New Hampshire WWI Military: Heroes of Goffstown

Photograph of the Goffstown
Soldiers and Sailors
Monument dedicated in
1916, from the Boston Globe.

It was less than a year before the World War would be declared by the United States that Goffstown dedicated a monument to its Civil War heroes on 16 June 1916.  The monument was a gift to the town of Goffstown by Henry W. Parker with special reference to Capt. Charles Stinson, Mr. Parker’s grandfather. The statue itself was made of Barre granite and stands 25 feet high showing a soldier in a “parade rest” stance.

People from many places in southern New Hampshire came to see the statue, and a dinner was served in the lower hall of the Opera House in town. There was also a parade, presentations, orations et al. [see monument newspaper notice].

Boston Globe 1916 article about the Goffstown
monument dedication.

The inscription on the monument is as follows:
In Memory
of the Men of
Goffstown
Who Served as
Soldiers and Sailors
In All
American Wars
Erected in Honor of
Capt. Charles Stinson
By His Grandson
Henry W. Parker
1916

✫★✫★✫★✫★✪🌟✪✫★✫★✫★✫★
Heroes of GOFFSTOWN NH
✫★✫★✫★✫★✪🌟✪✫★✫★✫★✫★

Private Edward J. Hall was wounded
in action during WWI but survived and
returned home.

The Annual Report of the Town of Goffstown for the year Ending January 31, 1919 on page 65 States: “From its earliest history Goffstown has always been willing to do her share in our country’s defense. Her sons fought in the French and Indian War, and later during the Revolution stood with Stark at Bunker Hill and Bennington. They were with Washington at Valley Forge and were present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. In the War of 1812 and the Mexican War of 1846 Goffstown men did their full share.

When the cloud of secession darkened our southern sky and the Civil War became inevitable, more than two hundred men from Goffstown responded to the call of President Lincoln and for four long years endured the privations of the numerous campaigns. They were present at the first battle of Bull Run and at Lee’s surrender, and in the numerous battles that intervened many a boy from Goffstown made the supreme sacrifice.

When in April, 1917, it became evident that it would be necessary to uphold the principles of liberty and justice, one hundred and two boys from Goffstown answered the call, and for the first time in our history American soldiers engaged in battle upon European soil. It is with pride that we welcome home our victorious boys, whose names belong with the honored list of Goffstown’s heroes in all previous wars.

GOFFSTOWN’S HONOR LIST

Alger, Walter J.
Bartlett, F. Arthur
Barton, Harold E.
Bilodeau, Adolph
Bilodeau, Alfred
Blaisdell, Harry W.
Blood, Wilber D.
Breton, Frank J.
Brown, Harold C.
Brown, William H.
Buck, Harry F.
Bucklin, L. Wallace
Burns, Almore E.
Butterfield, Andrew F.
Buxton, Perley H.
Carlton, John A.
Carraway, Adolphus C.
Carswell, Ralph C.
Clement, Elkie J.
Clement, Levi
Colson, Cyrus B.
Connor, James E.
Dagnioli, Battista
DeYoung, George
Emerson, Charles
Gagne, Alphonse J.
Gagnon, Alonzo
Gilmore, G. Harold
Goodwin, Louis M.
Goodwin, Walter F.
Gordon, Perley A.
Gould, Clifton E.
Greer, Benjamin F. Jr.
Greer, Raymond C.
Hall, Edward J.  [see photo]
Hambleton, Herbert L.
Hamel, Leo
Hardy, Verney R.
Hebert, Armand
Hebert, Ernest
Hebert, Laurence Jr.
Holland, James A.
Holland, James S.
Holden, Lewis E.
Jenks, Calvin L.
Johnson, Maurice H.
Johonnett, Clarence E.
Jones, Dean S.
Jones, Wardner A.
Julius, Thomas C.
Kendrick, Charles S.
Kidder, Robert S.
King, Arthur
Kokulis, Nicholas A.
Langevin, George W.
Leclair, Peter
Levesque, Arthur A.
Luscombe, Nathan H.
Marden, JOhn D.
Merrill, Alfred A.
Milne, William
Moore, Levi A.
Moore, Newell W.
Morgan, Arthur H.
Morse, Harvey C.
Noreen, Elmer
Paige, Charles P
Parker, Harry S.
Parker, William F.
Pattee, Wardner R.
Pellens, Constant F.
Pellerin, Charles
Pellerin, Moise
Perley, George A.
Poudrette, Edward
Pratte, Alfred E.
Quimby, William D.
Richards, Leslie M.
Richards, Lewis S.
Richards, Mahlon
Richards, Paul C.
Rivet, Arthur
Rivet, Simon A.
Roberts, Horace
Roberts, Shirley
Rogers, Herbert W.
Roy, Rudolph
Royce, Miss Pearl (Nurse)
Sieberlich, James
Shirley, Thomas E.
Simpson, James C., Rev.
Simpson, Harry S.
Stanyan, Leland E.
Stark, Maurice A., Dr.
Swett, Donald B.
Swett, Eddy B., Dr.
Trainor, William V.
Webster, William B.
Welch, Fred
Weld, Lincoln H.
Woodbury, Clayton W.
*Wyman, Fred Wesley

[*On Sept 26, 1918, perished in Bristol Channel when U.S.S. Tampa was torpedoed by German submarine]

Honorable mention is made of Miss Helen P. Roberts, who recently sailed for France to engage in canteen work; also Mrs. Ethel G. Stark, engaged in Red Cross work.”

[Editor’s Note: brief biographies of all of those shown on the list above was compiled and printed in the book, History of the Town of Goffstown, 1733-1920 by George Plummer Hadley, published by the town; Chapter L, page 558. Trouble With Mexico and the World War, paged 566-571; follow the link to see those. ]

NAMES NOT ON THE
GOFFSTOWN WWI LIST
(but should be)

Burnham, William Bradford was born 22 Dec 1891 in Dunbarton NH, son of Abraham Lincoln & Billie (Bishop) Burnham. He married Mabel L. Story and lived in Goffstown NH. He is buried in Westlawn Cemetery, Goffstown NH. In 1942 he was living at 48 Elm Street Goffstown NH.  During WWI he served as a Corporal, 66th Aero Sqdn SC, on ship H R Mallory departing Newport News VA on 19 Jan 1918 to Europe. On 23 Nov 1918 on ship Orca departing Liverpool England returning to the United States, rank M.E. of 478th Aero Construction Squadron. Father: Abraham L. Burnham.

Lapage, Joseph Peter – Sergeant, Battery D, 76th FIeld Artillery, Service #1550825, mother Emma Lapage in Goffstown NH. Departing Brest France, arriving Brooklyn NY on 23 Aug 1919. [Corporal when left for France on ship Huron]. During WWI, Joseph P. Lapage stated his hometown as Goffstown, and next of kin,  mother, Emma LaPage. In 1910 he was living in Dunbarton NH with his parents, Peter & Emma L. LaPage.

Weld, Clarence M., – Corporal, Motor Transport Company #830 M.T.C., Service #360885. On shp Walter A. Luckenbach departed St. Nazaire, France to Hoboken NJ arriving 11 July 1919. During WWI he listed his home town as Goffstown NH, and his next of kin, his mother, Mary Weld. In 1920 Mary Weld was one of the “officers” at the Hillsborough County Farm in the Grasmere section of Goffstown NH.

Wetherbee, Ernest L. – Private, HQ Det 1st Repl Depot (Brest Casual Company) on ship Plattsburg, departing Brest France for Hoboken NJ, arriving 20 July 1919. Service #1693874. Father: John H. Wetherbee. [On 6 July 1918 departed NY NY on ship Cedric, Private Co D, 301st Infantry.] In the 1916 U.S. Census, E. Linwood Wetherbee was listed in the Goffstown Directory, a clerk at Old Colony Trust Co. B, boarding at J.H. Wetherbee [John H. Wetherbee undertaker Prospect n E Union h do].

✫★✫★✫★✫★✪🌟✪✫★✫★✫★✫★
Heroes of GOFFSTOWN NH
Died In Service During WWI
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Tampa Times newspaper photograph
of the Coast Guard Cutter “Tampa,” 3 October 1918

Fred Wesley Wyman. The Gold Star Mothers of Massachusetts book gives the following accounting of Fred Wesley Wyman: “Wyman, Fred Wesley, Water tender, Coast Guard; lost 26 Sep 1918 in Bristol Channel, in sinking of the Coast Guard Cutter,”Tampa.” Enlisted 9 May 1917, Coast Guard Cutter “Gresham;” 23 Sep to “Tampa:’ dis. 8 May 1918; re-enl. 9 May on “Tampa.” Born 13 Nov 1894 at Goffstown NH son of Fred Eugene and Nora (Carraway, died 1905) Wyman; brother of Mildred B. (wife of Adin A. Carlton of Marlborough) and Otis E. (of Concord NH.) Machinist. Resident in Massachusetts one year. Post, A.L. Goffstown N.H. named in his honor.” Indeed Wesley Wyman Post #16 Goffstown NH was named in his honor and exists to this day.  In 2012 his great-nephew received his long overdue purple heart.  In January of 2018 a new tribute was commemorated to those lost on the Coast Guard Cutter, “Tampa” at the Tampa Bay (FL) History Center.

[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].