It may be of
interest to the readers of your paper to learn of the whereabouts of my sons.
When war was declared in Europe I could scarcely believe it and dreaded such a
war, for having gone through the Civil War I knew what another war would mean.
But when Uncle
Sam declared war in defense of the United States for which I fought four long
years, I wanted my boys to do their duty toward their country.
Oscar Schmidt
Four are now in service, Oscar enlisted. When he chose between corporal or truck driver for the coast artillery, he accepted corporal for “overseas” duty – Battery C. 36th artillery, Ft. Barrancas, Florida.
Walter Schmidt
Walter was
awarded a “chevron” inside of two weeks. He writes that he has charge of an anti-air
craft gun and a squad of men and is now in France.
Luvern (no photograph of him) volunteered in the S.A.T.C. at Northwestern College, Naperville, Illinois. He is just recovering from an attack of the influenza.
Waldermar (no photograph of him) is in England, Co. E. 343rd Infantry, on the Intelligence Division. He says it’s one of the most dangerous positions in the army.
Ernest Wallner July 4, 1896 – July 11, 1970 Born in Buffalo Lake, son of Christian & Bertha (Pofahl) Wallner. Entered service at Olivia, Minnesota 02/25/1918, sent to Camp Dodge, IA Feb. 27, 1918; assigned to Co. B, 55th Eng’s; transferred to Camp Custer, May 14, 1918; transferred to Ca,p Merritt, June 20, 1918; promoted to 1st Cl. Priva., Nov. 2, 1918; overseas July 2, 1918. Take from the book Renville County In World War I: 1917, 1918, 1919 published by the Olivia Times.
The following
letter was received by Virgil Wallner from his cousin, Ernest Wallner, now in
France.
France, Sept.
15th, 1918
Dear Cousin:
Your most
welcome letter came to me yesterday, together with one from cousin, Lillian,
and I am taking great pleasure in answering it this afternoon. To be sure your
letter was thoroughly enjoyed. Letters over here are quite valuable and you can
bet when one shows up it looks mighty inviting. I feel that I have a big job
when I undertake to write a long letter as you request. Owing to the strict
censorship on letters before they leave for the states, I will not be able to
write a lengthy missive. However one may write almost anything as to what he
has seen, but is barred from giving out anything like military information.
Well I will try to give you some idea of how the French live and so on. I have
been to towns on Sundays three times, and these towns are from 20,000 to 60,000
and are considered to by some of the best little cities in France. These towns
seem to be all of the same type, narrow streets, open sewers, stone buildings
with tiled roofs and no paved streets and no street cars. The trains are toys compared
with those in the United States. The people generally are of the poorer class
financially., the farmers have a few good cattle and large flocks of sheep with
a few goats in the bunch. Heavy one-horse carts are used. Eggs are a precious
article and they charge from 4 to 5 francs a dozen for them. I am several
hundred miles from the fighting lines and things are about as quiet here as in
camp in the states. I am well and will close with best regards to all.
Patriotic
people of Minnesota are out to make a record in the redeeming of pledges for
War Savings Stamps. They have already proven themselves loyal by pledging
approximately $40,000,000. Of this amount there is still $18,000,000
outstanding in unredeemed pledges. All of these pledges must be redeemed in
order to put Minnesota in its proper place among the patriotic states of the
Union.
The State
Committee has just launched a campaign in which a check is being made upon
every unredeemed pledge in the State. Special representatives have been
assigned to each County, and every place where pledges have been lodged for
collection will be visited and the data in connection with unredeemed pledges
will be taken by these representatives and same will be investigated through
the State Committee with a determination by the Committee that there will be no
unredeemed pledges outstanding by December 31st, 1918, at which time
the 1918 campaign for the State closes.
Julius H. Jensen January 9, 1892 – October 5, 1918 Was the son opf Mr. Hans & Mrs. Augusta (Johnson) Jensen of Franklin, Minnesota.
Went
to Camp Wadsworth, S.C., July 25 and Shortly Afterwards Went Overseas
Saturday
afternoon, November 2, a telegram was received by Mr. and Mrs. Hans Jensen from
Washington, D.C. bringing the sad news that their oldest son, Julius had died
somewhere in France, October 5th, 1918, the cause of death being
lobar pneumonia.
Julius Jensen
was born in Norfolk Township January 9, 1891, having reached the age of 26
years, 9 months and 4 days at the time of his death. He graduated from the
Franklin high school in 1910 and after that engaged in teaching rural schools
for the next five years. In 1914 he changed his vocation from that of teaching
to farming at which occupation he worked for about four years in the township
of Palmyra. Then being afraid that the great world war should cease before he
had a chance to enter it, he volunteered as a soldier in the United States army
and left for Camp Wadsworth, South Carolina, July 25, 1918. While there he was
made a corporal. After about two months of training in camp here he was sent
overseas and arrived safely in France sometime in September. While he could not
give his life on the field of battle he was fired with the enthusiasm of a real
patriot and has made the supreme sacrifice for his country. He was honored at
home but his memory will be cherished with greater honor together with the
great multitude of those who have laid down their lives in order that democracy
shall remain a heritage to the world.
Besides his
parents who mourn his loss he is survived by two sisters, Mrs. R. Diekmeier and
Miss Hannah, and three brothers, Olof, Wilhelm and Alfred, who are at home.
The Tribune
joins the many friends of the Jensen family in extending them our sincere sympathy
in their bereavement.
Memorial
services will be held for Corporal Julius Jensen in Concordia church next
Sunday evening, Nov. 10, at 7:30 o’clock.
Letter
from “Chic”: France a Beautiful Place But Wants Christmas Dinner at Home–Is
Learning French
Somewhere in
France, Sept 25, 1918
Dear Folks,
I think by
today you will have received the card telling of my safe arrival, which I know
will make a big load off your minds. I wrote a letter while on the boat, just
after meeting our first …… and we succeeded in scattering a couple others. They
might as well pull ….. The letter was short as I didn’t feel good enough to
write, but as soon as we struck land I straightened out quick and now I feel
just great. I’ll tell you it was a good feeling after the long ride the day
when the sun rose over the horizon and we saw land and it was France. It was
like a dream; I could hardly realize it and haven’t really yet, as you know
most of us are Minn. boys and talking always of the home places, it makes it
seem that we are there and not so far away. Leaving the boat we sang “Goodbye
Broadway, Hello France,” by request of the kind Y.M.C.A. and who furnished our
amusement on the boat and who was to return home again on the same boat. Then
we marched thru the city, which is a very large one, staring at the sights.
Many were laughable too. The buildings are all of stone, all the same height.
The streets so narrow, two U.S. trucks can’t pass each other; if they meet one
of them has to back up. We didn’t seem to excite the people any; it’s so common
there to see long lines of khaki coming in. As we passed a U. S. military
police, I heard him say” and still they come.” As we cheered and sang going
down the street, little children came up and touched our hands, saying “hello”.
I was surprised to hear so many of them talk American quite well. They all wore
the cute short stockings, leaving the knee bare, and the boys sailor caps
without the visor.
The people are
slow and backward. We passed a place where the old ladies were out on their
knees near a little creek doing their washing. The country folks come to town
in funny high two wheeled carts. I like it here though. The country is most
beautiful. Wherever you look you see long hedges of green bushes which seem to
divide different farms. Along the roads the hedges are about ten feet high,
nearly covering it, making it very pretty. But it make the roads awfully muddy
after a rain.
We are at
present camping near the city. This is called a rest camp where all the boys
first come. At night we sit near our little tents watching the beautiful moon
and singing our songs. Then we stop to wonder how things are at home and what
you are doing. When I do, I always remember we are ahead of you in time now,
nearly five hours; so you are just thru with dinner.
I heard the …..
came here and it would be fun to meet Edgar. There are quite a few engineers
here too and I’ve been looking for Elmer. The U.S. is putting up many buildings
around here and we have been helping a little this week. I was acting sergeant
with a group of men doing carpenter work about a mile from here putting up
barracks to be used for the soldiers after the war. From here we go to our
training camp some distance from here. I expect mail waiting there: haven’t
seen a letter for a month now. I ought to have a big stack.
Clarence Kirkpatrick
had the Mirror I wanted. I still have it and look it over every once in a
while. Herb Maschke must be at some hospital or still by the port on detail
work as I haven’t seen him since we got off the boat. Isadore Kaplan went to
the hospital for a few days and expect he’ll soon be back. Only some little
disorder.
A paper called
the New York Herald is printed in Paris, so we have something we can read and
see how the line is moving. We are all learning to talk French and it is lots
of fun. The people are all willing to try and teach us how. We point at objects
and ask them what they call it in French. Most of the talking we do with our
hands and make awful faces trying to explain what we want.
Things are
looking good here and we will soon be getting ready to sail back as we expect
the war to soon end. Have a big Xmas dinner ready.
I’ve enclosed a
little paper that was printed on the boat. Some interesting things in it.
The letter is
getting long so will finish. Hello to everybody.
Posted: February 18, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Four Sons in Army, Father in Civil War, Buffalo Lake News, 11-8-1918
It may be of interest to the readers of your paper to learn of the whereabouts of my sons. When war was declared in Europe I could scarcely believe it and dreaded such a war, for having gone through the Civil War I knew what another war would mean.
But when Uncle Sam declared war in defense of the United States for which I fought four long years, I wanted my boys to do their duty toward their country.
Four are now in service, Oscar enlisted. When he chose between corporal or truck driver for the coast artillery, he accepted corporal for “overseas” duty – Battery C. 36th artillery, Ft. Barrancas, Florida.
Walter was awarded a “chevron” inside of two weeks. He writes that he has charge of an anti-air craft gun and a squad of men and is now in France.
Luvern (no photograph of him) volunteered in the S.A.T.C. at Northwestern College, Naperville, Illinois. He is just recovering from an attack of the influenza.
Waldermar (no photograph of him) is in England, Co. E. 343rd Infantry, on the Intelligence Division. He says it’s one of the most dangerous positions in the army.
Henry Schmidt, Commander of Post 85
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Posted: February 18, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Letter From Ernest Wallner, Buffalo Lake News, 11-8-1918
July 4, 1896 – July 11, 1970
Born in Buffalo Lake, son of Christian & Bertha (Pofahl) Wallner. Entered service at Olivia, Minnesota 02/25/1918, sent to Camp Dodge, IA Feb. 27, 1918; assigned to Co. B, 55th Eng’s; transferred to Camp Custer, May 14, 1918; transferred to Ca,p Merritt, June 20, 1918; promoted to 1st Cl. Priva., Nov. 2, 1918; overseas July 2, 1918. Take from the book Renville County In World War I: 1917, 1918, 1919 published by the Olivia Times.
The following letter was received by Virgil Wallner from his cousin, Ernest Wallner, now in France.
France, Sept. 15th, 1918
Dear Cousin:
Your most welcome letter came to me yesterday, together with one from cousin, Lillian, and I am taking great pleasure in answering it this afternoon. To be sure your letter was thoroughly enjoyed. Letters over here are quite valuable and you can bet when one shows up it looks mighty inviting. I feel that I have a big job when I undertake to write a long letter as you request. Owing to the strict censorship on letters before they leave for the states, I will not be able to write a lengthy missive. However one may write almost anything as to what he has seen, but is barred from giving out anything like military information. Well I will try to give you some idea of how the French live and so on. I have been to towns on Sundays three times, and these towns are from 20,000 to 60,000 and are considered to by some of the best little cities in France. These towns seem to be all of the same type, narrow streets, open sewers, stone buildings with tiled roofs and no paved streets and no street cars. The trains are toys compared with those in the United States. The people generally are of the poorer class financially., the farmers have a few good cattle and large flocks of sheep with a few goats in the bunch. Heavy one-horse carts are used. Eggs are a precious article and they charge from 4 to 5 francs a dozen for them. I am several hundred miles from the fighting lines and things are about as quiet here as in camp in the states. I am well and will close with best regards to all.
Your Cousin, Ernest
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Posted: February 18, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Redeem War Savings Stamp Pledges, Fairfax Standard, 11-7-1918
Patriotic people of Minnesota are out to make a record in the redeeming of pledges for War Savings Stamps. They have already proven themselves loyal by pledging approximately $40,000,000. Of this amount there is still $18,000,000 outstanding in unredeemed pledges. All of these pledges must be redeemed in order to put Minnesota in its proper place among the patriotic states of the Union.
The State Committee has just launched a campaign in which a check is being made upon every unredeemed pledge in the State. Special representatives have been assigned to each County, and every place where pledges have been lodged for collection will be visited and the data in connection with unredeemed pledges will be taken by these representatives and same will be investigated through the State Committee with a determination by the Committee that there will be no unredeemed pledges outstanding by December 31st, 1918, at which time the 1918 campaign for the State closes.
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Last Updated: February 18, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Corp. Julius Jensen Dies In France, Franklin Tribune, 11-7-1918
January 9, 1892 – October 5, 1918
Was the son opf Mr. Hans & Mrs. Augusta (Johnson) Jensen of Franklin, Minnesota.
Went to Camp Wadsworth, S.C., July 25 and Shortly Afterwards Went Overseas
Saturday afternoon, November 2, a telegram was received by Mr. and Mrs. Hans Jensen from Washington, D.C. bringing the sad news that their oldest son, Julius had died somewhere in France, October 5th, 1918, the cause of death being lobar pneumonia.
Julius Jensen was born in Norfolk Township January 9, 1891, having reached the age of 26 years, 9 months and 4 days at the time of his death. He graduated from the Franklin high school in 1910 and after that engaged in teaching rural schools for the next five years. In 1914 he changed his vocation from that of teaching to farming at which occupation he worked for about four years in the township of Palmyra. Then being afraid that the great world war should cease before he had a chance to enter it, he volunteered as a soldier in the United States army and left for Camp Wadsworth, South Carolina, July 25, 1918. While there he was made a corporal. After about two months of training in camp here he was sent overseas and arrived safely in France sometime in September. While he could not give his life on the field of battle he was fired with the enthusiasm of a real patriot and has made the supreme sacrifice for his country. He was honored at home but his memory will be cherished with greater honor together with the great multitude of those who have laid down their lives in order that democracy shall remain a heritage to the world.
Besides his parents who mourn his loss he is survived by two sisters, Mrs. R. Diekmeier and Miss Hannah, and three brothers, Olof, Wilhelm and Alfred, who are at home.
The Tribune joins the many friends of the Jensen family in extending them our sincere sympathy in their bereavement.
Memorial services will be held for Corporal Julius Jensen in Concordia church next Sunday evening, Nov. 10, at 7:30 o’clock.
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Posted: February 18, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Letter from Ernest Hagquist, Hector Mirror, 11-7-1918
Letter from “Chic”: France a Beautiful Place But Wants Christmas Dinner at Home–Is Learning French
Somewhere in France, Sept 25, 1918
Dear Folks,
I think by today you will have received the card telling of my safe arrival, which I know will make a big load off your minds. I wrote a letter while on the boat, just after meeting our first …… and we succeeded in scattering a couple others. They might as well pull ….. The letter was short as I didn’t feel good enough to write, but as soon as we struck land I straightened out quick and now I feel just great. I’ll tell you it was a good feeling after the long ride the day when the sun rose over the horizon and we saw land and it was France. It was like a dream; I could hardly realize it and haven’t really yet, as you know most of us are Minn. boys and talking always of the home places, it makes it seem that we are there and not so far away. Leaving the boat we sang “Goodbye Broadway, Hello France,” by request of the kind Y.M.C.A. and who furnished our amusement on the boat and who was to return home again on the same boat. Then we marched thru the city, which is a very large one, staring at the sights. Many were laughable too. The buildings are all of stone, all the same height. The streets so narrow, two U.S. trucks can’t pass each other; if they meet one of them has to back up. We didn’t seem to excite the people any; it’s so common there to see long lines of khaki coming in. As we passed a U. S. military police, I heard him say” and still they come.” As we cheered and sang going down the street, little children came up and touched our hands, saying “hello”. I was surprised to hear so many of them talk American quite well. They all wore the cute short stockings, leaving the knee bare, and the boys sailor caps without the visor.
The people are slow and backward. We passed a place where the old ladies were out on their knees near a little creek doing their washing. The country folks come to town in funny high two wheeled carts. I like it here though. The country is most beautiful. Wherever you look you see long hedges of green bushes which seem to divide different farms. Along the roads the hedges are about ten feet high, nearly covering it, making it very pretty. But it make the roads awfully muddy after a rain.
We are at present camping near the city. This is called a rest camp where all the boys first come. At night we sit near our little tents watching the beautiful moon and singing our songs. Then we stop to wonder how things are at home and what you are doing. When I do, I always remember we are ahead of you in time now, nearly five hours; so you are just thru with dinner.
I heard the ….. came here and it would be fun to meet Edgar. There are quite a few engineers here too and I’ve been looking for Elmer. The U.S. is putting up many buildings around here and we have been helping a little this week. I was acting sergeant with a group of men doing carpenter work about a mile from here putting up barracks to be used for the soldiers after the war. From here we go to our training camp some distance from here. I expect mail waiting there: haven’t seen a letter for a month now. I ought to have a big stack.
Clarence Kirkpatrick had the Mirror I wanted. I still have it and look it over every once in a while. Herb Maschke must be at some hospital or still by the port on detail work as I haven’t seen him since we got off the boat. Isadore Kaplan went to the hospital for a few days and expect he’ll soon be back. Only some little disorder.
A paper called the New York Herald is printed in Paris, so we have something we can read and see how the line is moving. We are all learning to talk French and it is lots of fun. The people are all willing to try and teach us how. We point at objects and ask them what they call it in French. Most of the talking we do with our hands and make awful faces trying to explain what we want.
Things are looking good here and we will soon be getting ready to sail back as we expect the war to soon end. Have a big Xmas dinner ready.
I’ve enclosed a little paper that was printed on the boat. Some interesting things in it.
The letter is getting long so will finish. Hello to everybody.
Lovingly, Ernest Hagquist
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