History of Green Mountain Post No. 1 St.Albans, Vermont

Dedicated to the Memory of Our Departed Comrades

Foreword

This will be an attempt to outline a brief history of Green Mountain Post No. 1, The American Legion, Department of Vermont and its activities during the course of the past twenty-six years or since its inception and the writer will have to beg the indulgence of the membership of the Post for the somewhat sketchy manner in which this will of necessity be compiled, and ask them to keep in mind the fact that the long space of time covering the years between 1918-1919 and 1943-1944 have created a hiatus that it is well nigh impossible to bridge authentically and chronologically.

There will of necessity be some inaccuracies and many omissions in our attempt to record the highlights of the history of the Post during these eventful years. This to a large extent is due to the fact that at this late date any authentic Post records covering these years are practically non-existent.

If in the reading of this history and Past Post Commander or any other member of the Post has in mind some outstanding activity with which the Post has been connected during this span of years it is to be hoped that he will bring this to the attention of the proper officials because the writer realizes full well that due to the reasons already set forth and due to his own incapability’s in dealing properly with such and exhaustive subject that this outline of history will undoubtedly have to be revised and revamped at some future date and by some more competent historian.

With these apologies and with a keen sense of the futility of the attempt, the writer herewith sets forth to the best of his ability and knowledge, an outline of the history of Green Mountain Post No. 1, The American Legion, Department of Vermont, St. Albans, Vermont, from the year of its inception in 1918 up to and including the present year of grace 1944.

George B. White,
Post Historian

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In the early days of Legion history while the war was still fresh in the minds and thoughts of those who served their country during the emergency, returning veterans were quite apt to cling to friendships and associations formed during their period of war service and to be fiercely loyal to their war time and in some cases pre-war outfits.

This is quite understandable and was a natural result of the veteran having been inculcated with the deep sense of wartime morale and esprit-de-corps. It was undoubtedly mainly due to these reasons that two distinct and separate posts of The American Legion were organized in St. Albans. One was named the J. Gregory Smith Post and had as its nucleus most of the members of old B-Company of the Vermont National Guard. The late Seldon S. Watson was elected and served as its Post Commander. The other was named Xivray Marvoisin and was comprised for the most part of the former members of the original Machine Gun Company of the Vermont National Guard. The late J. A. Evarts was elected and served as its Post Commander.

Both of these outfits had a fine and enviable military record and were naturally anxious to maintain their identity in the ranks of the Legion. Each Post started auspiciously with an enthused membership and under able leadership. A friendly but nonetheless spirited rivalry sprang up as each Post inaugurated a lively campaign to enroll the large body of returning veterans - who had no military connection with either organization – in order to increase their membership and enhance their prestige in the affairs of the department. It soon became apparent however that St. Albans was too small to support two Posts of The American Legion; consequently the wiser heads of each Post got together and decided to do something about it. After many preliminary meetings many of the small differences had been smoothed out and it was decided to bring both Posts together to see if a merger could be effected. A history making meeting was held, attended by a large representation of each Post and after a long, heated, but friendly discussion it was finally decided that for the best interest of all concerned and for the good of the Legion in general that each Post should relinquish its charter and consolidate their interests and activities into one united Post. As a result of this meeting there emerged an organization, that from its very inception was destined to become one of the largest, best known and most active Posts in the Department of Vermont; a Post that from its very start and down through the years to the present time has always been in the forefront in fighting Legion battles and making Legion history – GREEN MOUNTAIN POST NO. 1, The American Legion, Department of Vermont.

The Post elected as its first commander, Charles S. Sumner, a veteran with a brilliant wartime record and capable in every way of leading and guiding the new Post on its start to the enviable position it has achieved and the unsurpassed record that it has earned in the annals of the department.

Following along the lines of the precepts laid down by the National organization, Green Mountain Post early in its career engaged in a program of community service, always having in mind, that its first and foremost duty was the care and welfare of its disabled comrades and the families of those comrades who failed to return. In order to adequately carry out these and other extensive projects sponsored by the Legion, it was obvious that one of the first problems that it had to face was its lack of funds. The dues established by the Post constitution and by-laws were fixed at an annual fee of $2.50 per capita on its membership. As $2.25 of this had to go to the State and National organizations there was only the dreadfully small amount of 25 cents per capita left for a working fund for the Post. This amount barely took care of the necessary paper work of the organization of the Post. In order to augment its treasury the Post sponsored several activities, from which it hoped to derive funds necessary to carry on its essential work. Among these early activities were the East Week Fair, several yearly dances, the Armistice and Memorial Day Ball, an annual minstrel show comprised of local talent, and the sponsoring of an occasional moving picture.

Green Mountain Post has always adhered to the principle that no veteran should by reason of adverse circumstances become a public charge or that the family of any veteran should be thrown upon the charity of the city and in this connection it has during the course of its existence, expended thousands of dollars and still continues to the present day to give generously for this purpose when the need arises.

At one time during a period of financial depression in the City of St. Albans when it seemed to be almost necessary to curtail the public water system, to turn off the public lights and put into effect various other rigid and harsh economies due to the financial condition in which the city affairs had become involved, Green Mountain Post in line with its program of community service advanced to the city out of its, at that time meager treasury, the sum of one thousand dollars and when the city fathers were about to resign in a body, in fact had resigned because of what they termed lack of confidence on part of the citizens, in their failure to vote them increased taxes that they deemed necessary to lift the affairs of this city from its depression, Green Mountain Post at the call and request of this City Council stepped into the breach and offered to furnish from its membership a complete personnel of city officers to carry this burden during the emergency.

One of the most noteworthy activities of the Post was the erection of the Doughboy Memorial on Taylor Park. While the Post sponsored and took the prominent part in the planning of this project it did not wish nor desire the memorial to become known as a Legion memorial but rather a community affair in which everyone would have a part. This project was started in the early days of 1922 under the administration of Post Commander Donald L. McGarey and with a Post Memorial Committee comprised of G. B. White, Chairman, C. E. Pell and the late Harry Webber. The committee invited all civic organizations, fraternal societies, church organizations, etc., to send a representative to a specified general meeting to formulate plans for the furthering of this project. The response was immediate and gratifying. Practically every organization and church in the city was represented at this meeting by some delegate. The meeting elected as its chairman the late Governor E. C. Smith and as its secretary the Late Harry Webber.

As a result of a general discussion, it was decided that, that gathering of itself, would be too unwieldy a body to become a committee, consequently they chose from the members present an executive committee; the chairman of which was the late Fuller C. Smith with Norman N. Atwood as treasurer and the late Harry Webber as its secretary. This committee immediately went into action, to devise ways and means to raise the necessary funds to erect the proposed memorial, but by a very kind gesture of confidence in the Legion, decided to leave necessary details to the original Legion committee. The necessary funds were subscribed, in fact over subscribed, so that a sinking fund was established for the perpetual care and maintenance of the monument.

The monument was erected the following year and unveiled at a dignified ceremony on Armistice Day 1923, with dignitaries of National, State and City prominence taking an active part. The result of all this activity speaks for itself, in the Doughboy Memorial, which now stands on Taylor Park and around which at 11:00 A. M. on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, of every year members of The American Legion gather to pay respect to their departed comrades.

Early in its career Green Mountain Post recognized the importance of having the invaluable aid and help of a Women’s Auxiliary and requested interested eligible women to form such an organization, and gave them all necessary aid and support in doing so.

The writer wishes to stress that this was an activity that has never been regretted and the Women’s Auxiliary through the course of years has proved themselves to be of inestimable value and aid to the Legion in all its activities.

The year of 1923 was a memorable one in the Legion history. In that year the Mid-Winter Conference of the Department was held at St. Albans and Green Mountain Post was awarded the Department Cup for attaining the largest quota of its membership up to and including the date of the conference. During the conference Green Mountain Post and the City of St. Albans was singularly honored by the presence of the National Commander, John D. Quinn of California. An outstanding feature in the entertaining of the National Commander, from his point of view, considering that he was a Californian, was the trip upon which he was escorted to St. Albans Bay and had his first experience in ice-skating.

Green Mountain Post always sends a large delegation to the Department Conventions. A prominent part in the affairs of the Department has always been recognized as an outstanding and distinguished delegation. As one result of its part in these Department Conventions the Seventh Annual Department Convention was held in St. Albans in the year 1924. The convention was a success in every way and at the time Green Mountain Post had the distinction of inaugurating the first convention parade. There were no organized Drum Corps in those days nor uniformed organization; however, all Posts vied with each other in attempting to don some sort of an impromptu uniform to give color to the parade. From that time on while it is no part of the history of the Post, it might be stated in passing, that Legion convention parades have grown and blossomed out into a spectacle that is truly something to behold.

Some years ago, while it was really not capable of financially doing so, Green Mountain Post sponsored and financed what was at that time known as the St. Albans Brigade Band and if it had not been for the invaluable aid and help given to this organization by the Legion, this band which had a long and distinguished record in the State of Vermont, would have had to close up its affairs and go out of existence.

One of the first sponsors of the St. Albans School Boys’ Band and most generous contributors to its success was Green Mountain Post No. 1 of the The American Legion. In fact the very colorful uniforms which they now wear at their formal appearances were in a large part paid for from funds provided by Green Mountain Post.

Green Mountain Post has always interested itself in boys’ activities, including the Legion Junior Baseball Program. The sponsor of these activities over all its period of interest has been Edward J. Bowler, an active and prominent member of the Post and who at the present time is Department Vice-Commander, Department of Vermont.

Green Mountain Post has always stood ready and willing to carry out their sad part in the funeral exercises and burial of veterans of all wars and has undertaken and accomplished the task of seeing that the veterans of all wars have proper war memorials placed at their graves and has for a good many years taken over the task of placing flags at these graves on Memorial Day.

During the year of 1931 the Post after a general discussion decided to see if it was advisable to entertain another Department Convention at St. Albans. A committee was appointed to interview the local Chamber of Commerce to see if they were in accord with the idea. They were entirely in accord with the idea and very generously donated the sum of five hundred dollars, to give the Post an initial fund which was necessary that they have before they extended the invitation to the Department Convention. The Department Convention accepted the invitation of the Post to hold its Fourteenth Annual Department Convention in the City of St. Albans; this being the second time that Green Mountain Post was to entertain the Department Convention.

The current Commander of the local Post, Comrade H. T. Sullivan, appointed as General Chairman of the convention, George B. White. He in turn with the advice and counsel of the Commander appointed a General Convention Committee and a Citizens’ Advisory Committee of six members who were to help and aid the Legion in every way to put on a convention worthy of Green Mountain Post and the City of St. Albans. After much persuasion, the late Honorable E. C. Smith, former governor of the State of Vermont consented to act as Honorary Chairman of the committee. The chairmen of the various committees were empowered to appoint and fill out their own committees and worked with such enthusiasm and dispatch that the Fourteenth Annual Convention of The American Legion, Department of Vermont, held in St. Albans, Vermont, has gone down in history as the best convention ever held in the Department.

Some few years ago in conformity with the National Program, Green Mountain Post inaugurated “Boys’ State Activity” which was designed primarily to educate High School youths into the affairs of civic life. In the State of Vermont this has been very successfully carried on and Green Mountain Post takes pride in its part of the program under the able and capable leadership of John D. Hogan a prominent member and Past Commander of Green Mountain Post who has for the most part of the time been in charge of this activity and has carried it on to a great success insofar as Green Mountain Post has been concerned.

During the years of Boys’ State Activity St. Albans has been honored by having two boys as State Governors and two Attorney Generals. This taken together with the fact that St. Albans has always sent at least her quota to Boys’ State proves the success of the undertaking insofar as Green Mountain Post is concerned. Along with its other Boys’ Activities Green Mountain Post has sponsored and carried on with much success a program know as “The Sons of the American Legion”. This program has been for the most part under the able direction and leadership of Comrade George Cioffi, and active member and Past Commander of the Post.

In the intervening course of years Green Mountain Post proceeded along upon its even tenure of ways without especial activity occurring until the year of 1940, at which time several prominent members decided that the Post had been for too many years without a permanent home and put forth their best efforts to do something to correct the shifting change of scene in which the Post had always been of necessity compelled to hold its meetings.

Prominent among the leaders in this movement were Past Commanders H. T. Sullivan and R. H. Pollard who with the advice and counsel of other prominent members of the Post brought to the attention of a meeting held in the old rooms over the Library on Maiden Lane, the proposition of opening up rooms that would be exclusively for the purpose of the meetings and other functions of Green Mountain Post. This discussion eventuated into a committee being appointed by the then current Commander, Edward F. Smith, to take up the matter and see if it were advisable for the Post to enter into such an activity. It was finally decided that it would be a worthwhile proposition and the present rooms wherein the Post now holds its headquarters at 20 North Main Street could and should be made available for these purposes. This was a venture, broad in scope, an undertaking which involved lots of headaches on the part of those chiefly concerned. However, it was successfully launched and due in a large measure to the untiring and unceasing and under-paid efforts of the committee in charge and the steward, George H. Horton a pioneer Post Commander who has been in a large part responsible for the complete success of the Legion Club. Mr. Horton, by the way, outside from being Steward of the club, has acted very efficiently as Adjutant and Finance Officer of the Post during the past years, to say nothing of holding the offices of County and District commander of this District.

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Appendix

Green Mountain Post has had the honor and distinction of furnishing to the National Organization a National Vice-Commander in the person of John F. Sullivan and to the Department three Department Commanders, namely: John F. Sullivan, J. B. Wood and S. J. Godfrey. It also furnished the First Department Vice Commander, George B. White of St. Albans and for several years Department Adjutant, George B. White of St. Albans. Along with this the Post has furnished many District and County Commanders and members of the State Executive Committee.

We attempt herewith to set forth chronologically the various Post Commanders in the order of the election in service:
*S. S. Watson 1918-19
*J. A. Evarts 1918-19
C. S. Sumner 1919-20
C. E. Pell 1920-21
S. S. Cushing 1921-22
D. L. McGarey 1922-23
L. J. Paquet 1923-24
L. J. Paquet 1924-25
*Harry Webber 1925-26
C. E. Shannon 1926-27
J. B. Wood 1927-28
S. J. Godfrey 1928-29
*A.C. Brault 1929-30
R. H. Pollard 1930-31
H. T. Sullivan 1931-32
George B. White 1932-33
Edward J. Bowler 1933-34
Stephen Dunbar 1934-35
George Cioffi 1935-36
C. A. Kelley 1936-37
J. D. Walsh 1937-38
John Hogan 1938-39
John Daley 1939-40
Edward F. Smith 1940-41
Leon Gennett 1941-42
Thomas Ward 1942-43
Dominic Calo 1943-44
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*Answered the last Roll Call

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