Fallen Heroes: Private Clarence R. Benson

A young railroad fireman turned soldier, Clarence Benson, answered his nation’s call and made the ultimate sacrifice. Clarence Russell Benson (1895-1918) was born in Uhrichsville, Ohio, the youngest child of David Benson (1856–1939), an Ohio-born railroad car carpenter, and Rebecca Jane Hefling Benson (1863–1943), also a native of Ohio. He grew up in Uhrichsville, whereContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Private Clarence R. Benson”

Fallen Heroes: Private Walter A. Smith

The Smith family had travelled thousands of miles to raise a family far from the wars and poverty of eastern Europe, only to have one of their sons give the ultimate sacrifice on a far-off battlefield in France. After John Smith (1869-1953) and his fiancé Mary (1869-1925) married in 1886 in Poland, they wasted noContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Private Walter A. Smith”

Fallen Heroes: Bugler Victor J. Mattevi

This fallen hero’s parents immigrated from Europe in order to provide a better life for their future children in America. Unfortunately, one of their sons would return to a Europe at war and make the ultimate sacrifice. Celeste Mattevi (1868-1940) was born in the southern part of the province of Tyrol in what was thenContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Bugler Victor J. Mattevi”