Benjamin H. Wenkel 2 of 4 #NotMyWenkel

Part 2 of 4, 1910s

1910 age 21

Residence Boone, Franklin MO

1913 age 23

death of mother Veronica Fanny Denier Wenkel, 14 May 1913, Boone, Franklin MO

Champion City Methodist Church Cemetery, Franklin County, MissouriChampion City Methodist Church is a wonderfully beautiful old stone church, set atop the bluff of the river.  Champion City is located south of Leslie, MO off of Hwy CC.  From Leslie, MO take Hwy CC for approximately 6 miles and watch for the signs.

Row 3, Plot 16.  Veronica Wenkel, born 6/5/1855; died 5/14/1913 in Champion; wife of F.E. Wenkel 

http://files.usgwarchives.net/mo/franklin/cemeteries/champin2.txt

1917 age 28

Franklin County Tribune (Union, Missouri) – Friday, January 26, 1917 – page 1
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Ben and Martin Wenkel of Leslie Route 3 spent last Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Manion

Franklin County Tribune (Union, Missouri) – Friday, March 30, 1917 – page 4

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Benj. And Martin Wenkel moved their rock crusher to John Benner’s farm, near Strain, where they intend to crush limestone.

Franklin County Tribune (Union, Missouri) – Friday, 27 July 1917 – page 1

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The Result of the Draft

In order to determine who should go to the war first, the Government held the draft last Friday.  The drawing was held simply to determine the order in which men should be examined for the war.  All names were drawn and the only interest any one should have is as to the order in which he is drawn.  It is estimated that 142 will be selected from Franklin county.  As it is not likely that more than one in four will be taken, it is presumed that at least the first 600 names will be drawn from which to select the first quota of 142 men.  In order that our readers may get some idea we give below the first 600 names drawn in the county.These are the names as telegraphed from Washington.  There may be a few changes in the official list.  It may take more than the number given here from which to select the men slotted to the county.  It is likely, however, that enough men can be found in the following.Benj. H. Wenkel of Leslie MO is number 486

Franklin County Tribune (Union, Missouri) – Friday, 31 August 1917 – page 4

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Partial List of Men Selected for Military Service

This list from the date of its posting at the office of the local board, constitutes notic to those whose names are listed thereon, that they have been selected fro military service, and charge them with an obligation to watch the bulletin board at the office of the local board and hold themselves in readiness to report for military duty at the office of the local board at a date to be specified in a later notice to be posted at the same place.  The list as published below takes in all names posted up to noon, Thursday, August 30 ….

Franklin County Tribune (Union, Missouri) – Friday, 24 August 1917 – page 1

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Result of County Draft Examination

The local Board of Examiners in session in Union last week have completed their examination of drafted men.  Below we give a list of all those who passed, also those who claim exemption, and those who failed to appear on account of sickness or other causes.

Benjamin H. Wenkel 1917 Draft Card WWI

Benjamin Harrison Wenkel, age 27, Leslie Missouri.  Born 5 October 1889, a natural born citizen, born in Leslie Missouri.  Occupation as self-employed Farmer.  Medium height, slender build, light blue eyes, dark brown hair, not bald (that's very important to know!), no deformity.  I am pretty certain that is his very own signature.

Franklin County Tribune (Union, Missouri) – Friday, 7 September 1917 – page 4

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Franklin County Sends First Quota to Ft. Riley

Local Board Selects First Twelve Certified by District Board and Boys Leave Union for West After Given a Big Farewell by Union Citizens.The first real effects of the army draft was witnessed in Union as Wednesday of this week when twelve of the first twenty-two men certified to the Local Board by the District Board assembled here to make the night train for the cantonement at Fort Riley, Kansas.The following are the twelve Franklin county boys who have the honor to be first to answer the country’s call under the selective draft law … including Ben. H. Wenkel of Leslie.Ben H. Wenkel was the first to arrive in Union and report to the Local Board, and he was appointed to have charge of the boys until they reach Fort Riley.… Dr. H. May, member of the Local Board, just before the arrival of the train called the roll and told the boys what is expected of them as to their deportment in Uncle Sam’s service, impressing it upon them that the first requisite of a good soldier was punctuality and obedience to his superiors.  He also announced that Ben H. Wenkel had been selected to have charge of the men during their trip west.  As the train pulled in the Band played a patriotic selection and soon the boys were in their car and away with the well wishes of the large crowd present to give them God-speed.

Franklin County Tribune (Union, Missouri) – Tuesday, 18 September 1917 – page 6

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Camp Funston is Ready for Coming of Big Draft Army

St. Louisans Appointed to Drill Those Arriving After September 19.

By a Staff Correspondent of The Star, Camp Funston, Kan., Sept 18.--Some of the St Louis men in the national army at Camp Funston were instructed yesterday to attend special drill classes on the parade ground, to be taught how to drill squads.  The men are made temporary corporals.  Notices of appointments were placarded on the walls of the barracks of each company.More men will be appointed temporary corporals as they become proficient in drill.The men appointed were: … Benjamin H. Wenkel, Company C; ….These men will have charge of squads of those who report here for training after September 19.  It is pointed out by officers that other men will have every chance for appointment if they drill faithfully and master their duties before September 19.

1918 age 29

US Army Transport Service, Passenger List
Ship President Lincoln, from Hoboken NJ

US Army Transport Service, Passenger List departing 30 March 1918 from Hoboken NJ, on the ship President Lincoln; Private in the 38^th Infantry, service number 2176565.  Company K

Franklin County Tribune, Union, Missouri.  Friday 23 August 1918, page 5

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F.W. Wenkel, of Gerald [MO], received a letter from his son, Ben, saying that he had received a wound in the arm while fighting and would be confined to the hospital for some time.  A ball had splintered his arm between the shoulder and elbow, but that he thought the surgeons could save his arm.  Mr. Wenkel was among the first contingent of drafted men that left Franklin county sometime in September nearly one year ago.

1918 US Army Transport Passenger List
back home

Arrival back home 29 October 1918, through Brooklyn New York.  Residence Leslie MO

The Monett Times, Monett MO. Friday 11 October 1918, page 3

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Private Benjamin H. Wenkel of Leslie MO is wounded severely.  This same message was printed in nearly two dozen papers in the region, as follows

• The Hutchinson News, Hutchinson KS
• The Twin-City Daily Sentinel, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
• Reading Times, Reading PA. 
• The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati OH. 
• The Ogden Standard, Ogden UT. 
• The Monett Times, Monett MO. 
•  The Twin-City Daily Sentinel, Winston-Salem, NC.
• The Washington Times, Washington DC. 
• The Washington Post, Washington Dc. 
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis MO
• El Paso Herald, El Paso TX. 
• The Atlanta Cosntitutin, Atlanta GA.  
• Muskogee Times-Democrat (Musckogee, Oklahoma) 
• Argus-Leader, Soux Falls, South Dakota.  
• The Salina Evening Journal, Salina Kansas.  
• The Oklahoma City Times, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  
• The Sun, Pittsburg, Kansas.  
• The Akron Beacon Journal, Akron Ohio.  
• The Tennessean, Nashville Tennessee.  
• New-York Tribune, New York, New York.  
• The St. Louis Star and Times, St. Louis, Missouri
• The Topeka Daily Capital, Topeka KS. 
• The Daily Ardmoreite, Ardmore OK. 

Franklin County Tribune, Union MO.  Friday 20 December 1918, page 1
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Corporal B.H. Wenkel Writes From Camp Dodge

U.S. General Hospital No 26Des Moines, IowaDecember 10, 1918Dear Tribune:-Just a few lines to let you know that I am well and hoping that this will find the force happy, prosperous and in good spirits.  I have been here at Fort Des Moines since November 17.  We have it fine here.  Of course, I will be in the hospital for six or seven months yet.  I received a compound fracture of the humerus on July 22, when we went over the top.  We corssed the Marne river that morning at Mexy and the Huns sure were shelling the river and the roads.  They shelled our lines heavily after locating us.  We had trench mortars, machine guns, one-pounders, automatic rifles and Springfields with us.  We encountered mostly the outposts and rear guards until we were about one and one-half miles beyond the river.  We then found them by the hundreds. We could not get close enough to get them with the bayonet, yet we got within twenty-five yards of them before they discovered us wich caused us to do some hard fighting, but we kept going after them until we could not hold them, for they were too numerous for us, as mu company was ahead of the lines and we had to drop in a skirmish line to hold them until the rest of the line came up with us.  I was wounded on this line at about 2 o’clock.Our division reached the front in May when the Huns were making their drive on Chateau Thierry so soon received the baptism of shellfire after going to the front.  We helped to stop that drive then and did not see any more hard fighting until July 15 on which date the 3^rd Division lost heavily in men.  The bombardment that morning and all was was one of the worst of the war.  But, yet we held on and there was hard fighting all week, but on other sectors until the 22^nd.  We made some small counter attacks to get them back across the river.  The Huns were laying around rather thick, and, of course, after laying there for a week they sure had a good smell when we crossed the river.  Our regiment took several prisoners from July 15 to 22.  We made some raids on the Hun lines during June and they came back on us but it was great fun to let a bunch get across the river and then signal for the artillery to send over a barrage to destroy the bridges and capture the rest of them.After being wounded I was taken to Field Hospital 127 at Joigny and was operated on there.  After staying there a few days was removed to Base Hospital at Contrexeville and then to Base Hospital 23 at Limoges, where I stayed until coming back to the States.  We were glad to see the Statue of Liberty again.  The sea was rather calm coming back in ten days.  And here I am at Fort Des Moines, in the hospital, recuperating nicely.  Cannot tell how soon I will be able to get a leave of absence, but long for the day when I will again be at home in dear old Franklin county.Yours sincerely,B.H. Wenkel

1919 age 29

The Evening Missourian, Columbia MO.  Friday 5 December 1919, page 5

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Benjamin H. Wenkel, university student, is discharged from the hospital.