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Program of the Unveiling and Dedication of the Cooperstown World War Memorial

Armstice Day, November 11, 1931

The Memorial

Thirteen years have passed since that memorable Armistice Day of November 11, 1918. Since that time there have been several attempts to secure a World War Memorial all of which have proven unsuccessful.  Finally the ladies of the American Legion Auxiliary, Unit No. 579, pledged themselves to the task of properly commemorating to posterity the deeds of those who served and the names of those who made the supreme sacrifice in the World War and to that end asked the Cooperstown Exchange Club and the Cooperstown Rotary Club to name a joint Committee to select a site and a suitable form of Memorial.

Under the able leadership of Hon. Walter Watson Stokes, who became the Chairman of this joint committee, the site was secured, the form of Memorial agreed upon by the committee, adopted by the American Legion Auxiliary, Unit No. 579, and the campaign for the necessary funds instituted, all of which culminated in the splendid Memorial we are now here to dedicate.

The Committee here wishes to extend its appreciation to those whose services made this Memorial an actuality.

The designer and sculptor of the bronze figure is John Horrigan, Sr., of Boston, Mass.  The Studio in which the statue and markers were modeled and cast is T. F. McGann & Sons Co., Boston, Mass.  The beautiful granite boulder upon which the bronze figure stands is the gift of Mr. William Lighthall of Starkville, New York.  The moving and transporting of the huge boulder from its location near Starkville, Herkimer County, N.Y. , to Cooperstown presented a very difficult engineering  problem which was successfully completed by Hans H. Frey, as principal contractor and the sub-contractors Bart J. Ruddy, Inc., and Utica Trucking and Cartage Co., All of Utica, N.Y. The markers were placed by Everett A. Potter and Peter Jones of Cooperstown.  Miss Elizabeth Patterson of Cooperstown, suggested the inscription on the tablet on the front of the Memorial.  Alfred R. Cobbett and Ernest F. Tyler of Cooperstown, supervised the architectural details regarding the general design and the placing of the Memorial.

And last but not least the Committee is deeply grateful to those loyal and patriotic citizens of Cooperstown and vicinity whose suggestions, advice, and generous contributions have made the Memorial possible.

 

 

In Memoriam

Gold Star Mothers

Harry J. Andrews

Mrs. Viania O’Dell (deceased)

F. Clifford Bliss

Mrs. Frank Bliss

Robert G. Cobbett

Mrs. William Cobbett (deceased)

Joseph A. Coleman

Mrs Charles Coleman

James Fenimore Cooper, Jr.

Mrs.  James Fenimore Cooper

Vinton A. Dearing

Mrs. Mary H. Dearing

Foster Eggleston

Mrs. George Eggleston (deceased)

James Franklin Hayne

Mrs. James Hayne

Charles E. Hecox

Mrs. Kendrick Hecox

Walter Herrick

Mrs. James J. Shartz

Charles N. Hopkins

Mrs. Charles L. Hopkins

Leo A. Leach

Mrs. L. Leach (deceased)

Stephen J. Johnson

Mrs. Stephen Johnson

Charles Mc Graw

Mrs. Cora McGraw

Lewis N Mallory

Mrs. William Mallory

H. Lynn Marble

Mrs. James L. Marble (deceased)

Albert S. Peet

Mrs. Fenimore C. Peet (deceased)

George T. Record

Mrs. Chauncey A. Record

Henry Reed

Mrs. Hiram Reed (deceased)

Ralph R. Rexford

Mrs. L. Rexford (deceased)

Lewis W. Ross

Mrs. Fred Armstrong

Albert L. Seeber

Mrs.  George Seeber (deceased)

Walter A. Seeger

Mrs. Lester C. Seeger (deceased)

Clark F. Simmons

Mrs. Frank Simmons

John W. Stiles

Mrs. James Stiles

Fred L. Stilson

Mrs. M.D. Stilson

Harry A. Winn

Mrs. Abram Winn

 

 

Committee

Walter Watson Stokes, Chairman

Berton G. Johnson, Vice Chairman

Alfred Rcobbett, Treasurer

Mrs. Fletcher A Blanchard, Secretary

Mrs. Floyd J. Atwell

Miss ElizabethG. Patterson

Fletcher A. Blanchard

Mrs. Alfred J. Peevers

Harold D. Carpenter     

Adrian A. Pierson

Mrs. Alfred R. Cobbett

Dr. Leroy Pitcher

Miss Elizabeth Coleman

Benjamin Reisman

Newton E.D. Gilmore

Mrs. Frank Simmons

Berton G. Johnson              

William C. Smalley

Mrs. Berton G. Johnson        

Mrs. James Stiles

Joseph P. Leary

Clermonte G. Tennant

Moses E. Lippitt             

Orange L. Van Horne

Mrs. A. John Wedderspoon

Program

Invocation                                             The Rev. Gordon L. Kidd

                                                                Huggick-Purcell-Shepherd Post, American Legion, Richfield Springs

Singing                                                  “America”

Presentation of Monument                            Rowan D. Spraker, President of the Village   

Acceptance of Monument                            Alfred R. Cobbett

                                                                Clark F. Simmons Post No. 579, American Legion, Cooperstown

Unveiling under direction of A. Leo Stevens, formerly chief instructor in Aeronautics, U.S. Army.

Dedication                                             The Hon. Clermonte G. Tennant, Cooperstown

Singing                                                  National Anthem 

Salute to the Dead

Taps

Benediction

 

Program by courtesy of the Freeman’s Journal Co.

 

Contributed by: Sara Campbell