Harvey Messerer, 1894-1918

MESSERER

Posted By: Jeanie Belding (email)
Date: 12/28/2018 at 09:28:02

Source: Sumner Gazette, August 25, 1921, pg. 5

Last Rites for Harvey A. Messerer

The remains of Harvey A. Messerer arrived here Friday morning and the funeral services were held Sunday in the Opera House. the posts from the neighboring towns attending in a body.

The funeral procession leading to Union Cemetery was two miles long and there were about as many people outside the Opera House as in.
Following is the obituary:
Harvey Arthur Messerer, oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Messerer, was born December 17, 1894, near Westgate in Fremont Township, Fayette County, Iowa.

Here his boyhood days were spent. He attended public schools and as he grew to manhood he followed the occupation of farming. In his 18th year he was converted under the work of Rev. E. Schroeder and received as a member of the Evangelical church.

Anxious to serve his country, Harvey would not wait for his call in the draft. Securing permission from the Draft Board, he entered the service June 3rd, 1918, going to Camp Dodge and joined Company I, 349th Infantry there he remained in training until the latter part of July when the 88th Division departed for overseas service. On the way to the sea coast he became ill with the measles which caused him to be sent to the Base Hospital at Camp Upton for the next five weeks. This was a great disappointment to him as he was anxious to go on with the boys he had trained with.

When released from the hospital he was sent to Camp Merritt for a few days, then sailed for overseas arriving in France about Oct. 1st. He was then sent to the Classification Company M, 330th Infantry. On October 26th, he was again transferred. He, with several hundred other soldiers, was sent as replacements to the 5th Division. He was then placed in Company C, 11th Infantry, and with this Company he went to the front line on the night of November 3rd, fighting continually until he fell meeting instant death while charging a machine gun nest on the morning of November 9th, 1918, near Brandville, France.
Harvey was a true soldier, eager and willing to do his bit where duty called. He made many friends while in the army as is shown by the numbers of letters received by his parents from his comrades after they had learned of his death.

He leaves to mourn his death, his father and mother, three brothers and three sisters and many other relatives and friends.

Card of Thanks

We wish to thank the American Legion Posts, the Women's Auxiliary, the Women's Relief Corps, the Boy Scouts, the Camp Fire Girls, the relatives and friends for the beautiful floral offerings and to all who so willingly gave their services at the funeral and burial of our soldier son and brother.
Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Messerer
The Brothers and Sisters