Lithograph Poster: Join–Red CRoss Work Must Go On! World War I Poster, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington DC
The WWI soldiers in these biographies were credited to a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire. WWI deaths were attributed to a specific town based on a variety of criteria that was not always consistent from town to town. Their attributed location could have been their birth place, or where they married, or where they registered for the World War I Draft. Other reasons were they indicated the town as their last known address, or noted some next of kin or friend living there during wartime.
I’ve made every attempt to identify these heroes of World War I, and have placed some of them in this County Heroes list in order to recognize them. If you find them here, then their name appears on the New Hampshire WWI Honor Roll, in Doric Hall, State House, Concord NH (unless otherwise noted). Let us not forget!
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Heroes of CARROLL COUNTY
NEW HAMPSHIRE
(Died in Service)
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Private William F. Brennan
Credited to Tamworth, Carroll Co. NH
William F.Brennan completed his WWI Registration at Tamworth NH, stating he was born 15 Sep 1890 in Worcester MA. At the time he was working in farming for John H. Martin Tamworth NH. He was single, of medium height and build with brown eyes and brown hair. During World War I William F. Brennan was a Private in the U.S. Army–309th Infantry Regiment, 78th Division. He died 1 November 1918, ten days before the Armistice was declared of “accident or other cause.” He is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, France. In 1932 his will was probated in New Hampshire, apparently because some war insurance was in dispute. The probate papers mention that William F. Brennan had a sister Mary E. Brennan, last seen 1911 and considered deceased, and a brother James Brennan of New Haven CT (who died 7 January 1928). A Catherine Harkins of New Haven CT [relationship not known to me] became the sole heir.
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Private Jesse H. Marston
Credited to Effingham, New Hampshire
Jesse Herbert Marston was born 15 Feb 1894 at Parsonfield Maine, son of Robert and Abbie (Murray) Marston. The 1910 US Census shows Jesse Marston living with his widowed father and siblings in Parsonfield, York Co. Maine including Leon Ellsworth and George Everett (Jesse being the youngest). On 5 June 1917 Jesse H. Marston completed his WWI Registration form at Effingham NH. H stating he was single, working as a woodsman for Sumner Chick of Wakefield NH. He described himself as being of medium height and build with light grey eyes and light brown hair. The U.S. Army Transport Service Passenger List shows that he was a Private in Co. L, 309th Infantry when he sailed for Europe on the ship Mentor from Brooklyn NY on 19 May 1918. His Service Number was 1752834 and his father Herbert Marston was his next of kin. The Boston Post newspaper of 22 Oct 1918 announced, DIED OF WOUNDS: Pt. Jesse Herbert Marston, SOUTH EFFINGHAM, N.H. He died 27 Sep 1918 (The date of death was 17 Sep 1918 per NH Adjutant General). After the war ended his body was returned to the United States, board the ship Wheaton, arriving from Antwerp, Belgium to Hoboken NJ on 19 June 1921. He was reburied with honors in South Effingham Cemetery, South Effingham, Carroll Co. NH
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Private Perley F. Rogers
Credited to Bartlett, NH
Perley Fernald Rogers was born 4 August 1890 in Bartlett NH, son of Seldon/Selden & Lizzie M. (Fernald) Rogers. In the 1900 U.S. Census he is shown living in Bartlett, Carroll Co. NH with his parents and siblings (Leon, Harry, and Irving). He completed his WWI Registration Form on 5 June 1917 and indicated he was employed at Androscoggin Pulp Co., So Windham Maine. His description was single, tall, slender with light blue eyes and light brown hair. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and departed for Europe on the ship Durham Castle from Montreal, Canada on 11 July 1918. At that time he was a Private in Ambulance Company #301, 301st Sanitary Train, 76th Division, National Army. His service number was 2794560. He probably died sometime early in 1919 as notices were published in the newspapers in April of 1919 stating he died of disease, though one newspaper listed him under “accidents and other causes.” Though first buried in Europe near where he died, when the war ended his body was returned to the United States, arriving in Hoboken NJ on the ship Matoika on 21 July 1920. He is probably buried in Garland Ridge Cemetery, Bartlett NH in his family’s plot.
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[Editor’s Note: this story is part of an on-going series about heroic New Hampshire men and women of World War I. Look here for the entire listing].
