The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-03-28
Charley Spurgeon

and his chum. Charley Spurgeon.
started to school at the state normal
at Kirksville, Mo. When home for
their first vacation, they were each Of
fere0 positions as clerks in stores
Charley accepted, and is still selling
goods, but John was determined to
have an education. His father had
started in his married life as rail-
road section boss. but in 1861 started
a small general store and in the early
eighties was postmaster as well. The
store and postoffice were robbed and
John turned over the money which he
had planned to use at school to his
father and returned home to assist In
helping to make good the loss sustain
ed by the robbery.
During this enforced vacation a va
cancy occurred at West Point, and
young Pershing made application,
passed Il satisfactory examination,
and through the recommendation of
Charley Mansur, congressman from the
district, received the appointment.
General Pershing was always ambi-
tious and determined and while teach
ing, yet in his teens, was successful
In the management of unruly boys
even older and larger than himself, and
to interfere with his discipline in the
school room At Prairie Mound he
punished the son of man named
Card, who was feared by his neigh.
bors. The next moring the father
came into the schoolropm and said:
Young man, you thrashed my boy and
am going to thrash YOU" Pershing
ordered him out of the house and
started to meet him Something in the
flash of the eye and the general de-
meanor Of the youthful teacher SO i'm
pressed Mr. Card, that he retreated
and left the house without trying to
carry out his threat.
! Pershing was always courageous,
determined, diligent and Industrious.
! He was reared in a Methodist home.
Several of the Pennsylvania Persh1ngs
were Methodist preachers aid the
the generals parents were Metho-
| dists. His father was an official mem
/ Der of the church. was treasurer OF
] the board of trustees when the church
was built at Laclede in 1866 and for a
number OF years was Sunday school
superintendent.
1 The writer became acquainted with
/ the family in the spring OF 1866 and
was secretary Of the Sunday school at
! the time J. F .Pershing was superin-
J tendent
| The general united with the Metho-
dist Episcopal church May &c, 1877,
and remained member till quite re-
Gently. His present wife being mem.
Der OF the Protestant Episcopal
! church, he was confirmed in that
church in France by Bishop Brent,
who is a personal friend Of the gen
eral.
General Pershing addressing his
!! men in France said to them. Hard.
ship will be your lot but trust in God
! will give you comfort, temptations will
befall you. but the teaching OF the
! Savior will give you strength. am
j not sure that shall be permitted to
lead you to military victory. | hope
that l may be; but on this / am deter
/ mined, with Gods help to lead you to
!, a moral victory" This, together with
! similar utterances on various occa-
sions, Indicates the religious charact-
er of the man who has held the high
est position of any American engaged
in the world wide war and who has
filled that position to the complete
4 satisfaction and admiration OF the
! people Of all the allied powers.