Fred W. Pabst

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Military Service
War: WWI
Branch: U.S. Army
Unit: Co. B. 137 Inf., 35th Division
Rank: Private

Personal Details
Born: June 1887
Died: Killed In Action: 19 September 1918
Parents: Ralph and Nancy (Garels) Pabst Sr.
Spouse: Dena Schatzburg

Buried: 30 September 1918 in Charpentry, France
Remains sent home and re-buried:
31 July 1921
Rose Hill Cemetery
Grundy Center, Iowa

Court Sends Him To The Army

Fred Pabst Ordered Into The Army For Not Registering

Last fall Fred Pabst was arrested for failing to register and he was bound over to the federal grand jury. His trial was held last week and the young man entered a plea of guilty and the federal judge sentenced him to one day in jail and to be turned over to the local board to be inducted into the national army at once. This will be done as soon as the papers can be arranged.

Briefly, the facts behind the matter are as follows:
Last June, Pabst came to the local board and asked them if he had to register. The board told him they did not know and Pabst's father brought up the family bible and showed it to Sheriff Bockes, chairman of the board, and G. L. Eggleston, clerk of the board, and the dates given there would indicate Pabst was 32 years old. The birth dates were written in pencil and the birth date showed an erasure. On the strength of this record Pabst did not register and nothing more was thought about the matter.

Some months later Pabst's name was wrongly published in the papers as having registered. Members of his family made such strenuous objections that suspicion was aroused and other records were examined. The net result was that the marriage record of Grundy county was found to show that Pabst gave his age as 25 four years ago when he got a license and his father swore to the age; the assessor's books for Lincoln township showed he had given his age as in the draft requirements, and the Lincoln Center church record of christening also gave his birth record different from the family bible.

Acting upon this evidence Marshal Healy came to Grundy Center last fall and placed Pabst under arrest and he was bound over to the federal grand jury. At the session of the jury last week he was indicted and when brought into court he entered a plea of guilty and sentence was passed as noted above.

The family of the unfortunate young man claim there is an error, but the United States government was very anxious to make a test case out of the family bible and the erased birth date. The record showed clearly the erasure, the family claiming it was made when Pabst's birth was originally entered in the book and the government was ready to try and prove a forgery. After considering the seriousness of the situation, should the jury decide the family bible dates were a forgery, the young man decided to plead guilty and take his medicine to save others from his family from becoming involved. This was undoubtedly the easiest way out of the matter, for had the jury declared the bible entry to be a forgery, it would have involved two members of the family instead of one, and by taking the blame upon himself Fred Pabst appeased the government and the law and will shortly be wearing a uniform of Uncle Sam.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 11 April 1918, pg 1

Fred Pabst to be Inducted

The draft case of Fred Pabst, which created interest last fall, was settled in the federal court at Cedar Rapids Friday. Pabst pleaded guilty to having made wrong statements in regard to his draft status. He claimed to be past 31 at the time of the draft registration, and brought the family bible records to support the claim. His plea at Cedar Rapids states that a change had been made in the bible record.

The ruling is made that Pabst loses his right to deferred classification because of the wrong statement referred to above and he will be inducted into the service at once. He has a wife and child and is a farmer, which under ordinary circumstances would put him in Class Four.

--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 11 April 1918, pg 1

Pabst Is Refused Rehearing

Fred Pabst will remain in the U.S. service according to the ruling of the Federal Court at Waterloo Tuesday. Pabst's attorney had moved for a rehearing of the case on the grounds that he didn't understand that his plea of guilty at Cedar Rapids recently made him classified as a draft delinquent and made him forfeit his right to deferred classification on account of dependent wife and child. The attorney stated that Pabst had understood his classification by the draft board would be the same after a plea of guilty as it would have been had the case never come up.

The case is well known in Grundy County. It grew out of Fred Pabst's failure to register and the subsequent question of whether or not the birth records in the family bible had been changed to make him appear a year older than he was understood to be. The bible showed him to be within seven days of thirty-two years old at the time of registration last June instead of seven days under the draft limit, which was generally understood to be his age.

When last heard from, Pabst was with the U.S. forces at Buffalo and it is thought he is already on his way to France with his regiment.

--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 16 May 1918, pg 1

Stays in Army

The appeal case of Fred Pabst, brought by his relatives, to have him released from the army, was heard before Judge Reed in Waterloo Tuesday and the appeal was denied, so Pabst remains in the army. Affidavits were presented by the family which tended to show that Pabst had been coerced into pleading guilty at Cedar Rapids, but the court held otherwise. The original documents of the Lincoln Center church, showing Pabst's christening in 1886 were presented in court, as also were other original documents, sworn to by the father, all of which tended to show Fred Pabst was not 31 years of age last June on the registration day. The evidence tended to show Tuesday that Fred Pabst wanted to register but had been advised not to, two serious affidavits to that effect having been presented in court.

While the petition for a rehearing was denied Tuesday, it is not believed by those who heard the trial that the end is yet in sight. About a dozen from Grundy attended the trial Tuesday.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 16 May 1918, pg 1

Fred Pabst Killed In Action

Report of Death Delayed by Error in Address

The casualty list Monday contained the information that Fred Pabst of Grant Center, Iowa, had lost his life in action. As Grundy Center has a Fred Pabst in service in France, it was believed that this might be an error and that the word Grant had been put in the place of Grundy through mistake.

Inquiry at Grant Center developed the fact that they had no such man in the service. The matter was at once made the subject of correspondence with the war department. At the time of going to press the report has not been fully verified, but no doubt remains regarding the man killed being Fred Pabst of Colfax township.

Fred was inducted into the service last spring because of a misunderstanding regarding his date of birth and his liability for registration. He leaves a wife and child.

Except for the misunderstanding he would have been a Class Four man and doubtless would not have been called into the service.

--Grundy County Dispatch (Grundy Center, Iowa), 20 November 1918, pg 1

Not Our Fred Pabst Dead

Relatives Worried Over Report of Death of Soldier

In the casualty list a few days ago appeared the name of Fred Pabst, Grant Center, Iowa, and since then relatives and friends have been considerably worried for fear it might be Fred Pabst from Grundy Center and that the town given as his home was an error in the dispatch.

There is a town by that name in Monona county and that there are more than one Fred Pabst goes without saying. While it may be the Grundy county boy, it would seem hardly likely as no word has been received by the relatives beyond that contained in the newspaper dispatches. A night letter was sent to officials at Washington a few days ago to ascertain more particulars, but up to going to press nothing further or more definite has been obtained, and the general feeling prevails that it was not the Grundy county soldier boy.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 21 November 1918, pg 1

Still Doubt Regarding Pabst

It has not yet been ascertained whether the Grundy county Fred Pabst or some other Fred Pabst was the one killed in action in France some weeks ago. No satisfactory reports are procurable from Grant Center as to the existence of a Fred Pabst at that place. A telegram sent to the War Department at Washington ten days ago remains unanswered. Fred's wife, south of Holland, has received her usual monthly remittance from Washington covering her due allotment as a soldier's wife, so the records there must have remained unchanged at the time of figuring the allotments. However, these records of course cannot keep up with the casualty lists, so relatives here are anxiously awaiting the results of the War Department's investigation.

--Grundy County Dispatch (Grundy Center, Iowa), 27 November 1918, pg 1

Fred Pabst Is Killed In Action In France

Telegram Received Wednesday Afternoon Late Which Settles the Fact of His Death

He Was Killed September 19th

The Report of His Death Was a Long Time Reaching Relatives Living Here

Just as we are going to press a telegram was received here that Fred Pabst had been killed in action in France September 19th.

A week or two ago a similar announcement was given in the newspapers, but the home address was given then as Grant Center, Iowa.

Fears were entertained at that time by relatives and friends here that it might be our Fred, and yet there was a shadow of hope that possibly it might be a mistake.

Fred Pabst left here April 20th of this year and was sent to Camp Dodge. He leaves a wife and child, father and mother, and several other near relatives.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 28 November 1918, pg 1

Word Received Of The Death Of Fred Pabst

There Can Be No Further Doubt But That He Was Mortally Wounded in Battle

Letter Received From Sergeant

Received Two Mortal Wounds in Front Line Trenches on September 29th, 1918

Mrs. Fred W. Pabst, of Holland, received the following letter a few days ago from First Sergant Calvin J. Hodgen, Co. B, 137 Inf., American Exped. Forces in France, a soldier comrade of Fred Pabst, and he writes the first authentic report Mrs. Pabst has received of her husband's injuries and death in the front line trenches in France.

The letter reads as follows:
Sampigny, France
Headquarters Co. B, 137 Inf.
December 13th, 1918

Mrs. Fred W. Pabst,
Holland, Iowa

Dear Madam--In reply to your inquiry of Nov. 26th, 1918, relative to your husband will tell what I know.

Private Fred W. Pabst, was mortally wounded by shell fire in the Montrebeau Wood, near Baulne, France, on Sept. 29th, 1918, as we were advancing out of the woods. He was struck in the abdomen and about the head.

I was hit also and started for a dressing station and was creeping when I came upon Fred. He was leaning against a small tree. He said, "Cal, I am shot in the stomach, where shall we go?" I told him to follow me, and a Corporal, Dwight Bashy, helped him back to a dugout. We were given first aid and as I could walk I went on. Fred was still conscious when I left him, but all he said was to ask how soon they would take him to a hospital. Corp. Bashy and Private Harold Lewis carried him to the ambulance station later in the morning.

Just where Fred died I cannot say. The Government Registration Service will inform you where he is buried.

Your husband joined this organization at Roan de Basse, France, in June. He was with us in the trenches at Metural and Amphfersbach, Alsace. He went over the top with us on Sept. 26th, in the Argonne Forest.

I am proud to say that I knew Fred to be a willing soldier. I do not know of a single instance where he did not do his full duty.

Co. B, 137th Inf., I am happy to state, is in the 35th Division. The regiment was formed at Camp Doniphan, Oklahoma, from the first and second Kansas Infantry.

I extend to you the sympathy of one of Fred's soldier comrades.

Calvin J. Hodgen,
1st Sergant,
Co. B, 137th Inf., A.E.F.

When the first word was received here several weeks ago that Fred Pabst had met his death, it came in such a way that it left some doubt in the minds of many that it was our Fred. It gave his home address as Grant Center, Iowa. Inquiry was made at that place if there was anyone by that name in the service from there and it was learned there was not. Later an official report was received of his death, but even then there were some details that failed to make it a certainty that it was Fred W. Pabst, of Grundy county. However, it would seem now beyond any doubt that the first news was correct and that Fred had been mortally wounded and later died of his wounds in a French hospital.

The sympathy of the entire community goes out to Mrs. Pabst and relatives in their great bereavement.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 9 January 1919, pg 1

From Fred Pabst's Chaplain

American Expeditionary Forces,
137th Inf., Sampigny, France
January 23rd, 1919

Mrs. Fred Pabst,
Holland, Iowa.

My Dear Mrs. Pabst:
I have your letter making inquiry about your brave husband who fell in the Argonne battle September 29th, 1918.

I know how you looked forward to your husband's return home and how hard it must be for you to be reconciled to his death. I know how lonely you must feel without him and I am sorry more than I can tell you that your husband could not come back to you.

Your husband was severely wounded between 5:30 and 6:00 o'clock in the morning of September 29th advancing with his company from Montrebeau Wood toward Exermont. The company had just left the woods and had started to advance across an open field, when flying pieces of a bursting shell from German artillery struck him. He was struck both in the head and in the side of the body. Two of his comrades carried him back to the dressing station in a little town of Charpentry. He died in the dressing station there. I do not know just when he got back to the dressing station or how long he lived after arriving there. I had been working at a first aid station closer up to the front line and did not go back to work in Charpentry until next day, September 30th. When I found his body it was lying with the bodies of other American dead awaiting burial. His wounds had been dressed and I can assure you that everything possible was done to save his life. But he was too severely wounded to survive.

In preparing the body for burial, I had to search his pockets for his personal effects. If I remember correctly I found nothing in his pockets except a photograph of his wife and baby. I could be mistaken about its being your husband's pocket that I found the photograph in, as I had the sad duty of burying other men at the same time. But I feel practically certain that it was in your husband's pocket that I found the photograph. I remember that I was very sad at heart as I looked at the photograph of the wife and baby of the man who had given his life for his country. I have a wife and baby boy of my own, and I knew he had wanted to get back to his wife and babe just as I did to mine, and I knew how anxious his little family back in the states were to see him again, and my heart was very sad. I can never forget that photograph and how badly I felt to know that the soldier I was preparing for burial had left a wife and baby to mourn for him. I put the photograph back into his pocket and left it there. I do not remember finding any other personal effects. The men took very little with them into the drive. Their packs were left behind, and they carried nothing but their rations and their arms and ammunition. If there were any personal effects of value in the pack they have been taken care of and will eventually reach you.

I have made inquiries at the regimental Post Office about the money order you had sent to your husband. They said that all letters received for soldiers deceased had been sent to the Central Post Office where they will be forwarded in due time to the homes of these soldiers back in the States. I think you need feel no worry about getting the money back. It may be some time before it gets back to you. But you will get it in time I am sure.

On the afternoon of September 30th I covered your husband's body with the flag of his country and had it carried to a little garden which was enclosed by a stone wall in the town of Charpentry. Your husband's body is buried there beside the bodies of about twenty other American dead. I marked the grave, nailing one of the identification tags to the marker. His identification or serial number was 2,140,740.

Again let me offer you my deepest sympathy. Your loss is great. But you have the consolation of knowing that your husband played a real man's part in this great struggle, that he died doing his duty, that he sacrificed his life for his country and for a great cause. You may find comfort in the thought that while his body lies buried in France he himself lives on and that you may be with him again in God's own good time. May the good Heavenly Father bless and keep you and the little child he left behind.

Most Sincerely,
Wm. E. Sullens,
1st Lieut. and Chaplain,
1st Bn, 137th Infantry.

--The Grundy County Dispatch (Grundy Center, Iowa), 19 February 1919, pg 1

Funeral Of Fred Pabst Sunday

Large Crowd Attends the Last Rites to Soldier's Remains

One of the largest funerals ever held in this vicinity was that of Fred Pabst at the Baptist church last Sunday afternoon.

The Grundy Legion Post had charge of the services which were strictly military.

Rev. W. Bode preached the sermon and he was assisted by Revs. Alexander, Heltibridle and Fisher.

The pallbearers were: Arthur Gravenstein, Glenn Sanders, Harold Wilson, Elgin Bienfang, Will Hawse and O. E. Holeman.

A quartet consisting of Rev. H. F. Sinning, G. D. Harberts, Sam Ramaker and John Plesscher furnished the music. The procession to the cemetery was headed by the Grundy Center band.

The remains arrived here last Saturday morning, being accompanied from Chicago by Private Perrill. They were taken to the home of the parents, where they lay in state until the funeral hour.

Fred Pabst left besides the wife and one little daughter, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Pabst of this city and four brothers and two sisters, besides a number of other relatives.

Those relatives from a distance who attended the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bertram, Mr. and Mrs. Bert Immings, Parkersburg; Mrs. Jacob Schoneman, George; Mr. and Mrs. Will Newald, Cresco; Mr. and Mrs. Harry Brown, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Brown and Gilbert Brown, Waterloo; Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Helvig, and Miss Ruth Pabst, Iowa Falls.

About two weeks ago, the government informed Mrs. Fred Pabst that the body of her husband would soon arrive in New York and would be shipped here, if desired. Last week the government sent word that the body would leave New York Thursday. Early Saturday morning the remains reached Grundy Center. The members of the American Legion were at the station to receive it, and took charge of it.

Fred Pabst was a member of Co. B 137 Inf., the 35th Division. He joined this division in France the middle of June 1918. Shortly afterwards he became a reserve to this division and before long saw actual service. Thrice he was at the front. A comrade writes that they were in the firing line fifteen days the first time, seventeen days the second time and that after a rest at St. Michel they were called upon to join the American ranks in the Argonne section, where one of the most severe battles of the war was fought and Fred, as a faithful soldier of his country, did his part faithfully.

In this world renown Argonne battle Fred was mortally wounded on the 29th day of September 1918, at between 5:30 and 6 a.m. He was conscious for some time and was able to inform his comrades what had happened to him. First aid was given and then he was removed to Charpentry, where he succumbed to his wounds, having been struck in the head and also in the side. He died the same day and was buried with some twenty other American soldiers, by Chaplain Sullins.

Mr. Pabst was born and reared in this county, entered the service of his country during the late spring of 1918. He leaves to mourn, his bereaved wife and daughter, his aged parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. Pabst of this place, four brothers and two sisters. The last letter from his hand, written shortly before the Argonne battle shows that he was a seeker for the truth and he urged all his loved ones to make good use of the church. His parting words, the last lines from his hand, may be realized: "God be with us till we meet again.

His remains were laid to rest in the local cemetery here, Sunday afternoon, Dr. W. Bode in charge, assisted by local pastors and the American Legion. Scores of people were unable to gain admittance to the spacious auditorium of the Baptist church, where the services were held.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 4 August 1921, pg 1