Individual Details

Birth

1900 Census, John Goheen Smith County Lincoln township born June 1852 in PA; Cari wife born Dec 1861, Michigan; charles W. born Jun 1878, KS; John C. born Jun 1882, KS; Bessie G born Aug 1888, KS; Elizabeth D. born Nov 1891, KS; Morris B. born Aug 1894 KS.
Information provided by Nina M. Goheen of Downs, KS. Aug 1999. Nina is the widow of Sam Goheen and is now 94 years old. Her handwriting is clear and crisp. Has sent many obituaries and had sent her daughter to cemetery to copy tombstones.

Newspaper-Downs

From Maurice Goheen Oct, 7, 1918
Dear Folks: I will drop you a few lines to let you know that I am feeling fine and hope that this letter finds you in the best of health. I suppose by the time you receive this you will know about us being in a large battle. I always wanted to help whip the Huns and I guess from all indications we sure helped to our part. I guess we had about six miles of artillery lined up hub to hub beside our trench mortars machine guns and automatic rifles. There was so much noise you could not hear yourself think. I sure will have a lot of interest in things to tell you folks when I get back home. I was sure sorry to hear of Chalmers illness but there are cases over here just as bad and some worse. I have got to be an expert at diving, run dive at a shell hole sixty feet away and light right in them out of sight. I helped to capture some Huns. The minute they say us boys coming they began to wave the white flag and hollowing Kamerod. They were sure glad to be captured. You folks know how an electric storm sounds, Those lard claps of thunder are just like the voice of a friend along side of all the big guns and the shell exploding. I think the Watch on the Rine will soon have an American movement if the Yanks keep on progressing the way they have been lately. I suppose you old folks will be ready to retire by the time we get back. I hope to be there in time to put out a crop of corn in the spring. This the first letter I have had the time to write for about a month but will try and do better from now on. Has Okke Hull been called yet? I suppose Goheen and Gideon will be called the colors yet if this conflict don't end soon. The French and Italians seem to think it will soon be over but the Yanks say they will bee Berlion first. John W. and I are here at the Y. M. C. A. writing. I am sure glad we can be together for we have been with each other so much he seems like a brother. I suppose Mrs. Reinsner worries quite a bit about Harold having to go. What is everybody doing around there now? Will there be any corn to husk this fall or was it burnt up all over the country? I received several letters from Aunt Kate also from Aunt Minnie. Will try and answer them now as I have plenty of time. I am going to write both of the girls today. I have received several Downs papers since I came across. If you can get a Kansas City Star dated Oct. 1 or 2, keep it for me as I would like to see it. I sure would like a big melon and a fried chicken today that came from home. Well I guess I have written all I can so will close.
From your Loving Son. Maurice Goheen

Military

Dear Folks: I will write you a few lines to let you know that A am well and feeling good as anyone could and hope you are the same. This is dad's Christmas letter and we are allowed to write anything we wish, so I will tell you a few places we have been since we came to France. We landed at La Havre. From there we went to Manchy, a little town in northeast France. Were there about ten days, then they moved us to Archeta in the Vosges district. Were there about a week, then we were moved to Moncel in the Lorraine district to take our position in the trenches. That was our first time up. We were a little shaky at first, but after a couple of days we got used to it and began to like it. We stayed in the region of Alsance for about two months and a half, going in the front lines three times. I guess our officers thought we were too good to keep there, as we were sent up in the Woevge district as reserves for the offensive at St. Mihiel, I guess you read all about that; it sure was some drive. We stayed there about a week and then moved. We were hauled in trucks at this time. This — us to Cleremont in the Argonne, about 20 kilo or 12 miles from the front line, where in a few days we were told to roll lighter packs, which consisted of I. O. D. blanket, two days' ration, and rain coat. We were given 220 rounds of rifle ammunition and three grenades. On the evening of September 25, we started for the front known as the Argonne, where we went over the top on the morning of Sept. 26. It was just 5:00 o'clock and such a fog you could not see your comrade fifteen feet ahead of you. The artillery started to throw a barrage at 12:00 o'clock the night before and it lasted till nine the next day or about nine, I don't remember. There were 3-inch, 6-inch, 8-inch, 12 inch, 14-inch , and a few 16 and 18 inch guns. The 3, 6, 8, 10 and 12-inch guns fired at the rate of 300 rounds per hour. These guns covered about six miles of space, setting hub to hub. You can imagine the noise they would make, besides these there were about 1,000 machine guns which opened up just as we went over the top, and they fired from 1,000 to 2,000 rounds of ammunition apiece. We were in the drive for five days and six nights. I did not get to shoot much- just 100 shots. I was detailed to take six prisoner back to division headquarters the next day which took me all day and night. So I did not get back to the Company until the 4th night, but they sure got close to me. I had four holes shot through my pack, three through my coat and one through my pants, but they did not get me. I sure am glad I am so thin-that is what saved me. That was the second day out. We drove the boche back thirty kilos while we were up there. I guess we won't get another chance at them for "Laguere es finis." That means the war is over. We went up on dead man's hill at Verdun, in a fort-on guard for eight days, but we have moved back so just about 7 kilos from St. Mihiel. That is where the company was when I left them I am off on a ten-day furlough. I am at Aix les Bains. It is sure some fine place, but I would rather be in Downs that in Paris, France. The towns over here are so queer. Every store you go in and try to get something, their lingo is Finish. I am getting sick of these frogs, as us Yanks call them. I don't know how long it will be before we start for the states but I hope it won't be over three months. We sure have it easy now; only three and a half hours drill per day and plenty to eat, so don't worry about me. I will be o.k. from now on. Well, I must close and go to dinner. From your loving son, Maurice (S. Goheen).

Military

The members of Company G, 139 Infantry, who were discharged at Camp Funston last Thursday, arrived in Sown about 9 o'clock that night on the train from the east, and were met at the depot by a surging crown of several thousand people. The train pulled in amidst the blowing of whistles, and booming of anvils and the shouts of the multitude which nearly drowned the music of the band which was there to discourse sweet music for the returning heroes. The State Guard under the leadership of Capt.. W. H. Ortel, tried to hold the crowd back so that the boys might greet their own relatives first, but it would have been just as easy to hold back the tides on the Atlantic shore, and the minute the last coach stopped the crowd came forward in a great wave which completely engulfed the soldier boys, and in some cases it was an hour or more before parents found their sons and before families were united. It was the most exciting scene ever witnessed in Downs and perhaps such a thing will never again be seen. The crowd began collecting at the depot at seven o'clock, although at that hour it was announced that the train, which was not due until 8:10, was thirty, five minutes late. This did not dampen the ardor of the crowd in the least, and every minute added to the size of the surging throng...
Richard Cowley, Glen Remick, Claud Akens, Maurice Goheen,...

Census

John Goheen household, age 68, own farm free of mortgage, wife Carrie 59 years born Michigan and parents born in Holland, son Morris (sic) age 25, general farmer.

Census

John Goheen household age 58, married 23 years, owns farm free and clear. born PA, parents USA; Carrie wife, agea 49 4 children, 3 alive, born Mich, parents Netherlands speak Dutch, Bessie daughter age 21 born KS parents PA, MI, Ruth daughter agea 18, born KS parents PA, MI, Morris son age 15, born KS parents PA, MI.

Marriage

The wedding supper given at John Reddick's home Wednesday evening, July 20th, for Mr. and Mrs Maurice Goheen, was a big success.

Miscellaneous

Maurice Goheen called on his uncle, J.G.Goheen Sunday.

Residence

Maurice Goheen was up this way looking for a home. He has to buy one to take the place of the one he recently lost.

Census

M. S. Goheen age 35 married at age 26, born Kansas, father born Pennsylvania, mother born Michigan, general stock farmer, rents farm and has a radio
Clara, wife age 34 married at age 25, born in Kansas, father born Kansas, mother born Missouri
Dorothea age 7, daughter born Kansas
Delwin age 5 born in Kansas
Delalou age 7 months, born in Kansas

Death

Information provided by Nina M. Goheen of Downs, KS. Aug 1999. Nina is the widow of Sam Goheen and is now 94 years old. Her handwriting is clear and crisp. Has sent many obituaries and had sent her daughter to cemetery to copy tombstones.

Military

Served in WW I from Downs Co. G.