Sesser Branch American Red Cross

The Sesser Branch of the American Red Cross was organized by John Stoelzle Jr. And was the first organization of its kind to be started in the county. Mr. Stoelzle took the matter of Red Cross Organization up with the Red Cross at Washington D.C. and was informed by them through the Chicago Branch that it would have to come under the County unit, so it was, therefore, not fully organized until Benton was put in charge of the county organization.

The officers of the Sesser branch were: George B. Gray President, John Stoelzle Jr. Treasurer, N. T. Kelly Treasurer, after the death of Mr. Stoelzle, Pearl Rea Hutson Secretary.

At the beginning of the war with Germany, the Miners Local No. 1237 U.M.W.A. of Sesser, donated a spacious room in their building for the Red Cross to carry on their work of helping supply our boys in France with the necessary comforts of life. Electric machines were installed and the ladies of Sesser Red Cross responded willingly to the making of bandages, compresses, gowns, aprons, sweaters and in fact everything which they were called upon to make, and at no time did Sesser Ed Cross fail her quota.

In December, 1918, when there was an epidemic of influenza, the Red Cross organized an emergency hospital in the same building which the Miner's Local Union No. 1237, U.M.W of A. had formerly donated the room for the Red Cross work. The trustees of the hospital were: Delia Fitzgerrell, Laura Paynter, John Smith, Bert Schnable. Trained and practical nurses were employed to care for patients, and by this means scores of lives were saved, that otherwise might have been lost by not having the proper nursing and nourishment. The following winter when there was a second epidemic of influenza, the hospital was recognized and the work continued as before.

Not only did Local Union No. 1237, U.M.W.A., donate its building for all Red Cross purposes but it backed our organization financially whenever needed.

The Sesser branch of the Red Cross not only supplied all her quota of supplies but at all times went over the top in securing and furnishing her supply of money.

The citizens of Sesser and the farmers in the surrounding country, with very few exceptions, answered every call

made on them by the Red Cross. The ladies gave a supper and auction sale at one time which realized over $ 1000.00. The supplies for this supper and auction sale were most willingly donated by the citizens of Sesser and surrounding country.

The officers of the Red Cross organization in Sesser feel that a monument should be erected to the memory of the loyal men and women of the City of Sesser who answered every call for help that was sounded by the Red cross organization, the names of those, while not listed here, should be duly inscribed on a monument befitting the memory of such noble men and women.

The local Y.M.C.A. and United War Fund drive was under the direction of John Stoelzle and E.T. Jackson.

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