Returning Heroes 1919- Pt. III

 

New Kent News 

ROXBURY, VA July K.—August 7 has been set as the date for the big home-coming reception to be tendered the fighting men of our section and arrangements are being made to have the occasion one of the biggest events ever held in New Kent county. The whole county is urged to take part. Music, both vocal and instrumental, will enliven the occasion, it is expected that prominent speakers will be present, A dinner will be served the boys in the evening. Members of the Red Cross chapters of the county win that they ere amply provided With the good things for which old Virginia is famed. Every white soldier of New Kent is expected to be present and bring with him those he holds most dear. Arrangements have been made to take care of New Kent’s colored soldiers at a date which leading members of their race will shortly announce. This is a county celebration and the whole county is asked to give it full support.

-Evening Journal,  15 July 1919

 New Kent Welcomes Soldiers. 

WEST POINT. VA . August 8 Thursday was a gala day at New Kent Courthouse, when the county and surrounding counties met to honor the  returning soldiers in a great picnic, giving to the soldiers and their friends a cordial welcome. Notwithstanding the very hot weather people from all over the section and from Richmond were astir early to attend the rally. Many West Point people went. 

-Richmond Times-Dispatch, 8 August 1919

You will notice that despite the "whole county being urged to take part," the homecoming celebration was segregated. Unfortunately I have been unable to find any mention of any other celebration. 

Returning Heroes 1919- Pt. II

 

NEW KENT BOYS HOME AFTER FACING TWO SETS OF ENEMIES 

Picnic to Be Spread at Courthouse in Honor of War Veterans. 

Roxbury, Va-, June 7.—(Special.)— 

 New Kent county soldiers, who faced two sets of enemies, the Huns and the cooties, have returned from overseas, having taken part in the recent homecoming parades in RICHMOND. Some of the boys have already gotten hold of the plow handles and now helping to reduce the high cost of living. Several of the boys are stronger and better physically than when they left home.

 Rosser L. Provo, youngest son of R.O.(sic) Provo, of Quinton, is among the world war veterans now at home. He became a member of the Richmond fire department when he was 18 years old and served two years in the position before joining the colors of his country and receiving military training at Camp Lee. He is a crack rifle shot. 

 He has doffed his uniform for overalls to aid his only brother in a corn crop. He will resume his position as a member of the Richmond fire department next Monday.

 Hugh Fisher, Son of G.E. Fisher, county treasurer, has also returned from France and resumed work on his father’s farm. Hugh saw some pf the hardest fighting and went “over the top" three times, not being wounded a single time. He was promoted to the position of sergeant.

 New Kent county citizens are now planning to give a big picnic in honor of the returned heroes. The picnic will be held at the county courthouse. 

-News Leader, 7 June 1919

Hugh Pearson Fisher(28 Apr 1894-29 Mar 1968)  was a 23 year old farmer when called up in 1917. The Find a Grave link on his name above has a nice bio as well as a photograph of him in his uniform. He was a Sergeant in Co. F, 318 Infantry Regiment.

New Kent News 

QUINTON. VA., July 3.—Board of Supervisors met at the courthouse Tuesday and great preparations are being made for a picnic to be given of the boys from overseas by New Kent folks.

 Red Cross will give a moving picture show at Quinton school house - Monday evening. July 7, at 1:30 o'clock. An address will be made-by an overseas veteran. 

 Mr. and Mrs. W.P. Tunstall are quite sick at their home near Roxbury. Mr. Tunstall was badly hurt by a young mule.

 R.D. Provo, who has been in a hospital in Richmond where a delicate operation was performed, is now home.

 Our young men have returned home and gone to farming. Among those who have put aside the uniform and who are wearing overalls are: Hugh Fisher, R.E Provo, Gilbert Black, Sterling and Forest Atchison.  Messrs. Wood and Higgins, of Quinton, served in the Eightieth division and were in five hard-fought battles. The Hun bullets, failed to stop them, but cupid captured them single-handed. They were married Tuesday to two sisters, daughters  of Mr. and Mrs. George Mantlo, of Quinton. 

-Evening Journal,  3 July 1919

The Wood and Higgins mentioned above have to be Euric Hamilton Higgins and Myrtland Peace Wood who married  Minnie and Ruby Mantlo daughters of George Edward Mantlo on June 18, 1919 in New Kent.

Returning Heroes 1919

 

 NEW KENT READY TO WELCOME ITS RETURNED HEROES

 QUINTON. VA.. May 31— While a large number of young men, both white and colored, from this section was in the hardest fighting, only one was killed —Young Timberlake*. Rosser Provo†, of the Twenty-ninth division, after two years- service, arrived home Friday, He tails of the deeds of daring done by the American boys. While he is a fine shot, he modestly tells of his own experiences, but others tell of his deadly aim as a sharpshooter. He has two slight wounds on one arm and the effects of the deadly gas is shown on his hands Though quite young, he left New Kent and joined the Richmond fire department. This he left to go overseas to fight for his country. Of fifteen young men who left with him only five returned. 

R.D. Provo, of Quinton, who was taken to Richmond a few days ago for an operation, reported in a critical condition with little hope of recovery. A grand reception will be given the New Kent boys when they return home by friends and relatives. The exercises will be held at the courthouse in their honor. A fine dinner will be provided.

-Evening Journal (Richmond), 31 May 1919

*That is James Whitfield Timberlake of Barhamsville. A 27 year old box maker living in Richmond. The son of James Lycurgus and Harriet Timberlake, James was a Marine of the 6 USMC Regiment. He is listed as dying of wounds on 19 June 1918 which matches up with the regiment's participation in  the Aisne-Marne Offensive. He is buried at the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial.

†Rosser Edward Provo, 26, had been a fireman at Station 13 in Richmond. R.D. Provo is, I assume, his father Robert Dawson Provo who lived until 1935.  Rosser Provo died in 1983 at the age of 86.

 

 Airplane No. 56, in charge of Lieutenant Saunders, is stranded on the New Kent side of the Pamunkey over on the Brick House farm, opposite West Point, and for the past thirty-six hours crowds of people have visited it. The airplane was plying between Norfolk and Washington when the gas gave out.

-Richmond Times-Dispatch, 9 February 1919

Only some 16 years after the Wright Brothers first flight this would have been the first sight most civilian residents of New Kent had ever had of an aircraft.

"Route to West Point Shortened"

NEW FERRY ESTABLISHED

Route to West Point Shortened

Accommodations Provided at White House, Va.

Establishment of a new ferry at White House, Va., over the Pamunkey River, and making the shortest route to West Point, was announced  yesterday. Roads better than the average are also said to run through this section of New Kent County.

Accommodations for two automobiles are available on the ferry. The ferry consists of a lighter towed by a powerful launch, and is run by E.R. Allmond, of White House. The trip across the river takes ten minutes.

-Richmond Times-Dispatch, October 19, 1919


E. R. Allmond is listed on the Pamunkey Indian census of 1901 carried out by James Mooney.