Joseph Brewster - Cedartown, GA - Specific Veteran Memorials on Waymarking.com

County of bench: Polk County
Location of bench: East Ave. & Greenwood Dr., Veterans Memorial Park, Cedartown

Bench is inscribed with his name along the front edge.

“Joseph S. Brewster was born at Esom Hill, Ga., July 13, 1893. He was the son of Joseph Sereven Brewster, and Laura Isbell Brewster. His childhood and early school days were spent at Esom Hill, and later he attended Hearn Academy, Gordon Institute, and Georgia Tech. When the United States entered the World War he went into the Officers’ Training Camp at Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., where he received his commission as Second Lieutenant. He was attached to Co. F. 59th Infantry, 8th Brigade, Fourth Division Camp Greene, Charlotte, N.C., with which unit he embarked for overseas on Sunday, May 5, 1918. Lieutenant Brewster had special training in gas schools in America and France, and at the time of his death was gas officer and platoon leader of his regiment. His family was advised that his commission as First Lieutenant awaited him at headquarters.

"He was killed in action at Chauteau Thierry, France, on July 20, 1918, by a German high explosive shell; was buried where he fell by his comrades, and a few days later his body was moved to a small cemetery #371 nearby, and later to Bellean [sic s/b Belleau] Wood Cemetery. In Sept., 1921, his remains were returned to America and buried at Shiloh Cemetery neat Esom Hill, Georgia. His grave is marked with these words: ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’” ~ Polk County Standard-Journal,   Historic Society, May 23, 2023