Iowa
Old Press
Iowa Recorder
Greene, Butler co. Iowa
November 27, 1918
Private Riley E. Durand -- With the American
Expeditionary Force
Riley, Eugene Durand, Pvt. 13th Regt. Supply Co. U.S.M.C.
Brest, Sept., 28, 1918
My Dear Mrs. Durand,
It is with heartfelt sympathy that I write and tell you of the
death of your son, Riley, on September 26 at 7 p.m. at Navy Base
and Hospital No. 1. He had contracted an acute case of
broncho-pneumonia. Althought everything was done by the nurses
and doctors that could be done, they could not save him. As the
representative of the American REd Cross for the hospital, I
attended the funeral today. An American flag covered the casket.
A beautiful bunch of flowers presented by the Y.M.C.A. was placed
on top of it. A military guard accompanied it to the grave and
the army chaplain read the service for the dead. After your dear
boy's body was lowered into the grave, the bugler sounded
"taps." and we left hiim to his eternal rest. The grave
will be looked after by some kind hearted French woman, and is
marked X registered. Pray believe me we feel with you in your
bereavement and try to feel that in giving his life for his
country he has made the Supreme Sacrifice.
Edith J. Davis,
Representative A.R.C.
--
Butler County's First Enlisted Man Missing.
A Waterloo special says Mrs. Parnie Ramsey has recieved word that
her son Corp. Glenn Ramsey, has been missing in action since
October 16. Mr. Ramsey was the first Butler county boy to enlist
after this country entered the war. He went to Washington, Ia.,
and joined Company K. First Iowa, April 9, 1917, later being
transferred to the Rainbow division. He has been in France since
last December and recent letters state he has been in almost
constant action since last February. His uncle, J.M. Ramsey, is
editor of the Clarksville Star. That city was his former
home.
Cherokee - In a letter home Sergt. Victor
Conklin of Correctionville describes a chance meeting between
himself and Van Feltus, another Correctionville boy, on a road
somewhere in France. Conklin was driving a big truck along a
narrow road, and was just turning around. As the truck was
squarely across the road a motorcycle came along and was forced
to stop until the truck was out of the way. The glances of the
driver and the rider met, and their faces lit up with mutual
recognition. Neither of the boys had seen anyone in France they
knew, and did not know the other was anywhere within hundreds of
miles of himself. the boys had been chums in school and theirs
was a true reunion.
Aredale.
-Harley Harper was taken quite sick Friday with influenza but is
getting along nicely. His mother, Mrs. Jack Harper, took sick
Monday and it is supposed she is coming down with the
"flu."
-Word came Monday that Lawrence Sattler, one of our Aredale boys
who has been in service in France, had died. We haven't heard any
of the particulars as to the cause of his death.
-Aredale E.A. Church - another gold star must be added to our
Community service flag, Lawrence Sattler was killed in action.
Bristow
-Mr. and Mrs. Chas Nash of Given, Ia., are the parents of a
daughter, Gertrude Irene, which came to gladden their home
November 20. Mrs. Nash will be remembered best as Miss Florence
James, who was a teacher in our public school at one time.
-Mr. and Mrs. W.R. Burnell attended the funeral of his siter,
Mrs. Florence Palmer, on Thursday, at Cedar Falls. The family
have very many friends in this community, who extend sympathy in
this sad hour.
-Mrs. John Piper is at the bedside of her husband's mother in
Illinois, who she reports as improving slowly. She went last week
in response to a message stating the mother was very ill. Mr.
Piper being on his way by auto to Florida could not be located.
-Mr. and Mrs. Norm Diggins and Mr. and Mrs. Duncan Wilkinson
attended the funeral of Mr. James Hall at Shell Rock Saturday.
Mr. Hall was an uncle of the two ladies and died in the Waverly
hospital.
Clarksville
-Word came here Saturday that Lyell Corwin, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Wm. Corwin, who live on the Atkinson farm east of town, had died
in France, of pneumonia.
-Mrs. Parnie Ramsey received official notice Thursday that her
son, Corporal Glenn Ramsey, had been missing since October 16.
Dumont
-J.W. Miles and family arrived from Strawberry Point Sunday for a
visit with Mrs. Miles' sister, Mrs. C.R. Martin and family. the
family are enroute from Wheaton, Minn to California, where he
will enter a job printing office.
-Relatives here received a message Saturday from Floyd Wood at
Janesville, Minn., that his wife was dangerously ill from
pneumonia. Her mother left for her bedside Monday morning.
-L.O. Watson is now completing his new home on Second Street.
-Word is received from the bedside of Henry Brown at Camp Dodge
is to the effect that he is rapidly improving and will be out of
the hospital and that he hopes to be home in a short time.
Dies in Dentist's Chair.
Mason City, Ia. -- November 25. Miss Hazel Dunn, 24 years old,
died in a dentist's chair here this afternoon as she was under
the influence of a temporary anesthetic of nitrous oxide and
oxygen, during the extraction of a wisdom tooth. Physicians in
attendance during administration of the anesthetic were unable to
save her life with lung motor. She is survived by a sister and
father. The gas used is said to be fatal about once in 500,000
administrations.
Report from Emmettsburg
A report from Emmettsburg says that Fred Miller of the Graetinger
neighborhood, who recently burned his house and furniture while
intoxicated, has been sentenced to the penitentiary for fifteen
years by Judge Coyle.
[transcribed by S.F., April 2005]