In honor of Veterans Day, we wanted to share a sampling of portraits of men in uniform taken by J. B. Hostetler at his photography studio in Davenport in 1918. These images have been digitized and uploaded to our Upper Mississippi Valley Digital Image Archive.
John Frederick Ackerman
John Frederick Ackerman was born October 22, 1889, in Rock Island, IL to John and Augusta (Neuendorf) Ackerman. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on September 19, 1917 and was discharged on November 27, 1918. He was in the hospital corps at Camp Bowie in Fort Worth, TX and was a sergeant in Company F Infantry at the officers’ training school at Camp McArthur, TX. He worked as an automobile salesman and manager for the Horst & Strieter Co. for 27 years. John married Mabel Grace Bulger on October 18, 1924, at Sacred Heart Church in Rock Island. He was a member of Rock Island post No. 200 of the American Legion and The Last Man’s Club in Rock Island. He died January 26, 1942 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Rock Island.
Claude Darrell Evans
Claude Darrell Evans was born June 14, 1900, in Chicago, IL to Edwin Claude and Lida (Gilliland) Evans. He attended Monroe School and the Davenport High School. He was a sergeant with the 34th Infantry Division, 126th Field Artillery, Headquarters Company Field Artillery. He spent 11 months overseas in the Ambulance Co. and was discharged on January 20, 1919. He worked as a salesman for the Comenitz News Agency. Claude married Mary Myrtle Moses on May 15, 1919, at the Methodist Church in Aledo, IL. The couple lived at 1736 Grand Ave. in Davenport. They divorced on April 18, 1928. Claude married Martha E. Rudolph on April 3, 1929, in Los Angeles, CA where his parents had moved to in 1923. Claude married Audrey B. Braddick on December 13, 1939, in Carroll County, IA. The couple is listed in the 1940 Census for Los Angeles, CA and the City Directory for San Diego, CA for 1942. We could find no information for Claude after his WWII Draft Registration Card dated February 14, 1942, in San Diego. CA.
Max Reinhold Rudolph
Max R. Rudolph was born February 16, 1888, in Leisnitz, Saxony, Germany to Reinholdt and Wilhelmina (Chow) Rudolph. The family moved to Wisconsin in 1893 and to Emington, IL in 1910. Max married Rose Lena Bertoncello on May 12, 1915, in Livingston, IL. He was a carpenter and owned a general contracting business for 50 years, retiring in 1957. He was active in the Boy Scouts and Sea Scouts. Max R. Rudolph died March 1, 1977, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Davenport.
John Stewart Kittilsen
John S. “Jack” Kittilsen was born on September 14, 1892, in Moline, IL to Edward and Corilla (Stewart) Kittilsen. The family moved to Rock Island in 1908. He was captain of the football team at Rock Island High School and prominent in independent football. He was commissioned 2nd lieutenant with the 150th Regiment U.S. Infantry on August 25, 1918, at the officers’ training school at Camp Shelby, MS. John married Gwenola M. Connell on June 29, 1921, in Rock Island. He worked for the Strieter Motor Co. in Davenport for 30 years and was later a salesman with the Howard B. Connell Agency of Rock Island for 4 years. John S. Kittilsen died on November 14, 1969, at Lutheran Hospital in Moline.
John J. Martin
Dr. John Joseph Martin was born on May 7, 1895, in Chicago, IL to P.J. and Mary (Rourke) Martin. John married Marcella Geraldine Costello on October 3, 1917, in Davenport. He enlisted on May 30, 1918, as a Private First Class in Machine Gun Company of the 41st Infantry 10th Division and was discharged on January 4, 1919. Dr. Martin was an optometrist and former American Legion commander. He served in the Boys Scouts of American Buffalo Bill Council and was chairman of the Boys State activities in Davenport. He served as president of the Te Deum, international Catholic organization and served on various committees of the Rotary Club. Dr. John J. Martin died April 1, 1965, at Mercy Hospital in Davenport.
(posted by Cristina)
