The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-03-28
GEN. JOHN JOSEPH PERSHING
Some "Reminiscences Personal and Otherwise, OF the Head
Of the Expedfionsy Force in France.
[By J. w. Andersonl

In i744 Daniel Pfirsching. whose
father had been killed in battle. was
given a small sum Of gold by his
grandfather. Frederick Pfirsching,
and babe him to flee for his life, say
ing lit is little, but enough to take
you far from the landwehr. Perhaps
you will go to that new land America,
which l hear is free from the oppres
sion under which one lives here. 1t is
possible that you or your sons will
hear someday the call OF our dear
Alsace and that you may aid in her
deliverance." Daniel made his escape
from the village OF Kehl in Alsace,
only three-fourths of mile from the
Rhine.
This lad of fifteen years of age
made his way to America and settled
in Pennsylvania. He changed the
spelling OF the name to Pershing to
conform with the language OF his
adopted country.
John F. Pershing, grandson OF
Daniel, came from Westmoreland
county, Pennsylvania, in 1855 and
worked in the building Of the Hanni.
bal and st. Joseph railway, now a part
of the Burlington system. He wooed
and won the heart and hand OF Miss
Anne Thompson, popular, attractive
| Missouri girl, and just little time
before the birth OF John Joseph, their
first born, they moved into Laclede,
Linn county, Missouri. Some news
paper writer's claimed that he was
born on farm near Laclede. but an
old lady still living at Laclede was
present at his birth and testifies to
the fact that he was born in the town
Of Laclede. Here he grew to manhood
and the home of his boyhood and
young manhood days still stands two
blocks nortl of the railroad on the
main street Of the town While the in
terror has been modified and modern
| lied, the exterior appearance remains
very much the same as when the gen.
eral was boy.
! He attended the public school In
Laclede, and for a time he and his
! brother James worked farm little
over half mile from town.
! Completing the course of study in
| the public school, he taught school
! for time, his first experience in Ped
agogy being at the Prairie Mound
school house, nine miles southeast OF
Laclede, in the edge of Charlton coun
| ty. Captain S. A. Henley was the sec
rotary OF the school board, and was
given almost absolute control OF
school matters Doctor Spurgeon. who
lived just across the street from the
Pershing home, being well acquainted
with the eccentric Captain Henley
gave young Pershing a letter of IN
| PRODUCTION and recommendation at
we'll. From early boyhood young Per
shinug was always neat in his dress
and careful of his personal appear
ance, and when the would-be-teachel
was ready to start to make application
for the position. he was well dressed
even to pair of kid gloves, and thu
old doctor said to him. John, before
you go into the house at Henley's taxi
those things off your hands" Reacl
ing his destination, he tied his horse
! to the rack and started to the door
but remembering the admonition tool
off his gloves and put them in hi
pocket. The captain read the recon
|mendation, glanced at his certificate
asked a few questions, then said, "th'
Jobs yours. A young man came gu
| from Brookfield the other day. wht
had good recommendations, answered
all questions satisfactorily, but thu
dude had on kid gloves"
Having saved sufficient money, b.