“Young” and “very well-liked” is how the three Radford men, barely in their 20s, but dead in the trenches and no-man’s lands of WWI were remembered in condolences letters nearly a hundred years ago.
Memories of those men, and the small community’s involvement in global affairs are also remembered in the name “Harvey-Howe-Carper American Legion Post 30”, named for the three young, well-liked men.
The cornerstone was laid for the Harvey-Howe-Carper Post 30 in 1928 and the charter was established in 1919, and, as the post prepares to celebrate its centennial next year, renovating its Main Street hall, it is examining its history.
Current owner of Radford’s 8th Street historic Harvey House, A.C. Wilson, commissioned New York-based history researcher Sharon Leahy to explore the lives of the post’s namesakes: Elliott H. Howe, Jake Carper, and Alfred Harvey.
At a recent American Legion meeting, Radford resident and Virginia Tech architecture student, Tyler McDaniel, presented Leahy’s findings on Howe, Carper and Harvey, underscoring the role the post has played in the community.
“Elliott H. Howe served in the 116th Infantry, 29th Division and was instantly killed while leading his company through Consenvoye Woods, north of Verdun,” McDaniel said. “When the remains of Elliott Howe returned to the United States, the Harvey-Howe-Carper, American Legion oversaw the funeral ceremony on September 8, 1921,” he said. “This is just one of the many examples that the post has done to serve the community of Radford.”
Sergeant Jake Carper was killed in action on October 11, 1918 active in multiple major offensives, who, McDaniel said, according to the 1910 U.S. Census, lived with his mother and father on Grove Avenue “right here in Radford.”
McDaniel, who is 21, and focused his Eagle Scout badge on the cataloguing of historic collections of Radford’s Harvey House, was especially linked to Alfred Harvey.
This is Alfred Rorrer Harvey,” he said in his powerpoint presentation to the group. “He was not much older than myself when he left the Corps of Cadets at Virginia Tech to fight in the European theater [of war]. On night reconnaissance, just weeks before the war would come to an end, he was fatally shot in the head.”
In her research, historian Sharon Leahy uncovered a letter concerning the return of Alfred Harvey’s belongings to his family by Richard Evelyn Byrd Sr. who knew the Harvey family, McDaniel said.
The letter is from Byrd’s son who served alongside Alfred, writing to his father asking him to return Alfred’s belongings to the Harvey family on 8th street.
Dearest Pop,
I have intended for some days writing you about a Lieutenant Alfred Harvey who has bee killed. He is from Radford VA and his father is Louis Harvey Box 135 – Eight and Fairfax streets Radford, Va. He was a very fine and likable fellow and being from VA (Virginia), I am interested in him. I believe you go to Radford occasionally and you might call on his father, and I know his people would like to know more than the bare facts of his death. He was killed while patrolling at night in no-man’s land.
He died instantly from a single bullet through the head. He was doing splendid work and just been promoted. In fact I (received) an acknowledgement of his promotion from Washington the day after he was killed.
I know where he is buried but of course cannot give that in a letter. The Col. (Colonel) will write his family a letter in all probability.
The Bosche (Germans) appear to be on the run from what I see in the papers. I hope he will not be able to stay. The slogan over here is Hell, Heaven, or Berlin by summer. That may be slightly exaggerated but I believe the end is in sight.
Devotely,
Tom
