The Vidette-Messenger Centennial EditionThe 1936 special edition celebrating Porter County's centennial year . . . .
The following article has been transcribed from the August 18, 1936, issue of The Vidette-Messenger, published in Valparaiso, Indiana. This particular special edition focuses on Porter County's centennial celebration and contains a 94-page compendium of Porter County history up to that time.
Return to the index of articles from The Vidette-Messenger's Porter County Centennial special edition.
Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso,
Porter County, Indiana; August 18, 1936; Volume 10, Section 3, Page 12.
Ladies' Auxiliary of Charles Pratt Post, American Legion Has Had Active 16
Years
On May 11,
1920, Mrs. Mattie Conley Harris, wife of Captain W. E. Harris, now living in
California, called a group of gold star mothers and wives and relatives of World
war veterans to attend a meeting to be held at the home of the late Mrs. C. W.
Benton for the purpose of organizing an auxiliary of Charles Pratt Post, No. 94,
American Legion.
Mrs. Louise Shauer was named president of the newly formed organization. Other
officers named were: Mrs. W. F. Ellis, vice-president; Mrs. W. E. Harris,
secretary, and Mrs. H. O. Seipel, treasurer.
The history of the local auxiliary stamps it as a comparative "youngster" among
the organized groups of the city, yet it has already attained a lasty age of 16
years and has gone about its business in an able manner.
The first meeting of the auxiliary was held May 27, 1920, over Spooner's garage.
There were 102 charter members. Mrs. Frank Cowdrey and Mrs. Alice Wareham were
sent as delegates to the first state convention held at Indianapolis.
In 1921 the auxiliary met in the library and made caps for the boys of the
Legion post to wear at the national convention at Kansas City, Mo.
In 1921 at an Armistice day celebration held, the auxiliary presented the post
with two American elms. These trees were planted by the Legion on the north side
of the court house as "a living symbol to the unknown dead, our own boys from
Porter county, our Faith, Love and Loyalty."
The duties of the Auxiliary have been many and varied. Besides local work, the
auxiliary had aided the children at the Knightstown soldier's home, and
remembered the boys at the Veteran hospitals.
The Legion Auxiliary, since its organization has tried to serve the community to
the best of its ability, and the members have pledged to "so let out light
shine" that others may see and be benefitted.
The following ladies have served the auxiliary as presidents: Mrs. Louise Shauer,
1920, 1921 and 1923; Mrs. Alice Wareham, 1923; Mrs. Mabel Albe, 1921; Mrs.
Louise Shauer, 1925; Mrs. Jessie Wide, 1926 and 1927; Mrs. Harvey Warner, 1928;
Mrs. Ben Scott, 1929 and 1930; Mrs. Bernhardt Schumacher, 1931; Mrs. Frank
Cowdrey, 1932; Mrs. Roy Berky, 1933; Mrs. Carl Jante, 1934 and 1935; Mrs. Clara
Barneko, 1936; Mrs. Robert Wheeler, 1937 (present president).
Article transcribed by Steven R. Shook