History of Watonwan County Chapter of American Red Cross and Its War Work
(By Mrs. W. B. Crowley)
Late in June of 1917 a request was received by Mayor Peck from division headquarters for the organization of a Red Cross chapter in Watonwan county. Up to this time there had been no county organization, although Madelia had organized as a branch under the chapter at Makato and had a membership of about eight hundred.
Upon receiving the request Mr. Peck appointed Mr. C. N. Sonnesyn, President of the Commercial club at St. James, and Mrs. Will Curtis, President of the Civic League, to solicit the ten signers to act as a temporary committee on organization. Those secured were Mayor N. A. Peck, Mrs. Will Curtis, W. G. Manning, P. H. Grogan, C. N. Sonnesyn, A. M. Card, J. L. Lobben, R. F. Crowley, Mrs. W. F. Schoffman, Mrs. Johan Rolf and Mrs. Wm. R. Wyre. After receiving authority to organize as a chapter committees were appointed to district the city for the purpose of soliciting membership for the Red Cross. Upon the report of the committees that the town had been thoroughly canvassed Mayor Peck issued a call for all those wishing to become members of the chapter about to become organized, to meet at the Commercial Club rooms to perfect the organization and for the election of officers of the chapter. The meeting was held on July 2, 1917, Mayor Peck acting as temporary chairman and Mrs. Will Curtis acting as secretary. The first officers of the organization were as follows: Chairman, Mrs. C. R. Manwaring; vice president, Mrs. W. F. Schoffman; treasurer, Thos. Tonnesson; secretary, Mrs. W. B. Crowley. The first board of directors or executive board were: Mrs. C. N. Sonnesyn, Mrs. Geo. Seager, Mrs. Johan Rolf, Mrs. H. W. Haislet, Mrs. C. H. Engelbracht, Mrs. Chas Rosing, Mrs. J. C. Ranseen, Mrs. Edw. N. Roland. The name chosen for the organization was Watonwan Chapter of the American Red Cross.
On July 21st, a meeting was called by the chairman, Mrs. Manwaring, for the purpose of selecting the different committees and apportioning the work to be undertaken by the chapter. The following committees were appointed for the different branches of the work: Cutting committee, Mrs. W. S. Crowley, Mrs. Harry Gibbs, Mrs. C. Ellsworth, Mrs. J. J. Mellum, Mrs. Sam Jackson.
Stock Keepers: Mrs. Kate M. Johnson, Mrs. Lilla Chapman, Mrs. Clara Crouch.
Knitting Committee: Mrs. Will Curtis, Mrs. E. Z. Rasey.
Packing Committee: Mrs. N. A. Peck, Mrs. L. McClintock, Mrs. J. E. McSteen.
Captains: Mrs. Carl Serkland, Mrs. W. R. Wyre, Mrs. E. C. Farmer, Mrs. E. C. Veltum, Mrs. J. Barber, Mrs. Alex Schutz, Mrs. F. W. Schweppe, Mrs. Otton Bergman, Mrs. Curtis McDuff, Mrs. D. H. Kelly.
The first fund available for the work of the Red Cross was secured by the nurse's board of the Civic League from collections from Red Cross boxes placed in the prominent business houses of the city. Part of this money was used for securing the certificate of organization, and the remainder was used to purchase the first material and patterns to be used by the chapter.
It being impossible for Mrs. Haislet to continue as one of the executive board, Mrs. E. L. Running was appointed to fill the vacancy and Mrs. E. F. Minder was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mrs. Ranseen.
On July 26th the first branch to be formed under the chapter, namely Lewisville, was organized.
A committee for the purpose of securing the names of those who were entitled to the Red Cross service button, was appointed. Mrs. E. C. Farmer being chairman, and Mrs. Otto Bergman and Mrs. R. Crowley being the other members. Questionnaires were sent to the members of the Red Cross to be filed in with the number of hours they had worked for the Red Cross, 800 hours entitled a member to a service button, a stripe being added for a member to a service button for 900 additional hours. The names of those winning the service button are as follows:
Those who gave in the number of hours work (exclusive of Madelia) and received the Red Cross service pin are as follows:
Mrs. C. R. Manwaring.
Mrs. W. R. Crowley.
Mrs. Thos. Tonnesson.
Mrs. M. E. Durham.
Mrs. L. M. Chapman.
Mrs. F. A. Lamonte.
Mrs. C. Uhlhorn.
Mrs. C. E. Fuller
Mrs. J. K. Sonnesyn.
Mrs. E. N. Rowland.
Mrs. E. C. Veltum.
Mrs. A. J. Eklund
Mrs. Johan Rolf.
Mrs. H. W. Haislet.
Mrs. J. E. Hickey.
Mrs. Rose Crowley.
Mrs. C. T. Crowley.
Mrs. E. F. Minder.
Mrs. Fred Austin.
Mrs. J. E. McSteen.
Mrs. Norhdurf.
Mrs. Kate M. Johnson.
Mrs. E. L. Running.
Mrs. Villa A. Seager.
Mrs. Mable Reed Peck.
Mrs. Frank Schoffman
Mrs. A. O. Peterson
Mrs. A. W. Schweppe.
Mrs. W. H. Rowe.
Mrs. Minnie Manning.
Mrs. E. J. Robey.
Mrs. Monson.
Mrs Ben Olseth.
Mrs. Anton Olseth.
Mrs. Dan O'Keefe.
Mrs. S. D. Whiting.
Miss Lydia Whiting.
Mrs. Albert Wilson.
Mrs. C. F. Smith.
In the World War 1917, 1918, 1919
St. James Plaindealer
St. James, MN
(no publishing date)