cox, followed by the Elks Band. Four Color Guards followed, along with the Defiance Howitzer Company, veterans and representatives from the American Legion Post named after Anderson. Businesses and citizens were requested to fly their flags until after the funeral was over.

Men from Lt. Anderson's company were pallbearers:

A.B. Dekay, Raymond Slough, Harry E. Moore, Marvin Gallup, Clyde Morris, and John M. Conroy.

The headlines of The Crescent-News on October 17, 1921, stretched across three columns on page 1:

"THOUSANDS THRONG STREETS

PACK ARMORY FOR FUNERAL OF

LIEUT. HERBERT E. ANDERSON

Concourse is Declared By Older Residents To Be The

Largest Ever Assembled in Defiance For Similar Services

...Soldiers of America's three wars, relative and friends packed the auditorium while thousands remained outside waiting to accompany the body to the cemetery.

The service was conducted by Rev. Benjamin F. Hoeffer of the Zion's English Lutheran Church...

At the grave the Herbert E. Anderson Post No. 117, American Legion lowered their comrade with Legion ritual service. General William V. McMaken of Toledo, Major Harry Lowry of Napoleon, and a number of captains, lieutenants, and other officers of the 147th Infantry were present to pay respects to their fellow leader.

Members of Family Present

Members of the immediate family present were: Mr and Mrs. Albert Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Anderson and other brother, Dewey Anderson and three sisters, Miss Esther, Miss Dorothy and Miss Marie...

Vice Post Commander Roger H. Blue read the ritual and Chaplain McLain offered prayer for the rest of the weary soul as the body was lowered into the grave.

Salute and Taps

A three-volley salute announced that a comrade had at last found his rest after three years after the fatal day duty had called him to make the full measure of sacrifice while leading his company.

As the multitude stood with uncovered heads bowed in reverence and comrades of many conflicts held respectful salute, James Conroy blew taps over the body at peace with friends in his homeland.

The march to the cemetery was led by Clarence Nestleroad and Walter Cox mounted fellow soldiers with Lt. Anderson. Then came the Elks Band playing the funeral dirge.

The National Emblem was carried aloft by John Hale, while Brainard Malley bore the Herbert E. Anderson American Legion Post colors. Color guards were August Haselswart and F. O.Rotsel...

then the pall bearers...

Next came the flower bearers who were James Gilbert. Joseph Relyea, Elsworth Florence, Edward Weisenburger, Orville McCullough, Harvey Bennett, Clarence Ressler, and Harvey Flentje.

The firing squad in charge of Sgt. L.W. Pollock were Elmer Fessel, Ralph Karr, Howard Blue, Jesse Hellard, Elmer Miller, Ellsworth Florence, Paul Bauer and Russel Title.

Three hundred soldiers in uniform, many of whom were of the 37th Division were in the line of march. Hundreds of cars filled with Defiance friends and many from surrounding towns brought up the rear. 

Thousands of others walked to the cemetery..."

Riverside Cemetery

A few months later, the Crescent-News reported from Zion Lutheran Church on December 5, 1921:

"In a special congregational meeting yesterday, the Ladies Aid of his church received permission to contract for a pipe organ which will be installed in the church. The organ is not only a tribute to the Ladies Aid but is a memorial to Herbert E. Anderson who died fighting for his country on foreign fields. A substantial donation by Albert Anderson and family made the instrument possible."

(Thanks to the eagle-eyed folks from the Veterans Office who spotted a couple of omissions in our World War I monument lineup...You know who you are!)

Two Spanish-American War Soldiers - David Phillips and Joseph Gardner

 

Defiance County men mustered up in 1898 to help in the Spanish-American War. A panoramic photo was taken of Company M, 6th regiment soldiers, probably before they left for Cuba. From this photo, a few soldiers at a time will be featured on this blog throughout 2026.

Numbered and identified on the panoramic photo which is in the hands of Auglaize Village, the first soldiers researched were #10, David Phillips, and #36, Joseph Gardener.

#10

THIRD SERGEANT DAVID PHILLIPS

Very little could be found on Sgt. Phillips, although his residence was listed on military records as Defiance. He mustered into the company at age 27 and mustered out with the company. No vital records could be found for him in Defiance County. He may have joined the group from another county, yet he was a member of the Red Men Society in Defiance and 

was well thought of there. His burial place is unknown.

"BRILLIANT RECEPTION

IN HONOR OF SERGEANT DAVID PHILLIPS OF CO. M

The Red Men and ladies of Pocahontas Council gave a grand reception Tuesday evening in honor of Sergeant David Phillips of Company M, who recently returned from Cuba.

He presented each of the ladies with a small sea shell with a gold ring attached and a bow of National colors.

To the men he gave each a sea bean and all the Cuban cigars they could smoke. These relics he brought from Cuba.

He also displayed all the photographs of different views in Cuba, which he had brought home with him.

The evening was spent in dancing, Prof. Gessner's orchestra furnishing the music. The ladies served a fine supper during the evening. It was a brilliant affair."