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Gems of Patriotism

    The week following the declaration of war Mrs. John Devine, of Markland, presented a fine U. S. Flag to the county. It was adjusted to the flag staff for a few days and afterward placed in the court room behind the judge's stand.

    In April, 1917, in order to grow more foodstuffs, unused Vevay streets in the Bottoms were plowed up by the city and the use of the ground given free to citizens.

    Mrs. H. M. Thiebaud requested Switzerland county people to observe Lafayette Day on Monday, May 7, 1917. In observing the day it was asked that self denial and personal sacrifice be made so that small contributions could be made for French relief. It was pointed out that ten cents would feed one orphaned child one day.

    On Thursday night, May 3, 1917, the Vevay tribe of Red Men passed a resolution that all members entering military service during the war should be exempt from the payment of dues until they were discharged. This plan was afterward adopted by every grand lodge in the state of Indiana. During the war the Vevay tribe had 34 members in the service.

    Hubert Cole, 17, enlisted in the navy May 15, 1917. For some time he was the youngest man in the service from Switzerland county. Later, however, the honor of being the county's youngest enlisted man was wrested from him by Robert E. Lee, sixteen-year-old grandson of A. J. Works, of Allensville.

    Dr. J. P. Ward, wel-known Vevay physician, volunteered for military service in the summer of 1917. He was rejected because of his age.

    Thomas Bennett, 18, registered for the draft giving his age as 21. Shortly before he was to have been sent to a training camp his correct age was learned by the conscription board and his name was removed from the list of accepted men. It was learned that his mother had been married but nineteen years.

    In September, 1917, Mrs. F. D. Wharton secured the privilege of organizing Vevay women for the purpose of making army shirts. A large number of shirts were made until the Vevay branch was discontinued because of a shortage of supplies.

    On Saturday, October 13, 1917, citizens sent a home-cooked chicken dinner to the 43 Switzerland county boys in training at Camp Taylor. A truck and two touring cars were required to carry the food to camp.

    As a war measure, postage rates were increased on November 2, 1917. The price of mailing a letter was increased to three cents. The old price of two cents was again put into effect on July 1, 1919.

    In 1917 the W. C. T. U. sent a two-pound box of candy as a Christmas present to every soldier from Switzerland county.

    In a Y. M. C. A. drive in November, 1917, Switzerland county's quota of $2,000 was more than doubled. The total contributions were $4,256.73.

    A. J. Works and Henry A. Downey, well-known citizens of Allensville, raised a company of Liberty Guards. Charles Patterson raised a similar company at Florence and Wallace Rochat organized a company at Quercus Grove.

    In 1918 four-minute men made addresses at the Royal theatre at each performance, for the purpose of arousing the patriotism of all hearers. All Vevay lawyers and ministers volunteered as speakers.

    In the winter of 1917-1918 Switzerland county farmers, in reponse to a government request, sowed 11,000 acres of wheat.

    In January, 1918, Mrs. C. S. Tandy purchased a large quantity of yarn. She and other Vevay women made it up into 37 sweaters and 20 helmets which were sent to the Navy League.

    To keep from diminishing the supply of poultry, so that more eggs would be obtainable the following year, a ban against the selling of chickens went into effect February 23, 1918, and was not lifted for several months.

    On March 1, 1918, Clay E. Crawford, a traveling man, spoke disrepect, fully of the Red Cross while in Vevay. He was arrested by Marshal Smith, and Mayor Campbell fined him $20.

    During 1918 all citizens were urged by the Food Administration to observe the following regulations: "Wheatless Monday, Wheatless Wednesday. Meatless Tuesday. One Wheatless Meal Each Day. Save Fats and Sugar Every Day."

    On March 31, 1918, clocks were moved up on hour all over the United States, so that there would be an extra hour of daylight for workers. The order remained in effect until fall. The same plan was followed in 1919.

    On April 4, 1918, State Food Administrator H. E. Barnard asked Switzerland county people to stop eating wheat in any form until after the next harvest.

    In 1917 Switzerland county citizens began contributing to a fund for the purpose of keeping all Switzerland county boys in France supplied with the same brands of tobacco they had used at home. Because of a government order stopping the sending of parcels to France, the tobacco fund was discontinued April 11, 1918. Before the fund was discontinued four shipments of tobacco were sent to the soldiers and sailors. Citizens contributed $176.45 to the fund. The amount left on hand, $87.54, was given to the Switzerland county Red Cross Chapter for the purpose of buying gauze for surgical dressings.

    On May 13, 1918, an entertainment for the benefit of the Red Cross was given in Vevay under the direction of Miss Julia Tandy and Mrs. Lucille Shaw. The profits were $120.

    Harry Scott, Florence soldier, was on board the transport Moldavia, torpedoed by a German submarine in May, 1918. Along with hundreds of other soldiers he was rescued by patrols forming the convoy. More then 100 soldiers were drowned. After taking part in France, Scott was reported as "Missing in action," but the report afterward proved to be a mistake.

    In June, 1918, Dr. L. H. Bear, Enrollment Agent of the U. S. Department of Labor, called upon Vevay citizens to volunteer to assist in farm work during the months of June, July and August. A number of business men agreed to give one and two days' work each week, but few of them were ever called for by the farms.

    Mrs. Charles Bakes, of near Center Square, in June, 1918, orginated a plan for women and girls living in towns to form clubs and assist the women on farms during the canning and threshing seasons, so that more food could be conserved. Her plan was adopted by the women's section of the State Council of Defense and clubs were organized in many counties in Indiana.

    In June, 1918, George B. Hall, Jr., Vevay aviator, was promoted to a First Lieutenancy for bravery in action. A war department announcement read, "George B. Hall, Jr., of Vevay, Ind., has been promoted for commendable action."

    Miss Mary Siebenthal, daughter of A. J. Siebenthal and wife, who spent the greater part of their lives in Switzerland county, volunteered for canteen work with the Y. M. C. A. and went to France in July, 1918.

    Lee Vannatter, Patriot sailor, played ball before the King and Queen of England on July 4, 1918.

    Wade G. Mulford, foreman at Dam 39 until he volunteered for service, was killed in action July 18, 1918.

    During the first week in August, 1918, Charles E. Pangburn, W. C. Curran and Earl S. Brown started a fund for the purchasing of a steel flag pole for Vevay. The pole was purchased at an expense of more than $200 and dedication services were held on Monday, September 2. Private John A. Scott, of the Canadian army, delivered an address that was heard by more than 3,000 persons.

    During 1918 thirty young women organized a chorus known as the Community Singers. They attended all patriotic meetings singing patriotic songs.

    Lieut. D. W. Dodd, of near Center Square, was on the U.S.S. Mt. Vernon when the vessel was torpedoed September 5, 1918, by a submarine. 35 members of the crew were killed. The vessel reached port safely and Dodd was uninjured.

    The Voluneer Medical Corps was organized in Switzerland county during the last week in September, 1918. Dr. J.P. Ward was appointed County Representative. All physicians in the county joined the organization, agreeing to enter the service at any time the government called for them.

    During the war the government placed a minimum price of $15.50 per hundred for the payment of hogs. Before the war was over hogs were selling on foot for $20 per hundred.

    Victory Girls and Victory Boys, an organization of school children under direction of Prof. A.H. Wegener, pledged $348 for the United War Work Drive. The amount of the pledges ranged from one to five dollars and each pledge was to be redeemed with money earned by the person who subscribe.

    Switzerland county's only war baby was born to Mrs. Charles Runyan, of near Antioch, in November, 1918. The father had been in France for several months when the baby was born.

    The youngest Red Cross member in the county was a son born to Harvey Scudder and wife, of York township. Two hours after birth the parents had enrolled the child as a member.

    Lee Vannatter, of Patriot, served on the U. S. Destroyer Paulding during the war, and his ship was officially credited with sinking two submarines.

    Howard Higgins, of near Moorefield, was one of the heroes of the Battle of the Marne. A wounded man whose life he saved wrote a letter back to Switzerland county citizens in which he stated that as the American army was crossing a bridge a German machine gun battery opened up and American soldiers fell dead and wounded into the river. Higgins, he said, in the face of heavy fire, jumped into the river and rescued nine men.

    K. Shahaday, a Syrian, but who resided at the home of William Shadday in Switzerland county, and who had taken out naturalization papers, was drafted into the army and went willingly. His father had been drafted into the Turkish army so that father and son were on opposite sides in the war.

    On Monday, August 5, 1918, on recommendation of C.S. Tandy, the County Board of Commissioners ordered an honor roll board established at the entrance of the Court House. On this board were painted the names of all Switzerland county men in military service, and also the county's Red Cross nurses.

    During the war the price of eggs went to 62 cents per dozen, bread to 10 cents per loaf, flour to $13 per barrel, hens to 28 cents per pound on foot; spring chickens, 60 cents per pound; sugar 11 cents per pound; wheat, $2.25 per bushel; corn, $2 per bushel; cattle, 12 cents per pound; tobacco on loose leaf markets, 25 cents to 65 cents per pound; rabbits, 30 cents each; oranges, bananas and lemons, 60 cents per dozen; steak, 40 cents per pound; bacon, 50 cents per pound; ham, 60 cents per pound and lard, 40 cents per pound. Butterfat went as high as 72 cents per pound. Men's clothing just about doubled in price. Shoes that formerly sold for $4 per pair jumped to $8 and $10 per pair, and finer shoes sold as high as $15 per pair. The cost of farming implements was increased nearly one-half. dry goods doubled in price and in some instances tripled in value.

    Charlie Golay, 20, son of Charles A. Golay, and one time a resident of Vevay, was killed in a southern training camp in August, 1917. While riding on a gun carriage he was kicked on the head by a mule.

    On October 25, 1917, women of Switzerland county were asked to sign a pledge agreeing to conserve food throughout the war. Each signer was given a card which she was requested to hang in a window of her home. Nearly every woman in the county signed the food conservation pledge.

    Dr. Charles Loomis, well-known physician who resided in Switzerland county for many years, died while on duty with the American Expeditionary Forces in Germany, January 12, 1919.

    For a year before the war, Mexico had been giving trouble to the United States and 20,000 troops were stationed along the border. John A. Danglade, Jr., of Vevay, was a member of the 163rd Infantry and spent the greater part of the year 1916 along the Texas frontier. His term of enlistment expired about the time war was declared on Germany and when he tried to re-enlist war department officials refused to take him because he was a chemist. He was told that the government needed him more in a laboratory, and throughout the war he followed his profession, his work all being done for the government.