HISTORY OF JOHN W. IVENS
John W. Ivens, for whom the Grand Canyon Post is named, was born in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, on June 3 of 1893. He died in France on June 24, 1918 of injuries suffered in a gas attack during the night of June 17th. John Ivens spent his early life on a farm in Wisconsin. He came to Grand Canyon in 1911 and the Fred Harvey Company
employed him for a short time.
Some time later he left and wandered about working on farms and telephone lines. Again hearing the “call of the Canyon,” he returned in 1916 and this time secured employment with the Kolb Brothers. Ivens remained with them until he volunteered for Army duty in 1917. His service in the Army was from September 30, 1917 until his death on June 18, 1918. Ivens enlisted in Flagstaff and reported to Fort Riley, Kansas. He was then transferred to Camp Kearney at San Diego, California where he remained in training until March 1918. At this time he volunteered for immediate deployment to France. Upon reaching France he was promoted to Private 1st Class and attached to Company C, 2nd Field Signal Battalion. It was during this time along the division Axi of Liaison, near Coullmelle, France, that he suffered fatal injuries in a gas attack.
HISTORY OF JOHN IVENS POST 42
Post No. 42’s origins date back to November 16, 1922 when L.E. White wrote the first letter to State Commander Celora M. Stoddard advising him of the situation at Grand Canyon and expressing a desire to form a post. Little time was lost as The John Ivens Post No. 42 of the American Legion officially organized on January 19, 1923. Able assistance with the initial ceremony arrived in the form of officers from the Frank Perkins Post of the American Legion located at Winslow, Arizona. Post Commander Lieberman, 1st Vice Commander Kleindeinst, 2nd Vice Commander Grattan, and Sergeant At Arms Meader brought and presented the colors at the ceremony.
CHARTER MEMBERS INITIATED AT THE CEREMONY
G. C. Bolton, C. R. Clarkson, V. D. Copeland, E.M. Ennis, R. E. Francey, R. P. Gilliand,
A. E. Harbin, V. I. Keen, L. F. Kennedy, E. C. Kob, M. F. McCullough, L. W. McLean,
C. E. McKinstry, R. E. Reed, E. S. Waterbury, L. E. White, R. H. Williams, A. H. Woodworth
FIRST OFFICERS ELECTED
Commander L. W. McLean, 1st Vice Commander R. E. Francey,
2nd Vice Commander E. C. Kolb, Adjutant V. I. Keen,
Sergeant At Arms E. M. Ennis, Finance Officer L. E. White,
Chaplain A. E. Harbin, Historian A. H. Woodworth.
One receipt of a letter of confirmation for the organization, State Commander Stoddard telegraphed the following: Accept this sincere congratulations from Department Headquarters of The American Legion upon the advent of yourself and other buddies into the greatest American organization on earth The American Legion. It is my pleasure to welcome you most heartily and let he ideals and principals of true Americanism be the foundation of your organization. Signed: Celora Stoddard.