Officially known as the Soldiers Memorial Parkway and
the McKinley Memorial Parkway, the living tribute was constructed in 1919 and
1920 on land donated by Colonel Webb C. Hayes. Soldiers Memorial Parkway begins
at Hayes Avenue and proceeds south to Buckland Avenue. McKinley Memorial
Parkway extends from McKinley Circle at the intersection of the two parkways,
east to the Cleveland gateway of Spiegel Grove. A plaque and large artillery
shell are placed at its entrance.
The one hundred-foot-wide strip of land, with parallel
north and south brick drives and sandstone curbs, is separated by a series of
fifty-foot-wide grass islands where buckeye trees honor the war dead.
Spearheaded by local veterans and veterans' organizations and funded by a grant
from the state of Ohio, a restoration project was carried out by the city of
Fremont, Ohio in 1999. Throughout the years, veterans have replaced weathered
or lost markers.
Various early lists were published. They
contained from 78 to 83 names of soldiers to be honored with plaques on
Memorial Parkway. The original list held 78, but not all of the names were
available from the government at the time the parkway was constructed. Some were added later. Today the parkway
trees bear 82 plaques.
Col. Webb C. Hayes replying to Captain
Kent H. Dillon, Memorial Tablet Committee Chairman
Dear Sir:
Referring to the
resolution adopted by your Committee April 2nd, 1919, it will give
me great pleasure to provide memorial trees, preferably buckeye trees, with
suitably inscribed tree tablets, for the proposed Soldiers’ Memorial Parkway of
Sandusky County, under the terms prescribed, and with the approval and
assistance of the County Commissioners, the Trustees of the Memorial Hospital
Association and the Chamber of Commerce of Fremont, for dedication on Memorial
Day, May 30, 1919, and later also to provide a Bronze Memorial Tablet when the
necessary data is available.
Very
respectfully,
Webb
C. Hayes
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Memorial Parkway History:
Upon the signing of the Armistice ending World
War I in 1918, Colonel Webb C. Hayes sent a cablegram to John M. Sherman in
Fremont:
Will erect bronze
memorial tablet containing names of killed, wounded or died, born, living or
who lived in Sandusky County, in World War, for dedication next Memorial Day if
accurate list furnished in time.
[Signed] Webb C. Hayes
A Memorial Tablet Committee was quickly formed, with Captain Kent H.
Dillon as chairman. Knowing it would be unable to obtain a complete list of
soldiers' names by May 30, 1919, but wishing to honor Sandusky County's heroic
dead with an appropriate memorial, the committee adopted a resolution on April 2, 1919. The committee asked Colonel Hayes to
consider an alternate plan - that of establishing a County Soldiers' Memorial
Parkway where a tree would be planted for each soldier, with an inscribed
plaque honoring that individual. The committee also suggested that McKinley
Parkway between Buckland Avenue and Hayes Avenue would be an excellent location
for the memorial parkway. Further, the committee asked the Sandusky County
Commissioners to adopt the parkway as a county park and agree to maintain and
care for it.
Resolution
of the Memorial Tablet Committee
WHEREAS, the Memorial
Tablet Committee has been informed by the Adjutant General of the United States
Army and the Adjutant General of Ohio that it will be impossible to furnish an
official list of casualties of Sandusky County soldiers, sailors and marines by
Memorial Day, May 30, 1919, and perhaps for many months thereafter, so that the
bronze memorial tablet generously offered by Colonel Webb C. Hayes may be ready
for dedication by May 30, 1919;
AND WHEREAS, the
Memorial Tablet Committee is desirous of having some form of memorial for
dedication with suitable exercises on May 30, 1919 for her soldiers, sailors
and marines, who shall have died during the World’s War of 1917, so that
Sandusky County may not be laggard in paying a tribute of respect to her heroic
dead;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, by said Memorial Tablet Committee THAT; Colonel Webb C. Hayes be
requested to consider the plan of establishing a County Soldiers’ Memorial Park
or Parkway in which shall be planted a memorial tree, preferably a buckeye
tree, with a suitably inscribed tree tablet, containing the name, organization
and place and date of death of each soldier, sailor and marine from Sandusky
County, who shall have given up his life for his country during the World’s War
of 1917; and further beg to suggest that the McKinley Parkway, extending from
Buckland Avenue to Hayes between the grounds of the Memorial Hospital of
Sandusky County and the Spiegel Grove State Park, is in every way suitable for
such a Soldiers' Memorial Parkway; PROVIDED THAT the Board of County
Commissioners of Sandusky County accept and adopt as a County Park, the
proposed Soldiers’ Memorial Parkway of Sandusky County in honor of her heroic
dead of the World’s War of 1917, and agree to improve and perpetually care for
said Soldiers’ Memorial Parkway; AND FURTHER PROVIDED THAT this suggested plan
of procedure meets with the approval of Colonel Hayes, the President of the
Memorial Hospital Association of Sandusky County and the Chamber of Commerce of
Fremont, Ohio; it being understood that the above suggested memorial is to be
in addition to the bronze memorial tablet so generously heretofore offered by
Colonel Hayes.
[Excerpted from the 1919
Yearbook of the Sandusky County Pioneer and Historical Association]
Hayes responded to Kent
Dillon:
Dear Sir:
Referring to the resolution adopted by your Committee April 2nd, 1919, it will
give me great pleasure to provide memorial trees, preferably buckeye trees,
with suitably inscribed tree tablets, for the proposed Soldiers' Memorial
Parkway of Sandusky County, under the terms prescribed, and with the approval
and assistance of the County Commissioners, the Trustees of the Memorial
Hospital Association and the Chamber of Commerce of Fremont, for dedication on
Memorial Day, May 30, 1919, and later also to provide a Bronze Memorial Tablet
when the necessary data is available.
Very respectfully,
[Signed] Webb C. Hayes
The Sandusky County
Commissioners agreed to see that the necessary grading of the parkway was done.
Although the work was delayed by a long siege of wet weather and only part of
the trees could be planted, the Memorial Day exercises were held at the
parkway. Members of the Colonel George Croghan Chapter, D.A.R., prepared
wreaths and flags in memory of the dead soldiers.
The parkway was
re-designated Soldier Memorial Parkway, and the intersecting street nearest
Buckland became McKinley Parkway. The two form a cross. Trees on Memorial
Parkway are dedicated to World War I soldiers, and those on McKinley Parkway represent
soldiers who died in wars before World War I. Before 1920, buckeye trees were
planted and marked with tablets honoring 78 Sandusky County soldiers. A few
more were added later.
In 1991, the Parkway was
named to the National Register of Historic Places.
[Colonel Webb C. Hayes’
messages were excerpted from the 1919 Yearbook of the Sandusky County Pioneer and
Historical Association]
The idea of a bronze
memorial tablet inscribed with the names of the war dead did not die. Colonel
Webb C. Hayes proceeded with the creation of the tablet. In a ceremony held
October 4, 1920, the Bronze Memorial Tablet affixed to the north wall of the
Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center was unveiled. The tablet honors
Sandusky County soldiers "who died in service during the World War,
Mexican Border, China, Philippine Insurrection, War with Spain."
Capt. Kent H. Dillon,
Fremont, chairman
Mrs. Lester J. Connors, Fremont, secretary
Capt. A. Otto Baumann, Fremont
M. H. Wrigley, Fremont
Ben. Dewey, Clyde
J. L. Hart, Gibsonburg
B. J. Burket, Lindsey
C. F. Soldan, Woodville
Soldiers’ Memorial
Parkway Committee
Sgt. A. E. Slessman, 1st
Ohio Cavalry, War with Spain, chairman
Capt. Stanley Wolfe, Fremont
Capt. Frank Buehler, Fremont
Capt. Kent H. Dillon, Fremont, secretary
Sgt. Carl Heid
Sgt. Carl H. Stroup, Fremont
Maj. Edward Welsh, Clyde
Capt. A. W. Wicks, Clyde
Capt. A. G. Eyestone, Gibsonburg
Sgt. Chester Kopp, Woodville
Sgt. Francis M. Dalton, Vickery
Sgt. Edgar A. Smith, Helena
Sgt. Paul Yeagle, Lindsey
Parkway Map
Courtesy of Hayes Presidential Library and Museums
Various early lists were published of soldiers to be honored with plaques on Memorial Parkway, containing from 78 to 83 names. The original list held 78, but not all of the names were available from the government at the time the Parkway was begun, so some were added later. Today the Parkway trees bear 82 plaques. The following alphabetical list includes names from all of the early lists. We are indebted to Michael Gilbert's honors history class of spring 2002, at Fremont Ross High School, for compiling part of the information in this list.
Names of Soldiers Memorialized on the Parkway
William E. Allen, 19 years old
Died November 8, 1918 of wounds, in France
Co. K, 166th Infantry, Rainbow Division
Phillip M. Anderson,
Was also in the Co. H, 6th Regiment in the Spanish American War
Killed in action on August 24, 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion, at the battle of Tien Tsin, China
Co. K, 14th Regiment, United States Army
Harold Balsizer, 24 years old
Enlisted in October, 1917 and sent to Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio
Killed in action on September 28, 1918 in the Argonne Forest, France
Co. B, 147th Regiment, United States Army
Wayne Bauman, 27 years old
Died February 7, 1919, of disease, Coblenz, Germany
Co. M, 126th Infantry, 32nd Division
Robert R. Benner, 25 years old
Enlisted on September 15, 1917
Killed in action on September 30, 1918 in the Argonne Forest, France
Co. K, 109th Infantry, United States Army
Irvan Bennett
Killed in action September 26, 1918 in France
Co. I, 47th Infantry
Arthur N. Berry
Died September 13, 1918 of disease, in LeMans, France
Co. G, 329th Infantry, 83rd Division
Harry Bolton, 21 years old
Killed in action September 27, 1918, Battle of Argonne Forest
Enlisted with Co. K, later transferred to:
Co. D, Machine Gun Battalion, 37th Division
Phillip Bowe
Killed October 28, 1917, accident at Camp Perry, Ohio
329th Infantry, 83rd Division
David Cherry, Jr.
Died at sea October 9, 1918 en route to France, of pneumonia
Co. B, 605th Engineer
Lorenz Chochard
Killed in action October 15, 1918 in France
166th Infantry, 42nd Division
Roman Chudzinski, 25 years old
Enlisted April 1, 1918
Died April 21 1918, at Camp Sherman, of pneumonia
Co. 15, 158th Depot Brigade
Henry H. Clayton, 25 years old
Died February 8, 1919 in France, of pneumonia
Co. C, 111th Machine Gun Battalion, 29th Division
Isaac Newton Courtney
Died on October 10, 1918 at Camp Jackson, South Carolina of Spanish influenza
Batt. D, 6th Regt. Field Art., United States Army
Frank W. Craig
Died October 5, 1898, in Clyde, Ohio
Co. I, 6th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
Dale Cunningham, 25 years old
Died September 22, 1918 of disease, Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Chicago
Co. D2, Hospital School of GLNTS
Scott Damschroder, 24 years old
Killed September 28, 1918, Argonne, France
Co. M, 147th Infantry, 37th Division
Emory Deitemyer, 23 years old
Enlisted and left for Camp Taylor on August 28, 1918
Died on December 26, 1918 at Camp Taylor in Kentucky of the flu and a mastoid abscess
Battery F, 70 FA, United States Army
Earl Dempsey, 20 years old
Killed in action November 6, 1918, Argonne, France
Co. K, 166th Infantry Rainbow Division
Carl H. Drenning, 18 years old
Enlisted in Fremont on Feb. 5, 1917 and sent to Texas
Died on April 5, 1919 at Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio of pneumonia
Co. B, 16th Infantry, United States Army
Karl H. Eisenhart
Died February 9, 1917 at Fort Bliss, Texas
Mexican Border War
Frank W. Emerson, 22 years old
Died March 27, 1899 in Cuba, of malaria
Co. K, 6th Regt.
Walter Endle, 23 years old
Enrolled at the first Officers Reserve training camp, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana
Died on December 8, 1917 in Bellevue, Ohio of complications from tonsilitis
Distinction of being the third enlisted man in the 83rd Division, United States Army
Charles Englehart, 20 years old
Killed October 9, 1918 in France
Co. E, 328th Infantry, 82nd Division
John Fader, 26 years old
Enlisted in June of 1917
Killed in action by a sniper on October 15, 1918 in the Argonne Forest
Private in the Rainbow Division, United States Army
James J. Feeney
Died on October 18, 1918 in Petersburg, Virginia.
155th Depot Brig., United States Army
Charles A. Fought, 28 years old
Left Fremont April 1, 1918 and arrived at Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio
Died on April 16, 1918 of pneumonia
United States Army
Orrin G. Franks, 26 years old
Enlisted on July 29, 1917
Died on March 27, 1918 in Texas of burns received from a plane fire
Signal C, 41st Aero Squadron
Berthart Gabel, 21 years old
Died on October 6, 1918 at Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio of pneumonia
50th Co., 158 Depot Brigade, United States Army
Clement J. Gabel, 26 years old
Died October 7, 1918 at Camp Taylor, Kentucky of broncho pneumonia
United States Army
Charles V. Garber, 29 years old
Arrived at Camp Custer, Michigan, in September of 1917
Died on April 30, 1919 at the hospital in Newport News of pneumonia
Co. A, 42nd Division, United States Army
Marshall S. Greene, 45 years old
Died August 20, 1900 at Manila, Philippine Islands, of dysentery
Co. E, U.S. Signal Corps
Bert J. Hale, 33 years old
Enlisted and arrived at Camp Lewis, Washington on May 1, 1918
Killed in action on September 29, 1918 in France
Co. B, 262nd Regt, 91st Division, United States Army
Edward H. Hartman, 29 years old
Enlisted September 21, 1917
Died on January 6, 1918 at Camp Sherman Hospital of pneumonia
Co.G, 329th Infantry, 83rd Division, United States Army
Clyde Hawk, 35 years old
Enlisted with Co. B, Ohio Engineers at Cleveland June of 1917
Died on August 27, 1917 at Fort Sheridan, near Chicago of accidental gun shot wound
Co. B, 1st Regt. Ohio National Guard
Charles R. Heffner, 21 years old
Enlisted with Co. D, First Illinois Volunteer Infantry
Died on September 13, 1898 in Montauk, New York en route from Cuba of malarial fever and rheumatism
United States Army
John P. Henry, 26 years old
Enlisted September of 1917 Camp Wadsworth, Spartanburg, South Carolina
Killed on October 21, 1918 in France
Co. K, 107th Infantry, 17th Division, United States Army
Samuel C. Jackman, 28 years old
Died on July 2, 1900 on the Philippine Islands (Manila) of tuberculosis
Served with the 6th Regt., Co. K, O.V.I and with Co. L, 47th Regt. United States Volunteer Infantry
Raymond R. Jones, 32 years old
Died November 21, 1918, of disease, Camp Sherman, Ohio
Co. B, Q.M.C.
Charles L. Keller
Died on April 2, 1917 at Fort Bliss, Texas, military hospital
Co. K, 6th Regt., Ohio Volunteer Infantry
Henry G. Knauer, 22 years old
Enlisted in the United States Navy in 1912
Died on September 8, 1918 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania of pneumonia
Serving aboard the U.S. Destroyer Maury, United States Navy
Melvin J. Knepper
Died October 3, 1918 of disease, Camp Sherman, Ohio
Pvt., Cooks and Bakers School, Camp Sherman
John P. Knudson,
Enlisted on September 20, 1917
Killed in action on November 29, 1918 in France
329th Infantry, 83rd Division, United States Army
Charles Ervin Koons
Died October 27, 1918 of disease, Camp Jackson, South Carolina
12th Regt., Hdqtrs Motor School F.A.R.D.
John E. Krauss, 24 years old
Enlisted and arrived at Fort Thomas, Kentucky on May 10, 1918
Died on November 15, 1918 in France of a gun shot wound
Company L, 54th Infantry , United States Army
John Lowe, 23 years old
Died November 12, 1918 in France, of influenza
309th Headquarters Co., 84th Division
Leroy V. Mackey
Killed in action on October 7, 1918 in France.
Co. C, Machine Gun Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Division,
United States Army
Anthony F. Maier, 23 years old
Died November 5, 1918
Co. L, 360th Infantry, 84th Division
Lynn H. Martin, 25 years old
Arrived at Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio, in May of 1918; transferred to Camp Merritt, New Jersey
Died on January 9, 1919 in Europe of pneumonia and meningitis
Co. C, 308th Field Signal Battalion, 83rd Division,
United States Army
George B. Meek, 26 years old
Killed in action May 11, 1898, Cardenas, Cuba
Seaman, USS Torpedo Boat Winslow
August B. Mischke
Died October 4, 1918 at Camp Meade, Maryland
Co. E, 63rd Infantry
Fred C. Mitchell, 24 years old
Enlisted and arrived at Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio April 27, 1918
Died on October 8, 1918 at Camp Sherman of Spanish influenza
United States Army
Alfred Myers
Killed in action October 2, 1918 in France
Co. D, 9th Infantry
Clifton Niebling, 18 years old
Co. D, 10th Infantry
Died April 18, 1918 at Rock Island, Illinois, of disease
Clarence L. Nieman, 26 years old
Enlisted in early 1918 and went to Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio
Killed in action on October 16, 1918, in France
Co. I, 331st Regiment Infantry, N.A.A.
Clifford L. O’Brien, 24 years old
Enlisted on June 21, 1916 and served a year on the Mexican border
Died on October 7, 1918 at a base hospital in France after being gassed at the Argonne Battle
Co. I, 147th Infantry, 37th Division, United States Army
Louis Pressler, 23 years old
Died October 17, 1918, at Camp Jefferson, of pneumonia
16th RCT Co.
William H. Pump, 28 years old
Killed in action on October 4, 1918 at Argonne Forest
Co. F, 26th Infantry, 1st Div.
Frank L. Reiber, 28 years old
Enlisted in October of 1917
Accidentally killed in January of 1919 at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland
United States Army
Glenn Richards, 20 years old
Enlisted in the summer of 1916 and sent to Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas
Died on April 4, 1917 at the base hospital of pneumonia
Co. K, 6th Regiment, Machine Gun Division, United States Army
Wesley Saam, 25 years old
Enlisted and arrived on April 27, 1918 at Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio
Wounded in France and sent to Mobile Hospital No.2, France, and died October 17, 1918
Co. E, 327th Infantry, 82nd Division, United States Army
Harry A. Schall, 19 years old
Died on November 8, 1918 in Tiffin, Ohio of pneumonia and Spanish influenza
Member of the Army Training Corps at Heidelberg University, Tiffin, Ohio
Perry R. Schneider, 26 years old
Enlisted on April 27, 1918 and sent to Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio
Died on December 12, 1918 in France while serving with the American Expeditionary Forces
Co. B, 307th Supply Train, 82nd Division, United States Army
Albert Charles Seiler
Killed in action July 19, 1918, in France
Machine Gun Co., 58th Infantry, 4th Div.
Charles Robert Shade
Died September 26, 1918 at Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Illinois, of Spanish influenza
James A. Smith
Enlisted in the Navy
Died June 24, 1918 at Buffalo, New York of pneumonia while on furlough
Served on the U.S.S. Mongolia, United States Navy
Edward J. Snyder
Died October 27, 1918 at sea, from influenza
12th Veterinary Base Hospital Corps
Floyd Starkey, 26 years old
Died July 24, 1918 of wounds received at Battle of the Marne
Frank S. Stevenson, 21 years old
Enlisted and then called for Service on September 4, 1918 and was sent to Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio
Died October 1, 1918 of pneumonia at Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio
5th Co., 2nd Training Battalion, 158th Depot Brigade, United States Army
John Stine, 23 years old
Died October 10, 1918 of disease, Camp Jackson, South Carolina
Battery E, 2nd Battalion Motor School F.A.R.D.
Emil Strickler, 23 years old
Died November 11, 1918 in France, of battle wounds
Raymond Swint, 22 years old
Died on December 9, 1918 in Italy of pneumonia
Co. D, 332nd Infantry, 83rd Division, United States Army
Edgar Thurston
Enlisted May 1917
Killed September 28, 1918, Battle of the Argonne
Co. K, 147th Infantry
American Legion Post named in his honor
Louis Triphon, 30 years old
Enlisted May 1918
Killed in action November 9, 1918 in France
John W. Ward, 17 years old
Died November 12, 1898 at Knoxville, Tennessee, of pneumonia
Co. I, 6th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
William Welker
Died on May 17, 1919 at sea on his way home of pneumonia
325th Infantry, 82nd Division, United States Army
Luther W. Westerhause, 23 years old
Enlisted August of 1918
Died September 23, 1918 in an American hospital in France of disease
Instructor of aerial gunnery, United States Army
Dennis Whelan
Enlisted August 1, 1916
Died on August 15, 1918 at a hospital in Washington D.C. from injuries sustained in France
147th Infantry, 37th Division, United States Army
Thomas Williams, 24 years old
Died April 10, 1918 of disease, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
Co. K, 6th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
William J. Wott, 25 years old
Enlisted in September of 1917 and sent to Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio and later sent to Camp Forest, Georgia
Seriously wounded in the Argonne Battle, France and died on September 14, 1918 at a base hospital in France
Co.C, 11th Infantry, United States Army
Ralph W. Wright, 24 years old
Enlisted in Michigan where he had been living
Killed in action on July 19, 1918 in France
Co. K, 37th Infantry, 4th Division, United States Army
Alphonse Wyss, 20 years old
Enlisted on February 5, 1918 with the United States Marine Corps
Killed in action on November 4, 1918 in the Argonne Forest, France
Co. B, 49th Infantry, 5th Division of the United States Marine Corps
John Yetter, 33 years old
Enlisted in the Navy and went with the expedition to China in 1913, from San Francisco
Died on October 30, 1918 at sea from disease
Medical Dept., United States Army
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Read More About the Soldiers Memorial Parkway
"Fitting Tribute Is Paid to Hero Dead of All Wars, Memorial Parkway," Fremont Daily News, May 31, 1919
"Large Crowds Heard Tributes at the Parkway," Fremont Daily News, Mary 31, 1921
"McKinley Parkway Earns Spot on National Historic List," News-Messenger, March 20, 1991
"Plaques Rededicated at Memorial Parkway," News Messenger, May 20, 2000
Keeler, Lucy Elliot. Unveiling of Soldiers Memorial Tablet on the Hayes Memorial Building at Spiegel Grove. Columbus, OH: The F. J. Heer Printing Co., 1920.
A version of the post once appeared on Sandusky County Scrapbook
1 Sandusky County Scrapbook (Ohio). All rights reserved.
Updated 30-Apr-2004
