American Legion Post 24

The all-county American Legion Post was first organized and received a charter from the Kansas State Department to function under the name of McPherson Post #1. The first organization of the post was conceived and put into operation by the untiring efforts of Fred E. Ellis, a Major during World War 1.asignee of the original McPherson County Legion charter, died in August, 1919, of blood poisoning caused by a crushed finger. Harry B. Dorst, better known as “Cull” was one of those officers that nothing was too good for his men and was always doing everything and anything he could for them. It was this trait of character that won for him good will and friendship of all of his fellow men.

During this era, the American Legion was meeting at Conn Hall, upstairs at 121 ½ N. Main. The county post proved to be inadequate for the number of people involved in Legion activities. The Harry B. Dorst Post # 1 was, consequently, to split into eight smaller and closely-knit posts in the early1920’s. These eight posts were organized in McPherson, Lindsborg, Marquette, Canton, Moundridge, Galva, Roxbury, and Windom. Dorst’s name survived the county organization transition and became attached to the city of McPherson’s local post#24.

At the meeting of November 22nd, 1921, the following resolution was read and adopted:

WHEREAS Major Fred E. Ellis met his death on the morning of September 29th, 1921, and

WHEREAS; Major Fred E. Ellis was the founder of the Harry B. Dorst Post as well as suggesting the name for said Post and was during his lifetime its most active and trusted member, a man respected, revered and beloved by all the people of this community and honored as a sturdy and gallant soldier,

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED AND ADOPTED that Harry B. Dorst Post 24 secure an enlarged photograph of the late Major Fred E. Ellis and the same be hung in the Legion Hall on the walls in conformity with the picture of Harry B. Dorst and that a silver plate be placed thereon with these words “Major Fred E. Ellis, 137th Infantry, U.S.A. Founder of Harry B. Dorst Post #24.

The early years of the American Legion in McPherson County and City were centered around the Legion’s sense of its responsibility to uphold national patriotism, the responsibility to the Legion itself as an organization of status and power, its responsibility to its members in social or personal benefit matters, and finally, its responsibility of civic duty.

Interestingly enough, after William Flynn, the Chief Justice of the department directing raids against radicals, “declared,” as reported in The McPherson Weekly Republican “that the backbone of the radical revolutionary movement in the United States has been broken,” the Republican in the following months became less prone to carry “Red Scare” articles. The mass deportations from the “home of the free” were to diminish in the succeeding months of 1920 and 1921.

The veterans’ super-patriotism dimmed with the passing of the I. W. W. threat, the absence of the inevitable Communist world revolution, the emergence of the Women’s Auxiliary LegioninJune, 1921, and the mere passage of time. The Harry B. Dorst Post shifted its major emphasis from immediate postwar vigilantism to one of being responsible family men and community leaders of the early1920’s.

On October 24, 1922, the Post moved from Conn Hall to the 3rd Floor of the County Courthouse where a room could be had at no cost to the Legion.

During the years1928-29 a committee was appointed to find more suitable quarters for the American Legion. The City of McPherson extended an invitation to the Legion to renovate the 2nd floor of the City Hall for its use. The first meeting was held in the new Post Headquarters at 115 South Main (present Peoples Bank parking lot) on March 12, 1929.

On January 9, 1947, the Post purchased the land and building at 401 N. Main. Over the years, many have thought of a new building and relocating but every time this building has been remodeled and remained home for Post 24.It seems to be place to be for many community activities.

Harry B. Dorst Post 24, 401 N. Main, is the home of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, Sons of the American Legion and the American Legion Ridersallworkingtogether dedicated to helping build a better community in McPherson, Kansas.

InAugust, 1919, manila-colored flyers were seen on the walls of McPherson County public buildings and propped against local department store showcases. Throughout McPherson County, as in other counties throughout the United State, soldiers, sailors, and marines who had served honorably between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918, were summoned to the ranks of the American Legion. The American Legion of McPherson County passed through three stages of development between the years 1919 and 1924: patriotic, Legion, and civic. McPherson County Post#1 received its first temporary charter dated July 14, 1919. The men who signed the petition for that first temporary charter were: Fred E. Ellis, show salesman; Harry B. Dorst, painter; C. B. Hopkins, city worker; Louis C. Hubbell. druggist; A. W. Bremyer, insurance; C. L. Heaston, car dealer; G. Elliott; B. B. Blair; Paul Reeme, car dealer; Fred L. McMurray, window trimmer; Glenn Coughenour, mail carrier; Ross A. Etter, druggist; Thomas M. Canfield, printer; L. A. Mingenback, insurance; Robert Ranstrom, grocer; S. N. Mallison, doctor; Harry L.Cougenour, florist; and Lawrence S. Bailey, cook.

On November 18, 1919, McPherson County Post #1 was renamed Harry B. Dorst Post #1 in honor of Lieutenant Harry B. Dorst of McPherson. had served in Company “D” of the 137th Regiment; during his service in World War 1. He was cited for bravery in action and offered a Captaincy which he refused on the grounds that this higher rank would take him away from his men. Dorst, a signee of the original McPherson County Legion charter, died in August, 1919, of blood poisoning caused by a crushed finger. Harry B. Dorst, better known as “Cull” was one of those officers that nothing was too good for his men and was always doing everything and anything he could for them. It was this trait of character that won for him good will and friendship of all of his fellow men.

During this era, the American Legion was meeting at Conn Hall, upstairs at 121 ½ N. Main. The county post proved to be inadequate for the number of people involved in Legion activities. The Harry B. Dorst Post # 1 was, consequently, to split into eight smaller and closely-knit posts in the early 1920’s. These eight posts were organized in McPherson, Lindsborg, Marquette, Canton, Moundridge, Galva, Roxbury, and Windom. Dorst’s name survived the county organization transition and became attached to the city of McPherson’s local post#24.

At the meeting of November 22nd, 1921, the following resolution was read and adopted:

WHEREAS Major Fred E. Ellis met his death on the morning of September 29th, 1921, and

WHEREAS; Major Fred E. Ellis was the founder of the Harry B. Dorst Post as well as suggesting the name for said Post and was during his lifetime its most active and trusted member, a man respected, revered and beloved by all the people of this community and honored as a sturdy and gallant soldier,

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED AND ADOPTED that Harry B. Dorst Post 24 secure an enlarged photograph of the late Major Fred E. Ellis and the same be hung in the Legion Hall on the walls in conformity with the picture of Harry B. Dorst and that a silver plate be placed thereon with these words “Major Fred E. Ellis, 137th Infantry, U.S.A. Founder of Harry B. Dorst Post #24.

The early years of the American Legion in McPherson County and City were centered around the Legion’s sense of its responsibility to uphold national patriotism, the responsibility to the Legion itself as an organization of status and power, its responsibility to its members in social or personal benefit matters, and finally, its responsibility of civic duty.

Interestingly enough, after William Flynn, the Chief Justice of the department directing raids against radicals, “declared,” as reported in The McPherson Weekly Republican “that the backbone of the radical revolutionary movement in the United States has been broken,” the Republican in the following months became less prone to carry “Red Scare” articles. The mass deportations from the “home of the free” were to diminish in the succeeding months of 1920 and 1921.

The veterans’ super-patriotism dimmed with the passing of the I. W. W. threat, the absence of the inevitable Communist world revolution, the emergence of the Women’s Auxiliary Legion in June 1921, and the mere passage of time. The Harry B. Dorst Post shifted its major emphasis from immediate postwar vigilantism to one of being responsible family men and community leaders of the early 1920s.

On October 24, 1922, the Post moved from Conn Hall to the 3rd Floor of the County Courthouse where a room could be had at no cost to the Legion.

During the years 1928-29, a committee was appointed to find more suitable quarters for the American Legion. The City of McPherson extended an invitation to the Legion to renovate the 2nd floor of the City Hall for its use. The first meeting was held in the new Post Headquarters at 115 South Main (present Peoples Bank parking lot) on March 12, 1929.

On January 9, 1947, the Post purchased the land and building at 401 N. Main. Over the years, many have thought of a new building and relocating but every time this building has been remodeled and remained home for Post 24. It seems to be place to be for many community activities.

Harry B. Dorst Post 24, 401 N. Main, is the home of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, Sons of the American Legion and the American Legion Riders all working together with dedicated to helping build a better community in McPherson, Kansas.

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