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Decatur County: A Microcosm of the Great War
Eli Wright
History 499
14 November, 2016
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Nestled about halfway between Tennessee’s capital of Nashville and the metropolis of
Memphis, lies a sparsely populated, rural, agrarian county known as Decatur County. Upon the
foundation of our great nation, Decatur County was uninhabited by Europeans. It was merely just
another area of wilderness and mystery that lie west of the Appalachian Mountain range. The
land on which is currently Decatur County was purchased in 1818 by General Andrew Jackson
and then-governor Isaac Shelby of Kentucky. It was the goal of these two men to open up more
of the vast frontier to American settlement, and so they paid the Chickasaw Indians a sum of
three hundred thousand dollars for western Kentucky and western Tennessee. This western
region of Tennessee was subsequently divided into five districts, and then into counties. Perry
County, which was split by the Tennessee River, was located in the Lexington District, surveyed
by Samuel Wilson. The river splitting the county was problematic, especially since the county
seat of Perryville was located directly on the west side of the river. In 1845, a group of citizens,
led by Samuel Brasher, petitioned for a new county. Later that year, the Tennessee General
Assembly passed an act to form a new county out of the west of the river portion of Perry
County. The county would be named Decatur County, after famed Commodore Stephen
Decatur 1.
Decatur County, from its foundation and still today, is an agriculture based county. It was
not uncommon, before the advent of more modern agricultural technology, for families to have
ten or twelve kids to be able to complete household chores and to perform farming duties. This
type of frontier life was tough, but it provided a strong family structure, and instilled a need in
Decatur Countians early on to help their neighbors in times of need. This would be a quality they
would soon discover was a very valuable one. Most of the people in the county were poor
Author Unknown, “Decatur County History,” Decatur County Historical Society, Accessed 17 November, 2016.
http://www.dchs-tn.org/history/frontier.asp
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farmers, most of my family included. Some of the staple crops, from the mid-1800s through the
early 1900s, were tobacco, corn, cotton, and beans. Also raised in the county were various kinds
of peas, wheat, oats, and potatoes. Many families also had smaller vegetable gardens, in addition
to their primary crops, for their dinner tables and also to trade for other goods. Most families also
had livestock, with the variation in numbers and species usually being determined by how much
money the family had. Chickens, hogs, cattle, and sheep were not uncommon. It was ideal, if it
could be afforded, for a family to have at least one or two horses, mules, and occasionally oxen,
or a combination of these. There was not much to work in as far as industry goes in Decatur
County in the World War I era and before. There was an iron smelting operation at Brownsport
Furnace that operated from the mid-1800s until the late 1800s, and there were a few sawmills
and woodworkers due to all the timber in the county that was desirable 2. There were also several
trades in the county, as was common for a community of any size. There were blacksmiths,
clerks, bankers, lawyers, and teachers, although these numbered far fewer than farmers, and as a
matter of fact, a lot of these individuals also farmed, or helped out on farms.
Decatur County in the early 1900s was just like most other rural areas across the United
States at this time. The county went about its business in its usual manner, not anticipating any
major changes. The late 1800s and 1900s saw vast changes across America and the rest of the
world, but Decatur Countians were largely unaffected. They remained far away from the eye of
national politics for the most part, and their major concern was putting food on the table for the
families. The people of the county, along with the rest of the people of America, along with
much of the entire world population, had no idea of the events that were about to occur.
Biddle-Douglas, Teresa, “Decatur County,” Middle Tennessee State University, December 25, 2009. Accessed 19
November, 2016. https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=365
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There was not one singular reason why the world plunged into World War I. Probably the
best way it can be described is the way it was summed up here:
Complex pressures of nationalism, militarism, and imperialism had brought the major
European powers to the brink in 1914. The faraway assassination of an Austrian prince
in Bosnia set in motion a series of events from which there would be no recall. “Some
damn foolish thing in the Balkans,” as Hindenburg had prophesied. The excellence of
nineteenth-century diplomacy and a sustained belief in collective security were
irretrievably broken by the summer of 1914 3.
Tensions had been high in Europe for several years, and the assassination of Austrian Archduke
Franz Ferdinand pushed things over the edge. All of Europe it seemed plunged into war.
Entangled alliances brought nations that had little interest in war into the middle of the fray. The
major rivalries in Europe were between those nations known as the Central Powers (comprised
of Germany, Turkey, and Austria-Hungary) and the Allied, or Entente, Powers (comprised of
Great Britain, France, and Russia.)
America largely tried to stay out of this conflict. Woodrow Wilson had even campaigned
and won the 1916 presidential election, partially due to his slogan, “He Kept Us Out of War 4.”
America found it hard to maintain its neutrality, however. Germany, whether directly or
indirectly, tried its best to provoke America to get into a conflict it really did not want to be in.
Germany had refused to halt unrestricted submarine warfare in the Atlantic, and targeted
American ships. They had also tried to entice Mexico into an alliance against the United States.
Wilson tried to be patient with the Germans and give them the benefit of the doubt. He could no
longer remain neutral, however, after German subs attacked and sank several US ships in the
Author Unknown, “Tennessee in World War I,” Tennessee State Library and Archives, Date Accessed: 19
November, 2016. http://teva.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/WWI
4
“Tennessee in World War I”
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spring of 1917, killing several Americans in the process. Finally, on April 2, 1917, “President
Woodrow Wilson went before a joint session of Congress to request a declaration of war against
Germany…. On April 4, 1917, the U.S. Senate voted in support of the measure to declare war on
Germany. The House concurred two days later. The United States later declared war on German
ally Austria-Hungary on December 7, 1917 5.”
With the US declaring war, a lot of ground had to be made up very quickly. In
maintaining its neutrality, America had made very few preparations to be involved in a major
war. The United States government, having been involved in support efforts in the war already,
was not totally starting from scratch. The people, on the other hand, were still going through
their everyday lives with little anticipation that they would soon be in a major conflict. The
efforts by the federal government to quickly prepare a country for war who was very largely
unprepared would undoubtedly be a major task.
Upon entrance into the Great War, it was apparent in Tennessee, and around the nation,
that massive support efforts would have to be made by those at home, both to support the troops,
and to make up for the lack of manpower citizens would have on the home front. According to
Lillye Younger, who did a comprehensive history on Decatur County, upon entrance into World
War I:
Around 100,000 Tennesseans joined the armed forces. Four times that number were
engaged in war work at home. The first big step toward organization of the "home front"
was the creation of the Tennessee State Council of Defense. Rutledge Smith of Putnam
County was made chairman of this group. A Home Guard was organized to take the place
of the National Guard which had been called out 6.
Author Unknown, “U.S. Entry Into World War I, 1917,” Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs, Date
Accessed: 19 November, 2016. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1914-1920/wwi
6
Lillye Younger, The History of Decatur County Past and Present (Southhaven, MS: Carter Printing Company, 1978),
Chapter 12, page number unknown.
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As much as there was a need for boys to enter into the armed services, there was just as big of a
need to support them by the ones who remained at home. Decatur County was no different from
any other county or region around in its requirement for support.
The primary field small rural communities like Decatur County could help in was the
field of agriculture. Due to the very successful policies of Food Administrator Herbert Hoover,
little official rationing was implemented on the American people during the Great War. There
were, however, efforts to preserve the amount of food that was grown, with Hoover successfully
implementing things such as Victory Gardens and other food saving efforts. Decatur County
women, like women across rural America, practiced canning for themselves and for the troops.
Canning foods was one effective method of preserving foods to be able to send to troops long
distances away without the food spoiling. Many rural areas in America had canning drives,
where women would gather together with food they had grown and can the food in order to send
to the boys in camps in America waiting to be shipped overseas, or to the boys in Europe on the
front.
Victory Gardens were an idea that Charles Lathrop Pack, an extremely wealthy
timberman and businessman, came up with to:
Contribute to the war effort by planting, fertilizing, harvesting and storing their own
fruits and vegetables so that more food could be exported to our allies. Citizens were
urged to utilize all idle land that was not already engaged in agricultural production—
including school and company grounds, parks, backyards or any available vacant lots 7.
Victory Gardens were a way for Decatur Countians and other rural, and even some urban,
Americans to do a small but significant part in supporting the war. These Victory Gardens
Laura Schumm, “America’s Patriotic Victory Gardens,” History, Published: May 29, 2014, Accessed: 19 November,
2016. http://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/americas-patriotic-victory-gardens
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supported families with extra food to put on their tables, so that extra amounts of planted crops
might be used for the troops. Also, if the garden was big enough, some of that food might be
used for the troops as well. Mr. Pack was a visionary in his ideology, believing that by
implementing these Victory Gardens, current amounts of food production could be greatly
increased without noticeably increasing the amounts of manpower. He was correct in his
carefully planned blueprint. “The campaign promoted the cultivation of available private and
public lands, resulting in the production of foodstuffs exceeding $1.2 billion by the end of the
war. From 1914 to 1919, gross farm income increased more than 230 percent 8.”
In accordance with the wishes of the Food Administration, Tennesseans were asked to
observe several days in which they abstained from using various different kinds of goods. As put
by Younger, “Tennesseans worked hard to grow food for the armies overseas. The people
conserved those types of foods that could be shipped overseas. They were asked to observe
‘wheatless days,’ ‘sweetless days,’ and ‘fuelless days’. They responded nicely 9.”
Decatur County was similar to many other small settlements across rural America at the
time, in that although many Americans shuddered at the thought of a major war, with the Civil
War still fairly fresh in their memories, they had no lack of patriotism. When the call was made
for Americans to stand up and support the cause, they did it without any second thoughts on the
matter. There were sacrifices that had to be made. Hearkening back to an earlier statement about
“fuelless days,” that was a chief sacrifice that was asked to be made by the American people.
Decatur County, although a poor county that did not use as much fuel as many others, was still
Boundless. “Mobilizing a Nation.” Boundless U.S. History. Boundless, 20 Nov. 2016. Retrieved 20 Nov. 2016 from
https://www.boundless.com/u-s-history/textbooks/boundless-u-s-history-textbook/world-war-i-1914-191923/america-s-entry-into-the-war-178/mobilizing-a-nation-972-8871/
9
Lillye Younger, The History of Decatur County Past and Present (Southhaven, MS: Carter Printing Company, 1978),
Chapter 12, page number unknown.
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not exempt from the saving of fuel. Decatur County even had a fuel administrator appointed in
1918. The fuel administrator’s job would be to oversee the coal and wood situation in Decatur
County. Generally, this meant that the administrator would make sure everyone in the county had
an adequate amount of these resources, while simultaneously making sure that no one used
wasteful, unnecessary amounts of the resources. The position of fuel administrator was an
important one, as they would monitor the retail prices of these resources in the county as well. It
was the responsibility of the fuel administrator to appoint his understudies and to have them
report back to him about their findings. The position was not a paid positon, but was brought
upon someone to do as their patriotic duty. In Decatur County, a letter was written to an Hon.
W.L. Wheat by Mr. W.E. Myer, U.S. Fuel Administrator for Tennessee. In the letter, Mr. Myer
wrote to the Hon. Wheat, and said, “Your county needs a big, honest, patriotic man, whom the
people trust- a county fuel administrator for your county. After a careful investigation I have
chosen you.” He went on to say, “You will be paid the same salary that I am- that is not a centbut you will have the sacred satisfaction of doing your duty to your country in her hour of
need 10.”
There was also a big push in Decatur County to buy war bonds. War bonds were one of
the most common and easiest ways for American citizens to support the war. A war bond was
essentially a payment to the government, a loan of sorts, to be paid back with interest when the
war was over. Essentially every little town or community across the United States had an active
movement to purchase war bonds. Decatur County was no different. Various patriots would
encourage the public to buy these bonds, and they had various methods to do so. One method
was programs or plays. One such play was put on at the Decaturville school, in order to sell
W.E. Myer, “W.L. Wheat Appointed County Fuel Administrator,” Decatur Harold (Decaturville, TN), February 22,
1918.
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bonds and raise money for the cause. The program included a flag drill, various skits, and even a
play. The play was performed by several different members of the community depicting soldiers
who have served and will serve in the armed forces for the United States, intended to spark
patriotism among all the citizens who watched it 11.
The citizens of Decatur County also hosted a “Volunteer Days” fundraising type event
just to encourage the sale of bonds. The purpose of these “Volunteer Days” was for people to
step up and willingly buy bonds without being solicited to do so. There were even threats of
immediate solicitation in the days following these “Volunteer Days” of those who did not
willingly decide to give. The push for bonds to monetarily support the war was very aggressive,
as money was and is one of the most important resources for supporting a war. Those
encouraging the purchase of these bonds also encouraged frugal living and careful spending, so
that every dollar not spent on means of living could be devoted to buying war bonds and
supporting the cause. The writers of the Decatur Herald even encouraged folks to buy bonds
even if they did not have much money, saying “You don’t have to pay cash for all your bonds.
You can make your first payment from cash in the bank, and take care of the balance out of your
daily, weekly, or monthly savings.” All this up-front payment was of course encouraged with the
promise of even greater repayments after the war was over. The Herald went on to say “After the
war, the bonds will be worth more to you than you paid for them. Don’t hesitate to do your duty
and do it quickly. ‘Don’t let the SON go down 12.’”
Of all the home front efforts during the First World War, there was arguably no effort
more significant than that of the Red Cross. American Red Cross chapters all across the country
sprang up almost overnight in response to the US declaration of war. In 1914, the number of Red
11
12
Unknown Author, “Buy Liberty Bonds Program,” Decatur Harold (Decaturville, TN)
Unknown Author, “Be a Volunteer,” Decatur Herald (Decaturville, TN)
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Cross chapters in the US was around 100. By 1917, that number had grown astronomically to
over 3,800. Of course the Red Cross provided immediate medical support for soldiers on the
front lines, but the chapters at home were also of extreme importance. Local chapters across the
United States were devoted to making bandages, garments such as socks, surgical dressings,
comfort kits, and additional items for the boys overseas 13. The Decatur County chapter was
started in the spring of 1918. It was initially organized by Mrs. J.C. Felsenthal, who was
Chairman of Extension Work of Red Cross for Madison and adjoining counties. Mrs. Felsenthal,
of Jackson, Tennessee organized the chapter in Parsons with a starting membership of 107. As
written in the Herald, “Mr. Joe H. Jennings was elected Chairman, Ms. Wood was elected Vice
Chairman, and Mrs. Eliza Houston, Secretary 14.” Shortly thereafter, a chapter was organized in
Decaturville. Upon creation, the chapter in Decaturville was comprised of 81 members. This
chapter was organized by Mrs. Felsenthal from Jackson as well. According to the Herald, “Mr.
J.H. Stout was elected Chairman, Mrs. J.S. England was elected Vice Chairman. Mrs. P.W.
Miller, Secretary, and Mr. L.T. Smith, Treasurer 15.” After the creation of these two chapters,
Mrs. Felsenthal gave a speech at one of the local churches, appealing to the citizens to do their
part. The Herald’s article on this formation called Mrs. Felsenthal’s speech “inspiring, and we
feel that the citizens from all over the county will cooperate and much will be done for this great
and good cause. Most everybody can do something and there is work for all 16.”
Spurring people into action and getting them motivated to support a war that most of
them knew little about would be an immense task. There would have to be an exuberant amount
Unknown Author, “World War I and the American Red Cross,” American Red Cross, Accessed: 24 November
2016. http://www.redcross.org/about-us/history/red-cross-american-history/WWI
14
Unknown Author, “Red Cross Organized in Decatur County,” Decatur Herald (Decaturville, TN), May 10, 1918
15
“Red Cross Organized in Decatur County”
16
“Red Cross Organized in Decatur County”
13
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of pro-America propaganda and displays of patriotism. Perhaps no group of citizens were better
during World War I at motivating the public than the Four Minute Men. The Four Minute Men
fought a war of propaganda and ideas every day all across America. To garner support for the
war, President Wilson established the Committee on Public Information or CPI. The CPI was
directed by George Creel, a newspaper editor from Mississippi. Creel claimed that he had 75,000
volunteer orators from all across America to spread these patriotic messages to the masses. These
men were to deliver short, inspiring, powerful speeches in order to build support for the war.
They were to give them wherever they could: churches, meeting houses, movie theatres, and
lodges 17. Decatur County had these speakers and these kinds of propagandist speeches as well.
One call for speaking was published in the county newspaper at the time, the Decatur Herald.
This call focused on the Red Cross and Liberty Bonds and what you could do to help out. The
paper pleaded with Decatur Countians to come forward and speak on behalf of the Four Minute
Men, saying “Everyone must realize that with the enormous resources, the gigantic manpower of
this nation and the will to win that success is as surely foreshadowed as if it had already been
recorded. The morale of the United States is still such that we will remain firm in our purpose of
upholding at all odds American ideals against Prussianism 18.” This particular article was
intended, like many others, to strike a patriotic nerve in the general public, and in this case, to get
more men to step up and become Four Minute Speakers for causes such as the Red Cross.
The propaganda that drove these Four Minute Speakers was necessary if America was to
mount a large scale war effort. With no television or internet, and with many in Decatur County
at this time still being without electricity, there was little in the way of information so that the
Unknown Author, “Four Minute Men: Volunteer Speeches in World War I,” GMU, Accessed on 27 November
2016. http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4970/
18
Unknown Author. “Four Minute Speakers for Red Cross,” Decatur Herald (Decaturville, TN), May 17, 1918.
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public could be informed. Speakers like these men were an excellent way to keep the public
informed, and also to do it at an angle preferred by the United States government. Papers were
also a great way for the propaganda to reach as many people as possible, as even most small,
very rural areas had at least one area or regional newspaper. On the next page of the same issue
of the Herald that mentioned the Four Minute Speakers was a short propaganda piece, which was
common for the time. This particular short propaganda article was placed in the paper by a group
known as the Southern Ruralists, and it aims at rural America, discussing farming and hard work.
The article encourages those at home to work hard for the boys on the front lines, and states that,
“We are all in the war, every one of us, battling for success 19.” The article had a major sense of
urgency, trying its best to get citizens to act quickly and support the war effort. The title of the
passage is “Work Will Win” and its message lived up to its title:
We must give ourselves to the cause with every atom of energy we possess and ‘do with
our might what our hands find to do.’ We must produce, produce, produce—make more
of everything. No need to worry about the price; remember only that it is for our country,
for our army, for our allies who need supplying that we work 20.
Indeed, the propaganda machine the American government created was just as much to thank for
the success of America in World War I and the major feats of support at home from the
American citizens. Pieces like this, just like the Four Minute Speakers, were a major part in the
war effort, and it could be argued America’s efforts in the Great War would have been far less
effective and influential had it not been for this patriotic propaganda that lit a fire under our great
Nation.
Towards the end of the war, Decatur County got involved with the United War Work
Campaign. This was a one week campaign from November 11-18, 1918. Although the war had
19
20
Unknown Author, “Work Will Win,” Decatur Herald (Decaturville, TN), May 17, 1918.
“Work Will Win”
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actually ended, soldiers would still be mobilized until 1919. The goal of this campaign was to
raise $170,000,000 to provide entertainment to troops abroad. Seven non-governmental entities
took part in this campaign: the Young Men’s Christian Association, the Young Women’s
Christian Association, the Knights of Columbus, the Salvation Army, the Jewish Welfare Board,
the American Library Association, and War Camp Community Service. These groups were able
to come together to appeal to the people of the United States to donate to this campaign that
wanted the best for those that served America 21. Decatur County had a part in this campaign as
well. The Decatur Herald stated that their United War Work Campaign would start November
11 and included the Executive Committee to oversee Decatur County’s efforts. The positions
were as follows: “J.W. Stout of Decaturville is chairman; Joe Jennings, Vice Chairman; P.H.
Brasher, Sec-Treas; Walter A. Partin, Publicity; J.A. England, Speaker; Elbert Jones, Negro
Work; Joe K. Vise, Earn & Give; A.F. Adair, Industrial. The district committee are yet to be
announced 22.”
Nowadays, preachers taking to their pulpits in churches preaching major sermons over
political things or as propaganda pieces are rather unusual, but it was fairly common place in this
era. In this same article, the Herald states:
In churches next Sunday, regardless of creed or race, the ministers are requested to
deliver a talk or sermon upon the purposes of the United War Work Campaign,
explaining the importance of its mission in looking after the physical, moral, mental, and
spiritual welfare of American fighting men ‘over there,’ in cantonments here at home and
on the sea 23.
Unknown Author, “For the Boys Over There,” United War Work, Accessed: 27 November 2016.
http://unitedwarwork.com/
22
Unknown Author, “Decatur County Ready to Do Big Part In United War Work Campaign,” Decatur Herald
(Decaturville, TN)
23
“Decatur County Ready to Do Big Part In United War Work Campaign”
21
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Decatur County aided in raising these funds for the boys “over there” and ended the war efforts
at home just as strong as they had started them.
A topic that must not go without mentioning is the brave fighting men of Decatur County.
Just as in all other areas of the country, Decatur County had many men to serve in the armed
forces in World War I. There were 21 men from Decatur County who made the ultimate sacrifice
for their country, their county, and their loved ones, and there were many more who returned
home. These men, although from the same area, had very different experiences in the Great War.
Some went overseas and fought valiantly. Some never made it “over there.” One thing is for
certain, though. All these men were shipped out of their homes with the chance, no matter how
great or slim, that they may never come back again. That, in and of itself, is a major sacrifice that
we should all be thankful for. I would like to honor a few of these men by introducing them and
telling a little bit of their stories.
Hailing from the small community of Garrett in Decatur County, was decorated veteran
John Williams Columbus Gibson. Gibson was sent to Camp Upton, New York and then to
Liverpool, England. He was wounded in the Battle of Argonne Forest, where 50 men in his
division lost their lives, and he was captured and sent to a prison camp in Germany. He and
others were forced to be laborers for the Germans. They worked at sawmills, hauled potatoes,
and on the railroads. He was released shortly after the war was over, and received the Purple
Heart and several other accolades for his service 24.
Lillye Younger, The History of Decatur County Past and Present (Southhaven, MS: Carter Printing Company,
1978), Chapter 12, page number unknown.
24
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My close friend’s great grandfather, William “Bill” Tubbs, also served in WWI. He was
in the U.S. Army, stationed in France, and participated in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. He was
primarily a horseman, taking care of the horses of his unit 25.
An uncle of mine, Latham Blount, served as well. He was drafted into service in 1917
and was discharged with a rank of private in 1919. He served with the U.S. Army, 5th division, in
France, Belgium, and Luxembourg 26.
My great grand uncle, John Edward “Ed” Wright, served in World War I also. He
enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1917 at age 30. While in service, he was stationed at Camp Bragg,
N.C.; Camp Jackson, S.C.; and Camp Sevier, S.C. He was discharged in 1919 with a rank of
private 27. His final place to be stationed was at Camp Bragg. He was a member of the Signal
Corps and played the bugle. He was also part of the Quarter Master Corps. He, like many others,
were lucky enough to never have to leave America’s borders. Like all other men who wear the
uniform, however, he was prepared, if necessary, to make the ultimate sacrifice.
In conclusion, Decatur County may not be a big county, but we have made a sizable
difference. The closeness of our communities, partly due to our modest size, has always
strengthened us and brought us together, especially in times of need. The effort put forth by
Decatur Countians, in every facet of World War I, was not an effort to be scoffed at. Our people
know how to work hard, and they know when something essential has to be done that they have
to stand up and answer the call. In a time where the county had many communities, all fairly
small, and some miniscule, the people fought against adversity and mounted a war effort that
was extremely supportive and also effective. Our men and women sacrificed their time, and
Unknown Author, Decatur County Veterans’ History, (Paducah, KY: Turner Publishing, 1999)
Decatur County Veterans’ History
27
Decatur County Veterans’ History
25
26
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some even their lives, to ensure we can live the lives we live today. They, along with the rest of
our country, mounted an almost overnight effort to support the war. Buying Liberty Bonds and
raising all the money they could for the war, starting Red Cross chapters and making goods and
dressings and bandages for overseas, canning foods and sending them across the pond,
conserving at home so that they might give every extra dime they could to the war efforts, some
even volunteering their service for the war, and some giving the ultimate sacrifice: all these
things are extremely significant to the Allies’ swift victory upon American entrance into the war.
This forgotten generation contributed more to their war effort than they could afford to, and we
may never see another generation that selfless and patriotic again.
Wright 17
References
Biddle-Douglas, Teresa. “Decatur County.” Middle Tennessee State University. December 25,
2009. Accessed 19 November, 2016.
https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=365
Boundless. “Mobilizing a Nation.” Boundless U.S. History. Boundless. 20 Nov. 2016. Retrieved
20 Nov. 2016. https://www.boundless.com/u-s-history/textbooks/boundless-u-s-historytextbook/world-war-i-1914-1919-23/america-s-entry-into-the-war-178/mobilizing-anation-972-8871/
Myer, W.E. “W.L. Wheat Appointed County Fuel Administrator.” Decatur Harold
(Decaturville, TN). February 22, 1918.
Schumm, Laura. “America’s Patriotic Victory Gardens,” History. Published: May 29, 2014,
Accessed: 19 November, 2016. http://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/americaspatriotic-victory-gardens
Unknown Author. “Be a Volunteer.” Decatur Herald (Decaturville, TN). Approximate Date
Unknown
Unknown Author. “Buy Liberty Bonds Program.” Decatur Harold (Decaturville, TN).
Approximate Date Unknown.
Unknown Author. “Decatur County History.” Decatur County Historical Society. Accessed 17
November, 2016. http://www.dchs-tn.org/history/frontier.asp
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Unknown Author. “Decatur County Ready to Do Big Part In United War Work Campaign.”
Decatur Herald (Decaturville, TN). Approximate Date Unknown.
Unknown Author. Decatur County Veterans’ History. Paducah, KY: Turner Publishing, 1999.
Unknown Author. “For the Boys Over There,” United War Work. Accessed: 27 November 2016.
http://unitedwarwork.com/
Unknown Author. “Four Minute Men: Volunteer Speeches in World War I.” GMU. Accessed on
27 November 2016. http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4970/
Unknown Author. “Four Minute Speakers for Red Cross.” Decatur Herald (Decaturville, TN).
May 17, 1918.
Unknown Author. “Red Cross Organized in Decatur County.” Decatur Herald (Decaturville,
TN). May 10, 1918.
Unknown Author. “Tennessee in World War I.” Tennessee State Library and Archives. Date
Accessed: 19 November, 2016.
http://teva.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/WWI
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