Lee County, Illinois - Chapter 40, 1920

Edwin Oscar Koch - son of .Iac<il. and Elizabeth Koch, was born | ^|^^ at Grandfork, Madison County, Illinois, Sei.t, 2, bsOb He enliste.j U^^ then to Camp Devens, ]\Iass,, where he was taken ill with pneiunonia. He died Sept. 27, lOlS and his body was brought back to Sublette by his wife, \\here interment was made in Preston cemetei'>-.

The first meeting was for the Second Lilierty loan, biang held at Armory hall, with about 175 people in attendance. The meeting was coiiilucte(l by Charles E. Bettendorf. The principal s|)eakers were .bidge ,lohn Crabtree, Harry Warner and Harry K.lwards. Entertainment was furnished by Biest.'r's orchestra and songs by Mrs. .\ngeai-. Mrs. F. C. Reis, Mrs. Frank Letl and ;\Iiss Romania Lauer.

The second meeting was held at Armory hall in behalf of the second Ited ( 'iciss drive, conducted by William H, Brucker, with the Amboy Comnumity chorus entertaining. AttendaiKM' was about 200 people. The princijml speakers were R. H. Scott, J. P. Devine, Grover Gehanf and A, H, Hanneken.

The third meeting was held at St. Mary's school, Sublette, to lay plans for the Fotirth Libertj^ loan, with usual attendance. It was presided over In' V\'\i\. H. < ). Brucker, and entertained by the Ami:;oy Community Chorus. The principal speakei's w(.'re Henr>' S. Dixon and J. P, Devine.

The fourth meeting was hel.l by the Sublette Union church in interest of the United War W^ork fund, with a large attendance, Pu'v, P, Koeneke presiding. It was entertaineil by the choir. The principal speakers were \\'illiam Iv Leech, R, H. Scott, John Iv Erwin and Rev. Burrows.

On Alonday, June 17, 1918, a Red Cross branch was organized at Sublette, Illinois, with a membership of 72 members. Louis Pitcher and ]\Irs. McCleary of Dixon, being present to help organize the branch. William Brucker was elected chairman of this branch, Mrs. F. C. Reis, Secretarv, and A. A. Lauer, Treasurer. The St. Mary's School hall was used as a vvoiki( loin. Mrs. Leslie Al icll and Mrs. Mary Auchsterter were appointed as superintendents of the work room; Miss Catherine Kuehna, chairman of hospital garments; Mrs. Otto Kohler, chairman of surgical supplies; Mrs. .Ti)hii Stilz, chairman of kit bags; Mrs. G. M. Reis, chairman of the knitting (lc|);ntnicnt.

An auxiliary of the Red Cross was started in the southwest part of the township sometime before. This branch was started with Mrs. Lydia Fauble as president, and Miss Elsie Theiss, vice-president. This auxiliary did very good work, meeting once in two

Tlie ladies in tiiis vicinity assembled at the Armory on Sept. 19, 1917, for the purpose of organizing for war work. There were thirty in attendance with Mrs. D. C. Haskell as speaker, representing the Mendota, Illinois Needlewoi-k (luild. At this informal meeting it was decided to hold the next meeting at the Union cimrcli pailors, on Sept. 24, 1917, when the following officers were elected:

Meetings were held one afternoon every week in the Union Church parlors doing war work for the Mendota Needlework Guild, later transferring the work to Lee county. Mrs. George Lauer was apjjointed general chairman of Sublette township, with the following officers antl conmiittees;

Mrs. William Brucker, chairman of the unit; Mrs. Charles Hatch, Sr., chairman of registration; Miss Anna Theiss, secretary and treasurer; jNIrs. .loseph Long, chairman of information; Mrs. William Easter, Mrs. George Faulile, Mrs. Coi'iu^lius Dinges, ]\Iiss Catherine Kuehna and Mrs. Burright, committee.

In November, 1917, 264 registrants were entered. In December $10.94 was received from the sale of Red Cross Christmas seals. In January, 1918, a unit of the W. C. C. N. D. was organized under the direction of Mrs. Forsyth and Mrs. Armington of Dixon, Illinois, this unit becoming a branch of the W. C. C. N. D. of Dixon, Illinois.

The work done and turned in was: 197 hospital shirts, 114 pajamas; 80 bandages, 45 sweaters and 92 pairs of socks, with a large number of helmets, wristlets, quilts and other supplies we are unable to itemize. It might be interesting to know that one lady 75 years of age knitted forty-two pairs of socks.

In March, 1918 we collected canned fruit, vegetables, chickens, a hog and many other articles too numerous to mention, which were sent to Dixon, and donated to the Allied Bazaar.

A party was given, which with some subscriptions, netted $241.74. This money was used to supply the boys, called or volunteered for service, from this township, with comfort kits, sweaters and socks. The following will show the amount on hand when the armistice was signed which was sent to Dixon to be sent overseas: 12 comfort kits, 34 pair socks, 16 sweaters and $15 was sent for the sheet and pillow case funii.

On October 3, 1918 this registration weighed and measured 112 chiklren under six years of age, which was 100 percent for our townshiii. Mrs. Otto Koehler was appointed chief nurse for Sublette township.

We arranged for the adoption of five fatherless children in France, with the following organizations and inchviduals: Ladies' Friendly club, one; Ladies' Birthday club, one; Mrs. Catherine Malash, one; Mr. and Mrs. Peter Dinges, one; Mrs. Frank and Miss Catherine Kuehna, one.

In closing this letter, which is a brief rejioi't on the work done through this organization, it would tie unfair not to mention the fact that every member worked very hard with no aim whatever from a selfish viewpoint. Those who couldn't do their part by