STANSBERRY, Lane Earl 1894 - 1939
STANSBERRY, STANSBERY, DEMPSEY, PADGETT, BALDWIN, SAMPSON, GROSS
Posted By: Richard K. Thompson (email)
Date: 2/19/2012 at 20:08:34
Transcriber note: the surnames of Lane's direct relatives are put in CAPS in the text of the items below, as well as the mention of "STANSBERRY" and "STANSBERY" in the notes following. Otherwise, the texts are transcribed verbatim, and with those exceptions the surnames are not in CAPS in the original text (except that "JAMES E THOMAS" was published in CAPS).
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Fairfield Daily Ledger
Monday November 13, 1939
Pg. 1 Col. 5
(text carried over to Pg. 8)L. STANSBERRY, EX SHERIFF, DIES SUDDENLY
Funeral services, in Fairfield, will be Wednesday, 2:30 p.m.
FT. MADISON, Ia. Nov. 13
Lane Stansberry, guard at the State Penitentiary here died suddenly at his home about 4:00 this morning. It was pronounced heart failure. He had only been ill for about 10 minutes. Relatives in Fairfield were notified.
Funeral services at Ft. Madison will be held at Clement's Chapel, Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. The body will then be brought to Fairfield.
Fairfield friends were shocked this morning to learn that Lane Stansberry, former Fairfield sheriff had dropped dead early today of heart failure at his home in Fort Madison. He was building a house on an acreage and was just about to go out to the site when he was stricken at 4:00 a.m.
Mr. and Mrs. E. H. DEMPSEY, parents of Mrs. Stansberry, Mrs. E.G. PADGETT, a sister, Mrs. Harry BALDWIN and Mrs. Guy SAMPSON left at once for Ft. Madison.
Funeral services in Fairfield will be held at the First Methodist church Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. Burial will be in Evergreen cemetery. The services at the grave will be in charge of members of the Masonic order and Fairfield military organizations.
He is survived by his wife and two sons, Lane Earl and Darrell Dean. There are also four brothers and five sisters.
Lane Stansberry was one of Jefferson county's very popular citizens. He served two terms as sheriff and at the end of that period he was appointed a guard at the Ft. Madison penitentiary. He was a national guardsman and World War veteran with a record which brought him the Distinguished Service Medal. He was a member of the Masonic lodge, the Modern Woodmen and of the Fairfield Lion's club while residing here. He was a member of the Brotherhood Bible class.
Lane Stansberry enlisted in Company M, First Iowa Infantry June 12, 1916, and was on the Mexican border until January 19, 1917. He was called to World War service, March 26, 1917. He was transferred to Company M, 168th Infantry on August 5, 1917, and accompanied that unit over seas. He was active in every engagement his unit participated in, marched into Germany and returned home with his organization on May 18, 1919.
The chief actor in a little section of the war drama of September 12, 1918 Lane E. Stansberry never had much to say in regard to the matter. Not many Fairfield people knew of his experience that date on the shell torn battle field near Fliery, France. Singe-handed Lane E. Stansberry captured a German machine gun nest, taking as prisoners all of its soldiers. Stansberry had led his platoon to the attack after he personally had cut a path through the wire entanglements with pliers which he took from the body of a wire cutter who had been killed.
Like the majority of those who served in the World War,, Lane Stansberry was extremely modest about his achievements. He never talked of them. Superior officers, over seas, and at home have told of his bravery.
Major Leonard R. Greenfield at a Fairfield meeting sponsored by the Lions club, told of Sergeant Stansberry's outstanding bravery. Stating the reason for the gathering, he said:
"On Sept. 12, 1918 Lane Stansberry was then in the mud of the battle fields of France; cold, wet, hungry. For days he had little to eat - he hadn't had a change of clothing for two months. Business at the front was too brisk to allow time for attention to such little matters as those. He had not missed once going over the top with his regiment, and going over the top seemed to be a habit with them.
"His single-handed capture of a German machine gun nest and 22 Germans, for which he was awarded the D.S.C. Sheriff Stansberry in as few words as possible, recounted how he in a company of 260 men, a "sacrifice company," started against a terrific machine gun barrage near Fliery, France on September 12, 1918.
"By the time the company had reached the vicinity of the machine gun fire, only 30 of the 260 men were left, and Stansberry was the ranking officer, as all superior officers had been killed or wounded. The thirty men were trying to cover the same area that the 260 original men were supposed to cover, and they spread out many rods apart.
When Stansberry came upon the machine gun nest, he trained his two .45 calibre automatic pistols on the nest. The men marched out one by one and he made them prisoners. When he made the capture, the entire twenty-two acted scared and offered him watches, trinkets of all sorts and begged him not to shoot them.
In one engagement at the start his company numbered 150 men - all but 37 failed to answer the next company roll call. Lane was one of the 37. He saw the fiercest kind of actions - and how did he conduct himself? I refer you to this citation document."
The citation for bravery in action, which follows, verbatim:
'American Expeditionary Forces'
1 October 1928From: Assistant Division Adjutant, 42nd Division.
To: Sergeant Lane E. Stansberry, 102468, Company M, 168th Infantry.
Subject. Commendation
I am directed by the Division Commander to inform you that your conduct in action aainst enemy forces on September 12, 1818, near Fliery, when, single handed, you took an enemy machine gun post and captured the twenty occupants thereof, and, also, when in the face of heavy machine gun fire, you took a pair of pliers from a wire cutter who had been killed and led your platoon to the attack, has been brought to his personal attention, and considers your performance of duty on these occasions worthy of the highest commedation. He regards your actions in the face of the enemy, gallant, an example to your comrades in arms, and characteristic of that splendid standard upon which the foundations of our military establishment are founded.
Reed.Hq. 168th Inf Oct. 8, 1928
(Signed) JAMES E. THOMAS
Captain, U.S.A., Adjutant General 1st Inf.Hq. 168th Inf. American E.F. 9 Oct., 1918. To: Sgt Lane E. Stansberry, Co. M. 168th Inf., Through C. O. Co. M. 168th Inf. Forwarded OGM. - C.J.R.
Later on the attention of the War Department having been called to Sergeant Stansberry's bravery, that coveted honor - the Distinguished Service Medal was conferred upon him. This was done in an impressive ceremony June 1, 1930, at Fairfield.
The ceremony was held on Sunday afternoon, June 1 on Alumni Field. Gov. John Hammill of Iowa was present and spoke.
There were also present the following high army officers:
Maj. General Mathew Tinley, commander 34th Division, N.G.
Brig. General W. H. Bailey, Adjutant General, Iowa.
Brig. Gen. Lloyd D. Ross, commander 67th Inf. Brigade, Iowa N.G.
Colonel Everest, adjutant 34th Div. N.G.
Colonel Pearl R Shaffer, Senior Instructor Inf. U.S. Army
Colonel W. A. Cornell, Senior Instructor, Cav. U.S. Army
Brig. Gen Park A Findley, commander 57th Cav. Brig. N.G.
Lt. Col. Chas. H Grahl, Asst. A.G. Iowa
Lt. Col. J. E. Thomas, U.S.P & D. O. Iowa
Maj. Kuntz Boberg, A. G. Dept., Iowa
Maj. Charles Tillitson, 67th Inf. Brig., Iowa N.G.
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Fairfield Ia. Daily Ledger
Tuesday, November 14, 1939
Pg. 4 Col. 5Body of Lane Stansberry Will Lie In State
Funeral services for Lane Stansberry will be held at the First Methodist church of this city tomorrow, Nov. 15 at 2:30 o'clock in charge of Dr. U.S. Smith of Perry assisted by Dr. M.A. Gable.
Services at the grave will be conducted by the Masonic order and the military organizations. The body will lie in state at the church from 1:00 o'clock until time for the ceremony.
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Fairfield Daily Ledger
Thursday Nov. 16, 1939
Pg. 1 Col. 4MANY ATTEND FUNERAL FOR STANSBERRY
World War veteran and former sheriff was popular here
An unusually large crowd filled the First Methodist church Wednesday afternoon for the funeral of former Sheriff Lane Stansberry, who died suddenly at his home in Ft. Madison, on Monday.
The funeral services at the church were in charge of Dr. U. S. Smith of Perry, assisted by Dr. M. A. Gable. Dr. Smith was pastor for the Stansberry family when they resided in Fairfield. The flag-covered casket had its military guard throughout the service. The banked flowers were numerous.
The service at the church opend (sic. opened) with subdued music, with Mrs. Frank H. Pierson at the organ, County Attorney George Van Nostrand sang a solo "In The Garden."
Following presentations of Scripture passages, prayer was offered by Dr. M. A. Gable, pastor of the church.
The very appropriate funeral address was delivered by Dr. Smith from the text in John 10:10, "I am come that they might have it more abundantly."
The speaker observed that "this statement 'raises the question, 'What is life"? For it, the scientist does not have the complete answer, the philosopher, likewise is unable to respond. Even the theologian stops to consider before he will answer. After due consideration he asserts that life is a gift from God.
"Life is indefinable, mysterious. One of the most mysterious things about life in the realization that it is endless. I will not argue that with you. I ask that you accept my belief. Life is sent from God and to Him it returns. Life is too important, too lovely a thing to be treated in a trivial way."
"But life is short, at best. We may say "Backward, turn backward", but time never turns backward. Still there is time for some important things. There is time to build character. It (sic. ???) beyond time. Our friend, whom we remember, had character and loyalty to God and church as well as to country. The organizations here bear tribute to that fact."
Impressive rites also were carried out at Evergreen cemetery. The pallbearers, representing National Guard and Legion, were: L. R. Greenfield, F. N. Simmons, Dwight Davis, Charles C. Brown, O. C. Nelson, and Clarence Killion.
Color bearers were Earl Tygret, Raymond Kessel, with color guards John Behne and John Sipe.
The firing squad was composed of Commander Earl Hendricks, George Schroeder, Frank Rizor, Carroll Haney, Rollie Nelson, William Schwartz, Dale Anderson and Vern McCumber.
Masonic rites were carried out at the grave, with Dr. J.S. Gaumer in charge. Members of the lodge attended in a body. Legion Chaplain, Rev. E. A. Piper, offered to prayer at the grave. The service closed with the sounding of "Taps", by Forrest McGlasson with echo by Richard Warner.
* Transcribed for genealogy purposes. I am not related to the person(s) mentioned.
Note: Lane Earl STANSBERRY was born, according to his veteran footstone, December 19, 1894 and died November 13, 1939. He and his wife Julia Etta DEMPSEY STANSBERRY are buried in Old.P.202 in Evergreen cemetery, Fairfield, Iowa. Their joint headstone, however, is engraved with the surname "STANSBERY". The veteran footstone for Lane uses "STANSBERRY".
The "Distinguished Service Cross" medal that was awarded to Lane Earl STANSBERRY in 1930 is the second highest Army military award possible for honorable service. The veteran footstone for Lane notes it as "D S C".
On this IAGW website (documents) is a transcription of the June 2, 1930 Fairfield Daily Ledger story about the awarding of the Distinguished Service Cross on June 1, 1930 to Lane Earl STANSBERRY and John J. GROSS at a ceremony held in Fairfield and attended by an estimated ten to fifteen thousand persons.
Click here to read the award story
Jefferson Obituaries maintained by Joey Stark.
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