Lee County, Illinois - Chapter 36, 1920

Fourteen Nelson township l^oys served in the woild w-av and all returned safely. Two were wounded and one suffered a severe attack of piiiunKiiiia, hut they survived the ordeal. While these heroes were taking their places in the fiKh< against autocracy, home folks were carrying on their part of the war activities l>y suhsci-iliinf;; to loans, relief funds and otherwise performing patriotic deeds.

Nelson township, like others in Lee county, was organized by the Lee county Council of Defense, the organization extending into the several school districts. The finance committee of the township was composed of W. W. Hai'den, chairman; Thomas Drew, C. C. Buckak.o, W. .1. Hartshorn and Alcrritt ScImhiI. Local (-oiiimitlccs in the school districts were as follows:

\^Tien our country's call came for the Second Lilierty loan, every effort was jiut forth by our committee to secure the quota in a limitetl time, and in response our township went over the top with a loan of $15,400.

A township meeting was held at Nelson in the school Ijuilding for the benefit of the Third Liberty loan. The speakers, Edward Vaile, County chairman, Albert Borst and Rev. E. C. Lumsden, delivered their addresses to a very large audience, and the quota was soon subscribed and over the top for the third loan of $21,200.

When the Fourth Liberty loan call came another meeting was held at Nelson and one at Zion Church, with John Byers, John Erwin, Harry Warner, A. P. Armington and Albert Borst, speakers at Nelson, and Clyde Smith and Albert Borst at Zion church. Both meetings were largely attended, the speakers, emphasizing the great need of our government in this loan. The township was not long in subscribing, going over the top with a quota of $35,900. The ladies of Zion served a lunch in the basement of the church aftei- the meeting in the Zion chinch.

Late in the month of August 1917, the Nelson Social Circle voted to woik for the Red Cross. Work was supphed by the Dixon chapter, and not having a work room, the meetings were held at the homes of members, every two weeks.

Much work was accomplished at the meetings, by this small society and some of the members being unable to attend the meetings, turned in a great many knitted articles.

Early in the summer of 1918, the society was given instructions in the gauze work and several bolts of this material were cut and folded. No account was kept of any of these articles as they were all turned over to the Dixon chapter. The ladies of Zion,

Nelson towiishi]) hati a Red Cross memhersliij) of 324 not including 17 junior memhers, from South Dixon, and 13 junior memliers from Harmon school districts.

Uisti-ict No. 9, donated to the Red Cross work, besides 83 members, payini;- SI; three memliers leaving $2, $15 in donations. In the (lri\-es that followed close behind the Liberty loans, Nelson township contributed the following amounts to the different societies.

Victory loan quota $22,660, secured 27.6()0.()0 Much credit is due the eonnnittees for the good work done in the township and school, as in each Red Ci'oss drive the school districts weic all 100 per cent.