Tott, William H., 1893-1918

TOTT

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:37

From the Sioux County Index (Hull), December 6, 1918, Orange City news:

Wm. Tott, son of Herman Tott, now residents of Sioux City, is reported to have died in France. The direct cause of his death is not known but the reports are expected to be known soon.

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From De Volksvriend, December 5, 1918, Onze Soldaten (Our Soldiers)

Mr. en Mrs. Herman Tott, onlangs van hier verhuisd naar Sioux City, outvinger de schokkende tijding dat hun zoon, soldaat Will, is Frankrijk aan de influenza was bezweken.

TRANSLATION:

Mr. and Mrs. Herman Tott, who recently moved from here to Sioux City, received the shocking news that their son, soldier Will, succumbed to influenza in France.

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From the Sioux County Index (Hull), July 23, 1920:

A wire was received here from New York telling of the arrival there of the corpse of Will Tott, who was killed while serving with the American Expeditionary Force in France. Following a custom made possible by a ruling of the War Department, the graves of American soldiers buried in France may be opened and re-interment made at their homes in the United States. The body, according to the information sent, was to be here by the middle of the week, under military escort. Burial will take place in the local cemetery.—Sioux County Herald.

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From the Alton Democrat, July 24, 1920, Orange City news:

The body of Mr. Will Tott who died in France over two years ago as a result of pneumonia was brought to Orange City Tuesday. Permission was given that the body be examined and identified. Mr. Tott and a friend were thoroughly convinced of the identity. Funeral services were held directly from the undertaking rooms to the cemetery. At the request of the family military services were withheld.

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Froom De Volksvriend, July 29, 1920:

Eene groote schare vergaderde Woensdag a.m. op het kerkhof om de laatste eer te beitjzen aan het stoffelijk overschot van soldaat William Tott, die op 25-jarigen leeftijd, in Frankrijk stierf. Op verzoek van de ouders werd geen militaire dienst gehouden. De dragers waren mede-soldaten en de kist was bedekt met een groote vlag waarop prachtige bloemenkransen geplaatst waren. Het was een plechtige stonde waarbij ernstige woorden werden uitgesproken door Ds. Engelsman naar aanl. van Pred. 3 2, in het Eng., en Ps. 144 3, 4 in het Holl., afgewisseld door gebed, het zingen van een male quartet en Psalm 198 vs 8. Het lijk werd in de undertaking parlor gezien door een vader en de broders, die bij onderscheidene kenteekenen het goed konden herkennen en verzekerd gevoelen dat het hun zoon en broeder was.

TRANSLATION

A large crowd gathered Wednesday a.m. at the cemetery to pay last respects to the mortal remains of soldier William Tott, who at age 25 died in France. At the request of the parents no military service was held. The pallbearers were fellow soldiers and the coffin was draped with a large flag on which were placed beautiful floral wreaths. It was a solemn occasion in which earnest words were spoken by Rev. Engelsman [based on?] Pred. [Ecclesiastes?] 3:2 in English, and Ps. [Psalms] 144: 3, 4 in Dutch, interspersed with the singing of a male quartet and Psalm 198 verse 8. The body was viewed in the undertaking parlor by his father and brothers, who were able to positively identify it as that of their son and brother.

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RESEARCH NOTES

No additional information regarding his death was found in a search for “Tott” in online Sioux County newspapers from December 1918 to December 1919. No Sioux City newspaper appears to be available online during this time period.

The Sioux County Cemetery Index has Tott, Wm. H., b. 24 Feb 1893, d. 10 Oct 1918, Veteran, West Lawn Cem, Orange City IA.

His FindaGrave page contains an excerpt from “For God and Country,” published by the Edward H. Monahan Post of the American Legion, Sioux City, Iowa, 1923: William H. Tott, World War I casualty. Private, Co. 14, Camp Gordon Replacements. Died of pneumonia at Base Hospital 65, at Lambezlec, Finstere, France. Buried at Orange City, Iowa. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Tott, Sr. There is also a photo of him.

However, an Ancestry.com database, American Soldiers of World War I, taken from W. M. Haulsee, Soldiers of the Great War (Washington, D.C., 1920) says that he was killed in action.

The U.S. Army Transport Service Passenger Lists on Ancestry.com show him to have departed the U.S. from Hoboken, New Jersey, on 20 Sep 1918 on the ship Northern Pacific. He was a member of Camp Gordon September Automatic Replacement Draft, Company #14, Infantry. Next of kin Herman Tott, 4909 Morningside Ave., Sioux City.

His draft registration card (June 1917) gives his full name, William Herman Tott, born February 24, 1893 in Orange City; occupation, yardman, Frank E. Scott Commission Co., Sioux City; 5 ft. 5 in., stout build, grey eyes, brown hair.