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Marsh Arthur E.

Name:
Arthur E.  Marsh
Rank:
Chaplain
Serial Number:
Unit:
18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division
Date of Death:
1918-10-07
State:
Nebraska
Cemetery:
Meuse Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France
Plot:
C
Row:
37
Grave:
24
Decoration:
Comments:

Arthur E (Chaplain Lt Infantry) Marsh Died on 10/7/1918 Tribune 31 Oct 1918 Blair, NE Chaplain Arthur E. Marsh Dies Of Wounds On Oct. 7
Chaplain Arthur E. Marsh, son of Rev. and Mrs. A. E. Marsh of this city, has paid the supreme sacrifice on the altar of his country on the battle fields of France, according to a telegram addressed to his wife, which was received by Rev. Marsh late Wednesday evening. According to the telegram Arthur died on October 7, 1918, of wounds received in the battle of St. Mihel.

CENOTAPH: Saint Marys Episcopal Church Columbarium Blair, Washington County, Nebraska

Mrs. Marsh is visiting relatives at her old home in Virginia, and Rev. Marsh leaves today to break the sad news to the wife and mother. Chaplain Marsh leaves to mourn his demise his parents, his wife, and three small children.
This news came just as we were going to press. We will get the obituary of Chaplain Marsh for next week.
Tribune 7 November 1918, Blair, Nebraska Chaplain Arthur H. Marsh Pays Supreme Sacrifice
Lieutenant Arthur H. Marsh, chaplain of the Third Battalion of the 18-Infantry in France, died of wounds on October 7, received while administering to wounded men on the battle line in, presumably, the St. Mihiel battle.
Rev. Mr. Marsh was born near Sioux City, and was 35 years of age, the only son of Rev. and Mrs. Arthur E. Marsh, of this city. He graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1905, and was the first Rhodes scholar from Nebraska to enter the University of Oxford, England, and in 1908, graduated from Kelbe University, one of the 28 schools connected with the Oxford institution.
He spent five years in Washington, D.C., where he was one of the Masters of the National Cathedral School for Boys. It was in Washington that he met his wife. After his marriage he went to Yamhill, Oregon, for a year and then came to Omaha where he was ordained by Bishop Arthur L. Williams.
After being ordained as Minister of the Episcopal church, he was for four years rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church at 23rd and California streets, and Chaplain of Clarkson hospital and the Douglas County Poor Farm (all in Douglas County, Omaha, NE). He was appointed an army Chaplain last August and left immediately for overseas duty.
He leaves his wife and two bright young sons, and his parents who deeply mourn his demise, but they are comforted by the thought that he met his death in the line of duty, paying the supreme sacrifice to his country while making the last hours of men dying on the field of battle a little brighter.
Mrs. Arthur H. Marsh, Widow Of Pastor Killed By Hun Poison Gas, Asks $3,000.
(Omaha Bee, Apr. 16)
Her husband overtaken by German poison gas an slain on the battlefields of France, Ms. Arthur H. Marsh, filed suit yesterday in district court against the Aetna Life Insurance company, for $3,000, the amount of an accident policy held by Rev. Mr. Marsh as the time of his death.
Rev. Arthur H. Marsh was pastor of St. Paul's Episcopal church, Thirty-second and California streets, when he received an appointment in August, 1918, to be chaplain in the United States army. He went overseas in September and news of his death was received here October 30, 1918.
He was gassed on October 4, Mrs. Marsh's petition stats, and lingered in the hospital for more than three weeks before he died.
Raises Technical Point
The reason advanced by the manager of the Aetna company for non-payment of the policy, said A.L. Sutton, attorney for Mrs. Marsh, "is that the policy was not in force when a man went overseas. But there is no such provision in the policy."
David Fitch, attorney for the Aetna company said he had not looked into the case.
"It raises a nice question," he said. "The question concerns the death of a man in battle. Is such a death an accidental death. Under the circumstances I should think it would be considered a natural death, if a man in the army were shot by the enemy or overcome by the enemy's gas.
"On the other hand if a soldier is shot accidentally by one of his comrades his death would be accidental."
Rev. Mr. Marsh's policy was taken out in December 18, 1912, for $2,000. A provision made the face of the policy increase 10 percent each year until it had attained a 50 percent increase, which it had reached at the time of his death and is now $3,000.
Rev. Mr. Marsh was the only son of Rev. Arthur E. Marsh of Blair, Neb. He graduated at the University of Nebraska in 1905 and secured a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford university where he graduated in 1908.
He was ordained by Bishop A. L. Williams in Omaha. Besides being pastor of St. Paul's Episcopal church he was chaplain of Clarkson hospital and of the county poor farm. He was 34 years old.
Enterprise 8 Nov 1918
Lt. A. H. Marsh Writes Former Congregation
Chaplain Sends Letter to St. Paul's Church Members Shortly Before Being Killed in Action
(Omaha Bee)
Lt. Arthur E. Marsh, who recently was killed in France, wrote a letter to the congregation of the St. Paul's church of Omaha, of which he formerly was pastor, shortly before his death, which tells many interesting things about his work in the trenches.
Rev. Mr. Marsh was chaplain with the Third battalion, Eighteenth Infantry, A.P.O., in France and was killed while administering to wounded soldiers on the battle line. The letter, which was dated September 20, 1918, is as follows:
"My Dear People of St. Paul's: I don't know whether I can longer apply the possessive to you as I hope that by this time the bishop has been able to put someone in my place. But still as far as I am concerned you will ever have a warm spot in my heart.
"I have been waiting to write for some time thinking that we would soon settle down somewhere, but as we have been in this place, somewhere in France," for six days and that is longer than we have stayed anywhere since I have been with the regiment, I have concluded to write anyway and no doubt we will move on this evening.
Under Shell Fire.
"So far, with the weather as fine as it has been, it has seemed more like a picnic than anything else except that one hears the big guns every day and can never get away from the fact that we are in war. We took part recently in what proved to be a very successful drive so I have at least been under fire though for the most part it was our own. By that I mean that our shells went screaming over to the enemy, yet it was decidedly eerie to sit or lie down on wet ground at 1 o'clock in the morning and have the big ones go off fairly close behind you. Our battalion, as a matter of fact, had an especially easy time of it and had no real casualties, for which we are truly thankful. I imagine that by looking at the date and putting two and two together you will be able to guess where we were.
"As for my work, here is in many ways a wonderful opportunity here. For instance last Sunday I had a short service with each of the four companies in this battalion. I had separate services for two reasons, first because I did not think it would be easy to assemble a crowd in these woods, and secondly, because I thought I could reach more by companies especially as I arranged each service should take place just before ‘chow' (the word in the army for any meal). The service was, of course, purely voluntary and yet I had on an average well over 100 men in each case and what is more, many of the officers whom I would not have had otherwise.
Has Big Congregation
Think of it! An opportunity to talk for a few minutes to between 500 and 600 of our boys, more than I ever had before me in all my life before. The previous Sunday I had a short service in a Y.M.C.A. hut, where we then happened to be, and had the holy communion to follow, 2 were received. I have also had some burials of our dear boys. That brings war home to you. I wish however, all of you could see what our boys do here and the sacrifices they make willingly and uncomplainingly every day. They are ever wanting to share with each other and to do anything they can for you, such as washing your mess kit and such like. It is this daily life that counts and it is in these things we may be well proud of our boys.
"I hope everything is going well with St. Paul's and I should very much like an account of you all. Remember me in your prayers and may God's blessing be on all of you." Last week's Enterprise made brief note of the death in France from wounds received while in active service at the front, of Chaplain Arthur H. Marsh, on information received just as the paper was going to press; and also a mention of Rev. A. E. Marsh's immediate departure to Virginia to notify the young wife of deceased of the sad event. Rev. Marsh returned Monday with his daughter-in-law and two children from Fredericksburg, Va., where she was visiting friends. The bereaved widow and orphaned children will make their home with Rev. and Mrs. Marsh here in Blair.
~~~ Obituaries courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.; National Archives~~~ ~Source: Find a grave