War Stories: The First Fallen Soldier

The First Fallen Soldier

James Teel Remembered as First Bartian Killed in WWI

by Delaney Williams

At 10:43 a.m. on Saturday, July 3, 1921, the body of Sergeant James H. Teel arrived back home to Bartlesville, nearly three years after his death. His body was greeted by eight men in complete overseas uniforms who escorted him to the McCallister Undertaking Chapel. There it was watched over by soldiers who had served overseas in the same Division as Teel, day and night, until his funeral at 3 o’clock the following afternoon.

Sergeant Teel’s death and funeral were significant to the community because he was the first Bartlesville man to be killed in World War I. On September 12, 1918, Teel, a member of Company E of the 358th Division, was engaged in battle. He participated in a machine gun charge at the storming of Gey-en-Haye, on the southern line of the St. Mihiel. Teel was only in his early 20s at the time of his death.

The American Legion Bartlesville Post 105 carefully planned a simple but solemn ceremony to honor his life and sacrifice. At 3 o’clock that Sunday afternoon, other former servicemen assembled at the chapel to escort him to his final resting place at the White Rose Cemetery. Leading the procession was a detail of mounted police, followed by the municipal band, and a firing squad in full military uniform. A black-draped carriage carrying Teel’s body came next, followed by family members in motor cars. The entire city stopped to mourn the death of Sergeant James H. Teel.

The Organization of the American Legion

Following the end of World War I, in February 1919, U.S. Col Theodore Roosevelt Jr. gave a dinner for his fellow officers in Paris, France, and suggested an organization for Veterans of World War I. A committee of 100 men met on April 7, 1919, and laid plans for what would become the American Legion.

On October 7, 1919, a charter petition for a Bartlesville post of the American Legion was filed. The post was officially organized on November 1st, just in time to celebrate Armistice Day on the 11th. The post celebrated with a large parade followed by a special dinner prepared by the War Mothers of Bartlesville, later renamed the Women’s Auxiliary of the American Legion.

The first set of officers of the Bartlesville post were: S.J. Montgomery, P.C.; Dr. J.V. Athey, V.P.V.; W.F. Jorgenson, adjutant; Sol Degen, post finance officer. Members of the executive committee, in addition to the officers were: H.C. Farell, M.E., Mihcaleson, Dr. F.J. Bradfield, T.B. Hudson, and Harold Price.

James H. Teel Post of the American Legion

For some time there was an effort to change the name of the post to honor the first fallen man from Bartlesville in World War I. This change had to wait until the records of a number of Bartlesville military men killed in action were investigated. The name change officially took place on September 12th, 1921. From then on, the Bartlesville post was the James H. Teel Post No. 105, Bartlesville.