100 Years Ago: New Hampshire Gold Star Mothers

Posted on 14 May, 2017 by Janice Brown

WWI era souvenir postcard with a tribute to mothers, and displaying the most commonly used style of service flag.

My Star
— by Caroline Ticknor
From Granite State Monthly vol 50-51, 1918-1919, p. 470
I have a star of gold on my breast,
A star of strife, a star of rest;
It marks a sword-thrust through my heart,
It tells of glory and of pain
Of bitter loss and wondrous gain,
Of youth that played the hero’s part.

 

O, star of gold upon my breast,
Tell of those stars that he loved best;
He bore the stripes, he suffered all
To keep our banner free from stain;
He hath not given all in vain
In answering his Nation’s call.

O, star of hope upon my breast,
Strength the faith I have professed;
He died that nations might be free;
Help me to live for truth and right,
And with my woman’s soul to fight
Nerved by his immortality.
Continue reading →

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New Hampshire WWI Military: Heroes of Candia

Posted on 12 May, 2017 by Janice Brown

Older postcard showing the Soldier’s Monument in Candia, New Hampshire’s Village Square.

The Candia New Hampshire World War I monument is actually one “side” of the Soldier’s Monument located in Village Square on High Street in that town. We know from the engraving that 34 men from Candia served, and that Lieut. Wm. Hervey Thomas was killed in Action.

IN HONOR OF 34 MEN OF
CANDIA WHO SERVED IN THE
WORLD WAR I
KILLED IN ACTION
LIEUT WM HERVEY THOMAS

This monument was originally placed to honor those who died during the American Civil War, the funds to build it furnished in 1892 by Frederick Smyth. The town funded $200 for its granite base.

I was contacted by email on 12 May 2017 by Diane Philbrick of the Heritage Commission that “a plaque on a mill stone (by the Fitts Museum) lists all of the names and the one fatality.  Clara Thomas, the wife of the deceased, had this monument made in his honor.”  I would love to have a photograph of the stone! Continue reading →

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New Hampshire WWI Military: Captain Nathaniel Robert Mason of North Conway

Posted on 8 May, 2017 by Janice Brown

Captain Nathaniel R. Mason in his WWI uniform. Photograph courtesy of his granddaughter, Ellen McGrath. Used here with her written permission.

I recently saw a wonderful comment left on this blog by the granddaughter of a New Hampshire WWI veteran. He had a fascinating life and she was rightfully proud of him.

For whatever reason, his name was omitted from the Conway NH area veteran plaques and monuments. Perhaps it was because he moved to Boston where he practiced medicine, though he was a native and often spend his summers in the Conway area.

Ellen McGrath has kindly allowed me to use her grandfather’s photographs in this story. This is a link to the site where there are more. Hopefully I will surprise both her and you with what I have discovered about this interesting and talented man. Continue reading →

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100 Years Ago: “Gold Star Women” Nurses of World War I

Posted on 4 May, 2017 by Janice Brown


Lithograph Poster. “Hold up your end!” War fund week poster; 1917, W.B. King, artist. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington D.C.

Nurses run in my family. My 2nd great-grandfather Aaron Webster was a nurse during America’s Civil War. My father’s sister, Anna (Webster) Watkins was a nurse, as was my sister, Kathi Webster. Close and dear first cousins also followed that selfless profession. None of them died in war time.

Many of the American nurses of World War I worked under the auspices of the American Red Cross, while still others were considered members of the U.S. army. They did not hold rank, nor did they receive any military benefits when the war ended.

They put themselves in the direct line of both danger from the bombs and poison gas, but also cared for highly contagious military patients. Their sacrifice cannot be stressed enough, and yet they received little or no recognition.  According to a newspaper article in a Lebanon PA edition of January 1919, over 200 WWI nurses died from influenza, that they contracted from caring for their soldier patients.  Continue reading →

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New Hampshire WWI Military: Heroes of Hooksett

Posted on 30 April, 2017 by Janice Brown

A current day view of Hooksett NH’s Veteran’s Park at Jacob Square. Photo property of Kathie Northrup, chairman, Hooksett Historical Commission. Used here with her permission.

Hooksett New Hampshire even today is a relatively small town. Its southern portion (the village of South Hooksett) is adjacent to the City of Manchester. In 1917 when the United States entered The Great War (WWI) Hooksett only had between 1500 and 1800 residents.

For a town with a small population, it sent more than its quota of men to serve in the military. Every family that remained at home did their part.

The 1919 Hooksett Town Report posted a list of residents who served. I have transcribed that list here. At least one of the men mentioned was killed in action. Continue reading →

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