Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1920-10-14
At Russell Riggs Grave.

1lOis hsOs O6NcEduCoi 1lOEdEidu loI
the University of Missouri, was loan
ed to the American Library Associa-
ton for a year to have charge of the
libraries for our American soldiers
in Europe, having his headquarters in
Paris. Mrs. Severance and their
daughter, Esther, spent six months
of the time with him, and they all re-
turned to Columbia in August, where
he is again at his old work in the
University Library. On the 9Th of
October, the second anniversary of
the death of Russell Riggs, in the
battle of Blanc Mont Ridge, Mrs.
Severance visited DR.. and Mrs. Riggs
and took part in the little memorial
service that was held in the Ironton
High School, where a bronze tablet
was placed to his memooy more than
a year ago. A beautiful wreath of
flowers was hung below the tablet,
Mrs. Huff read a description of the
battle, and Mrs. Severance told of
her experiences in Europe, among
them a visit to Russell's grave. AL
though they did not know it at the
time, the day they selected to visit
his grave and decorate it with flowers,
June Both, 1920, was his 21st birthday.
In a letter to his mother July 4th from
Paris, she says: 81 am writing to let
you know that on June Both Mr.,
Severance, Esther and l visited your
sons grave at Romagne cemetery.
We left Paris at 1885 A. NJ, arriving
at Verdun, at IL M. In the afternoon
we secured a mar to take us in an
auto to the cemetery, a distance of
about thirty miles. We had brought
some roses-pink and red-and some
green foliage, from Paris, and in
memory of the father and mother
who far across the water r giving
their lives for the comfort and hap
piness of the aged and infrm, we
placed this floral offering on the last
resting place of the son who gave his
life for the happiness ana comfort of
men of many nations. Esther took
some pictures which I enclose in this
letter, and also inclose some post
cards. We had planned to visit some
of the battle fields, and chose Verdun
that we might visit this cemetery
where lay the son of one of our
friends. The next day we spent
making a trip around the forts lying
outside of Verdun. I suppose yen
know that Verdun has always been a
garrisoned city, containing a citadel
capable of caring for four hundred
thousand people-and many of the
refugees found shelter there-besides
being surrounded by outlying forts.
On the road between Verdun and
Romagne there is scarcely a building
left standing and for miles not a tree
can be seen or possibly now and then
a naked trunk. The devastation was
awful and as all of the buildings were
made of stone and plaster; it will take
a long time and much hard work to
even clear away the debris" i In
describing the cemetery, of which she
sends a picture, she says, "This is a
beautiful spot and you may be proud
and happy that your boy lies there,
His grave is we'll up on the slope a
little to the right. Down in front are
the words "Argonne Cemetery" in
fowers-purple pansies and green
foliage. In the center is a huge star
o f'yellow pansies, with purple ones
on the border. Twenty acres we're
given by the French for this cemetery,
the largest of all the American GENE
teries. Old Glory floats from the
c~epter."\