The Romance of Norwalk

gassed, and a patient in a New Jersey hospital, both ot whom served overseas, were the first to come home, arriving on the day the Armistice w^s signed. From that time on, the boys came home at frequent intervals in big and little groups. After most of them had arrived, the townspeople staged a big celebration which included a parade and a great banquet down at Baxter Field, Woodward ave. Dur¬ ing the homecoming celebrations, when the boys marched past the City hall, the members of Court Laurel, Catholic Daughters of America, standing on the steps, showered them with flowers. FRENCH CANNON DEDICATED Honoring the Norwalk men who served in the World War, an historical French cannon was dedicated July 16, 1921, and the cannon may now be seen, gay in its camouflage paint, on the little green which fronts the Norwalk library. On that memorable dedication day, thousands gathered in the upper end of the town to witness the ceremonies. The noted guest of honor was M. Casenave, French High Com¬ missioner and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Government of France, who came to Norwalk to supervise the dedica¬ tion. In his talk M. Casenave said: “The Republic of France presents to the citizens of Norwalk this French gun in recognition of the service rendered by the men of Nor¬ walk in the World War, and in the hope that the spirit of friendship and affection between the sister republics may be further advanced by this event.” The gun, which was brought to Norwalk through the efforts of Lieutenant Herman B. Wilson, U. S. A. has a remarkable history. After the Franco-Prussian War, when the Prussians left France in September 1872, they took with them all the French arms. Quickly recovering, the engineers of France in 1873 commenced designing new guns. One of these was the 155 mm. howitzer, a type known as “Revanche,” presented to Norwalk. In August 1914, the 402 ROMANCE OF NORWALK gun was in service at Verdun and in October 1918 the 26th Division of the U. S. A. working in conjunction with the Fourth French Army in the defense of Verdun and in the attacks and victories in the vicinity, was aided by this howitzer. There were many Norwalkers in the 26th. Talks were given at the ceremony by General Russell Frost, Adjutant General George Cole of Connecticut and Corpora¬ tion Counsel Edward J. Quinlan, who received the gift for Norwalk. A second cannon, a German gun, was dedicated May 30, 1928, by Col. Ernest Coulter, of Wilton, a mem¬ ber of the Frank C. Godfrey Post, American Legion of Norwalk, on the Legion plot in the Riverside Cemetery. Norwalk men and women totaling 1,627 served during the World War in camps here and overseas. According to the list compiled under the direction of the Norwalk branch of the Red Cross, which list includes all those who filed their registration papers according to the order of President Woodrow Wilson, the following were killed or died in the service : ' KILLED OR DIED Fred E. Abbott, Fred W. Amundsen, Charles Bates, Ed¬ ward Bennett, Cortland V. Birdsall, Mortimer G. Blake, Charles H. Bloom, John C. Burwell, Thomas P. Caffrey, James G. Cantoni, Stephen Cifatte, James E. Coleman, William Crotty, Charles R. Davenport, Frank H. Ferris, Frank C. Godfrey, Peter Goldstein, Willis Goodrow, Rob¬ ert S. Hall, Walter Kenneth Hall, Arthur Hayes, Ansley H. ITolston, Frederick Hunt, George L. James, Albert C. Larsen, James P. Leonard, Clarence A. Louden, Samuel Luevine, Frederick Moore, Thomas Moscariello, Anthony J. Mulvoy, Clayton W. Nichols, Jeremiah F. O’Brien, Pat¬ rick Owens, Antonio Paradiso, Giovanni Ricco, Gilbert O. Schultz, Frederick Sheehan, Marcus Sheehan, Russell I. Smith, Walter J. Smith, Charles Sniffen, Aime Tarlov, David Jonathan Weed, William Zoeller. WORLD WAR 403 The following were in the Army and Navy Nurse corps: Hazel J. Ball, Mary Bissell Betts, Mary G. Callahan, Mae E. Cavanaugh, Mary J. Collins, Marion Crockett, Edith Downes, Ethel Louise Gray, Molly Hand, Anna Trant Hip- son, Alice MacKenzie, Anna Miller, Gladys Mills, Grace Roberts, Josephine Alice Rummler, Jeannette Van Coever- ing, and Margaret M. Weld. The following were in the Overseas Auxiliary Service : Enid Capwell Allen, Y. M. C. A.; Martha Frizzell Henderson, Y. M. C. A.; Mildred Archer Nash, Y. M. C. A.; Cornelia Odell, Y. M. C. A.; Mildred St. George, Y. M. C. A.; Helen Sanger, Chemical service; John Glover, Y. M. C. A.; Mathew Hawley, K. of C. ; John Scully, K. of C. Mention must also be made of M iss Fanniebelle Curtis, sister of Seymour Curtis, secretary and treasurer of the Fairfield County Savings Bank this city, who was granted leave by the New York Board of Education to organize kindergartens in the devastated re¬ gions of France and Belgium. Nor must Norman King H azzard and Dr. George Cram be forgotten. Mr. Hazzard and Dr. Cram, assistant surgeon, N. N. V. were specially cited for bravery during the rescue of the crew of the Amer¬ ican munitions ship “Florence H,” which caught fire and broke in two pieces in French waters, April 17, 1918. Two Norwalk boys were signally honored during the World War, both of them receiving both the Distinguished Service Cross and the Croix De Guerre. The two heroes were Albert Herman and Oscar Johnson. DISTINGUISHED SERVICE Albert Herman was a sergeant, member of Company D, 102nd Infantry, 26th Division. He received the Dis¬ tinguished Service Cross for a brave act performed at Seicheprey, April 21, 1918, when he led his platoon, of which only 12 members remained, and recaptured the pla¬ toon headquarters after they had been taken by the Ger¬ mans. Herman received the Croix De Guerre for an act 404 ROMANCE OF NORWALK performed at Epides July 1 8, 1918 when, single handed, he captured a German machine gun. Mr. Herman who now resides in East Norwalk, Alden ave., is a member of the Norwalk police force. Oscar Johnson, private, Co. B. 60th Infantry, Fifth Divi¬ sion, received both the Distinguished Service Cross and the Croix De Guerre for an act of bravery, October 14, 1918. At that time Johnson volunteered and went forward to rescue his platoon commander, Lieut. Clarkson who had been wrounded and was lying in a dangerous position in the field. Under heavy machine gun fire and bursting shells Johnson rescued his officer and brought him hack to safety. As an outgrowth of the World War, there are now three veterans’ organizations in Norwalk: the Frank C. God¬ frey Post, American Legion; the Mulvoy Tarlov post, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the YD (Yankee Division) club. The YD was organized in Norwalk in 1928 by mem¬ bers who served in that famous Company D, 102nd In¬ fantry, 26th Division, often referred to as “The New Haven Blues.” Albert Herman was a member. Arthur H. Kell¬ ner, now tree surgeon, was the first commander of the club, the office now being held by Henry Woods. The Mulvoy Tarlov Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars, organized in 1921, was named in honor of Anthony Mulvoy and Aime Tarlov, of the 1 13th Infantry, who were killed in France, September 13, 1918. The two boys had just returned to their billet at Monterey Chateau, some 15 kilometers from Belfort and about 12 miles behind the firing line, after 13 days and 13 nights in the trenches. Long range guns trained on the billet brought instant death to both the Norwalk boys. The Mul¬ voy Tarlov Auxiliary was organized Feb. 20, 1922 by Mrs. Margy Flynn, who was also the first president. Miss Alice Creigh is president now. The Frank C. Godfrey Post, American Legion, which was organized June 3, 1919 by Captain John Keogh ( Judge John Keogh) with the assistance of Mayor Alfred N. Phil- lips, of Stamford, then state commander of the Legion, WORLD WAR 405 was named after Lieutenant Frank C. Godfrey, the only commissioned Norwalk officer killed in action. Godfrey, a member of Co. D, 128th Infantry, fell, mortally wounded, August 30, 1918, while leading his platoon on a German machine gun nest, near Soissons. Mr. Godfrey was an out¬ standing citizen in Norwalk and was a well known basket¬ ball player here. Walter C. Cowing is the present com¬ mander of the local legion post. The auxiliary was formed January 17, 1921 by Miss Amelia Wenderoth then head of the local Red Cross chapter. Mrs. Ruth Anderson is the 1929 president. NORWALK BAR Early in February, 1919, the Norwalk Bar Association was organized or rather reorganized, and the local lawyers formally banded together in an organization similar to those in force in other cities in the state. The story of Norwalk’s lawyers commenced with Roger Ludlow, founder of Nor¬ walk and first lawyer to come to the colonies, whose history has already been given. Thomas Belden Butler, one of the earliest Norwalk practicing lawyers of whom we have record, was born August 22, 1806 in Wethersfield. He started out as a physician hut due to the fact that he caught every contagious disease he treated, he gave up the pro¬ fession and studied law with Judge Bissell of Norwalk. He was admitted to the Fairfield County Bar in 1837, entered partnership with Thaddeus Betts of Norwalk, and when the latter died, took over his extensive practice. Later he formed a partnership with Orris S. Ferry. Sometime after¬ wards, Josiah Carter became his partner, and they remained together until Butler was named a judge of the Superior Court in 1855. Butler was named judge of the Supreme Court of Errors in 1861 and appointed chief justice of the state, 1870. He had experience as a legislator serving five times as a member of the state house of representatives ROMANCE OF NORWALK 406 from Norwalk and three times as state senator, and once, in 1849, in the U. S. Congress.