This Was Doylestown, 1917

Crowds jam streets as Company G departs for war -

Editor's note - The United States declared war on Germany in April 1917, and began mobilizing National Guard units and millions of draftees for the American Expeditionary Forces to be sent to the Western Front between France and Germany. Company G, Sixth Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard, based at the Shewell Avenue armory, saw combat in France in 1918. A plaque outside American Legion Post 210 on North Street honors 16 members of Company G who died in the war, including Albert R. Atkinson, Jr., for whom the post is named.

Marching through the streets of the County Seat almost solidly packed with citizens, Company G, Sixth Regiment, entrained Wednesday at 12:45 to go into camp in Augusta, Ga., and from there to the trenches of France, if need be. At 1 o'clock the train of Pullman cars pulled out from the throng of two thousand persons who surrounded it and disappeared around the bend toward the West.

Fluttering handkerchiefs and the waving hands of hundreds of persons with tear-stained eyes must have been the last impressions they received from the crowd, and the very last scenes snapped by the cameras of the officers and men on the rear platform of the last car.

The departure of the men was not without its humorous situations. Just before the train pulled out, and while friends were attempting to say goodbye to the boys, a little urchin near the train held up his prized pocket-knife and yelled, "Mister! If you shoot the Kaiser, I'll give you this."

It was after 12:30 when the company, 148 strong and escorted by the Doylestown Band, marched from the armory on Shewell avenue, and on reaching the railroad station no time was lost in getting the men into the Pullman coaches of their train.

Crowds blocked the men, of course, as wives, sisters and sweethearts, as well as fathers and brothers, attempted to get a last few words and a last lingering handshake or embrace.

Women with tear-stained eyes and sorrowful faces came in view wherever eyes were turned. Misery in many cases was extreme; one mother was so overcome it was necessary to summon medical aid. But in the majority of cases, women and girls heroically attempted to force back their tears and present their faces to the soldier boys, who were struggling desperately to conceal the emotion they evidently felt.

It was a time when men as well as women felt a great deal more than they could possibly put into words--and no one attempted to do so. What expressions were made concerned the possibility of the war soon ending, and the boys returning without their trip across the sea. And that hope seemed to be strong. There was, however, no grudging of the sacrifice.

Kaleidoscopic described the crowd scene. It was ever-moving, ever-changing and made up of every variation of the spectrum, owing to the brilliant colors which have come into vogue since the Great War started.

Bucks county's oldest resident dies at 102 -

Bucks county's oldest resident, Mrs. Julette Bockovan Lambrite, who was 102 years of age, died Saturday morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Frank J. Rich of Doylestown, after an illness lasting several days.

Until she reached her 100th birthday, Mrs. Lambrite was in remarkably good health. She was seldom ill, was able to walk about quite spryly, took a very keen interest in current events and was a very pleasing conversationalist. Her ambition to round out the century and strong will power buoyed her up. After that, her incentive for life was not so strong, although she was still in good health until a few months ago, and even then rallied astonishingly from a serious illness.

On her 100th birthday, Mrs. Lambrite was given a reception which was attended by many relatives and friends, and she keenly enjoyed the pleasure of receiving her guests, many of whom came long distances to greet her. Not a few strangers sought the pleasure of meeting and extending their congratulations to her on that memorable occasion. But one of the greatest pleasures she had was listening to the singing of several little girls who came to her home for that purpose.

Mrs. Lambrite was born at Lyons, N.Y. on July 30, 1815, and was the daughter of John Bockovan, a native of Alsace-Lorraine [France], and Miss Lana Vanderbilt, a Hollander, whose grandfather, John Vanderbilt, was a brother of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, and an officer under General Washington. Her life, therefore, almost covered the history of the American nation, and it was her privilege to live through the ages of its greatest development.

Her youth was spent in the time when farming, household and transportation facilities were most primitive. In her lifetime, she saw the development of every transportation facility from the old stagecoach and horseback journeys to the automobile, the modern railroad wonders, the ocean greyhounds, submarines and aeroplanes.

After her marriage at the early age of 17, she lived for a time in New York State, but afterward spent some years in Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois. Her husband died in 1892, just a year before they would have celebrated the 60th anniversary of their marriage.

Mrs. Lambrite is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Frank J. Rich of Doylestown, and one son, Jerome C. Lambrite of Erwinna.

Doylestown Public School enrollment drops -

At Monday evening's meeting of the Doylestown School Board, Principal Carmon Ross presented an interesting report of the enrollment at the opening of the public school, with comparisons with last year's showing.

Mr. Ross' figures show that the enrollment at the beginning of this term is lower than a year ago, largely because of the number of children who have dropped out of the grammar school to work, and also because there have been twenty less beginners.

The total enrollment of the school on the opening day was 653 as compared with 709 last year, but the principal believes the enrollment will reach 700 this month. Enrollment in the high school was 174, four more than last year

One of the surprising announcements was that twelve families were responsible for 70 percent of the truancy last year. In a further effort to improve this situation, the teachers will co-operate with parents more closely than ever before.

The school census shows that there are fewer children of school age in town than last year.

Ninety-seven of the new non-resident pupils are in the Freshman class of the high school, coming from other districts as follows: Warrington, 8; Buckingham, 5; Doylestown township, 4; Bedminster, 4; New Britain, 1; Wrightstown, 3; Plumstead, 3; Tinicum, 1. 

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Girl a hit at pig club round-up -

Eleven boys and one girl competed Wednesday in the round-up of the Sandy Ridge Pig Club, which was held at the home of E. F. Bowlby in Doylestown township.

Little Miss Marion Sampson, aged 9 years, who was the only girl in the contest, made a hit with her story, "How I Raised My Pig," with the explanation: "I called my pig 'Kaiser' because he was so greedy."

Marion, by the way, has been raising pigs since she was two years old and has a nice little bank account as the result of her industry.

Fifty persons from the neighborhood were present at Mr. Bowlby's home, where the round-up took place in the charge of County Agent Norman E. Garber of the Bucks County Farm Bureau. The keenest interest was shown.

Winners of the prizes and the awards given them were as follows: First, S.B. Denlinger, Jr., a pen of 4 hens and a cockerel; Second, Elwood R. Cope, bushel of corn; Third, Earl Hunsbeger, $1; Fourth, James Gross, $1. Each of the others received 50 cents.

S.B. Denlinger, Jr., whose pig won first prize, was a mighty happy boy. His pig weighed 258 pounds, a gain of 228 pounds in 140 days, or 1.6 pounds a day at a cost of $20.11, or 8.8 cents per pound for the gain. He fed a mixture made up for chickens of alfalfa, meal, beef scraps, etc.

Said the winner's father after the statistics had been figured out and announced: "I did not know that a pig could be fed so cheaply. I believe I'll feed the same thing to my pigs this year."

Miss Weierbach, principal of the Sandy Ridge school, made an address in which she told of the origin of the club and expressed her appreciation of its splendid results. Each member of the club brought a cake, and after the winners were announced cakes and peaches were served to those present.

Council awards contract for paving State street -

Doylestown council Monday evening awarded the contract for paving State street between Main and Clinton streets to Morris Wolff, of Jenkintown, for $1.45 per square yard.

Council's permanent street improvement on State street is likely to cost close to $3,500. As this will require 2,080 square yards of amiesite [a type of asphalt], this work will cost $3,016. In addition, the borough must straighten curbing and replace a considerable length of gutter which varies in width and in grade.

Contractor Wolff will grade the street. If there is not sufficient stone, or if the stone is not clean after the grade has been completed, clean stone will be put in and rolled down before the amiesite is put on and rolled down.

The first problem will be to grade the street properly, owing to the different elevations existing in the street and the varying heights of the sidewalk. There is at present no uniformity of walk, curbing, gutter or street.

The plan is to have Street Commissioner Holcombe and men start the work of re-laying gutters next Monday, so that Contractor Wolff can begin his work the following Monday.

Inspector Beach, of the amiesite company, explained the specifications for laying amiesite streets. He told of a street in Jenkintown which has been down 14 years without repairs, and assured council that the company will have an inspector to see that the borough gets a good job.

Advertisement -

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Doylestown Town Notes -

Deputy Register A. Harry Clayton had a shock Wednesday morning. He had parked his car in front of the court house. Happening to look out the window, he saw smoke issuing from the muffler. With a yell to his fellow officers that someone was trying to steal his machine, he leaped out the door and caught the would-be thief before he could get the machine in motion. He proved to be Grayson White, a boy about 14 years of age, of Philadelphia.

Samuel Histand has taken a position in Robert L. Clymer's department store.

Miss M. Marie James entertained a small party of friends on Tuesday to knit for the soldiers.

Howard W. Atkinson, one of the veteran anglers of Doylestown, was with a party of fishermen who spent several days at Tuckerton, N.J.

Mrs. William Worthington, of Pool's Corner, on Wednesday bought the residence property of the late Mrs. George W. Metlar, on West Court street, for $3,700. There was a big crowd at the sale and personal property brought good prices.

This is a busy season at the asbestos works on South Main street. Last week, the plant was working overtime.

Mrs. Anna McClain Thomas and sons, Morgan and Roger, of Washington, Pa., are spending a few weeks with Mrs. Lillie Stratton.

Andrew Corsner badly cut his wrist on Thursday with broken glass while at work in Andre's greenhouses on Lower State road.

Fire Chief Daniel G. Fretz has received a check for $100 from Mrs. W. Atlee Burpee for the fire company in recognition of its services when her home was afire this week.

Edward Heavener is making improvements to his property on North Main street.

Mrs. Orem, of West Court street, who suffered a stroke a few days ago, is improving.

Henry Freed, formerly of Doylestown, now a member of the wireless corps of the U.S. Navy, was a visitor in town on Wednesday.

From the Doylestown Daily Intelligencer, Week of Sept. 9-15, 1917