Major Charles W. Aikins (1955)
AIKINS, CAMPBELL, KETMAN, MARTIN, SCHOENENBERGER, TADE, WEBER
Posted By: Mary Welty Hart
Date: 3/12/2006 at 17:12:14
The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, March 2,1955MAJ. C. W. AIKINS Died on Sunday
Maj. Charles W. Aikins, a Winterset business man for more than half a century and one of the most distinguished soldiers in the history of Madison county, died Sunday, Feb. 27, 1955, at Memorial hospital in Winterset. He was 83 years of age, and had been seriously ill for several months.
Major Aikins had been in the retail shoe business in Winterset for 53 years, until failing health forced his retirement in 1951.
His military career was long and distinguished. He was one of the charter members of Winterset's old Company G, when that unit was organized here and mustered into the 51st, Iowa infantry regiment on March 11, 1901. He was elected a second lieutenant in that company, and a few years later was promoted to captain and company commander.
After that, through all the history of that company up to World War I and through the early battles on the western front he served as its commander. He was a close student of military science, and became known as an outstanding tactician.
About 1911, when the Iowa National Guard was reorganized, Winterset's unit was designated as Company A, 168th, Inf regiment. Captain Aikins led it to the Mexican border in 1916 during the trouble which flared between the United States and Mexico at that time. In 1917, the company again was called to federal service in World War I. It was assigned to the 42nd, or Rainbow division. Captain Aikins took the company to France with its division, and commanded it during its early battles on the western front. He was cited by the government of France and awarded the Croix de Guerre for courage and leadership in one of the early battles in which the company participated. He also received the Purple Heart medal after being effected by poison gas in battle. This forced him to relinquiish command of the company, and after hospitalization was promoted to the new rank of Major and given a new assignment.
Major Aikins was born at Pella on March 19, 1871, a son of Henry D. and Anna E. Weber Aikins. He came to Winterset with his parents in 1896. He and his father purchased the old Brown Shoe store on the North side of the square. The elder Aikins died in 1913, and from then until his retirement in 1951 Major Aikins operated that store, either alone, or with partners. Fred Hardy, and later Ray Allen, were the two partners with which he was associated there.
He was married in 1897, to Alice Tade of Bonaparte. Their life was spent in Winterset, until her death 14 years ago.
Major Aikins was a 40-year member of the Masonic lodge here, and was a charter member of the Winterset Rotary club. He was a member of the First Baptist church and the American Legion.
Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. George Campbell of Winterset, Mrs. Charles Martin of Winterset, and Mrs. Joe Schoenenberger of Louisville, Ky.; six grandchildren; two great grandchildren; and a sister, Mrs. I. J. Ketman of Des Moines.
Funeral services were held this Tuesday, with military honors, from the First Baptist church of Winterset. The Rev. Walter Cecil, pastor of the church officiated. Burial was made in the Winterset cemetery.
Gravesite
Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen