From Camp Lee to the Great War: October 29, 1917

Archiving Wheeling October 29, 2017 Leave a Comment 1452 Views

From Camp Lee to the Great War: The Letters of Lester Scott and Charles Riggle: Podcast Episode 07

Lester Scott to his sister, Minnie Riggle: “This is the best bunch of boys I ever was with…”

In his fifth letter home from Camp Lee, Virginia, to his sister Minnie Riggle, US Army Wagoner (mule team driver) Lester Scott, a World War I soldier from Wheeling, West Virginia, discusses his first five weeks at Camp Lee. Topics include how much he enjoys driving mules (he’s been given a steady job hauling supplies for $3 per month), how taking care of the mules reminds him of caring for his colts back home, an early snowfall in the Valley, Lester’s painful boxing match with Charles Lewis from Elm Grove, the postcards he sent home, and the “moving pictures” he’s looking forward to seeing. The letter is signed “Scotty.”

Lester Scott was drafted in 1917 and trained at Camp Lee, where so many Wheeling soldiers were trained. And, like so many of his Ohio Valley comrades, he served in the 314th Field Artillery Supply Company, Battery “A,” 80th (Blue Ridge) Division in France. This is his fifth letter from Camp Lee, dated 100 years ago today, October 29, 1917.
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Archiving Wheeling Ohio County Public Library Archives WALS Foundation

From Camp Lee to the Great War: October 21, 1917

Archiving Wheeling October 21, 2017October 22, 2017 Leave a Comment 1470 Views

From Camp Lee to the Great War: The Letters of Lester Scott and Charles Riggle: Podcast Episode 06

Lester Scott to his sister, Minnie Riggle: “I would start to France today if could…”

In his fourth letter home from Camp Lee to his sister Minnie Riggle, US Army Wagoner (mule team driver) Lester Scott, a World War I soldier from Wheeling, West Virginia, describes, somewhat boastfully, the details of his rather filling dinner, his eagerness to be sent to France to the war, and his prowess at guard duty. He tells Minnie about how much her brother-in-law, Dutch (Charles Riggle), enjoys being at camp. He then talks about buying liberty bonds, asks how the corn cutting is going, and compares the weather back home to what he expects in Virginia, where there “are no hills to break the wind.” While the other men are homesick, Lester declares himself “very well contented.”

Lester Scott was drafted in 1917 and trained at Camp Lee, where so many Wheeling soldiers, including Charles “Dutch” Riggle, the brother of his sister Minnie’s husband James, were trained. And, like so many of his Ohio Valley comrades, he served in the 314th Field Artillery Supply Company, Battery “A,” 80th (Blue Ridge) Division in France. This is his fourth letter from Camp Lee, dated 100 years ago today, October 21, 1917.

Archiving Wheeling Ohio County Public Library Archives WALS Foundation

From Camp Lee to the Great War: October 20, 1917

Archiving Wheeling October 20, 2017October 22, 2017 Leave a Comment 1698 Views

From Camp Lee to the Great War: The Letters of Lester Scott and Charles Riggle: Podcast Episode 05

Charles “Dutch” Riggle to his brother, James: “Dear sir…”

In his second letter home, dated October 20, 1917, PFC Charles “Dutch” Riggle tells his brother James about the drilling at Camp Lee, how farming suits him better than Army life, how he misses the sounds of the fox hunts, and how everything is overpriced at camp.

Charles “Dutch” Riggle was drafted into the US Army in 1917 and trained at Camp Lee, Virginia, where so many Wheeling draftees and volunteers—including his sister-in-law Minnie Riggle’s brother, Lester Scott—were trained. Dutch Riggle was a Private First Class in the 314th Field Artillery Supply Company, Battery “A,” 80th (Blue Ridge) Division in France.

Riggle was a farm boy with little formal education who grew up in the hills of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. He spelled many of his words phonetically. His letters have been transcribed exactly as they were written. This is his second letter from Camp Lee, dated 100 years ago today, October 20, 1917.
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Archiving Wheeling Ohio County Public Library Archives WALS Foundation

From Camp Lee to the Great War: October 8, 1917

Archiving Wheeling October 8, 2017October 22, 2017 Leave a Comment 1638 Views

From Camp Lee to the Great War: The Letters of Lester Scott and Charles Riggle: Podcast Episode 04

Lester Scott to Minnie Riggle: “How are you all…”

In his third letter home from Camp Lee, Virginia, to his sister Minnie Riggle, US Army Wagoner (mule team driver) Lester Scott, a World War I soldier from Wheeling, West Virginia, inquires about seasonal activates at home, in this case, the annual corn cutting and rabbit hunting. He also talks about the relatively new phenomenon of electric lighting and details some of the drilling, training, and educational activities taking place at the camp. The content of this letter is a good example of a typical American soldier’s letter home regardless of the era. From the Revolutionary War through the present – the familiar is what is most missed.

Lester Scott was drafted in 1917 and trained at Camp Lee, where so many Wheeling soldiers were trained. And, like so many of his Ohio Valley comrades, he served in the 314th Field Artillery Supply Company, Battery “A,” 80th (Blue Ridge) Division in France. This is his letter from Camp Lee, dated 100 years ago today, October 8, 1917.

Archiving Wheeling Ohio County Public Library Archives WALS Foundation

From Camp Lee to the Great War: September 30, 1917

Archiving Wheeling September 30, 2017October 22, 2017 Leave a Comment 1545 Views

From Camp Lee to the Great War: The Letters of Lester Scott and Charles Riggle: Podcast Episode 03

Lester Scott to Minnie Riggle: “Dear Sister,”

A World War I soldier from Wheeling, West Virginia, Lester Scott was drafted in 1917 and trained at Camp Lee, Virginia, where so many Wheeling draftees and volunteers were trained. Scott served as a Wagoner (mule team driver) in the 314th Field Artillery Supply Company, Battery “A,” 80th (Blue Ridge) Division in France. This is his letter home from Camp Lee, September 30, 1917.

Archiving Wheeling Ohio County Public Library Archives WALS Foundation

From Camp Lee to the Great War: September 29, 1917

Archiving Wheeling September 29, 2017October 22, 2017 Leave a Comment 1453 Views

From Camp Lee to the Great War: The Letters of Lester Scott and Charles Riggle: Podcast Episode 02

Dear Brother . . .

Riggle was a farm boy with little formal education who grew up in the hills of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. He spelled many of his words phonetically. His letters have been transcribed exactly as they were written. Dutch, who arrived in Petersburg, Va. on September 21, 1917, sent the below letter home to his brother James following his first week in Camp Lee. Read More

Archiving Wheeling Ohio County Public Library Archives WALS Foundation

From Camp Lee to the Great War: September 24, 1917

Archiving Wheeling September 24, 2017October 22, 2017 Leave a Comment 2342 Views

From Camp Lee to the Great War: The Letters of Lester Scott and Charles Riggle: Podcast Episode 01

My Dear Sister . . .

World War I soldiers from Wheeling, West Virginia, Lester Scott and Charles “Dutch” Riggle were drafted in 1917 and trained at Camp Lee, Virginia, where so many Wheeling draftees and volunteers were trained. Lester Scott served as a Wagoner (mule team driver) in the 314th Field Artillery Supply Company, Battery “A,” 80th (Blue Ridge) Division in France. Dutch Riggle was a PFC with the same unit.

Over the next fourteen months, we will share their letters home, in chronological order, 100 years to the day they were written. To listen to the podcast, visit our SoundCloud page, or subscribe through your favorite podcast app. Read More

Archiving Wheeling

Memorial Day Preview: From Camp Lee to the Great War

Seán Duffy May 29, 2017December 20, 2023 2 Comments 3571 Views

Featured Image: From Camp Lee to the Great War

The WWI Letters of Lester Scott & Charles Riggle

About a year ago, Margie Richey contacted Jon-Erik Gilot, the Archivist of the Diocese. She said she had some WWI letters from two relatives to share. Jon-Erik informed me and we met with Margie, who gave us permission to scan the letters and photographs. Jon-Erik then rehoused the collection archivally for Margie and her family. In exchange, she granted us permission to digitally share this historically important collection on Archiving Wheeling.

Memories in Hand featuring Margie and her Uncle.

The letters were written by Margie’s uncles, Lester Scott and Charles “Dutch” Riggle, farm boys who grew up in the hills of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Dutch’s brother, James D. Riggle, married Lester’s sister, Minnie.

Lester loved music and was a member of a hillbilly and western trio. He was drafted in 1917 and trained at Camp Lee, Virginia, as did so many of the Wheeling men who served in the First World War. Scott served as a Wagoner in the 314th Field Artillery Supply Company, Battery “A” 80th (Blue Ridge) Division in France. He drove a four-line team of mules which provided food and water to the front daily for the troops.

Dutch Riggle was also stationed and trained at Camp Lee and was shipped to France as a PFC with the same unit as Lester.

Approximately 40-50 letters, a few telegrams and other documents, and a dozen photographs have been digitized. The letters have also been transcribed. Most were written by Lester Scott to his sister Minnie or by Charles Riggle to his brother James. The bulk of the letters date roughly from September 1917 to November 1918, with a few extending into spring 1919.

Beginning in September, in observation of the centennial of American involvement in the war, Archiving Wheeling will begin showcasing these letters and photographs in chronological order. These posts will include the original letters, the transcriptions, and audio podcasts of the letters being read aloud by actors, with appropriate related images.

For more information, please enjoy the trailer created by Erin Rothenbuehler, Ohio County Public Library Archives, with Jeremy Richter providing the voice of Lester Scott.

GO to EPISODE 1

Archiving Wheeling Private Collector

You Can Beat a Race, But You Can’t Beat the Races

Ohio County Public Library Archives February 25, 2017February 28, 2017 1 Comment 8480 Views

Featured Image: Wheeling Downs and Big Bill Lias

Memories of Wheeling Downs & Big Bill Lias

by Hugh Stobbs

[This story is in partnership with our friends at Weelunk. Be sure to read about Steve Novotney’s interview with Mr. Stobbs, here.]

Wheeling Downs pennant, Hugh Stobbs Collection.

[Hugh Stobbs, who worked for many years at Wheeling Downs, appeared at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library on July 26, 2011 to discuss his memories of the track, the horses, the gamblers, Bill Lias and all of the things that made Wheeling Downs the interesting place it was in its heyday. The following story was adapted from the transcript of his program as well as from recent discussions with Mr. Stobbs. Pieces from Mr. Stobbs’s extensive collection of Wheeling Downs memorabilia are currently on display in the store windows at 1310 Market Street in downtown Wheeling and in the main display are at the library.]

This talk will be presented in three segments. The first will explain how Wheeling Downs developed through the years. The second will be about Bill Lias, because everybody associates him with Wheeling Downs. And the last segment will cover my introduction to Wheeling Downs, the different jobs I did there, the people I worked with, and various other things about the track. Read More

Local History Researcher

From Fairways to Victory Gardens

Ohio County Public Library Archives January 25, 2017January 26, 2017 8 Comments 5819 Views

A Former Caddy Remembers Cedar Rocks Golf Course

[Note: Last September, we posted a story about Wheeling’s short-lived Cedar Rocks Golf Course. Now, in anticipation of spring, former caddy Bob Rine shares his memories of the final two years of the club’s existence, before the attack on Pearl Harbor drew the United States into another world war.]

by Bob Rine

Bob Rine speaks at Elm Grove Memories at Lunch With Books on Dec. 13, 2016. — Bob Rine speaks at the “Elm Grove Memories” program at Lunch With Books on Dec. 13, 2016.

In the fall of 1939, we moved from the farm to 227 Stone Church Road in Elm Grove, and I started my freshman year at Triadelphia High School. The following three summers I caddied at the Cedar Rocks Golf Club, which was two miles up Big Wheeling Creek Road, but actually, you were going south, into Marshall County. Read More