Lynn Stockwell was an effective trustworthy soldier. He was born on December 5, 1894 in Nebraska. His parents were James S Stockwell and Amelia M Stockwell. His father was from New York and his mother was from Wisconsin. He had two sisters Ver A Stockwell and Mabel L Stockwell. He was killed in action by shrapnel on November 10,1918. He died instantly, his bed partner in the same hole in the ground which they shared for protection not knowing he had been hit until he heard him breathing his last.​  In April of 1920 his remains were returned to Butte. A funeral was held and he was buried in the Butte cemetery.

 

Special Thanks to (Source: US Archive Records) Find a Grave - MonkeyCat

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                                                        Butte Gazette, October, 1918

  Lynn Stockwell was safe and sound but in the thick of it on September 22nd,  according to a letter received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.S. Stockwell. 

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                                                         Lynn Stockwell Killed.

  Butte people are gettting used to the shock of hearing of boys killed in battle in France, but the news Thursday evening of the death of Lynn Stockwell, only son of Dr. and Mrs. J. S. Stockwell, on the battlefield, cast a gloom over the whole community.  There had been no notice given, and the name in the paper ws the first intimation anyone had that he had been killed.  The parents were prostrated by the terrible news, and neighbors put in the entire night on Thursday of last week, comforting and caring for them.

  Lynn Stockwell was born in Buttte.  He grew to manhood here, receiving his education in the Butte schools.  He was a clean, hard-working, upright young man, a credit to his parents and the community.

  Called to service April 26th, he was at Camp Funston only a short time when his division, the famous 89th, went to France.  He was in the thick of the fighting, and needless to say did his duty as a soldier faithfully and well.  The date of his death is not yet known.

  He leaves surviving him his parents and two sisters, Mrs. Ver Michaels, and Miss Mabel, at home.  The heartfelt sympathy of the whole community is with the stricken family.

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Butte Gazette, December 19, 1918

 

 

Butte Gazette Feb. 20, 1919

 

                                           Soldier's Grave Located

 

   F.A. Putnam has receivdd(sic) the following letter in reply to impuiries as to the death of Lynn Stockwell:  American E, F, Germany APO 761

                                              January 18, 1919

   F. A. Putnam, Butte, Neb. U.S.A.

Dear Sir:

            In response to your letter of December 24th 1918 which came to hand two days ago, beg to state that Private Lynn J. Stockwell, a former soldier of this company, was killed in action by shrapnel on November 10, 1918. He died instantly, his bed partner in the same hole in the ground which they shared for protection not knowing he had been hit nutil (sic) he heard him breathing his last. This comrade, his own corporal, Cpl. Willian B. Jones, of this organization, though just at present off attending school, has his personal effects such as have been kept, his pocket book and what funds it contained. He may be communicated with in regard to these, and we shall try to take the matter up with Cpl. Jones as soon as he reports back from school.

            Private Stockwell is buried on the west side of the road, west of Pouilly farm, on the side of the road, west of Poully farm, on the west bank of the Meuse river, opposite Stenay, France. His and the remains of Corporal Shields, another comrade, are side by side. A well known spring (locally) is across the road and to the left from these two graves. This is the last position in the lines that this unit held, and was out location on the morning that the armistice went into effect.

            Private Stockwell was an effective trustworthy soldier, and it is with much regret that we must realize his loss. His comrades extend their sympathy to his aged father in his bereavement.

                                                                                                Oscar B Abel,

                                                                                    Captian 355 Infantry,

                                                                           Commading Company “H”

 

BUTTE GAZETTE:  THURSDAY MAY 1, 1919

 

            

                     WAS A GOOD SOLDIER

 

     Mrs. J. S. Stockwell has received the following letter from Corporal Jones, who was a “Bunkie” with Lynn Stockwell in the army and who (was) sleeping by his side when the fatal shell burst.

 

           Saarburg, Germany.  April 2, 1919

Mrs. Amelia Stockwell,

   Dear Madam:

   Captain Abel received your letter in answer to his a few days ago, and asked me if I would write you a letter which I am only too glad to do.

    Lynn and I were put in the same squad while we were in training in France.  From the time we came up to the front which was Aug. 6 we were (what they call in the army) bunkies.  While we were holding a sector of trenches in the front lines, we were stationed at the same outpost and used to talk in a whisper every night what we had done in the past and what we were going to do in the future when we were discharged from the army, and we come to know each other about as well as if we had been raised up together.

    When we went over the top on Sept. 12th our Corporal was wounded, which left me in charge of the squad and Lynn was my right hand man and helped me out in all my extra work.  From Sept. 12th on until the armistice was signed we lived in nothing but foxholes, which was a hole about a foot and a half deep and just long and wide enough for the two of us to lie in so as to protect us from the German’s shell fire.

    On the morning of Nov. 20 our company was on the banks of the Muese (sic) River just across and a little to the left of Stenay.  The Germans were shelling us very heavy with shrapnel and gas and we had to put on our gas masks and keep very low in our hole.  At about six o’clock in the morning a large shell bursted right over us and I felt Lynn kind of quiver and make a slight noise as if he were strangling for just a few seconds.  Thinking that he had went to sleep with his gas mask on, I took hold of him to wake him up, but the moment I touched him I knew he was dead.  Two pieces of shrapnel had struck him in vital places and death was instant.  I called the stretcher bearers, and we carried him up to company headquarters.  The gas had become so heavy that we moved back on a hill for a couple of hours, until the gas had cleared away.  When I got back I got permission from the company commander to get his money and a few personal effects before he was buried, which consisted of 225 francs or about $40, in American money, and his razor and a few pictures and cards and a letter that he had written about ten days before that he had never had the chance to mail, or it might be that he had not finished it yet.  It was in the same envelope as it is now and had become sealed from getting wet.  It might be that the letter was not written to you but I rather think it was, so I am sending it along with pictures in this letter.

    The money I turned over to the Divisional quartermaster dept and will reach you in due season.

In regard to the military said that Lynn had. When we went over on Sept. 12th we had to cut our packs in two and just carry a combat pack and the part that we left had all our personal effects in. A guard was left with it and we were told they would be brought up to us as soon as the drive was over, but we never saw anything more of them.

         There isn’t anything that I can think of at the present time that I haven’t covered in regard to Lynn’s death. He was buried just a short way from where he fell, along side Cpl. Shields, who was killed about the same time.

         If there is anything that isn’t quite clear to you, or you wish to know something else that I may have overlooked, just write to me, and I’ll only be too glad to help you.

         I might add hear that Lynn was well liked by the entire company, and there wasn’t a better soldier in the A.E.F. than Lynn, always willing and ready to go ahead and do anything that he was told, and there wasn’t a man we lost missed more in the company than Lynn.

                                                               Yours truly,

                                                               Cpl. W. B. Jones.

                                                      Co. H. 355th Infantry.

                                                                        American E.F.

                                             Home: address Clay Center Nebr.

 

April 20, 1920

Doings at the County Seat

 

Lynn Stockwell

 

The remains of Lynn Stockwell arrived last Saturday afternoon and was met at the depot by the American Legion of Butte and escorted to the G.A.R. hall where it will lie in state until Monday afternoon at three p.m. when it was given a military burial.

 

Rev. De Benham of Creighton an intimate friend of the family preached a very impressive funeral.  Rev. F. Farner read the 46 psalms.  The music was furnished by a male quartette (sic).  The pall bearers were members of the Legion and also all school mates of Lynn's.  They were Royal Wilson, Lyman Wills, William Krickac, Roger Olmstead, Lloyd Graves and Henry Sanders.  The firing squad were also members of the Robert Wills post.  There were many soldiers and sailors from towns in Boyd county and from Gregory county and Holt county present to show homage to their comrade who had answered the last bugle call, while in action near Stenay, France on Nov. 10, 1918.

 

Lynn ws the only son of Dr. and Mrs. J.S. Stockwell and was born in Butte, Dec 5th, 1898.  He left Butte April 26th 1918 for Camp Funston, Kansas, where he joined Co.H 355 Infantry 89th Dvision and left for England on June 4th, 1918, and was on the firing line August 1st, 1918 where he stayed until the final summons of his Great General came.  The band came from Lynch and played several patriotic airs, which ws greatly appreciated by the family and friends of the dearly departed boy.  The funeral was held in the Opera House that had been approptiately decorated.  The flowers were many and beautiful.  The throng of people from far and near spoke more eloquently thatn words could tell of the respect given to this bereaved family.  As the last sad rites were being perfomed the heavens opened as if the sorrowing friends and the rain drops fell on the casket of the noble lad who had given his all for his fellow man. 

 

The folloiwng beautiful tribute was given by Mrs. T.J. O'Connor, who is an intimate friend of the family:

 

 

Friends we are honored today with the privilege of giving homage to one of our beloved soldier boys.

 

Since Lyne Stockwell gave his ife a supreme sacrafice for  his people, his country and the world many recognitions have come to the bereaved home. 

 

France, through it's President sent an engraved memorial, portraying the ascendance of right over wrong and linking the French and American flagas with the laurel wreath of victory over which is inscribed:  "For those Who Devoutedly Died for Their Country, It Is Right That The People Come And Pray AT Thier Tombs."

 

Woodrow Wilson, in behalf of our owon United States sent an acknowledgement which reads that, "Lynn Stockwell Served With Honor In the World War and Died in the Service f his Country."  John Pershing, Commander of the American Army sent his condolence to the family and assures them that their son's record will be preserved in the archives of the American Expeditionary Forces.

 

Later the State of Nebraska above its seal and the signature of Gov. McKelvie says, regarding the Supreme Sacrifice of our boys that, "Service is the Truest Patriotism and Lynn Stockwell's Name is on the State's Roll of Honor as Worthy of the Great Cause for which he Gave the Last Full Measure of Devotion and Expressing the Desire that his Patriotism serve as an Everlasting Challenge to the Youuth of our Land to Emulate his acts of Service."  And, now we, of our community pay our tribute of praise to the boys we have known from boyhood.

 

I am asked to speak of Lynn's early life.  It was one of health, freedom and happiness.  I knew him first as a lad of twelve when he and my sone were inseparable chums.  The boys were so full of play that no day seemed long enought to exhaust the ways and means to express it.  Up in the morning playing ball, often begrudging the confining hours of school and when released trying to make up for the hardship of lost playtime.  The boys had a sympathtetic and congenial companiion in Doctoruy Stockwell who often joined in thier sports and many evening directed their indoor amusements making home the most attractive of places.

 

Any father can well say, "The hours I spend with thee, my son, I count them treasures, one by one."

 

Mrs. Stockwell did her share, as mothers know how to and many good things to eat were handed out to those ever-hungry lads.

 

Little things you say, no, my dear friends, they are rich suggestions to the boy which train him for kindly, thoughtful service.  They are precious atoms of priceless raddium that shine through the child's life with a dynamic force that lights the darkest way.  To these good people I can never pay my debt of gratitide.