Hood County Texas Genealogical Society
GRANBURY AMERICAN LEGION
by Alice Price
Hood County News Centennial Edition Sept. 23, 1971
The American Legion is thought to have been organized in Granbury Nov. 17, 1920 following an Armistice observance. A report in the Granbury News of the initial meeting fails to mention the date but the story of the Armistice observance carries this date.
The report reads:
"Twenty-eight ex-servicemen met at the courthouse Wednesday night and proceeded into temporary organization of an American Legion Post, the following officers being elected:
Post Commander - E. M. Yantis
Vice-Commander - C. B. Nelson
Adjutant - E. L. Roark
Finance Officer - Jake Morris
Chaplain - Calvin Davis
Historian - Fred Curl
Executive Committee - Billie Edgin, Robert Jameson, Vance Lancaster, Harve Killough, and Chevis Clevland
"On motion, committees were appointed as follows:
Constitution and by-laws - C. B. Nelson and Vance Lancaster
To select name for post - Jake Morris and E. L. Roark
Social Committee - Luther Jameson and Victor Scherer
"All present enrolled and every ex-serviceman in the county will be urged to join. An assessment of 25 cents per member was made for preliminary expenses.
"Henry Zweiftel and R. A. Firmin were called on and made short, stirring talks. It was announced that the new Post is invited to go in a body to Weatherford the night of Dec. 1 as guests of the Weatherford Post."
The account of the Armistice observance held Nov. 17, 1920, two years after the end of World War I, reads as follows:
"It looked for a time as though Armistice Day, last Thursday, would not be celebrated in Granbury, but some of the soldier boys got together and hoisted Old Glory on top of the courthouse, then procurred some anvils and powder, with which they fired salutes for some time. This was joined by other shooting and no one was allowed to forget that this was the day two years ago that the Hun had acknowledged themselves licked.
"Some of the businessmen recognized their duty toward the soldier boys and hastily arranged a banquet at the Colonial Hotel for that night when Landlord Peveler and wife set before the guests a most tempting meal. All soldier boys who could be reached were invited, and the following were present:
Lieut. E. M. Yantis, master of ceremonies
C. B. Nelson
Billie Mareau
Larue Jones
M. Smith
Jake Morris
Chester Peters
Alva Peters
Art Key
John B. Gordon
Luther Jameson
Henry Little
Evelyn Menefee
Victor A. Scherer
Frank T. Harris
Lindsey Williams
Earl Row
Herman Aston
Vance Lancaster
Harvey Wilson
Riley Blake
Robert Jameson
Earl Jones
L. W. Green
Harve Killough"
The Post was originally named the Elmer Joiner Post No. 278, in honor of Elmer Joiner, who was one of the first selective servicemen to be called into service in World War I. He was stationed in France, where he was mortally wounded and died Nov. 11, 1918. He was the son of J. P. Joiner of Granbury.
On May 10, 1949, the name of the Post was changed to Joiner-Fitzhugh Post to honor Oran Lester Fitzhugh, who was killed in World War II in the Philippines. He was the son of Mrs. Azalee Fitzhugh and the late George Fitzhugh of Tolar.
The current American Legion building was begun in 1946 and completed in 1947, with funds raised by the Legionnaires from the sale of a new car.
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