Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-07-28
Body of Hezzie F. Gri@s
Brought From Overseas.


Body of Hezzie F. Grihis
Brought From Overseas.
Several days ago Mr.. j. j. Grifis
received a telegram from New York
announcing the arrival of the body of
his son, the lamented Hezzie Grifis,
from an American cemetery in
France, stating also that it would be
sent at once to him at Edgefield at
the expense of the government. The
body arrived Monday night, with
Corporal James Watson of Camp
Jackson as an ascort. The massive
casket was carried from the train to
the residence of Mr.. A. A. Edmunds,
where it remained until Tuesday af-
ternoon, when it was carried to the
home of Mr.. and Mrs. Griffis in the
Gilgal-Berea section.
There were many depressing
things connected with the. World War
but nothing struck a deeper OF more
depressing blow to the hearts of the
Edgefeld people than the announce
ment in the fall of 1918 that Hezzie
Grifis had died in a hospital in
France from the results of a wound
received in battle.
Young MI. Grifis. along with prob
ably a dozen or more other Edgefeld
young men, went to Camp Jackson in
November, 1917, for training and af-
ter being there several months was
transferred to Camp Sewer. From
this camp he was sent to New York
to embark for overseas service in
May, 1918. He was a member of
Company E, 18th Infantry. His reg
iment landed in Liverpool and was
transported across the English Chan
mel to Calais, France. From Calais
they were sent to Belgium and later
into northern France for active ser
vice. The first engagement or, actual
battle in which Mr.. Grifis took part
was on September 20, when the far
famed Hindenburg line was broken
by the American soldiers. After press
ing forward, steadily driving the Ger
mans back, they engaged in another
fierce battle on October 6 and it wa
in this engagement that Mr.. Grifis
was wounded by having his left leg
so terribly shattered that it had to
be amputated above the knee. He
lived until October 80, writing two
very cheerful letters to his homefolk
during the "a days that elapsed be-
tween his injury in battle and his
death. His body was inferred in an
American cemetery near the hospital
in which he died. Nh. w. G. Byrd
comparatively near Mr.. Grifis
when he was wounded but did not
know it at the time.
The funeral which will be in charge
of the American Legion will be held
at Berea church this afternoon, prob
ably all who attend being in full
uniform. The usual military salute
will be fired over the grave. The
United States flag which vas draped
about the casket will doubtless be
preserved by the members of Mr..
Grifis' family, this flag being always
presented to the family of the depart
ed soldier by the government.
So far as we are informed, the
body of Mr.. Hezzie Grifis was the
first body of the white men of Edge
field county who sacrificed their lives
for their country to be brought here
from overseas for re-interment, and
The Advertiser would be pleased %
see a suitable stone, one more impos-
ing than is ordinarily found in Edge
field churchyards, erected to mark the
grave and perpetuate the memory of
this young a who freely gave his
life to save the world from DONNA
ton by the heartless Hun. Hezzie
Grifis gave his life not only to pro-
tect his home and loved mes but
for all of our homes and his memory
shall always be enshrined in the
hearts of u people.
FOR SALE: Farm IA miles west
Of. Edgefeld, 65 acres open land, so
acres in pasture and abundance Of
to keep up place. Six-room