Joseph William Guyton

Joseph William Guyton (June 10, 1889-May 24, 1918) was the first American soldier killed on German-held soil during WWI. Private Guyton was form the small town of Evart, MI.

Life

Joseph Guyton was born June 10, 1889, on a farm in Evart Township (Osceola County). He attended a rural school in the area only for a short time to work in the oil fields of Ohio. Joe was a farmer and also worked as a plumber and well driller. In December 1909, Joseph Guyton was married to Winona Baker from the neighboring community of Lake City. Their only child, Olive Clara Guyton, was born in 1911.

In 1917, after the U.S. entered the war, Guyton was attached to the Thirty-second Division (the Red Arrows Division National Guard Unit) of the 156th Infantry at Camp MacArthur, Waco, Texas. On February 17, 1918, Private Guyton sailed with his comrades out of New York harbor bound for France. May 15, 1918, the status of his unit was changed from replacement division to combat.

Death

General Pershing lists Guyton as killed in action on May 14, 1918, in the Gildwilder Sector in Alsace (Elsass, Germany) the day after the unit entered the line of battle. Guyton was temporarily buried in a nearby church yard on foreign soil. He was posthumously awarded the "croix de guerre" (the grand cross of honor)_ by the government of France.

In Memory

In May 1921, President Warren G. Harding placed a presidential wreath on the flag-draped coffin of Private Guyton at a funeral ceremony for over 5,000 American war-dead at the army piers, Hoboken, New Jersey. He spoke these words: "In the name of the republic, I bestow this tribute on the casket of the first soldier who perished on the soil of the enemy... I chose it because I am offering the tribute to the one returned whose death on enemy soil marked the day when our civilization went face forward and the assault on our present day civilization knew it had failed. May 24. 1918, is the date on which this soldier was killed, and the name is that of Joseph W. Guyton, Company I of the 126th Infantry, a resident patriot and hero of the State of Michigan of the United States of America."

Guyton's remains were returned from New Jersey to Evart by rail and were met at the depot by his parents, relatives, friends, citizens of the town, and members of the Joseph W. Guyton Post of the American Legion named in his honor.

June 5, 1921, 10,000 people gathered in Evart to pay tribute to the hero. On hand were dignitaries of the military, state government, local government, and a number of Civil War veterans. The local Evart newspaper reported that over 1,000 automobiles and 500 soldiers were present in the small community that day. Guyton's remains were buried at Forest Hill cemetery outside of the town.

The following week, Guyton's ten-year old daughter, Olive, presented the American flag, which had draped Guyton's casket to the local American Legion Post. Olive made the presentation with the assistance of her uncle, L.V. Guyton of Lancaster, Ohio, as her mother had died from influenza just months after her husband had been killed. Olive died just one year later from pneumonia.

Within the city of Evart today are a park and highway bridge both dedicated to the memory of Joseph W. Guyton. In Guyton Park stands a cannon dating back to WWI and a monument to the memory of all who lost their lives from Evart during WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam conflict. Memorial Day ceremonies begin at the Guyton Park and conclude at Forest Hill Cemetery. The memory of Joseph Guyton and the many others who gave their lives will never be forgotten.

External Links/Sources

http://www.evart.org/history.html