PRIVATE JAMES R. HICKEY
"THE FIRST PALMYRA BOY TO GIVE HIS ALL FOR HIS
COUNTRY ON THE SHELL TORN FIELDS OF FRANCE."
"Like the true blue soldier that he was he faced the supreme test on that fateful August 23, 1918, and paid the supreme sacrifice with brave unflinching courage."
***********************************************************
Born and raised in Palmyra, NY, James R. Hickey was the first soldier from Palmyra to be killed in World War I. He was the 4th of 9 children. As an adult before he joined the Army, he was employed by the Garlock Package Factory like many other men in his family.
On February 25, 1918, Private Hickey left Palmyra along with other men to join Company M of the 308th Infantry. After a few weeks at Camp Devans, they left for France. A few short months later, on August 23rd, he was killed in the Vale Sector, France. He was buried in Fismes, Marne, France. It was almost 8 years before his body was returned home and re-buried on 23 March 1926 in the cemetery of St. Anne's Church at which his family had always worshipped.
Because Pvt. Hickey was the first local man killed in war, his death hit his community hard. According to newspaper accounts, local businesses closed for 2 hours on Sept. 30, 1918 during his first funeral. They closed again for his second funeral when his body finally came home from France. On that occasion, Main Street businesses closed and flags flew at half-mast as Pvt Hickey's body was carried on a government gun carriage drawn by horses from his sister's home in Fayette Street to the church and then to the cemetery. His funeral was a full military funeral hosted by the local American Legion Post which had been renamed the James R. Hickey Post in his honor in 1920.
Pvt Hickey never married, but he was greatly mourned by his many siblings, nieces and nephews.
"THE FIRST PALMYRA BOY TO GIVE HIS ALL FOR HIS
COUNTRY ON THE SHELL TORN FIELDS OF FRANCE."
"Like the true blue soldier that he was he faced the supreme test on that fateful August 23, 1918, and paid the supreme sacrifice with brave unflinching courage."
***********************************************************
Born and raised in Palmyra, NY, James R. Hickey was the first soldier from Palmyra to be killed in World War I. He was the 4th of 9 children. As an adult before he joined the Army, he was employed by the Garlock Package Factory like many other men in his family.
On February 25, 1918, Private Hickey left Palmyra along with other men to join Company M of the 308th Infantry. After a few weeks at Camp Devans, they left for France. A few short months later, on August 23rd, he was killed in the Vale Sector, France. He was buried in Fismes, Marne, France. It was almost 8 years before his body was returned home and re-buried on 23 March 1926 in the cemetery of St. Anne's Church at which his family had always worshipped.
Because Pvt. Hickey was the first local man killed in war, his death hit his community hard. According to newspaper accounts, local businesses closed for 2 hours on Sept. 30, 1918 during his first funeral. They closed again for his second funeral when his body finally came home from France. On that occasion, Main Street businesses closed and flags flew at half-mast as Pvt Hickey's body was carried on a government gun carriage drawn by horses from his sister's home in Fayette Street to the church and then to the cemetery. His funeral was a full military funeral hosted by the local American Legion Post which had been renamed the James R. Hickey Post in his honor in 1920.
Pvt Hickey never married, but he was greatly mourned by his many siblings, nieces and nephews.
PRIVATE JAMES R. HICKEY
"THE FIRST PALMYRA BOY TO GIVE HIS ALL FOR HIS
COUNTRY ON THE SHELL TORN FIELDS OF FRANCE."
"Like the true blue soldier that he was he faced the supreme test on that fateful August 23, 1918, and paid the supreme sacrifice with brave unflinching courage."
***********************************************************
Born and raised in Palmyra, NY, James R. Hickey was the first soldier from Palmyra to be killed in World War I. He was the 4th of 9 children. As an adult before he joined the Army, he was employed by the Garlock Package Factory like many other men in his family.
On February 25, 1918, Private Hickey left Palmyra along with other men to join Company M of the 308th Infantry. After a few weeks at Camp Devans, they left for France. A few short months later, on August 23rd, he was killed in the Vale Sector, France. He was buried in Fismes, Marne, France. It was almost 8 years before his body was returned home and re-buried on 23 March 1926 in the cemetery of St. Anne's Church at which his family had always worshipped.
Because Pvt. Hickey was the first local man killed in war, his death hit his community hard. According to newspaper accounts, local businesses closed for 2 hours on Sept. 30, 1918 during his first funeral. They closed again for his second funeral when his body finally came home from France. On that occasion, Main Street businesses closed and flags flew at half-mast as Pvt Hickey's body was carried on a government gun carriage drawn by horses from his sister's home in Fayette Street to the church and then to the cemetery. His funeral was a full military funeral hosted by the local American Legion Post which had been renamed the James R. Hickey Post in his honor in 1920.
Pvt Hickey never married, but he was greatly mourned by his many siblings, nieces and nephews.
"THE FIRST PALMYRA BOY TO GIVE HIS ALL FOR HIS
COUNTRY ON THE SHELL TORN FIELDS OF FRANCE."
"Like the true blue soldier that he was he faced the supreme test on that fateful August 23, 1918, and paid the supreme sacrifice with brave unflinching courage."
***********************************************************
Born and raised in Palmyra, NY, James R. Hickey was the first soldier from Palmyra to be killed in World War I. He was the 4th of 9 children. As an adult before he joined the Army, he was employed by the Garlock Package Factory like many other men in his family.
On February 25, 1918, Private Hickey left Palmyra along with other men to join Company M of the 308th Infantry. After a few weeks at Camp Devans, they left for France. A few short months later, on August 23rd, he was killed in the Vale Sector, France. He was buried in Fismes, Marne, France. It was almost 8 years before his body was returned home and re-buried on 23 March 1926 in the cemetery of St. Anne's Church at which his family had always worshipped.
Because Pvt. Hickey was the first local man killed in war, his death hit his community hard. According to newspaper accounts, local businesses closed for 2 hours on Sept. 30, 1918 during his first funeral. They closed again for his second funeral when his body finally came home from France. On that occasion, Main Street businesses closed and flags flew at half-mast as Pvt Hickey's body was carried on a government gun carriage drawn by horses from his sister's home in Fayette Street to the church and then to the cemetery. His funeral was a full military funeral hosted by the local American Legion Post which had been renamed the James R. Hickey Post in his honor in 1920.
Pvt Hickey never married, but he was greatly mourned by his many siblings, nieces and nephews.
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