World War One

 

People Respond to Every Call During World War I

World War

When the United States entered the World War, the people of Mt. Pleasant loyally responded to every call, and made a record of which it may well be proud. One hundred and eighteen boys enlisted from Mt. Pleasant, and a number of Mt. Pleasant's sons enlisted from other communities. As the boys, one by one or in groups, boarded the train, great crowds, although sad at heart, cheered them as they left for the front. Three of the number died in service. Ralph Braby, while in California, was drowned, Jacob Hafen died of disease, and Henry Merville Zabriskie was killed in action, over seas. The Sanpete County Council of Defense was organized as follows: J. W. Cherry, chairman; Burke McArthur, secretary; Ed. Johnston, treasurer; Committee chairmen, Finance, N. S. Nielsen; Publicity, ,Burke McArthur; Legal, J. W. Cherry; Sanitation and Medicine, Ed. Johnston; Food supply and conservation, L. R. Anderson; Industrial survey, Orlando Bradley; Labor, Christian Willardsen; Military affairs, J. Morgan Johnson; State protection, H. R. Thomas; Survey of manpower, L. P. Brady; Woman's work, Mrs. G. W. Martin. In June 1918, there were deposited in the Mt. Pleasant Commercial and Savings Bank, by Mr. N. S. Nielsen, county chairman of finance, to the credit of W. G. McAdoo, treasurer of the Nation¬al American Red Cross, seven thousand five hundred dollars. 200 The citizens went over the top in the various other drives conducted. Liberty bonds, postal savings, Soldier's Welfare Re¬lief, Christmas boxes, tobacco, conservation of food, etc. Local committees were organized, among them the local Red Cross. The officers of this organization visited the neighboring cities, Fairview, Fountain Green, Moroni, Wales, Chester, and Spring City, and in cooperation with them, purchased material and sewed articles called for. There were checked out something over $3000, which had been obtained by weekly canvasses made by women and girls, and by other volunteer donations other than the National drives. Mt. Pleasant headquarters were established at about 122 West Main, where the women, some representing different organizations, met and did sewing, etc., as required. Many ship¬ments of goods were made. The officers at this time were: C. L. Johns, president; Mrs. Grace Madsen and Miss Irene Nielsen, vice president; Miss Hilda Madsen, secretary, and treasurer. History of Mt. Pleasant HML pp 199-200

Mt. Pleasant's Own Doughboy

 

"Doughboy"is an informal term for a member of the United States Army or Marine Corps. Today it is especially used to refer to members of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. (A popular mass-produced sculpture of the 1920s, the Spirit of the American Doughboy,   
Courtesy of Wikipedia 



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The following comes from History of Mt. Pleasant.

World War

When the United States entered the World War, the people of Mt. Pleasant loyally responded to every call, and made a record of which it may well be proud. One hundred and eighteen boys enlisted from Mt. Pleasant, and a number of Mt. Pleasant's sons enlisted from other communities. As the boys, one by one or in groups, boarded the train, great crowds, although sad at heart, cheered them as they left for the front. Three of the number died in service. Ralph Braby, while in California, was drowned, Jacob Hafen died of disease, and Henry Merville Zabriskie was killed in action, over seas.

The Sanpete County Council of Defense was organized as follows: J. W. Cherry, chairman; Burke McArthur, secretary; Ed. Johnston, treasurer; Committee chairmen, Finance, N. S. Niel­sen; Publicity, ,Burke McArthur; Legal, J. W. Cherry; Sanitation and Medicine, Ed. Johnston; Food supply and conservation, L. R. Anderson; Industrial survey, Orlando Bradley; Labor, Christian Willardsen; Military affairs, J. Morgan Johnson; State protection, H. R. Thomas; Survey of man power, L. P. Brady; Woman's work, Mrs. G. W. Martin.

In June 1918, there were deposited in the Mt. Pleasant Com­mercial and Savings Bank, by Mr. N. S. Nielsen, county chairman of finance, to the credit of W. G. McAdoo, treasurer of the Nation­al American Red Cross, seven thousand five hundred dollars.



The citizens went over the top in the various other drives conducted. Liberty bonds, postal savings, Soldier's Welfare Re­lief, Christmas boxes, tobacco, conservation of food, etc.

Local committees were organized, among them the local Red Cross. The officers of this organization visited the neighboring cities, Fairview, Fountain Green, Moroni, Wales, Chester and Spring City, and in cooperation with them, purchased material and sewed articles called for. There were checked out something over $3.000, which had been obtained by weekly canvasses made by wo­men and girls, and by other volunteer donations other than the National drives. Mt. Pleasant headquarters were established at about 122 West Main, where the women, some representing differ­ent organizations, met and did sewing, etc., required. Many ship­ments of goods were made. The officers at this time were: C. L. Johns, president; Mrs. Grace Madsen and Miss Irene Nielsen, vice presidents; Miss Hilda Madsen, secretary and treasurer.



Mt. Pleasant History (1939) pp 199-200 by Hilda Madsen Longsdorf

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The original location of the Dough Boy was right in the center of the intersection of State Street and Main Street.

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 Honoring all soldiers in all wars .

"To Honor Those Who Left Our Midst To Fight For Freedom" 

In 2008 the "old armory" now recreation center  was given the artist touch with Soldiers from all wars painted on the south exterior wall. 

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World War One ~~~ 1914-1918 (from our archives)

 

World War I and Utah

Allan Kent Powell
Utah History Encyclopedia, 1994

WORLD WAR I POSTER ENCOURAGING THE PURCHASING OF LIBERTY BONDS

Known as “The Great War” until the outbreak of World War II, World War I began on 1 August 1914 and ended with armistice on 11 November 1918. The two warring sides were the Allies—comprised of Russia, France, Great Britain, Italy, United States, Japan, Romania, Belgium, Serbia, Greece, Portugal, and Montenegro; and the Central Powers which included Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria. During the course of the war, Utahns were affected by the events in many ways. Immigrants followed events in their warring homelands, sent aid, volunteered to return to fight, and encouraged other Utahns to sympathize with the side they favored. Utah’s economy prospered because of the war. New coal mines were opened, metal and copper mining expanded, smelters ran at or near full capacity, and farmers and ranchers received more for their crops and animals than any other time in recent decades.

 

After the United States entered the war on 6 April 1917, many Utahns were directly affected as relatives and friends joined the armed services or were drafted. Approximately 21,000 Utahns saw military service; of these, 665 died and 864 were wounded. Of the 665 deaths, 219 were killed on the battlefield or died from wounds received in action; 32 died of accidental causes; the remaining 414 died from disease and illness. Approximately 10 percent (2,156) of the Utahns who served were of foreign birth or were members of U. S. ethnic or racial minorities. A number of Utah women, including eighty registered nurses, served during the war as nurses, ambulance drivers, and clerical and canteen workers.

In the summer of 1914, most Utahns were little concerned with the rumblings of war in Europe. Most felt that the fight had little to do with United States interests, advocated a strict policy of neutrality, and insisted that the United States not become embroiled in a European conflict. There were exceptions, of course, primarily among the Utah immigrant groups including the South Slavs, Germans, Greeks, and Italians whose homelands had been caught up in the Great War. Utah German-Americans openly demonstrated their sympathy for Germany, held rallies, collected money for the German Red Cross, complained of the virulent anti-German propaganda in most English-language newspapers, and, in some cases returned to Germany to fight.

As the war continued, America’s position as a neutral became continually more difficult, especially with the loss of 124 American lives when the passenger ship Lusitania was sunk off the coast of Ireland in May 1915. After the outcry against Germany over the sinking of the Lusitania, Germany complied with American demands that ships carrying neutral passengers and cargo be allowed to sail without attack. By 1917, German strategists concluded that their best hope for victory was to resume unrestricted submarine warfare to keep essential war material from reaching the French and English, launch an offensive along the Western Front designed to end the nearly three years of stalemate, and to seek a secret alliance with Mexico which would restore to that nation the territory (including Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and California) lost to the United States in 1848. Faced with these events, President Woodrow Wilson saw no other option than to ask Congress for a declaration of war against Germany, which was passed on 6 April 1917.

Even before war was officially declared, Governor Simon Bamberger issued a proclamation on 24 March 1917 calling for Utahns to enlist in the Utah National Guard. Four months after war was declared, the Utah National Guard was drafted into Federal Service on 5 August 1917, sent to California, and then on to Europe where Utahns saw action along in the Argonne Forest, and at Chateau Thierry, Champagne, Soissons, St. Mihiel, Verdun, and other locations on the Western Front.

World War I helped bring Utah into the mainstream of American life as much as anything during the first two decades of the twentieth century. As part of the national war effort, Utahns planted “victory gardens,” preserved food, volunteered for work in the beet fields and on Utah’s fruit farms, purchased Liberty Bonds, gave “Four Minute” patriotic speeches, collected money for the Red Cross, used meat and sugar substitutes, observed meatless days, knitted socks, afghans, and shoulder wraps, wove rugs for soldiers’ hospitals, made posters, prohibited the teaching of the German language in some schools, and cultivated patriotism at every opportunity.

Utah’s economy prospered as wartime demands for farm and orchard produce, sugar, beef, coal, and copper placed a demand on production far beyond peacetime conditions.

Fort Douglas was an important military facility during the War. Thousands of recruits were trained at the fort and a prison was set up at the fort to house 870 enemy aliens, who had expressed pro-German sentiments or were considered dangerous, and as well as draft resisters from all states west of the Mississippi. An adjacent but separate part of the prison housed 686 German naval prisoners of war, who were sent to Utah after their ships were seized by American forces in Guam and Hawaii.

VETERANS’ PARADE IN OGDEN, 1919

Most Utah servicemen returned home early in 1919 to cheering crowds, impressive parades, enthusiastic celebrations, and generous parties even though the influenza epidemic necessitated some precautions. Many joined the American Legion as posts were established in most Utah cities and towns. They were honored when the nation proclaimed 11 November as Armistice Day, a national holiday, and were moved when “Memory Grove,” located along City Creek at the mouth of City Creek Canyon just north of the downtown Salt Lake City, was dedicated on 27 June 1924, as a permanent memorial to the soldiers killed during the war.

Like many other Americans, Utahns became disillusioned with the formal peace treaty ending the war. They were also divided over Woodrow Wilson’s primary objective, the establishment of the League of Nations. Heber J. Grant, who became President of the LDS church in 1918, was an advocate of the League of Nations while Reed Smoot, an LDS apostle and Utah’s senior senator in Washington D. C. was an outspoken critic of the League. The war was something that many seemed to never really understand, a situation that hampered international cooperation and understanding and led to increased tensions and another war within a generation.

See: “Utah and World War I,” Utah Historical Quarterly, (fall 1990); and Noble Warrum, Utah in the World War (1924). John Sillito, “Drawing the Sword Against the War: B.H. Roberts, World War I, and the Quest For Peace,” Utah Historical Quarterly 87, no. 2, 2019, Tammy M. Proctor, “The Great War and The Making of a Modern World,” Utah Historical Quarterly 86, no. 3 (2018), Allan Kent Powell, “Utah and World War I,” Utah Historical Quarterly 86, no. 3 (2018), Robert S. Means, “Try To Be As Brave Cross-Continental Comparisons of Great War Poetry,” Utah Historical Quarterly 86, no. 3 (2018), 

People Respond to Every Call During World War I

 

 When the United States entered the World War, the people of Mt. Pleasant loyally responded to every call, and made a record of which it may well be proud. One hundred and eighteen boys enlisted from Mt. Pleasant, and a number of Mt. Pleasant's sons enlisted from other communities. As the boys, one by one or in groups, boarded the train, great crowds, although sad at heart, cheered them as they left for the front. 

Three of the number died in service. Ralph Braby, while in California, was drowned, Jacob Hafen died of disease, and Henry Merville Zabriskie was killed in action, over seas. The Sanpete County Council of Defense was organized as follows: J. W. Cherry, chairman; Burke McArthur, secretary; Ed. Johnston, treasurer; Committee chairmen, Finance, N. S. Nielsen; Publicity, ,Burke McArthur; Legal, J. W. Cherry; Sanitation and Medicine, Ed. Johnston; Food supply and conservation, L. R. Anderson; Industrial survey, Orlando Bradley; Labor, Christian Willardsen; Military affairs, J. Morgan Johnson; State protection, H. R. Thomas; Survey of man power, L. P. Brady; Woman's work, Mrs. G. W. Martin. In June 1918, there were deposited in the Mt. Pleasant Com-mercial and Savings Bank, by Mr. N. S. Nielsen, county chairman of finance, to the credit of W. G. McAdoo, treasurer of the National American Red Cross, seven thousand five hundred dollars. 200 The citizens went over the top in the various other drives conducted. 

Liberty bonds, postal savings, Soldier's Welfare Relief, Christmas boxes, tobacco, conservation of food, etc. Local committees were organized, among them the local Red Cross. The officers of this organization visited the neighboring cities, Fairview, Fountain Green, Moroni, Wales, Chester and Spring City, and in cooperation with them, purchased material and sewed articles called for. There were checked out something over $3000, which had been obtained by weekly canvasses made by wo¬men and girls, and by other volunteer donations other than the National drives. Mt. Pleasant headquarters were established at about 122 West Main, where the women, some representing differ¬ent organizations, met and did sewing, etc., required. Many ship¬ments of goods were made. The officers at this time were: C. L. Johns, president; Mrs. Grace Madsen and Miss Irene Nielsen, vice presidents; Miss Hilda Madsen, secretary and treasurer. History of Mt. Pleasant HML pp 199-200

One Hundred Years Ago

Veterans of War Before 1959. (not including the Black Hawk War)

DOING YOUR BIT ~ Saga of the Sanpitch ~ 1985

Photo courtesy of Alice Hafen
World War II

World War I Years in Mt. Pleasant
Dorothy Jacobs Buchanan
Professional Division
Second Place Personal Recollections
Kaleidoscopic memories surge through my mind when I recall those busy years in Mt. Pleasant during
World War I. I am grateful that I retain mental pictures of another era that is significant in our historical world.

On a sunny day in August, 1914, Mama and I were preparing lunch at noon for my father who came
from his work downtown at that time0 However, he was a few minutes late that day, which was unusual;
but suddenly he hurried into the room and stated in excited tones, "We've just had word that Germany has
declared war on Russia. I'm afraid we're in for real trouble." And he was definitely right. Our lives changed
perceptibly. New patterns and problems engulfed us, as was true of the whole country. We were frequently
urged to direct our vigorous energy toward the War Effort. The Red Cross became activated, where many
women met to roll bandages and do necessary sewing and fashioning of medical supplies„ We were aware of how much the European Allied countries needed our help and we heard many sad stories of privations and casualties they were experiencing.

In school, we sewed many grey flannel petticoats and underwear suits for needy Belgian children.
Every Monday morning we bought a twenty-five cent Thrift Stamp and pasted in our small booklets until
we acquired $5.00 which we were supposed to save until we had enough to buy a $50.00 Liberty Bond.
School boys were directed to gather fruit pits, grind them up and burn them into charcoal which had
marvelous power of absorbing gases in the cannisters of soldiers' gas masks„ Another task that Mt. Pleasant
boys were assigned was to collect spokes from old wagon wheels, sand them well, then scrape them with
broken glass to make them very smooth, and finally, whittle them into knitting needles for the ladies to use0
For most women owned large knitting bags equipped with knitting needles, yarn, and items of clothing
that they were frequently knitting for soldiers. Thousands of socks, sweaters and scarves were sent overseas.
This gathered momentum after the United States entered the World War on April 6, 1917.
 We were all thrilled to know that General Pershing made the remark, "Lafayette, we are here!" when he landed the first troops in France.

Now, we had to redouble our helpful efforts„ Flour and wheat were badly needed by the troops and
Allies. We experimented using substitutes for white flour by using corn meal, oatmeal, graham flour and some
people even tried grinding up alfalfa leaves to mix with other ingredients to make a rather questionable type
of bread.

I have a letter which gives us an idea of the importance of wheat and the action that was taken to
acquire it. The letter came to my father who was Bishop of the L.D.S. North Ward, and is as follows:

UNITED STATES FOOD ADMINISTRATION
Kansas City, MO
May 28, 1918
Bishop of the Mt. Pleasant North Ward

Dear Sir:
I wish to express unto you my appreciation for your promptness in replying to the letter sent you by the
Presiding Bishopric and General Board regarding the sale of wheat owned by the Relief Society of your ward.

There has never been a time when wheat was so valuable. The crying need of the hour is food. The manner in which the Relief Societies responded to the call is indeed highly commendable.You can be assured that the wheat will be used in the manufacture of flour for the Government to be used for our soldier hoys or our associates in the war.

Thanking you very much for your cooperation in the matter, I am,
United States Food Administration
Agent, D. F. Piazzek

Then there was THE PLEDGE, which was a big hurdle for us children„ Our principal came into our
school room one day with a paper in hand and made a short but fervent speech about the pressing need
for everyone to save sugar, after which he read a pledge that he felt all patriotic children should sign and
passed it around the room. The pledge stated that each one of us would abstain from eating candy for a six week period. I was a choco-holic and loved candy in any form  Could my patriotism go that far? After the class, one of the boys approached me and announced that he didn't think that I could possibly keep that
pledge. The next day he brought me a box of those thrilling Pink Lady Chocolates to my home and told me that if I could keep the pledge the box would be mine at the end of the six weeks. I knew he was enjoying tempting me, but I decided I'd accept his offer by giving the box to my mother and instructing her to hide it until the time was up.  Of course she collaborated, and I passed Poker Pete's candy shop with averted face.
But how I did enjoy those Pink Lady delights! (I even treated the donor to some.)

Young men of certain ages were required to register their names and important information, and they
were given an oblong metal badge to wear showing that they had conformed. Men were drafted, others
enlisted, but when a group of soldiers left to go into training for war, many townspeople assembled at the
depot and gave them a rousing sendoff, though I remember seeing tears shed.

Organizations prepared boxes of goodies to send to the boys overseas. I have a postal card picturing a
street scene in Paris, from where it was mailed on February 26, 1918. It was addressed to the North Ward
Y.L.M.I.A. and bore the following message: "I wish to thank you for the box you sent me some time ago. It was a real treat. Best wishes. P. C. Jensen.'

Musically, it has been said that World War I was a "singing war" in the United States„ Phonographs
of various types were becoming popular around that time. Tin Pan Alley was purchasing patriotic songs in
great numbers, and sheet music was constantly rolling off the presses. We knew the words of most of the
songs and sang them in school, at parties, in the streets on moonlit evenings while we strolled along--in fact,
almost everywhere„ "It's a Long Way to Tipperary" and "Over There" were two great favorites; also "Just a
Baby's Prayer at Twilight." I could produce a giant list. It was special fun to hear and sing some humorous
songs such as "Will Dey Let Me Use Mah Razor in de War," and "How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down On The
Farm?" I often think of one line which has always impressed me as being distressingly true: "I don't know what this war's about; but, by gosh, I'll soon find out."

BYU President George H. Brimhall composed a beautiful patriotic song entitled "Old Glory," which our
school class usually sang in our morning opening exercises„ It was a favorite. President Heber J. Grant taught himself to sing just one patriotic song that had great appeal, called"The Flag Without a Stain." He proudly sang it on many occasions, usually by request.

We had numerous bond rallies" where people pledged to buy as many bonds as possible., We'd often
have leading people from other cities give urgent pleas for help At times we would have a band play and
always patriotic songs. I'd like to give a few lines from one song, which I think are apropos:

What are you going to do for Uncle Sammy?
What are you going to do to help the boys?
When you're far away from home, fighting o'er the foam,
The least that you can do is buy a Liberty Bond or two.

We had new words and phrases emerge as an outgrowth of the war, some of which are still in use
today. Such words as "camouflage, "Ace," "slacker," to name a few. One phrase stands out because of its
frequent use and strong appeal-- "Doing your bit." A "bit" adds up to a great amount if consistently given.
On that sunny day of November 11, 1918, my brother and I were enjoying a moment of inertia by
lying on our stomachs on the warm earth at the beet dump between Moroni and Mt. Pleasant where we
weighed beets. Suddenly, a cacaphony of sound exploded around us. A long procession of cars hurtled by
bearing dozens of people shouting, singing, honking. We heard the strains of "It's Over Over There."
On the back of the last car, tall, red painted letters spelled out the word PEACE!!

People Respond to Every Call During World War I

World War

 When the United States entered the World War, the people of Mt. Pleasant loyally responded to every call, and made a record of which it may well be proud. One hundred and eighteen boys enlisted from Mt. Pleasant, and a number of Mt. Pleasant's sons enlisted from other communities. As the boys, one by one or in groups, boarded the train, great crowds, although sad at heart, cheered them as they left for the front. Three of the number died in service. Ralph Braby, while in California, was drowned, Jacob Hafen died of disease, and Henry Merville Zabriskie was killed in action, over seas. The Sanpete County Council of Defense was organized as follows: J. W. Cherry, chairman; Burke McArthur, secretary; Ed. Johnston, treasurer; Committee chairmen, Finance, N. S. Niel¬sen; Publicity, ,Burke McArthur; Legal, J. W. Cherry; Sanitation and Medicine, Ed. Johnston; Food supply and conservation, L. R. Anderson; Industrial survey, Orlando Bradley; Labor, Christian Willardsen; Military affairs, J. Morgan Johnson; State protection, H. R. Thomas; Survey of man power, L. P. Brady; Woman's work, Mrs. G. W. Martin. In June 1918, there were deposited in the Mt. Pleasant Com-mercial and Savings Bank, by Mr. N. S. Nielsen, county chairman of finance, to the credit of W. G. McAdoo, treasurer of the Nation¬al American Red Cross, seven thousand five hundred dollars. 200 The citizens went over the top in the various other drives conducted. Liberty bonds, postal savings, Soldier's Welfare Re¬lief, Christmas boxes, tobacco, conservation of food, etc. Local committees were organized, among them the local Red Cross. The officers of this organization visited the neighboring cities, Fairview, Fountain Green, Moroni, Wales, Chester and Spring City, and in cooperation with them, purchased material and sewed articles called for. There were checked out something over $3000, which had been obtained by weekly canvasses made by wo¬men and girls, and by other volunteer donations other than the National drives. Mt. Pleasant headquarters were established at about 122 West Main, where the women, some representing differ¬ent organizations, met and did sewing, etc., required. Many ship¬ments of goods were made. The officers at this time were: C. L. Johns, president; Mrs. Grace Madsen and Miss Irene Nielsen, vice presidents; Miss Hilda Madsen, secretary and treasurer. History of Mt. Pleasant HML pp 199-200