American Legion elects first commander: This week in Mohawk Valley history

1919, 104 years ago

First commander

Chester Wyman Davis, a Utica attorney who was a captain with the famed 27th Division in France during the recent World War, is elected commander of the city's first American Legion post -- Utica Post 229. (The post is still active in its rooms on Herkimer Road in North Utica.)

Davis' great uncle was Maj. Gen. Daniel Butterfield, Civil War hero who co-composed the bugle call, "Taps."

Davis attended Utica's public schools and earned bachelor and doctorate degrees from Cornell University. He was admitted to the bar in 1904 and opened a law office in Utica. In 1906, he was elected chairman of the city's Republican Party Committee and alderman on the Common Council. He is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and in 1907 was elected president of the Utica Field Club.

The American Legion has been in existence for only four months, having been organized in France by World War veterans there. Veterans in Utica and vicinity quickly applied for membership and the application was approved on August 20, 1919.

About 150 men showed up for the first meeting on August 28 in the Steuben Park Armory on Rutger Street (site of today's Historical Apartments). Last week, more than 200 attended the second meeting.

Local veterans who signed the application for membership: Stanley W. Jones, Elbert Bagg, John Buckley, Eben S. Doolittle, Martin J. Lutz Jr., Lawrence A. Murray, Henry D. Williams, Dennis A. Hughes, Philip R. Perry, James A. Hughes, Leslie J. Riedal, Emmet J. Burke, Frank A. Coakly, Edwin Schiffer and David S.H. Howard.

1948, 75 years ago

McGuirl re-elected

Michael McGuirl is re-elected president of the Utica Club of Notre Dame University.

Meanwhile, George Collins, of City Street in Utica, retires after 46 years with the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad. The longtime engineer makes his final run today at the throttle of Locomotive 1137 as it leaves Union Station on its way to Binghamton.

And Jack Gulick is elected master councilor of the Mohawk Valley Chapter, Order of DeMolay. Kenneth Ball is senior councilor and Harold Roberts is junior councilor

1973, 50 years ago

LaPolla named

Utica Councilman Louis LaPolla is city chairman of a door-to-door, fund-raising crusade sponsored by the Oneida County unit of the American Cancer Society. Its goal is $94,000. LaPolla says 40 cents of every dollar raised will be used for patient services in Oneida County.

In other news, Shirley Mody and Gus DeTraglia Jr., oversee the annual "Pancake Day" sponsored by the Utica Zoological Society.

And Robert H. Evans is chair and Constance Oakley is co-chair of the annual picnic sponsored by Charles H. Adrean Post 625, American Legion, in Wilderness Park in Deerfield.

1998, 25 years ago

New church

The Trinity United Methodist Church, on Westmoreland Road in Whitesboro, is consecrated. The church was formed by the merger of Central United Methodist Church in Utica and the Whitesboro United Methodist Church. Trinity is served by the Rev. Bradford Hunt and the Rev. Lauren Swanson. Marguerite Edwards is the program coordinator.

In high school football, quarterback Anthony Gonzalez leads Camden to a 45 to 19 win over Chittenango. He rushes for 184 yards on 10 carries and scores four touchdowns on runs of 27, 49, 55 and 10 yards. Jake Hall has two touchdowns and gains 138 yards on 21 carries. The defense is led by Rudy Closs (11 tackles) and Scott Edkin (10 tackles).

The Utica Youth Bureau has its Awards Night and honors Colleen Coy, of the Pixley Playground, as director of the year. Geno Brown, of the Parkway Tennis Center, is honored as supervisor of the year.

Meanwhile, Lisa Seitz is named "employee of the year" by the Oneida Indian Nation. She is a program analyst for government programs and services.

2013, 10 years ago

Awards get names

The Oneida County Historical Society (today the Oneida County History Center) names two of its awards after three of its benefactors. Its Hall of Fame now is named after David and Carolyn Ellis. David , a former professor of history at Hamilton College, is past president of the Oneida County Historical Society. Its Living Legends Award now is named the Richard W. Couper Award. Couper is a former acting president and provost of Hamilton College. He was president and chief operating officer of the New York City Public Library and a trustee of the Oneida County Historical Socety.

The Friends of the Arc Foundation has its 60th anniversary Kick-Off Ball and honors individual and business supporters. They include Angela VanDerhoof, Tony Poccia, Joan Ehlinger, Richard Miskowiec, Elliot 'Bill' Hunt, Ron Cuccaro, Louise Cook, Irene Falk, Nancy Miskowiec, the Bank of Utica, FX Matt Brewery and Precise Kit Promotions.

Winners of the New Hartford Cross Country Invitational Meet include runners from the Adirondack High team: Ryan O'Rourke, Connor Hrynuk, Dallas Robinson, Brandon Gaylord and Meghan Tanner.

Trivia quiz

Most U.S. presidents in the 20th century enjoyed playing golf. But one did not. It was said: "Our new president never plays much golf. He is more of a softball man. He plays tennis a bit, loves fishing and is crazy about auto racing. But golf? Forget it." The president was (a) Warren G. Harding, (b) Herbert Hoover, (c) Jimmy Carter or (d) George W. Bush. (Answer will appear here next week.)

Answer to last week's question: Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th president from 1877 to 1881, is the Republican president with the most children. He had seven sons and one daughter.

This Week in History is researched and written by Frank Tomai 

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Mohawk Valley history: Utica Post 229 elects first commander in 1919