AMERICAN LEGION, MARCY-UPTON POST NO. 109

by Leroy Prentice

Entry T46 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Veteran's Club with new flag, 1988.

Memorial Day, American Legion Color Guard and
Firing Squad.

Marcy-Upton Post 109 of the American
Legion was chartered in 1919 or 1920. It was
named after two men who lived in the area
and lost their lives in World War I. These
men were Vernon Upton and Warren Marcy.

Vernon A. Upton was born in south Hooker
County, Nebraska on March 30, 1891 . He
grew to manhood in the area. He married
Mrs. Ida Nicholson on September 1, 1917 and
left his bride of a month to join the colors.

"His death was due to an attack of
pneumonia while training with the first
contingent from this county for military duty
and he died on November 20, 1917. He was
26 years, 7 months and 21 days. He was given
full military honors on November 30, 1917
and laid to rest in Cedarview Cemetery."

"Warren Marcy was born in Hooker
County in 1889. He grew to manhood in this
community and took part in all its activities.
He was schooled here and lived for a time
north of Mullen on the river. Before going to
war he was married.

World War I came on and this man joined
the Army. At the time of his death he was in
the Signal Corps. He died on the field of
battle October 18, 1918 at St. Naziare, France
at the age of 29 years, 11 months 26 days. His
body was later returned to Cedarview Ceme-
tery in Mullen."

The Legion held their meetings mostly in
the meeting room in the basement of the
courthouse. In about 1947 they began talking
about getting a place of their own and then
started doing some serious planning. The
following is taken from the Sandhills Tribune
of May 1948. "The Sexton crew was busily
engaged the fore part of the week in the
excavating for the new basement of the
Mullen Veterans' Club. Club officials are now
anticipating the commencement of work
pertinent to the construction of the substruc-
ture, and in a very short time the project will
be taking shape. A full basement is in the
plans and the top portion of the building will
be moved onto it in due time. The boys are
striving to have the club in readiness for
opening long before the 4th of July." The club
was `open for business' that year and is still
functioning altho there have been some
changes over the years. One of their newer
improvements is a well lit flag that flies
continually.

The Legion has always provided a color
guard and firing squad for military funerals,
a color guard for Memorial Day, Veteran's
Day, and many other patriotic events as well
as helping to sponsor these programs.

Another annual project has been to sponsor
the Sandhill Roundup Rodeo on the 4th of
July for over 30 years. This rodeo has seen
many changes as have the grounds where it
was held. In the early years the rodeo was
mostly local boys but it gradually got to be
more and more professional.

Two programs for the youth of the commu-
nity are County Government Day and Boys
State. County government is jointly sponso-
red with the Auxiliary and provides the
eleventh grade juniors of the Mullen High
School a great opportunity to learn first hand
about their county government. Nebraska
Boys State is 50 years old and Post 109 has
participated in it since its beginning. The
first boy to attend from Mullen was Frank
Harding and this year he will be honored
along with others at Lincoln.

The Legion helps any veteran in need of
assistance to obtain the help needed. How-
ever, they have always been a community
minded organization and have joined with
other groups on countless occasions to work
for the good of our community.