Letters Home from Our Local Soldiers in 150th Field Artillery

   

   

     The previous blog post pertained to the local Indiana National Guard Field Artillery unit that became the 150th Field Artillery when they were all shipped to France in October, 1917.  After a thorough search through all the Crawfordsville Daily Journals from 1917-1918, almost one hundred letters from our soldiers were found, or news was shared by families. In researching each of the soldiers in the picture in the previous post, I found some shocking information. Frank Manning, of Darlington, was reported to his parents as being killed in action during the spring of 1918. This must have been terrible for that family. However, I found a letter written on November 11, 1918, describing the last day of the war, written by Frank Manning of Darlington. I was puzzled. With further research, I found that a different Frank Manning from New York had died that day, and not the Frank from Darlington.
    An excerpt from Manning’s  note, written on Nov. 11, 1918, and printed in the Crawfordsville Daily Journal on December 20, 1918, read:

“I am on the front, yet a front that 48 hours ago was the hottest and bloodiest front of the war and has been since August, 1914. In this ruined French village… there are perhaps 200 souls. They have been under German yoke for four years and they look more like hunted animals than human beings. … to have peace, blessed peace in so short a time, is more than their tortured souls can stand.”

www.findagrave.com

     Claude Grissom wrote home to his mother on September 10, and the letter appeared on October 28, 1918.

"Well, Mother, Old Fritzy just sent over his best regards just now, about a 210 shell, I think.  I met an old buddy of mine from Crawfordsville. His name is Jack Harris. I saw L. Merrell about a month ago. Have not seen Clarence Zook for four or five months."

     Albert Wright served alongside his brother, Cecil. Albert wrote to his sister on September 21, 191, and it was printed on November 4, 1918.

"One big boche prisoner was coming down the road with about 100 others smoking a pipe that looked like a young steam engine; he was all smiles. Well, in less time that it takes to tell it, I rode up to him and grabbed it out of his mouth."
"Another column of prisoners came at dawn: I cited a big Prussian officer. With very few words, I told him I wanted his cap, which he gave up very gratefully. I a few minutes I discovered his cap was full of--not bombs--but genuine Turkish cigars!"


   

One Hundred Years Ago--Our County Men in World War I

The 150th Field Artillery

Rainbow Division

Top Row--Albert W. Goltra, Ralph I Crowder, Carl H. Todd, Wm. P Barry, Claude Grisson
Bottom Row--Frank Manning, Albert W. Wright, Cecil C. Wright

          This photo appeared in the Crawfordsville Daily Journal, November 20, 1917. It was taken on Long Island, right before these local men shipped out to France with 28,000 other soldiers on October 18,1917. Previously, this unit had been part of the Indiana National Guard, and was stationed along the Mexican border in Texas. The unit was called back to join the Rainbow Division in France. There the 150^th Field Artillery soldiers engaged in several key battles of World War I:

Luneville           Baccarat           Esperance-Souain,      Champagne-Marne,   Aisne-Marne,     St. Mihiel         Esperance & Pannes,          and Meusee-Argonne.

The 150^th Field Artillery fired a French cannon, the 155mm Howitzer. The following photo shows that this piece was horse-drawn. 

More information on this unit available at:
http://www.b-1-105.us/history/ww1/150mgbn%20history.html

The Clements Family Business Lived On

Children of Andrew Clements
FR---Ralph, Florence, and Ray P.
BR--Ruth, Clara, and John(subject of this post)
from CDPL image database

     The Clements family insurance company passed along to son John in 1917 after his father’s death. By this time, John had already studied at Wabash College and served in World War I in France. On his return, he worked for a short time at the Shimer-Light Dodge dealership next to the Carnegie Library, before joining his father’s business. In 1921, he married Mary Tucker of Greencastle, daughter of Dr. William and Bertha Tucker. They had one daughter, Miriam.

from 1958 Crawfordsville City Directory

      In order to build up more business, John and Bud Green joined together and bought the Citizen Bank Building on E. Main St. in 1950.  In 1955, Stuart Roscher operated an automobile business and also came into partnership with John, joining the Clement-Smith Corporation, which later became Clement-Roscher Corp. 

     By 1967, at the age of 71, John was ready to retire and sold his portion of the business to Roscher.

     

The Clements Family Worked Hard to Build Their Insurance Company

     The Clements Insurance firm was started by Andrew Clements, in 1887. He began his business in his home in Mt. Tabor, which is the corner of 150S and 200E.  He would travel all around the county, and outside it in a little two-wheeled cart pulled by a pony. He would sometimes stay in a boarding house in Darlington for a week, drumming up business in the area. Later he would get a bicycle, take the train to Darlington, and ride hither and yon, selling even more policies. He worked hard during the week, would come home, and his wife would spend the next week hand-writing all the policies, since typewriters were not yet available.  He mostly sold fire and lightning insurance until his death in 1917.  He eventually had an office on Washington Street, south of the alley behind Resoner’s Jewelers (Allen’s Country Kitchen).

John Clements is on the left, and Andrew, his father is standing in the center. 

     John Clements, Andy’s son, took over the business and subsequently went through several consolidations, and mergers with local banks. John recalled how difficult it was to be in the insurance business in the 1930’s, during the depression. The business by this time was involved in farm loans.  He and his partner decided that if the landowner could keep the taxes and insurance paid, the farm would not be foreclosed on.  Many premiums were paid with eggs and chickens, which was the only bartering tool to be had by many downtrodden farmers of the time. John’s wife, taught piano lessons at the time, which helped keep their family afloat.  (to be continued)

Photo and information from "Montgomery Magazine," April 1987.