Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1922-11-22
HISTORY OF IOWA
WAR HEROES
War Exhibit Department State His.
torical Society Compiling Com
plete Data on Each
Soldier.
WHO DIED OVERSEAS
OR IN HOME CAMP
Pictures of Every Man Who Died in
Service Are Now Being
Collected.

tOileCte0.
Des Moines, Iowa--ln order that
citizens of Iowa in future years may
not forget the service of her sons
who died i'll the late war, complete
history of each soldier who gave hii
life on the battlefields of France, OF
in the camps in the United States,
is being prepared by the war ex-
hibit department of the state histor-
ical department of Iowa under the
direction Of Curator Edgar r. Har-
Ian.
Pictures of every man who died in
service are being collected, as well
as their complete life and military
histories. Iowa lost 1000 men out
Of total enlistment of 10000, ac-
cording TO Curator Harlan. Pictures
and records Of over 1000 of Iowa's
dead have been collected and placed
in the war museum as lasting fne-
mortal OF their service.
An instance Of the amount of work
necessary to secure the complete
records and pictures Of former service
men is shown in the case Of Major
+. j. Gary, killed in acton, whose
home was listed as Marshalltown,
Iowa. The account of his death,
was taken from a Marshalltown
newspaper issued Nov. Ii, 1913, ac-
cording to Miss Matte Watson in
charge Of the war records. The
article stated that he had formerly
been employed by a Marshailtown
firm.
Letters we're exchanged which
finally let the hunt for the soldiers
record TO Judge Z. H. Gary, Of the
United States Steel Company, wnom
it was said was relative of the
Iowa man.
: s.slsaH--t.ssss4lsa. ss.so ,s .-Y :
IiA-<Repis rrs ~ ere ieyrrvef Tor 5nfnr.
nation, Judge Gary stated that the
man in question was a son Of his
cousin, Frank Judge Gary, of Rifle,
Col, and added that he was glad TO
assist the Iowa historical department
In its efforts TO get record of each
of its soldier sons.
Thru a tangled network of cores
pondance penetrating to such dis
tant points as Illinois, Colorado and
California, the Iowa historical de-
partment finally located Major Gary's
widow, who forwarded a complete
biography of the soldier. Three
pictures were secured of the major
himself, and one OF his grave.
Major Gary, it was learned, was
born at West Side, Crawford coun-
ty, Iowa, and lived near there until
early manhood. During the war he
enlisted in the Canadian army and
served as major.
ihls is only one of the many
examples of the thoroughness with
which we are compiling the Iowa
war record stated Curator Harlan.
Complete records of Iowa's SOL |
der dead from three counties in the
state have been secured, Keokuk,
Guthrie, and Lucas, according TO
Miss Matte Watson, who is directly !
n charge of the work. Warren
county is complete with the excep-
ion of one man, Ernest Herold, of ,
4aoona, whose picture is missing. !,
The biographies of all but two of |.
'oik county's heroes have been in
luded in the war history, Raymond
;. McAllister, and Herschel f. LYNN,
9th of Des Moines.
Many other counties have good
howings, according to Miss Watson,
ut are still lacking in pictures, while
few counties arc poorly represent ,
L There is no county that has not
ent In at least few pictures, she
lys. Every effort is being made to
AXE the Iowa war history the most :
'mplete Of all states, and preserve
r the future generations the story
the valor and sacrifice of I,wa's .
ldier sons.