{"id":1376,"date":"2017-09-13T13:52:37","date_gmt":"2017-09-13T19:52:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/elylegion.com\/?page_id=1376"},"modified":"2026-06-08T07:39:29","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T13:39:29","slug":"founders-burial-sites","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/elylegion.com\/?page_id=1376","title":{"rendered":"The Founders"},"content":{"rendered":"

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When St. Quentin Post 555 was organized in Ely after the First World War, its 45 charter members were young men in their twenties and thirties. Most had grown up on farms around Ely, Solon, Fairfax, Shueyville, Swisher, and Cedar Rapids. Many were the sons of Czech immigrants who had settled the area only a generation earlier.<\/p>\n

They answered their country’s call during World War I and served in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. Some served overseas in France. Others trained and served stateside. When the war ended, they returned home and resumed their lives in eastern Iowa.<\/p>\n

The founders of Post 555 became farmers, railroad workers, merchants, blacksmiths, carpenters, laborers, businessmen, and community leaders. They helped build the institutions that defined life in rural Linn and Johnson Counties during the twentieth century. They served on school boards, church councils, a telephone company board, township boards, farm organizations, and civic groups. Many were members of lodges such as the Odd Fellows, CSA, Masons, and ZCBJ. They raised families, operated farms and businesses, and contributed countless volunteer hours to their communities.<\/p>\n

Many spent their entire lives within a few miles of where they were born. They witnessed enormous change during their lifetimes. They saw automobiles replace horses, electricity come to rural Iowa, radio and television enter the home, and Americans land on the moon. Yet many remained connected to the same churches, farms, neighborhoods, and friendships that had shaped their youth.<\/p>\n

The records of Post 555 also reveal another story. A surprisingly large number of the founding members never married. They remained on family farms, cared for aging parents, lived with siblings or other relatives, and became the dependable uncles, brothers, neighbors, and friends who were an essential part of community life. Though these lifelong bachelors left no descendants, many served their communities faithfully for decades and held leadership positions within the Legion and other local organizations.<\/p>\n

Sadly, at least three, and perhaps four, of Post 555’s founders ended their own lives.\u00a0 None left letters explaining why they chose suicide but we know that World War I was difficult experience as was the Great Depression they lived through.\u00a0 We will likely never know the real reasons they chose that path but their story is a fundamental part of the history of the post founders.<\/p>\n

Today, the founders are all gone. Their names survive in cemetery records, faded photographs, newspaper clippings, and the history of the organizations they helped build. Yet the communities they served continue to benefit from their efforts. The roads they traveled, the churches they attended, the farms they worked, and the Legion Post they established remain part of their legacy.<\/p>\n

The founders of St. Quentin Post 555 belonged to what has often been called the Greatest Generation before that term existed. They answered the call to serve in wartime, returned home without fanfare, and spent the rest of their lives building families, farms, businesses, churches, and communities. The Ely American Legion stands today as a lasting monument to their service, sacrifice, and commitment to one another.<\/p>\n

The following is a list of the charter members of American Legion Post 555 including photos, obituaries and their final resting places.<\/p>\n

Henry Bartosh,<\/a> 1893-1939<\/strong> Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery Solon Johnson County Iowa,
\nJoe Becicka<\/a>, 1891-1971<\/strong> Shueyville Cemetery Shueyville Johnson County Iowa,
\nEmil Broulik<\/a>,1892-1970<\/strong> Saint John’s Cemetery Lisbon Linn County Iowa,
\nLouis Cerveny,<\/a> 1896-1934<\/strong> Czech National Cemetery Cedar Rapids Linn County Iowa Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nMitchell Cerveny<\/a>, 1888-1964<\/strong>, Rogers Grove Cemetery Ely Linn County Iowa Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nWesley Cerveny,<\/a> 1876-1954<\/strong> Czech National Cemetery Cedar Rapids Linn County Iowa Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nCharles C. Clark<\/a>, 1880-1936<\/strong> Rogers Grove Cemetery Ely Linn Iowa Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nBud Eaton,<\/a> 1895-1973<\/strong> Dunkard Cemetery Midway Linn County Iowa,
\nFrank W. Elias,<\/a> 1889-1982<\/strong> Rogers Grove Cemetery Ely Linn County Iowa,
\nHarlan Fordice<\/a>, 1887-1967<\/strong> Shueyville Cemetery Shueyville, Johnson Iowa
\nForrest L. Fuhrmeister<\/a>, 1891-1986<\/strong> Rogers Grove Cemetery Ely Linn County Iowa Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nFrank Halva,<\/a> 1886-1942<\/strong>, First Presbyterian Cemetery Ely Linn County Iowa,
\nCharles Hanus<\/a> 1884-1957<\/strong>, Wood National Cemetery Milwaukee Wisconsin, Plot: 37, R11\/G11 Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nJohn A. Hanus,<\/a> 1893-1966<\/strong> Cedar Memorial Park Cedar Rapids, Plot: Memorial Lawn, lot 68, Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nFrank Hartl<\/a>, 1896-1938<\/strong> Saint John Cemetery Cedar Rapids Linn County Iowa Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nArthur Hieber<\/a>, 1891-1974<\/strong> Oakland Cemetery Solon Johnson County Iowa,
\nFrank Jiroutek,<\/a> 1893-1966<\/strong> Czech National Cemetery Cedar Rapids Linn County Iowa Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nLouis W. Jonas,<\/a> 1896-1980<\/strong> Linwood Cemetery Cedar Rapids Linn County Iowa Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nAlois Kadlec,<\/a> 1891-1960<\/strong> Cedar Memorial Park Cedar Rapids Linn County Iowa, Plot: Forest Lawn
\nJohn Kohout<\/a>, 1890-1927<\/strong> Saint Marys Catholic Cemetery Solon Johnson County Iowa,
\nEd Koss<\/a>, 1892-1956<\/strong> Czech National Cemetery Cedar Rapids Linn County Iowa Pic<\/a><\/strong>
\nFrank Krob<\/a>, 1889-1983<\/strong> Cedar Memorial Park Cedar Rapids Iowa, USA Plot: Greenlawn, lot 256\u00a0 Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nGeorge McCulloch<\/a>, 1892-1972<\/strong> Palo Cemetery Palo Linn County Iowa Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nHenry Moses<\/a>, 1890-1948<\/strong> Czech National Cemetery Cedar Rapids Linn County Iowa,
\nCharles Motejl<\/a>, 1897-1928<\/strong> Czech National Cemetery Cedar Rapids Linn County Iowa Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nGeorge Motycka<\/a>, 1895-1991<\/strong> Buresh Cemetery Ely Linn County Iowa,
\nJohn Netolicky<\/a>, 1889-1971<\/strong> Sulek Cemetery Johnson County Iowa,
\nMike Novak,<\/a> 1895-1968<\/strong> Saint Johns Cemetery Cedar Rapids Linn County Iowa Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nJoseph J Novotny<\/a>, 1895-1958<\/strong> Cedar Memorial Park Cedar Rapids Iowa, Plot: Memorial Lawn
\nTom Phillipson<\/a>, 1897-1981<\/strong> Baker Cemetery Linn County Iowa,
\nLeo Rohlena<\/a>, 1897-1972<\/strong>, Czech National Cemetery Cedar Rapids Linn County Iowa,
\nJoe Rousar<\/a>, 1895-1946<\/strong> \u00a0First Presbyterian Cemetery Ely Linn County Iowa,
\nGeorge Simon<\/a>, 1889-1970<\/strong> Czech National Cemetery Cedar Rapids Linn County Iowa,
\nFrank Sirovy,<\/a> 1887-1957<\/strong> Anderson Cemetery Swisher Johnson County Iowa,
\nFrank Smith<\/a>,<\/a> 1891-1953<\/strong> Bellevue Memorial Park Ontario California, UPlot: Section Cypress Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nTom Smith,<\/a> 1896-1967<\/strong> Baker Cemetery Linn County Iowa
\nErba Stahle<\/a>, 1889-1963<\/strong> Oakland Cemetery Solon Johnson County Iowa,
\nJoseph Stastny<\/a>, 1894-1972<\/strong> Rogers Grove Cemetery Ely Linn County Iowa Pic<\/a><\/strong>
\nFrank Staskal<\/a>, 1896-1985<\/strong> Saint Johns Cemetery Cedar Rapids Linn County Iowa Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nMilo Stransky<\/a>,<\/a> 1896-1977<\/strong> Oakland Cemetery Solon Johnson County Iowa Pic<\/a><\/strong>
\nLeRoy Sword,<\/a> 1886-1959<\/strong> Western Cemetery Linn County Iowa, Pic<\/a><\/strong>
\nLeonard V. Truhlar<\/a>, 1896-1930<\/strong> Rogers Grove Cemetery Ely Linn County Iowa Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nLumir Truhlar<\/a>, 1894-1976<\/strong> Rogers Grove Cemetery Ely Linn County Iowa Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nPerry Woods,<\/a> 1897-1951<\/strong> Lisbon Cemetery Lisbon Linn County Iowa Pic<\/strong><\/a>
\nFrank A. Zahradnik<\/a>, 1894-1963<\/strong> Cedar Memorial Cedar Rapids, Plot: Chapel Garden, lot 291, space 1<\/p>\n

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When St. Quentin Post 555 was organized in Ely after the First World War, its 45 charter members were young men in their twenties and thirties. Most had grown up on farms around Ely, Solon, Fairfax, Shueyville, Swisher, and Cedar … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":16,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1376","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/elylegion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1376","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/elylegion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/elylegion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elylegion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elylegion.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1376"}],"version-history":[{"count":79,"href":"https:\/\/elylegion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1376\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3882,"href":"https:\/\/elylegion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1376\/revisions\/3882"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elylegion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/elylegion.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1376"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}