Meredith New Hampshire’s World War 1 Honor Roll

World War I Honor Roll, Meredith, NH, from an old postcard.

The placard is a plain one, but the service that the names imply is great.  At one time this hand lettered sign graced the town of Meredith, New Hampshire, to honor her sons who served in World War 1.  The entire list is shown below, along with more detail about the men who were either lost or who received special merit medals.

If you know of any others who are not mentioned here, please let me know and I will be glad to add them.

Ackerman, Thomas T.
Borland, Alexander L. MD
Burnell, Milo
Burnell, Frank
Beede, Fay R.
Batchelder, Harris P.
Burrell, Walter B.
Balch, Harvey A.
Bense, Theodore A.
Breed, Granville W.
Brown, Earl R.
Constantine, Melvin L.
Corliss, Reuben S.
Cowing, Earl B.
Davis, Leon G.
Dow, Frank H.
Evans Harry J.
Griggs, Roy H.
Gault, George V.
Gerrish, Raymond E.
*Gould, Frederick W.
Gonneville, George A.
Humphreys, Chester A.
Hill, Harold
Howland, Roy M.
Harvey, Albert B.
Humphreys, Allen R.
Howland, George R.
Huntress, Leon E.
Klotzle, Russell
King, Ralph
Livingstone, Herbert L.
Ladd, Clarence E.
Lund, Earle L.
Laro, Louis
Ladd, Grover E.
Leech, Howard P.
Lee, Ralph J.
*Mudgett, Orris P.
Norris, Austin R.
Mathews, Elton R.
Meyerson, Milton D.
Moulton, Ralph W.
Morrill, Perley
Moulton, Verward C.
Moscardini, Celestino
*Morrison, Harris D.
Nutting, Newell E.
Ober, George A.
Pynn, Leander G.L.
Paul, Edward A. Jr.
Prescott, George R.
Perkins, Walter R.
Prescott, Percy W.
Parshley, Joseph K.
Robinson, Carl W.
Robinson, Weld S.
Roberts, Lloyd E.
Swain, Leo R.
Strafford, Wilbur F.
Smith, Ansel E.
Swain, Granville
Smith, Frederick N.
Vinall, Earl R. — Distinguished Service Cross
Wilcox, Cecil J.
Willey, Philip S.
Willey, John E.
Weeks, Charles A.
Weeks, John R.
Blythe, N. Eaton
Robert Carrigan

*DIED DURING WORLD WAR 1*

Orris Pear Mudgett, Private
–Boston Herald (Boston MA) 30 April 1918, page 9 — Died of Disease
MUDGETT, PRIV. ORRIS, Meredith Centre, N.H., drafted early this year; arrived in France the first week in April. Was 23 years old, the son of Mrs. Hannah Cox. He was an automobile mechanic, and worked at a local garage. His stepfather, W.C. Cox, is employed at the big summer estate at Meredith of Ernest B. Dane of Boston and Brookline. Died from scarlet fever.
– He was born 15 Feb 1894 in Meredith, Belknap Co. NH, son of Frank S. & Hannah S. (Wise) Mudgett. [Partial Family Tree on Ancestry, a paid service, with photo as a young man.] He sailed for Europe as a Private with a Specialist Detachment, Co. B 26th Engineers, on 27 Feb 1918. His remains were returned to the United States  on 29 Mar 1922 aboard the ship Cambria.  He died 26 April 1918 in France and is buried Oakland Cemetery, Meredith Center NH.

Roy B. Griggs, Private
–15 February 1919 Boston Herald, Boston MA, page 13
“KILLED IN ACTION: GRIGGS, PRIV. ROY H. Meredith NH”
He was born Royal Harold Griggs, son of Harold W. & Henriette (Gould) Griggs, on 4 February 1888 in Dorchester MA.  He registered for service in Belknap Co. NH noting that he had served in the 13th cavalry, Co. A, discharged 8 February 1915.  Find-a-Grave indicates that he served as a Private, 325th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Division, U.S. Army. Entered the service from New Hampshire. Civilian occupation: Farmer. He took part in St. Mihiel Salient, afterward in Argonne. He was killed by machine gun fire while attacking Cornay Ridge at St. Juvin. 12 Oct 1918 – Lorraine, France, and is buried in France.

Frederick W. Gould, Private
–Official US Bulletin, Nov 27, 1918, Casualties Reported by Gen. Pershing
GOULD, Frederick W., Mrs. Rose A. Gould, Box 316 Meredith NH
Find-A-Grave shows him buried in France with a death date of October 4, 1918.
Frederick Wilfred Gould was born 28 February 1889 in South Windham Maine, son of Frank E. & Mary A. (Yates) Gould. He was a spinner in the Meredith Linen Mill. His world war 1 registration states he had previously servced in the Maine Navy Militia for 3 years and the NH Guard for 3 months, physical disability when discharged.  He married 21 July 1917 in Laconia NH to Rosena Laro (her 3rd marriage, div, b. St. Albans VT), daughter of Fred R. & Julia M. (Campbell) Laro. She had married 2nd) 24 Sep 1916 in Danbury NH to Alonzo Fisk, son of Eben E. & Ella R. (Young) Fisk. She married 1st) 3 June 1905 in Concord NH to William Alec Frolley, son of William & Sophia (Larow) Frolley.She married 4th) 17 July 1919 in Laconia NH to Walter A. Locke, son of Charles A. & Hattie (Mills) Locke. She d. 21 Nov 1954 in Meredith NH.

Harris Daniel Morrison, son of Henry & Martha (Eastman) Morrison, was born 20 Nov 1891 in Ashland NH. His World War 1 Registration states that he was single, and was foreman at Cooks Lumber Co. in Laconia NH.  He married 15 Nov 1917 at Lakeport NH to Marion Ethel Kimball, dau of Herman & Lillian (Tuttle) Kimball.  She was b abt 1895 in Meredith NH.  She married 2d) 7 January 1921 in Meredith NH to Eugene C. Richardson, son of Harris J. & Hattie I. (Colby) Richardson, as his 3rd wife, indicating on her marriage record that she was a widow. Maine death records state that Harris D. Morrison died at the Post Hospital, Fort McKinley, Portland Maine on 1 October 1918. He was 26 years 10m and 12 days old. Cause of Death: broncho pneumonia of 7 days resulting from influenza of 2 days. Buried Oakland Cemetery, Meredith NH.

****************
***AWARDS***

Earl R. Vinall — He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Private Earl R. Vinall (ASN: 110333), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company B, 103d Machine-Gun Battalion, 26th Division, A.E.F., at Belleau, France, July 18 – 24, 1918. On duty as a runner, Private Vinall displayed marked courage in repeatedly passing through heavy machine-gun and artillery barrages throughout five days of action.
General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 126 (1919)
Action Date: July 18 – 24, 1918
Service: Army
Rank: Private
Company: Company B
Battalion: 103d Machine-Gun Battalion
Division: 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces
Earl Robert Vinall, son of George W. & Georgianna (Tracy) Vinall, was born 15 Sep 1898 in Peterborough NH, and died 9 May 1986 in Florida. He is buried in Oakdale Cemetery, Volusia Co., FL. His enlistment records state he enlisted 25 June 1917 and was releasted 29 April 1919. He married 9 December 1919 in Berlin NH to Evelyn A. Frost, daughter of Mark C. & Addie (Drew) Frost. In 1930 living in Glencoe, Volusia, Florida. They had at least one child, Arlene P. Vinall, b. abt 1921 in NH.

[Editor’s Note: this story is part of an on-going series about heroic New Hampshire men and women of World War I. Look here for the entire listing].