WW1 Casualty of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive: Manchester NH’s Pvt. Henry Gossler (1896-1918)

Henry Gossler was born on 15 Mar 1896 in Manchester NH, the son of German immigrants, Henry & Lena (Viehweg) Gossler. In 1899 Henry’s parents and grandparents had left their home in the town of Hof, on the banks of the Saale River in the German state of Bavaria, seeking a better life in America.

Henry was the fourth of seven children, and the first to be born in the United States. He grew up at 151 Thornton Street, only a few blocks from the park and school that now bears his name, and no doubt he played there as a child in the large wooded lot. Henry attended the local schools (probably Rimmon Grammar School at Dubuque & Amory Streets).

An article in the New Hampshire Union Leader, dated May 26, 1997 states that Henry “worked at the M.B. Reed shop in McGregorville,” and that he was sent to “France in April of 1918.” He was 22 years old. The official record states that he was a Private Co. K 309th Infantry, 78th Division, killed in action on 1 November 1918 at the Argonne Forest–this was only 10 days before the end of World War 1.

Deemed the largest battle in United States military history, the Maas-Argonne Offensive lasted 47 days, and involved 1.2 million American soldiers, and over 26,000 soldiers died. Henry Gossler’s body was returned to Manchester for burial, and he was buried in his family’s plot in Pine Grove Cemetery. His parents and sister joined him in the same plot at their deaths.

Stock footage of the WW1: Meusse-Argonne Offensive in France, 1918

In 1935 it is reported that the City of Manchester purchased a plot of land from the Amoskeag Corporation to be used as a park. It had been dedicated to Henry Gossler by 1940 when the name of Gossler Park begins to be mentioned in local newspapers, as a park being used for events such as model airplane championships. By 1941 it contained a ball field that was being used for tournaments.

September 4, 1940 Lowell Sun announced the New Hampshire open model airplane championships had been held at Gossler Park, Manchester NH, with two Lowell boys, Peter Gooin and James Kiggins taking first and second place.

The Portsmouth Herald (Portsmouth NH) 20 September 1941, reported a variety of baseball games to be played at Gossler Park including “the Rochester Merchants meet Rollinsford and the Meredith All Stars face Tilton Holy Name. [Meanwhile at Livingston, Nick’s Fruit of Manchester will oppose Portsmouth, while the 33rd Bombardment Squadron of the Manchester Air Base will encounter Laconia.]. Nashua will meet McQuade’s of Manchester at GOSSLER at 11 am….Nashua Ahepas, last year’s champions will not compete. Umpires include Larry Cronin, George Smith, Oscar Durand, Bob Record, Ted Charette, Gordon Peavey, Al Jacobson and Henry Clark. The tournament is being sponsored by the WPA Parks and Playgrounds department.

By 1955 it became evident to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen that a new grammar

Gossler Park School, Manchester NH.

school on the West Side was needed. They selected the site of Gossler Park, and on March 14th at an official meeting a resolution was adopted to appropriate sufficient funds to build a 13 room elementary school at Gossler Park. At the May 17th meeting that followed, the Report of the Joint School Building committee “recommended that the name Gossler Park School” be bestowed on the proposed new elementary school building to be erected on the park site now bearing his name…..” The Mayor and Board of Alderman concurred. The Gossler Park School, located at 99 Sullivan Street, built within the park named after Henry Gossler, was dedicated in his memory on January 20, 1957.

Two bits of trivia about Gossler Park School. A certain John Clayton, who insured through his Union Leader column, that Henry Gossler and other heroes were not forgotten, graduated from Gossler Park School in ”The Flats” on the West Side. The other tidbit is that students at the Gossler Park School nominated the white-tailed deer to be the state mammal. The state legislature made it official in 1983.

[Editor’s Note: This article is one of several I have written at the request of Don Pinard, Department of Public Works, Chief of Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Division, City of Manchester, New Hampshire.  It is a volunteer project (on my part) to better record and share the stories of the men memorialized by the city’s “Military Squares.”  All the information specifically within the body of this project is shared copyright free with the City of Manchester and its representatives, with the exception of photographs provided by family or friends who still retain whatever rights conveyed to them by law.]

***ADDITIONAL READING***

Three Memorable Days – the story of Sgt. Albert K. Haas of the Company E., 309th Infantry, 78th Division [the same Regiment that Henry Gossler was part of].

History of the Seventy-eighth division in the World War, 1917-18-19 (1921)

If anyone reading this has a photograph of Henry Gossler, or has personal knowledge of either he or his family, and would like to share, please contact me.

===PARTIAL GENEALOGY OF THE GOSSLER [GOESSLER] FAMILY====

Johan “John” Gossler b. Nov 1841 in Germany and d. between 1900-1913. He m1) abt 1868 in Germany to Magdelina Rogler, dau of — & Magdelena (Bruck/Bruch) Rogler. She was b. Aug 1842 in Germany. They immigrated in 1889 from Germany. After his death she m2) 23 Aug 1913 in Manchester NH to Frederich W. Windrich, son of Franz. & Karolina (Alf) Windrich, as his 2nd wife (they were both widowed at the time of 2nd marriage).
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1900 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester > 402 Rimmon Street (apt)
Gossler, John Head W M 1841 Nov 58 married 32 yrs Ger Ger Ger Imm 1889 naturalized sick
Gossler, Lena wife W F 1842 Aug 57 married 32 yrs 8 ch 6 living Ger Ger Ger
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Children of John & Magdelina (Rogler) Gossler:
1. Johan Gossler, b. 8 Nov 1842 in Germany, and d. 20 Jan 1909 in Manchester NH, weaver, married. Placed in Valley Tomb; ?m. Lena –. Possibly parents of Erhard Gosler, d. 29 June 1889 in Manchester NH age 9 yrs 4 months, was born in Germany
2. +Henry S. Gossler, b. July 1865 Germany
3. Karl M. Gossler, b. 6 March 1869 in Bavaria, Germany; d. 28 March 1936 Manchester NH, age 67 drowned in the Piscataquog River. He married Mary Dreyer.A widower at the time of his death. Buried at Pine Grove Cemetery. He married — to Mary Dreyer, dau of John & Wilhelma (Betz) Dreyer. She was b. 24 Sep 1869 in Beyern Germany, and died 13 May 1932 in Manchester NH. They are buried Pine Grove Cemetery. Some children Charles, William, Olga and Bertha: (1) Bertha M. Gossler, b. 1899, m. 14 April 1928 in Auburn NH to Roscoe L. Chase, son of Herbert L. & Harriet L. (Preston) Chase; (2) Harry M. Gossler, b. abt 1903, m. 2 May 1925 in Manchester NH to Mildred Geoffrion, dau of Ernest & Edith (Mcallister) Geoffrion; (3) William John Gossler, b. 3 April 1894 in Manchester NH, d. Nov 1966 in NH; m. Mathilda Gebhardt. Their daughter Olga Gossler, b. 1 Nov 1916 Manchester NH died 27 Jan 1917 age 2 months 26 days of “LaGrippe.” (4) John Gossler, b. –, d. 3 January 1948 at Boston MA, he m. Rose M. Brauness.
4. Nicholas “Nichol” Gossler, b abt 1867 in Germany, d. 9 July 1944 in Manchester NH; m. Sophie Moull/Moll; Children: (1) Gusti Gossler, b abt 1889, m. 4 Aug 1917 to Adalbert Reich, son of Louis & Sophie (Frei) Reich (2) Ida Gossler, b abt 1891, m. 3 Sep 1916 in Manchester NH to Alois Reich, son of Alois & Sophie (Frei) Reich (3) Henry Gossler b abt 1896, m. 15 July 1918 in Manchester NH to Marie Bruynseels, dau of John & Lucia (Verpoorten) Bruynseels.(4) Christian Gossler, b abt 1896, m. 28 Aug 1926 in Manchester NH to Mary A. Rodelsperger, dau of Herman F. & Anna M. (Winkler) Rodelsperger.
5. Margarette Gossler, b. abt 1870 in Germany; m. 8 Oct 1889 in Manchester NH to Henry K. Stien/Stein, son of Adam & Johannah (?) Stien.
6. Anna J. Gossler, b. 28 March 1878 Hoff Baverian Germany, died 4 February 1935 in Manchester NH; m. Paul Schnerderheinze. Buried Pine Grove Cemetery

Henry S. Gossler, son of John & Magdelina (Rogler) Gossler, b. July 1865 Germany, and died 19 March 1943 in Manchester NH. He married Magdalena “Lina/Lena” Vieweg/Viehweg, dau of John & Margaret (Wunderlick) Veiweg. She b. 19 Feb 1867 in Hof, Bavaraia, Germany and died 1 March 1937 in Manchester NH. Henry, his wife, and his oldest 2 children immigrated in 1890 to the United States. In 1900 Henry and family were living in Manchester NH, his occupation, cotton weaver. Henry and Lena were buried at Pine Grove Cemetery.
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1900 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester > 151 Thornton Street
Gossler Henry S. Head M W July 1865 34 married 11 yrs Ger Ger Ger imm 1890 cotton weaver
Gossler, Magdalena wife W F Feb 1867 33 m 11 yrs 6 ch 6 living Ger Ger Ger imm 1890
Gossler, Sophia dau W F Sep 1888 11 single Ger Ger Ger imm 1890 at school
Gossler, Margarit Dau W F Nov 1889 10 single Ger Ger Ger imm 1890 at school
Gossler, Henry son W M March 1896 4 single NH Ger Ger
Gossler, Christian son W M July 1898 1 single NH Ger Ger
Gossler, Emma dau W F Feb 1900 3/12 single NH Ger Ger
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1910 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester > 151 Thornton Street
Gossler, Henry Head M W 45 m1x 23 yrs Germany Ger Ger immigrated 1890 naturalized, Weaver, cotton mill
Gossler, Lina wife F W 42 m1x 23 yrs 7 ch 7 living Ger Ger Ger imm 1890
Gossler, Magdelena daughter F W 20 single Ger Ger Ger weaver cotton mill
Gossler, Sophie dau F W 22 single Ger Ger Ger weaver cotton mill
Gossler, Johann son M W 19 single NH Ger Ger bobbin maker bobbin factory
Gossler, *Henry son M W 145 single NH Ger Ger
Gossler, Christian son M W 12 single NH Ger Ger
Gossler, Emma daughter F W 10 single NH Ger Ger
Gossler, Max son M W 8 single NH Ger Ger
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1940 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester
Henry Gossler M 64 Germany
Lina Gossler F 63 Germany
Max Gossler M 28 New Hampshire
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Children of Henry & Lena (Vieweg/Viehweg) Gossler:
1. Sophia Gossler, b Sep 1888 Germany, d. 1977; m. 12 July 1915 to Hilmer/Hjalmer Edstrom, son of John & Annie J. (Magneson) Edstrom. Children (some) (1)Gladys E. Edstrom, b 24 May 1919, d. 2 Oct 1919 in Manchester NH.; (2) Shirley Edstron b abt 1929 NH
2. Margarit Gossler, b. Nov 1889 Germany
3. Johann “John Herman” Gossler, b 7 Nov 1891 Germany; m. Bertha Nitschke. Their daughter Florence M. Gossler, b 30 Sep 1917 in Manchester, d. 13 Sep 2013. She m 1 Apr 1937 to Charles A. Dutton.
4. **Henry Gossler, b 15 Mar 1896 Manchester NH. [This article is written about him].
5. Christian John Gossler, b. 8 Jul 1898 Manchester NH
6. Emma M. Gossler, b Feb 1900 NH; m. 22 Nov 1920 in Manchester NH to Edmund Kuehnel, son of August & Hulda (Hermsdorf) Kuehnel. He b. 25 July 1897 and d. December 1976 in NH
7. Max F. Gossler, b. 23 Feb 1902 Manchester NH, d. May 1981; m. 10 Dec 1930 in Manchester NH to Florence Ruth Harlan, dau of James Allman & Rose Minna (Arzt) Harlan. His occupation: baker

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