World War I
February 13th, 2012
WORLD WAR I (1917-18)
The Great War, as contemporaries called it — was the first manmade catastrophe of the 20th century. Historians can easily identify the literal “smoking gun” that set the war in motion: a revolver used by a Serbian nationalist to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand (heir apparent to the Austro-Hungarian throne) in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914. This war marked the first use of chemical weapons, the first mass bombardment of civilians from the sky, and the century’s first genocide. True to the military alliances, Europe’s powers quickly drew up sides after the assassination. The allies — chiefly Russia, France and Britain — were pitted against the Central Powers — primarily Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey. Eventually, the War spread beyond Europe as the warring continent turned to its colonies and friends for help. The sinking of the Lusitania on May 7, 1915 by a German U Boat causing the death of 1,153 passengers and crew including 128 Americans tilted the sympathies of the United States towards the Allied forces. Finally, after the release of the Zimmermann Note – a secret telegram between Germany and Mexico requesting Mexico to join the war as an ally of Germany against the United States should the United States decide to enter the European conflict, the tension between the United States and the Axis Powers heightened until April 6, 1917 when the United States entered the war siding with the Allied Forces with President Woodrow Wilson calling on Americans to “make the world safe for democracy.” The result of the war which lasted for 1,500 days before the official Armistice was declared on November 11, 1918 was nine million people dead on the battlefield.
Information affecting the local residents in relation to the war overseas was shared through The Record and Star. In its April 6, 1917 edition it reported that recruiting officers from the US Recruiting Station located in Williamsport were in Watsontown enlisting men for all branches of the service – cavalry, coast artillery, infantry, hospital corps, recruiting service, signal corps, quartermaster’s corps, as well as the various army bands. Men between 18 and 21 years of age did not need a parents’ consent and men under 35 years of age were accepted. The government had instituted a draft to increase numbers in the armed forces and according to May 25, 1917 edition of The Record and Star the Northumberland Committee of Public Safety met in the banquet hall of the Masonic Temple, Sunbury, Wednesday afternoon, pursuant to the instructions from Governor Brumbaugh, for the organization of the draft with almost every town and township in the county represented. Watsontown was represented by Ralph P. Russell, J.I. Higbee, Wm. Field Shay, Mrs. J.H. Wagner and Miss Hawley. Before adjournment Deputy Sheriff Adams presented to the audience the plan for the military registration for the selective draft. The registration was set for Tuesday, June 5, 1917, between the hours of seven o’clock AM and nine o’clock PM, and was conducted at the various polling places. The assessors of Watsontown, Geo. B. Bucher of the first ward and Wm. Banghart of the second ward served as registrars, and each assisted by two competent men of their wards who were good penman.
Four individuals from the Watsontown vicinity made the ultimate sacrifice including Helen Fairchild, William Messinger, Clyde Mowrer and John A. Hartman.
The front page of the June 27, 1919 edition of The Record and Star listed those people from Watsontown, Dewart, McEwensville and Delaware Township who served their county in the military during World War I include:
Dr. F.R. Adams Geo. H. Garnhart Lloyd McCarty John F. Sprole
Harry M. Albright Albert Goodlander Carl McWilliams Walter Stahl
Henry C. Aunkst Benj. T. Goodlander Wm. L. Messinger* Lester J. Stahlnecker
Woods D. Balliet Emerson Greenlaw Raymond Metzger Edgar Sterner
Chester Bardole John L. Gressitt Robert Metzger Clarence J. Straub
Leslie Bardole Ned A. Grier Raymond Miller Edward B. Straub
Chas. T. Baker Charles Gruver Reber Moore Ralph N. Straub
Edgar Berger John H. Hanson Clarence A. Moser Herald Sullivan
Chas. C. Bersinger John A. Hartman* Myron Mosteller Harry C. Thornton
Arthur Bracht Philip F. Hartman Clyde Mowrer* Earl W. Trick
Amos B. Bryson Fuller D. Hartranft Abraham Moyer Bowman J. Ulrich
Clarence J. Bucher Fred Hoffman Wm. C. Mull Harry B. Ulrich
Harold Bucher Myles Hoffman John J. Oakes Ned F. Wagner
Robert L. Bucher John A. Huff Russel Patterson Roy Waltman
Harry L. Byers Samuel A. Jones W. Van Pearson Woods Waltman
John D. Cooner Harold R. Keim Myron W. Peifer George Weber
Edward Crawford Edward Kelly Clarence L. Phillips Henry R. Weber
John L. Crawford George A. Kline David R. Ranck Clyde Wenrick
Charles Cronrath Claude Knowlton Edward Ranck Joshua S. Whitmoyer
Robert Dawson Guy Koons Wm. F. Ranck Ellis C. Winters
R.W. Deihl Wilbur C. Kramer Donald Rearick Ralph C. Winters
Carroll H. Deitrick Charles Kreisher Dewey J. Riffel Albert R. Winterstein
Herbert DeLong Chas. D. Kremer Luther Riffel Seymour J. Wolfe
Clyde Eyster Forrest R. Krumm Howard D. Rogers Oakley A. Womer
Helen Fairchild* Lester C. Laidacker Fred W. Rombach Arthur C. Yeager
George Fisher Glenn O. Lantz Thos. A. Schroeder Ralph Yeagle
George Frey John Levan Richard Shaffer Ambrose Yoder
Donald E. Foresman Delroy Lewis Horace Sheffer Howard Yoder
Homer A. Gauger Edmund Lohr Willard Shook Charles S. Young
Lester Gauger Selburn K. Martin Archie D. Smith Elmer J. Young
Wm. C. Gauger William Marshall Walter E. Springer Thos. H. Zettlemoyer
In addition, a number of individuals who lived in Watsontown following World War I and were active members of the American Legion Post include:
Walter Arner Rev. John L. Herbster LaRue McClintock Merle D. Schooley
Wilbur H. Clapp Harry W. Sellers Herbert McCormick Cecil G. Stager
Sidney Gudykunst Frank Maneval Wm. L. Moore Charles A. Stevenson
Chester Garnhart
[The Record and Star, April 6, 1917, pg 1; May 25, 1917, pg 1; June 27, 1919, pg 1]
Last Modified: 01.28.12
September 9th, 2012 at 7:07 pm
Just for your information, Helen Fairchild was a
US Army Reserve Nurse.
I have seen her written about as a Red Cross nurse, but that is not correct.
February 8th, 2018 at 1:58 pm
My name is Blanch Olson, and I was born in Watsontown on 10/10/21. My father was Ralph Yeagle of Watsontown. I know he served in WW1. I would appreciate any information that anyone might have. Thanks.
February 8th, 2018 at 2:13 pm
Sorry for the misspelling in 2 above. My name is Blanch Yeagle Olson.