GAYLOR THOMAS SIMONSON   

 

                                                                                                                                                           Gaylor Thomas Simonson was born on August 22, 1895 in O’Neill, Nebraska. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Loren Simonson. He grew up in the Shields Township north of O’Neill and was living there on a farm when he registered for the military draft on June 5, 1917.

 

Private Gaylor T. Simonson served in the 32nd Division of the A.E.F. He was assigned to Company C of the 128th Infantry. He received wounds in or around the village Chateau-Thierry, France and died on September 1st, 1918. He was the first O’Neill soldier to die in the war.

 

The remains of Private Simonson were returned to O’Neill in mid-May of 1921 and his funeral was held on May 19th, 1921. The night before, his body rested in the home of his parents in the west part of O’Neill. The house still stands. The funeral, held at the KC Hall, was one of the largest the town had ever seen. Private Simonson was buried in the O’Neill City Cemetery.

 

The American Legion post in O’Neill was organized on October 21st, 1919. Two years later the post officially became known as Simonson Post #93 in honor of the first hometown soldier to die while fighting in World War I.

 

Sources:  National Archives and Records Administration, The Frontier Newspaper O'Neill, Nebraska

 

 

THE FRONTIER

THURSDAY MAY 5, 1921

 

O’NEILL HERO’S BODY

                BEING BROUGHT HOME

 

Gaylord Simonson, killed in action in France during the great world war, will be the first O’Neill soldier to be returned to this country for burial. He now sleeps in France. Mr. and Mrs. Loren Simonson have received word that the body of their son will arrive at Hoboken, from France, Saturday, May 7, and immediately will be brought to O’Neill, accompanied by a guard of honor from the regular army. The funeral here, to be announced later, will be under the auspices of Simonson Post, the local post named in honor of the departed hero, and will be a military one.

 

***Re-printed with permission from the Frontier and Holt County Independent

 

THE FRONTIER

THURSDAY OCTOBER 17, 1918

 

             DIES ON THE FIELD OF HONOR

 

            Gaylor Simonson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Loren Simonson, living fourteen miles northeast of this city, and pioneer residents of this county, was severely, wounded in action on the western front the latter part of last month and last Friday his parents received word from the war department that he had died of his wounds.

            Gaylor is the first O’Neill boy who has sacrificed all that he had to give, his life, on the field of battle and those who knew him know that he gave a good account of himself before he received the wounds that resulted in his death. Gaylor was a native of Holt county, and prior to his induction into the city. He was a fine gentlemanly young man, popular among the young people and his death was a severe blow to his parents, brothers and sisters, but they can be happy in the thought that he died a glorious death, on the field of battle in defense of his country and the rights of humanity.

 

***Re-printed with permission from the Frontier and Holt County Independent.

 

THE FRONTIER

THURSDAY MAY 19, 1921

 

FUNERAL OF

                        GAYLORD(sic) SIMONSON

 

            The body of Gaylord Simonson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Loren Simonson of this city, one of the Holt county boys who made the supreme sacrifice in France, was brought to this city last Tuesday evening, accompanied by a soldier from Fort Crook, Omaha. Tuesday morning eighteen bodies arrived in Omaha from New York City, accompanied by a commissioned officer, and from there were sent to their various homes for burial.

            A delegation of members of the local post of the American legion, which was named in honor of the deceased, was at the depot and escorted the remains to the Biglin undertaking parlors where the body remained until 10 o’clock this morning when it was removed to the home of his parents in the western part of the city. The Legion posted a guard of honor of two men and they served in shifts of two hours each from the time the body reached here until the funeral.

            Funeral services were held this afternoon from the residence of his parents in the western part of the city. The funeral was a military one and was in charge of the local post of the American Legion. About 100 members of the post were out in uniform and under the command of Lieutenant Golden marched from their club rooms to the residence at 1:30 and headed the funeral procession to the K.C. hall where public services were held.

            The services at the hall were beautiful and impressive. Prayer was offered by the Rev. George Longstaff of the Presbyterian church and after selections by the choir were                  offered by Rev. Steiner of the Methodist church who also delivered a stirring                         address upon Americanism and Patriotism. The crowd in attendance packed the                        hall and several hundred were forced to remain in their cars during the service in                         the hall, being unable to gain admittance.

           At the conclusion of the services the American Legion boys marched at the

 head of the funeral procession to the cemetery where a firing squad fired a salute

of honor over the grave of their deceased comrade.

      The funeral was one of the largest ever seen in this city, people coming from

all sections of the county to pay tribute to this son of Holt county who made the

supreme sacrifice in a foreign land in defense of his country.

Photo:  Before Today:  A History of Holt County, Centennial Edition

 

***Re-printed with permission from the Frontier and Holt County Independent