(How it came to be)
Book
originally property of the Epsom Public Library, a gift of the Elwood O. Wells
Post No. 112, American Legion. Compiled by Post Historian Gilbert H. Knowles.
THE
EPSOM HONOR ROLL
(on grounds of the Public Library, Epsom, N..H.)
History
of the Permanent Honor Roll, including complete record of the Dedication Ceremony
held on Memorial Day 1963.
Photo:
The old Epsom Public Library with the Honor Roll to the left.
Thus
the Elwood O. Wells Post assumed responsibility for the Honor Roll. The organization
took over the project on a long-range basis knowing that a lot of work would be
involved and that in some way a lot more money would have to be made available.
The Post voted that the monument, when erected, would carry eligible names pertaining
to World War I, World War II and the Korean Conflict. The local American Legion
had a great many uses for its meager income. Various fund raising projects were
tried out. A few were successful but others barely paid expenses. Nevertheless,
small sums from time to time were added to the “Honor Roll Fund” which
was kept in a special savings account.
Time rolled along. In the Elwood O.
Wells Post the personnel of officers changed and interest in the long-range project
bogged down somewhat. Some of the members, however, were bound to keep the idea
alive and so the Honor Roll continued to be mentioned from time to time in the
course of regular Post meetings. Finally it was determined to tackle the problem
anew and make a big effort to carry through. The year was 1960. Donald R. Perry,
then Post commander, appointed a special Honor Roll committee, including Gilbert
H. Knowles, Charles R. Miner and Robert F. Demers. The Commander designated Knowles
as chairman.
Photo:
Close-up of the Epsom Honor Roll.
In
the course of the 1960 Memorial Day address, which was delivered by Gilbert Knowles,
the Honor Roll project was brought to the attention of the people of the Town.
Subsequently the Committee went to work in earnest on the lists of names eligible
for the Honor Roll. This proved to be a long and somewhat pains-taking job, involving
a considerable amount of correspondence. One letter followed the addressee around
through several foreign countries before the answer came back. In the last analysis
the records of the Adjutant General’s office proved the most helpful and
reliable source of information. James Walter Mitchell, who followed Perry as Post
commander, retained the same committee members, including also Past Commander
Perry.
The lists of names eligible for the Honor Roll were completed in 1962
and the remaining need was more money. After the success of its 1961 Minstrel
show the Post had built up the “Honor Roll Fund” to a little more than
two hundred dollars. It was felt that the Honor Roll monument was a matter of
interest to the whole Town and that the necessary funds could be raised by soliciting.
However, after some discussion in one of the Post meetings it was voted to ask
directly for an appropriation. This would perhaps be the simpler and quicker way.
The chairman of the Honor Roll Committee explained the project at the open meeting
of the Epsom Budget Committee and later, in their closed session, said Budget
Committee approved an appropriation for the monument. The Selectmen, who had shown
every willingness to cooperate all along, inserted the following article in the
Town Warrant:
“Article 15. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate
the sum of $500.00 ( to be used with a fund now in the hands of the Elwood O.
Wells Post A L) for a permanent Honor Roll to be erected on the grounds of the
Epsom Public Library.”
The money was duly appropriated by the voters at
the Town Meeting, March 12th, 1963, and the Honor Roll Committee pushed ahead
with the hope of having the monument ready for the dedication on Memorial Day.
The Committee contacted a number of monument companies requesting bids. The highest
figure was $1372.00. All but one company requested a larger sum for the monument
than was available. Mr. L. Sherman Elliott of Nottingham, a salesman for the Union
Marble & Granite Works, was most helpful to the Committee. He brought the
whole problem to the attention of Mr. Robert L. Lowe, the manager-owner of the
monument company at Union, and both Mr. Lowe and Mr. Elliott met with the Committee
in Epsom. Mr. Lowe gladly gave the benefit of his long experience with honor rolls
and war memorials which made it comparatively easy to determine the type of monument
that would be best for Epsom. An admirable plan was worked out whereby Epsom would
have an Honor Roll monument erected on scheduled time for the sum of money that
was available.
The four members of the Committee, together with Mr. Neil G.
Reid (representing the Selectmen) journeyed to the show rooms of the Union Marble
and Granite Works in Rochester for another meeting with Mr. Lowe and Mr. Elliott.
Samples of finished monuments and lettering were examined and final details pertaining
to the Epsom Honor Roll were worked out. The Committee would be responsible for
putting in the cement foundation on the Library grounds. Mr. Lowe would give the
Barre granite; the cutting, finishing and lettering would be done at the plant
in Union and the monument would be erected prior to May 30th.
One Sunday afternoon
on the grounds of the Epsom Public Library, members of the Committee, the Post
Commander, the president of the Woman’s Club, the Library Trustees and the
Librarian met together and marked the exact location for the Honor Roll. Some
ten days later the cement foundation was put in by the four members of the Committee,
assisted by Commander John Johnson, Senior Vice Commander Albert J. Yeaton, Louis
A. Demers, and Albert J. Yeaton Jr. (all Post members). A trench five feet deep
was dug and then filled with stones and cement to make a permanent solid base
that would not be moved by frost. Then to make a final check on the lettering
just before the names were sandblasted into the stone, Louis A. Demers, acting
for the Committee, made a trip to the plant at Union, NH. Demers noted several
errors which were promptly corrected and the workmen then went ahead with the
sandblasting. The monument was delivered and erected May 25th. It was immediately
veiled with white sheeting.
Photo:
1963 Memorial Day Parade approaching the Public Library.
DEDICATION
OF THE PERMANENT HONOR ROLL May 30, 1963
(On the grounds of the Epsom Public
Library)
Rev. Franklin Parker of Chichester delivered the 1963 Memorial Day
address at the Epsom Baptist Church in the afternoon of Thursday, May 30th. Others
taking part included Rev. Robert J. Meakim, local pastor; Mr. Philip N. Yeaton,
soloist; Mrs. Grace McKay, organist; and the Epsom Band directed by Mr. Charles
Downs.
The roadsides were lined with people as the colorful parade moved up
from the Church to the Library. The weather was fair and the temperature was comfortably
warm. The dedication of the Honor Roll was under the direction of Gilbert H. Knowles
who was the speaker. The ceremony opened with a selection by the band. After the
music stopped, the speaker, standing near the veiled monument, began as follows:
“Just
three years ago in my address at the Epsom Baptist Church I made the remark that
some Memorial Day we would have the dedication of a permanent Honor Roll. That
day has now arrived!”
“This project, started actually by the Woman’s
Club, and given a substantial boost at the last Town Meeting, has been brought
to completion by the Elwood O. Wells Post. Although we of the Committee have experienced
many ups and downs, we have forged persistently on and the permanent Honor Roll
is now a reality. During these last months the original plan to make use of both
stone and bronze has been discarded in favor of a monument made entirely of granite.
Time, we believe, will prove the wisdom of this change.”
“On behalf
of the full Committee I desire to express thanks to all who have helped in any
way with this project: - the Epsom Woman’s Club; the Elwood O. Wells Post;
the Board of Selectmen; Library Trustees; tax payers of the town; - Mr. Robert
Lowe of Union; Mr. Sherman Elliott of Nottingham; and others. We are especially
grateful for the help and cooperation received from the office of the Adjutant
General in Concord, without which our committee, I fear, would still be groping
in the wilderness. Recalling, however, that Epsom’s own General Michael McClary
served for twenty-one consecutive years as Adjutant General of New Hampshire,
I conclude that no other town has better credentials to call upon that department.”
“We
have a number of special guests here this afternoon; I will only attempt to name
a few of them. We have Mr. Walter Wells and son from Center Barnstead; Mr. and
Mrs. Francis Hackett and Mrs. Charlotte Day from Rochester; Mr. Ferinand Zinn,
a World War I veteran who has come all the way from Patterson, N.J. for the occasion;
Mr. Sherman Elliott of Nottingham; Mrs. Robert Whitaker and Dr. Everett Lombard
of Concord; and others that I could mention if there were time to do so. We are
especially fortunate to have with us this afternoon Miss Kathleen Wells, a student
at the University of New Hampshire and the daughter of Captain Elwood Osgood Wells
for whom the local American Legion Post is named; and at this time Mrs. Evelyn
Johnson, representing the Woman’s Club, will cut the ribbons and Miss Kathleen
Wells will unveil the Honor Roll.”
Photo:
The monument before unveiling.
(Using
a pair of scissors Mrs. Johnson quickly slit the several strands of ribbon and
Miss Wells stepped forward and removed the coverings, revealing the beautiful
monument.)
“And now the flags!” the speaker continued, “Miss
Sharon Cofran and Mr. Ray Kelley, representing the Girl Scouts and the Boy Scouts,
will place the flags. – (Flags were carefully set in place, one at either
side and just in front of the monument.)
“And Miss Susan Johnson, daughter
of Commander and Mrs. Johnson, representing the Elwood O. Wells Post and Auxiliary,
and all the people of Epsom, - will place the decoration; the wreath.” (The
wreath was set in place in a wire frame that had been prepared to receive it,
just between the flags.)
As Miss Johnson stepped back the speaker raised his
right arm and with fore-finger pointed to the sky, pronounced the dedication in
the following words, -
“We now dedicate this monument to the memory of
those who fell in the service of our country. We dedicate it in the name of those
who offered their lives that Justice, Freedom and Democracy might survive to be
the victorious ideals of the peoples of the world.”
After a short pause
the speaker asked, “Do the Selectmen accept this monument for the Town of
Epsom?”
Mr. John B. Yeaton, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, responded,
formally accepting the Honor Roll for the Town.
“And being the Town’s
monument” the speaker said, “it becomes the duty of all of us to guard
and protect it.” (pause) – “We will ask Mr. Parker to lead us in
prayer.”
Rev. Franklin Parker stepped up to the Honor Roll and gave the
prayer in words appropriate and well chosen for the occasion. When he had finished
Commander John Johnson of the Elwood O. Wells Post gave the order to the commander
of the Firing Squad to fire salutes. When the noise of the rifles had ceased,
taps were sounded by members of the band. The dedication was over and the parade
re-formed and started on for another ceremony at Hopkinson Cemetery. Many people,
however, lingered around the Library to examine more closely the beautiful stone
and read the names.
The
Honor Roll monument is made of Barre granite, done in what is known as satin finish.
The main stone, which carries 98 names, is five feet long and is mounted on a
somewhat longer base of the same material. The Union Marble & Granite Works
received $700.00 for their part. The balance of the fund was used to buy the cement
for the foundation.
PERSONNEL OF BOARDS, ORGANIZATIONS, etc.
WHEN HONOR
ROLL WAS ERECTED
Board of Selectmen
John B. Yeaton, Chairman
Elmore
A. Bickford
Neil G. Reid
Library Trustees
William B. Moore
Phylis
M. LaClair
Frances B. Allen
Librarian
Marjorie A. Yeaton
President
of the Woman’s Club
Evelyn P. Johnson
ELWOOD
O. WELLS POST No. 112, AMERICAN LEGION
Officers of the Post
John Johnson,
Commander
Albert J. Yeaton Sr., Vice Commander
Rene G. Bonefant, Junior
Vice Commander
Robert F. Demers, Adjutant
Robert F. Demers, Finance Officer
J. Walter Mitchell, Chaplain
Gilbert H. Knowles, Historian
Charles R.
Miner, Service Officer
Robert Backus, Sergeant-at-arms
President of the
Auxiliary
Jacqueline L. Palmer
—————————————————
Honor
Roll Committee 1960-1963
Gilbert H. Knowles, Chairman
Charles R. Miner
Robert F. Demers
Donald R. Perry
Color Bearers (May 30, 1963
Robert
F. Demers & Charles W. Cushman
Color Guards
J. Walter Mitchell &
E.S. Mitchell
The Firing Squad
Commander; Charles R. Miner
Riflemen:
Donald R. Perry, Elmer Palmer, Theodore Bailey, Robert Miner, Albert Grandmont,
Photo: Taken immediately after the dedication. Standing, left is Miss Kathleen Wells of Rochester who unveiled the Honor Roll; center, Gilbert H. Knowles who pronounced the dedication; right, Mrs. Evelyn P. Johnson who cut the ribbons binding the coverings.