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This article was contributed to the FCHS blog by John Collins. Thank you for sharing your research with us, John!

People might know Karl Illva’s most famous work as the sculptor of the 107th Infantry Memorial in New York City’s Central Park that was commemorated in 1927^[1], but do they know that four years earlier Karl Illva completed “The Thinking Doughboy” monument in front of the former Gloversville High School that was presented to the City of Gloversville on Sunday, November 11, 1923, almost 100 years ago? Well, I didn’t.

During World War One, Karl Illava served in the 27th Infantry Division.^[2] At the start of active fighting, the 27th Infantry Division had a total of 991 officers and 27,114 enlisted men and shipped out for Europe on April 20, 1918.^[3] By the War’s end on 11/11/1918, the 27th Infantry Division sadly sustained a total of 8,209 assorted casualties: 1,422 killed, 373 who later died of their injuries, and 6,414 wounded.^[4]

The New York Times reported on July 1, 1923:

Karl Illava has just completed his war memorial for Gloversville, N.Y. The monument represents a colossal seated figure of a doughboy, bent in thought, contemplating his trophy, a German helmet, which dangles from his left hand. The right hand supports his Enfield [rifle].

The artist has tried to express quiet disillusionment, the eyes lowered, the forehead furrowed with pain, The treatment is monumental rather than realistic. The pedestal is Gothic and of dark granite. The monument is to be unveiled Sept 29th, the anniversary of the cracking of the Hindenburg system by the Twenty-seventh Division.^[5] [The unveiling date was changed to Armistice Day 11/11/1923, now known as Veterans Day].

In Gloversville that Sunday, 11/11/1923, Mr. Illava was one of several dignitaries who spoke that afternoon in the auditorium of Gloversville High School and was reported the next day 11/12/1923 in The Morning Herald: 

Then Karl Illava, the sculptor of the statue, spoke. A machine gunner in the 27th Division, he told of crossing over the ruins of a French town after the battle at Mt. Kemmel where he saw a U.S. doughboy sitting on some debris holding a German helmet, a symbol of victory. As he gazed on it, the sagging lines of fatigue were seen on his face. His expression was that of disillusionment not gratification of triumph. From that face Mr. Illava said, “I gained my inspiration to fashion a statue representing war as terrible. My work embodies that phase of conflict, which, though not spectacular, is none the less as meaningful as that of more heroic episodes.”^[6]

Consequently, many veterans suffered from what is now known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Five years later in 1928, German novelist Erich Marie Remarque completed All Quiet on the Western Front , which became a bestselling book in the United States, followed by an award winning film in August 1930 and may have been shown at The Glove Theater. It was sad to read the following passage where the central character is home on leave from the war and verbalizes symptoms of PTSD.

..I cannot get on with the people. My mother is the only one who asks no questions. Not so my father. He wants me to tell him about the front; he is curious in a way that I find stupid and distressing. I no longer have any real contact with him. There is nothing he likes to hear more than just hearing about it. I realize that he does not know that a man cannot talk about such things; I would do it willingly, but it is too dangerous for me to put these things into words. I am afraid they might become gigantic and I be no longer able to master them. What would become of us if everything that happens out there were quite clear to us? So I confine myself to telling him a few amusing things..

But he wants to know whether I have ever had a hand-to-hand fight. I say “No”, and get up and go out.^[7]

Karl Illava was born Karl Morningstar in 1889. He grew up in New Jersey, and at the age of sixteen became a student of the renowned sculptor of Mount Rushmore, Gutzon Borglum. During this time, he took on the surname of his paternal grandfather.^[8] He completed his military service in February 1919.^[9] In 1920 Illava married Agatha Brown, with whom he had two daughters, Mary and Faith.^[10] In 1943 he tried to enlist in World War Two but was turned down due to his age, so he joined the US Merchant Marines.^[11] After his Merchant Marine service, Illava returned to teaching art and sculpture and had a prestigious career.  Illava told his daughter that he wanted to present the “hell of war.”^[12] Karl Illava died at the age of 65 on May 16, 1954 on the grounds of his home at the Edgewood School in Greenwich, Conn.^[13]

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^[1](n.d.). One Hundred Seventh Infantry Memorial. Official Website of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. Retrieved August 25, 2023, from https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/central-park/monuments/1136

^[2] Raftery, P. (2017). Memorializing the “Splendid Little War” in Port Chester. The Westchester Historian, 93 number 2 (Summer), 12. Westchester County Historical Society   

^[3] (n.d.). 27th Infantry Division, World War One. New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center. Retrieved August 24, 2023, from https://museum.dmna.ny.gov

^[4] 27th Infantry Division, World War One. New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center.

^[5] (1923, July 1). Art News at Home and Abroad. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com

^[6] (1923, November 12). Gold Star Mothers, Comrades of Martyr Soldiers as Well as Old War Vets Assist in Service. The Morning Herald (Gloversville, N.Y.), 3.

^[7] Remarque, E. M. (1982). All Quiet on the Western Front (1st ed., p. 165). A Ballantine Book Published by The Random House Publishing Group.

^[8] (n.d.). Spartanburg – Biography – Illava, Karl, 1919 – 2020. Spartanburg County Public Libraries. Retrieved August 24, 2023, from ArchivesSpace Public Interface

^[9] Raftery, P. (2017). Memorializing the “Splendid Little War” in Port Chester. The Westchester Historian, 93 number 2 (Summer), 12. Westchester County Historical Society   

^[10] Raftery, Memorializing the “Splendid Little War” in Port Chester, 12.

^[11]  Ibid., 22-23

^[12] (n.d.). Facts About Karl Illava. AskArt. Retrieved August 24, 2023, from https://askart.com

^[13] (1954, May 20). Karl Illva, Sculptor of Memorials, Suffers Fatal Heart Attack at 65. Bronxville Review Press and Reporter, 21. https://news.hrvh.org

The following is an article originally written by Vern Steele in his column “Not Too Long Ago.” It was first published in the “Leader-Herald” on November 11, 1971. The article was sent by FCHS member John Collins, who was assisted in this research by Shari Peto, the Local History Clerk at the Gloversville Public Library. Thank you for sharing this informative and interesting article with us, John and Shari!

Not Too Long Ago
Dedication of a Statue
By Vern Steele

Forty-eight years ago today (on Armistice Day), the unveiling of “The Thinking Doughboy” statue on the walk leading to the entrance of the school administration building (former high school) on North Main Street took place.

On November 11, 1923, inclement weather caused a shift in the location of part of the ceremony from outdoors to the high school auditorium.

Shortly before 2:30 that afternoon, National Guard Company H under the command of 1st Lt. William E. Walsh, followed by members of the American Legion post, were led by the Gloversville Military Band up Main Street, across the school campus and into the building where seats had been reserved for them.

Seated on the stage were Mayor Frank A. Patten, other city dignitaries, several Gold Star mothers, elderly war veterans and the guest speaker, Col. Ransom. H. Gillette commander of the 105th Regiment.

The exercises opened with the band playing “Madelon,” the French song, known so well to the boys who passed many weary months in the trenches during World War 1. J. Ellsworth Stille, Kiwanis Club song leader, led members of the club in singing “America.”

Col. Gillette in his dedicatory address said, “Men died that you and I might peaceably assemble here today. The doughboy monument is a reverent tribute to those whose self -sacrifice and devotion saved us all from disaster and disgrace  . . . it depicts exhausted humanity pausing in relief from the intolerable strain of conflict.”

Outside, hundreds of persons gathered in the rain while Ralph H. Moses presented the statue to the City of Gloversville saying, “To honor the men who survived the great struggle with Germany and to pay homage to those who paid the supreme sacrifice.”

Marie Wilmot, 10-year-old niece of Harold Wilmot, deceased war hero, pulled the string unveiling “The Thinking Doughboy.” Memorial wreaths were placed at its base as the band played “Nearer My God to Thee.”

Mayor Patten accepted it for the city and said, “View with pride and respect this statue erected where people for years to come may see it daily, a figure which is symbolic of those who have stood the brunt of war.

Then Karl Illava, the sculptor of the statue, spoke. A machine gunner in the 27th Division, he told of crossing over the ruins of a French town after the battle at Mt. Kemmel where he saw a U.S. doughboy sitting on some debris holding a German helmet, a symbol of victory. As he gazed on it, the sagging lines of fatigue were seen on his face. His expression was that of disillusionment not gratification of triumph.

From that face Mr. Illava said, “I gained my inspiration to fashion a statue representing war as terrible. My work embodies that phase of conflict, which, though not spectacular, is none the less as meaningful as that of more heroic episodes.”

“The Thinking Doughboy” delivers its message to all who read with these words:

Lest We Forget
“If ye break faith with us who die
we shall not sleep.”

Kipling’s line, “lest we forget,” was chosen because it harmonized so fittingly with the spirit of the monument. Coupled with the poet’s line is a quotation from Mai. John McCrea’s “In Flanders Fields” which should impress upon those who heed, the thought that the living “carry on” the fight for humanity.

Written by Morgan Pigott, FCHS Intern

Historic places are all around Fulton County and the surrounding regions and we often pass by them every day without even noticing. Within Fulton County, there are 26 sites registered with the National Register of Historic Places. Each one of these locations comes with its own story and documentation. This includes paperwork put forth by the organization submitting the site for recognition, which highlights the importance of the site and documenting the history of the site through written text and photographs.

Right outside of Fulton County in Amsterdam, New York, sits the historic Greene Mansion. According to the Nomination form for the National Register of Historic Places, the home was originally built by Henry E. Greene, the youngest son of William K. Greene, a prominent weaver and carpet manufacturer in the region. Built around 1880 to 1881, the Victorian structure was nominated for a variety of reasons, particularly that it helps to illustrate industrialization of the region and also exemplifies the Victorian architectural style.

The Greenes originally founded the carpet loom business in Amsterdam in 1842 and the home remained in the Greene family until 1924. From the porch and bracket decoration with French and Egyptian symbols to the Tiffany-style windows, architectural highlights were constructed within the family home.

The nomination was approved on December 12, 1979 and the Greene Mansion site was officially listed on the registry. By the beginning of February, newspapers began to publish articles pertaining to the announcement of the new Historic Site. One article from The Recorder published on March 11, 1980 notes that “a tour through the Greene Mansion evokes a dedication of the imagination to the glories of the past.”

Utilizing documents such as newspapers and historical records can help tell stories about the past that pictures alone cannot. The National Register of Historic Places paperwork is available to the public and can be easily accessed through their website, or the National Archives database. This is a good way to access historical records and photographs of sites that may otherwise be hard to locate. Discovering more about local history and the history right in your backyard can be as simple as a short search away.

My name is Morgan Pigott, and I am the 2022 Fall intern here at the Fulton County Historical Society. I am originally from Dearborn, Michigan and recently moved to Cooperstown, NY over a year ago. I am currently a second-year Museum Studies MA student at the Cooperstown Graduate Program through Suny Oneonta. Moving here has been a fun new experience and I enjoy learning more about the local communities.

During this internship I am working on cataloging and assessing a new collection of newspapers and assorted artifacts that were donated to the museum. This includes everything from bound books of newspapers dating back to the nineteenth century to film negative strips. The items were acquired from a local newspaper when they shut down and contain documentation from papers such as The Gloversville Intelligencer, The Morning Herald, and The Leader-Republican.

By holding these items at the Fulton County Historical Society, they are preserved and recorded for future generations to utilize.

March is Women’s History Month, and Fulton County was once home to one of the most revolutionary early businesswomen in the state. Rose Knox’s appreciation for her employees, innovative business practices, and generosity to her community earned her the sobriquet the “Grand Old Lady of Johnstown.”

Rose Markward Knox was born on November 18, 1857 in Mansfield, OH. She came to Gloversville in the 1870s to work in the glove industry, where she met her husband, Charles, at a dance. The couple married in 1883 and moved to Newark. The marriage was very much an equal partnership. Charles, who worked as a successful salesman in knit goods, often discussed business with his wife. Rose was given an allowance to purchase food and other items necessary to run the home; any money left over was her own to keep. If Charles borrowed money from this fund, it was treated as a business transaction and expected to be repaid. It was with the $5,000 that Rose had saved with smart spending and household efficiency that allowed the couple to purchase a defunct gelatin plant in Johnstown. In 1896, Knox Gelatine was established.

When the Knoxes began their business, making gelatin was time-consuming. It was a long process that required boiling beef bones for hours. An improvement was made with the development of gelatin sheets, which still required soaking to soften. But in 1889, Charles Knox developed a granulated gelatin for everyday use. Rose was an avid cook and developed many of her own recipes. It was good business, too, to write them based around the ingredient of gelatin. Her first recipe booklet was published in 1896 and was a staple giveaway in grocery stores. “Mrs. Knox says…” was a common phrase in their advertisements.

By the time Charles died unexpectedly in 1908, the Knox Company also owned Spim Soap, Ointment, and Tonic, a small hardware store, and a power company. After Charles’ death, it was expected that Rose would sell the business or hire a manager to run it, but out of concern for the future of her sons, she did the unthinkable: she took her husband’s place and ran it herself. On her first day on the job, she permanently closed the back entrance to the plant, where women employees would enter. “We are all ladies and gentlemen working together here,” she said, “and we’ll all come in through the front door.” Under Rose’s management, a 5-day workweek was implemented and employees also received two weeks of paid vacation and sick leave, entirely uncommon for the time. Mrs. Knox didn’t have to lay off a single employee during the Great Depression, thanks to her smart cost cutting – in fact, the business grew at a rate of 5% per year throughout the Depression era.

During WWII, Knox Gelatine developed several recipes and published new recipe booklets to help home cooks make the best out of food rationing. One such booklet published in 1942, called Don’t Let Butter Rationing Scare You!, introduced a recipe for “butter extender.” With some Knox Gelatine and milk, any American woman could turn ¼ pound of butter into ½ pound of butter spread. Add a little food coloring to help it look even more like real butter. Mrs. Knox ensured wartime housewives: “You and your family are certain to be delighted with the rich, buttery flavor of Knox Spread. (You’ll also be happy to know there’s real good food value in it for them).” The booklet also contained recipes in which to use your Knox Spread, some of them from the company’s test kitchen and others from magazines like Good Housekeeping, “who are all enthusiastic about Knox Spread,” Rose assured. The company published several other wartime booklets, like Meatless Main Dishes and Leftover Hints (including classics like coffee jelly and a fish mold) and How to Be Easy On Your Ration Card (make some sponge pudding or the ever-popular tomato jelly for the family). The company was already touting the nutritional value of its pure protein gelatine, so it was certainly a selling point during the war when people were concerned about ensuring proper nutrition with rationed goods. “Knox contributes real protein value to your desserts and salads,” the booklets read, “and will also help stretch your rationed foods.” Check out a scanned copy of the butter rationing cookbook here – and if you’re brave enough to try a recipe, please share it with us on Facebook!

Under Rose’s leadership the company’s laboratory developed the first pharmaceutical gelatine, precursor to today’s gel caps, as well as a “plasma extender,” an intravenous blood plasma substitution used during the war. She was generous to the citizens of Fulton County, providing donations to build the Knox Athletic Field and the library at the junior high school named in her honor; she attended graduation every year and gifted each graduating student a rose – a tradition that was still going strong when I graduated from that school in 2001. She also established a home for elderly women, assisted with the restoration of Johnson Hall, and gave donations to a variety of places of worship, regardless of denomination. Though she handed over running the business to her son James in 1942, Rose Knox remained the chairwoman of the board of the company she helped establish until her death in 1950.  She is buried in the Knox family plot at the Johnstown Cemetery.