William Luther Whidden was born August 16, 1894 in Madison Nebraska. His parents were James Monroe Whidden (1872-1956) and Rosa Ann Hensley Whidden (1874-1964). He was drafted into World War 1 in 1917-1918 and was a Private 1st class. He died August 14, 1918, later reported as “a death from wounds in service to his country”. He is buried in Union Cemetery, Spencer NE. The Spencer Legion post is named after him. (National Archive WWI Documentary Files)

News Article in the Butte Gazette

Thursday, June 16. 1921

Give a soldier honors

            The body of Luther Whidden, one of Boyd Country’s soldier boys, who was killed in France, arrived at Spencer Saturday noon under charge of the American Legion. A number of the members of the Robert Willis Post went down to partake in the ceremonies. Chaplain Rehers of Dallas gave the service. And the services were concluded at the cemetery, which the ritual of the legion, concluded by the sounding of “taps”. All the Posts in the country were represented and a beautiful part of the service was the cropping of a bouquet upon the grave

            William L. Whidden was among the men who left Butte on September 27, 1917, the second contingent from the county

Reprinted with permission from the Butte Gazette

Excerpt from the Spencer Advocate June 16, 1921

It was a most impressive cortege that bore the remains of William L. Whidden, who died in France in the World War, to their last resting place Sunday. Lieutenants Sylvester and Dunlap met the train, bearing the remains, Saturday evening at Bristow, in an aeroplane,  the plane escorting the train, and circling about while the remains were being taken from the train and carried to his home, a mile west of town. A large number of the members of the American Legion post were at the depot to receive the remains of their comrade and many friends were present to console the grief-stricken relatives.

The funeral services were held form the opera house Sunday afternoon and was attended by fully 1500 people Chaplain Blair Roberts was brought from Dallas by aeroplane  to conduct the services, and as in the evening before the plane accompanied the funeral cortege from the home. The casket covered with the American flag, was brought into the hall under escort, preceded by the flag and the guard, of a soldier and a seaman, and followed by scores of comrades. The pallbearers were three soldiers and three seamen.

The services were short but impressive. A double quartette sang “City Four Square”, “some Day”, and “Beautiful Isle of Somewhere.” Miss Myrtle Woods sang “In Flanders Fields”.

Reprinted with permission from the Spencer Advocate