The American Legion celebrates its 99th birthday on March 15, 2018. To celebrate the American Legion’s birthday and honor all our veterans in Atchison County, the American Legion Auxiliary Unit #199 is holding a breakfast on Saturday, March 17, 2018, at the Tarkio Legion building (3rd and Broad streets). A selection of various breakfast items will be served, including eggs, bacon, sausage gravy and biscuits, pancakes, sweet breads, breakfast casseroles, fresh fruit, coffee and juice. All veterans and their spouses/significant others are invited to this free breakfast served from 7 to 9 a.m.
On March 15-19, 1919, members of the American Expeditionary Force convened in Paris for the first American Legion caucus. The American Legion was chartered by Congress on September 16, 1919. At the first Legion convention held November 10-12, 1919, in Minneapolis, delegates adopted the Constitution and preamble. The delegates also voted to locate the Legion’s national headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana, instead of Washington, D.C.
The Tarkio Post No. 199 of the Missouri Branch of The American Legion came into existence when a charter was applied for and received in 1920. The following were the charter members of the Post: R.R. Gowdy, C.M. Withrow, Floyd Withrow, A.B. Higdon, B.D. Guthrie, M.E. McAdams, J.B. Bywaters, L.L. Grimm, Paul Duncan, Leo Funderburk, Don Harvey, M.H. Hall, Jr., E.M. Wanger, D.J. Thomas, Jr., J.W. Travis, C.E. Benham, Milton Blodgett, E.S. Coe, J.W. Wood, F.B. Withrow, E.C. Gowdy, W.L. Holmes, A.E. Legge, and J.S. Miller.
The first meeting of the Post was held on January 12, 1920, at the City Hall in Tarkio at 8:00 p.m. Six new members were enrolled at this meeting and the Post membership continued to grow. The following officers were elected: Commander – M.H. Hall, Jr.; Vice Commander – B.D. Guthrie; Adjutant – L.L. Grimm; Finance Officer – E.M. Wanger; Historian – D.J. Thomas, Jr.; Chaplain – Elmer Kirkpatrick; Master-at-Arms – Floyd Withrow; and War Risk Officer – G.H. Yale. It was decided to hold regular meetings twice a month. On March 29, 1920, the members voted to amend the local constitution and change the name of the post from Tarkio Post to the Allen-Schiffern Post #199 in memory and honor of Sylvester Allen and Roy Schiffern, members of Company A, 139th Infantry, who lost their lives in the battle of the Argonne Forest.
Historical information taken from “A History of the Allen-Schiffern Post No. 199 of The American Legion,” published in 1920 by D.J. Thomas, Jr., Post Historian.