Soldiers' Monument

After the Civil War the town veterans formed the Saint Clair Monument Organization  (disbanded on April 3, 1867) to erect a monument honor the men from Saint Clair who served in defense of the Union.  The monument was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day 1874. The monument was then turned over to Post #47 of the Grand Army of the Republic for care taking.  The twenty-five foot high monuments is located on top of a hill overlooking Saint Clair in the Odd Fellows Cemetery.

Sixth Regiment, Company H

Recruited at St. Clair, Schuylkill County

Mustered in April 24, 1861

History of the 6th Regiment

Fourteenth Regiment, Company B

Recruited at St. Clair, Schuylkill County

Mustered in April 30, 1861

Saint Clair, to it's credit responded with the greatest percentage of volunteers during the Civil War.  For this, the town was awarded the "Vicksburg Cane" made from a branch of the tree which Pinkerton surrendered to Grant and which that soldier-president presented to the people of St. Clair, through Richard Brown.

The youngest drummer boy in the war was from Saint Clair, his name was Louis Howard.

SPECIAL   SQUADS  IN  THE  CIVIL  WAR

The Wetherill Rifles under Captain Edward Farne were one of the earliest to respond to Lincoln's call. There were a division of the Ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers.

The Lafayette Rifles were lead by Captain William H. Jennings

July 1901 Military Salute at the Civil War Monument in the Odd Fellows Cemetery.  Originally, the monument had a fence around it.

Miners showed their support to the war effort.    Large piece of coal was paraded through town and placed outside the offices of the Saint Clair Coal Company.

To make room for 2-lane traffic on South 2nd Street in 1958 or 1959, the island was removed and the Monuments moved to the football stadium on Nichols Street.

(Photos by John Zamecnik)

W.W.I Memorial was originally located on South 2nd Street in front of the original Legion Building (above).

17 gave their lives

Note the Bell:  Mr. Zamecnik remembers how he rang that bell when he was a schoolboy attending the school "Town Clock School",.  It was rung to call students to classes.

The first soldier killed in France was Michael Duda of St. Clair.  The only county soldier killed from the torpedoed ship, Tuscania was John Buchanan of St. Clair.

Women who served in WWI:   Lts. Jane Barrett, . Bertha Williams,  Ester M. Maley,  Bridgetta Benonis, and  Anna Stine

"At Ticonderoga the soldiers under General Saint-Clair shouted with  rapture: "Now we are a free people, and have a name among the states of the world."

- History of the United States by George Bancroft, Chapter 1 Vol. 5 -

World War II Memorial

Located at Football Stadium

47 gave their lives

(Photos by John Zamecnik)

Saint Clair machine-gunner in on Philippines invasion

Article from the " Pottsville REPUBLICAN-Evening Herald"

Admiral Joel Boone in Welcome Home parade

Born:   August 29, 1889 - Died: April 2, 1974, son or William A. &  Annie Thompson Boone

Received Metal of Honor for his valor under fire at the Battle of Belleau Wood in World War I.

Fired by President Truman's Secretary of Defense for being "uncooperative" about cutbacks at Veteran Administration hospitals.

Admiral Boone addresses townspeople in the Saint Clair High Schools gymnasium.  October 17, 1949

White House Physician to:  Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover.

First Naval officer ashore in Japan at World War II's end.  On the USS Missouri, to witness Japanese surrender.

Married to Helen E. Koch, daughter of Judge & Mrs. Richard H. Koch of Pottsville.  One child, Suzanne, who married Milton F. Heller, Jr.

Admiral Joel Boone Book

U.S.S. Boone - named after Admiral Boone

Character above all