Captain Cousart, Prisoner of War

“Capt. J.B. Cousart Prisoneer of Huns” blazed a headline in the Inquirer on August 12, 1918. The news was worrisome, but likely a relief to family and friends, who had previously been informed that he was missing in action.

James Burke Cousart

Captain James Burke Cousart was known in the neighborhood for helping to start the De Sales Boys’ Battalion — a military-style precursor to the Boy Scouts – at the parish in 1916. The paper reported that “The news that he has been made a prisoner of war was received almost solemnly among members of that parish. His wife, who., before her marriage four years ago, was Miss Marie Mauch, and two small children, live at 5034 Willows avenue (apparently staying with her parents while her husband was away). Captain Cousart made his home at 5030 Willows avenue.“

The Inquirer later reported on the circumstances of his capture during the Second Battle of the Marne in 1918: “It was four companies of the 100th who won distinguished honors at the Marne when they scientifically and coldly held up a superior German force, split it in two at terrible cost and made a way for advances which later turned the whole tide of battle in the American favor…Captain James B. Cousart of Philadelphia, was singled out in this engagement as one of the men who had fought with the greatest bravery against seemingly hopeless odds…”

Research has turned up a treasure: a copy of Cousart’s WWI POW diary/letter to his wife https://captcousart.tripod.com/intro.html, posted online twenty years ago by his grandson. The description of his life in captivity at Villingen, could be oddly relatable:

“August 9/18: Trying hard to forget the fact that I am a prisoner and no more use to my country as a fighting man; I joined a class of men here and arose at 7:15 to go thru body exercises of a rather strenuous type for 15 minutes then a 1/2 mile run, all this in our pajamas, and to finish a cold shower and this followed by a rubbing given by onself to bring life to the skin and perhaps harden the outside coating a bit.”

“At 8:30 a breakfast of coffee-black bread and a bit of salmon cooked into crackers.”

“At 9 AM roll call where the forty Americans were this day joined by a new American, Lt. Vaughn who had been wounded in neck and shoulder by a bit of shrapnel.”

“At 9:30 Gave our word of honor not to attempt to escape and 21 Americans went for a walk of 8 kilometers (5 miles) and then returned to our prison camp, to wait 2 days for a similar treat.”

“At 12 noon a dinner of soup (barley) and sauerkraut& potatoes and some detestable style of meat or fish which spoiled the kraut and potatoes.”

“The morning was rainy and damp, but not as chilly as the three preceding days which were really too cool to be comfortable.”

“Some of the officers here find their pleasure, in bridge, some 8 or 9 in poker, some 3 or 5 in playing pinochle and the rest decide their time, between studying…”

At one point, he notes:

“No chance to go to church today as for 3 sundays in succession however we look forward to the advent of Chaplains for all religions here soon.”

Released after the Armistice, Cousart made his way home in May 1919, aboard a military ship full of Pennsylvanians that “bore her big keystone proudly. Three days ago, when the men learned they were coming straight home to Philadelphia, they got out a huge bolt of khaki and one of the ship’s quartermasters made them a yellow flag with a keystone on it which could be seen almost as far as the ship itself… There were many men on board we will learn to know as heroes,” but “they seemed to think more of comrades lost than of citations won.” Among them was Captain Cousart, whose “reward came when he saw Mrs. Cousart on a tug and was yelled at through a megaphone.”

According to parish records, 379 young people from SFDS served in World War I, and of these, 14 never returned; more than 400 served from MBS. Sadly, the SFDS memorial plaque has gone missing.

Page from Captain Cousart’s scrapbook

The old Boys’ Battalion insignia can still be seen above an SFDS School door

Interested in other local history? Check out our new sister webpage https://streetofhistoryphiladelphia.wordpress.com/

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The Edge of History

St. Francis de Sales historic Pew Rents book shows Ramspacher and Feeser in pew 31 in the West Transept of the 1911 Church.

Ordinary life often unfolds just outside bigger world events, and that is certainly true for early parishioner George Ramspacher.

Ramspacher’s death notice lists him as German, while census data describes him as French. In fact, he was born in 1842 in Alsace, a region claimed by both countries. Britannica notes that during the period, “from 1815 to 1870” Alsace was considered French; “at the end of the Franco-German War (1870–71), however …Alsace was detached from France and annexed to the German Empire….” remaining under German control until the end of World War I — so Ramspacher was, in his lifetime, both and neither.

Ramspacher arrived in the United States around 1864, during the American Civil War, “engaged in the baking business at 208 Delancey Street,” and married Miss Julia Kempton of Philadelphia in 1866, after the war ended. When he retired from the bakery in 1894, the couple moved out to our neighborhood with several adult children, including daughter Mary and her husband Theodore Feeser, all living in the same house at 510 South 48^th street. The Ramspachers joined our parish just a few years after its 1890 founding, and when the new church was built in 1911, they rented pew 31 in the West transept (47^th Street side) with the Feesers, who also donated a dome window.

In 1916, just a month before Woodrow Wilson was narrowly re-elected President with the soon-to-be-ironic campaign slogan “He kept us out of the War,” the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that “With their eight children, sixteen grandchildren and six daughters and sons-in-law present, Mr. and Mrs. George Ramspacher…celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding on October 1.” The paper casually noted that “the celebration was originally called for September 23, but because of the absence of some of their children at the seashore and the fear of infantile paralysis (polio) the event was postponed until last Sunday…”

Daniel J. Wilson reports that “The 1916 polio epidemic was one of the largest in the United States and the largest in the world to that date…Pennsylvania’s 2,181 cases ranked third behind New York’s 13,223 and New Jersey’s 4,055…Polio typically struck during the warmer months of summer,” and in Pennsylvania, numbers escalated rapidly from three cases in May, to 120 by July, 747 in August, and 804 in September, before falling to 379 in October. “Polio was a new and frightening disease in 1916,” without a cure. Public health officials quarantined patients and their families. “In late August, the state health commissioner closed the schools until September 18. Some communities tried to prevent children from epidemic areas from entering their borders. However, since doctors in 1916 did not understand how the disease was transmitted, these measures were largely ineffective in preventing polio’s spread…” Fortunately, apart from the postponement of the party, the Ramspachers appear to have escaped its vengeance.

George Ramspacher had one more near-encounter with history, when he died on June 4, 1918, at age 76, due to “myocarditis/edema of the lungs” – heart failure and fluid in the lungs – shortly before the official September arrival of the deadly 1918 Influenza pandemic. His wife, Julia, passed in 1922. They were both buried from SFDS at New Cathedral Cemetery (2^nd and Butler Streets).

 

Remembering the Past: Influenza 1918

Philadelphia Evening Bulletin October 5, 1918

A History Mystery column about the 1918 influenza pandemic published in July 2014, pondered: “Imagine not being allowed to go to church in a time of troubles…”

Well…now we know.

Influenza arrived in Philadelphia in September 1918, aboard a Navy ship coming from Boston. It spread quickly in the Navy Yard, then at a military parade in Center City attended by 200,000 people, promoting sales of Liberty Bonds to fund the war effort – a parade at which our parish was particularly well represented due to the school’s very successful Bond drive.

All public and parochial schools in Philadelphia closed for three weeks afterwards, to try to stem the epidemic. Medical personnel were still overseas aiding in the war effort, so IHM teaching sisters volunteered as nurses, tirelessly tending bedsides of many races, ethnicities, and religions, especially in the MBS boundaries.

Police closed places of worship citywide from October 6 through October 26, 1918, with few exceptions. Our church was one of these: the October 5, 1918 Philadelphia Evening Bulletin reported that: “Placards have been posted within the confines of the Catholic parish of St. Francis de Sales, announcing that by permission of the Board of Health, masses will be celebrated tomorrow morning in front of St. Francis’ Church, 47^th St. and Springfield Ave. at 7:30, 9:30 and 11 A.M.” The outdoor Mass on the front steps “did not meet with general approval,” however (curious phrasing!), and the practice ended after October 13. Catholics were exhorted to pray in their homes for a speedy end, both to the epidemic and to the war.

October 1918 was a rough month for SFDS. The parish Death Register recorded eight deaths in September; then jumped to 40 between October 6 and October 31, 1918. Fatalities tapered off again to five in November, nine in December, and a few more in January. In the end, parish losses from influenza probably totaled about 60 people; the names of the deceased are recorded in the parish ledger, but not all of the death certificates are available to confirm the cause.

Who were the victims? Geographically, most of the deaths in our parish occurred in the less-prosperous section south of Baltimore Avenue. Victims were married and single; many were in their 30s; a few were infants and children. Most had been born in Philadelphia, many to immigrant parents. The death certificates provide a snapshot of their employment: a stenographer; a policeman; a sheet metal worker; a number of housewives and several salesmen including a cigar salesman; a female Bolter at J.G. Brill’s trolley manufacturing co.; a telegraph operator; a young lady in the women’s Naval Reserve; several bartenders; a soldier; a watchman; and a motor inspector among others. Above Baltimore Avenue, victims included the Assistant Treasurer of Standard Steel Co. and the Treasurer of the Broad Street Theatre.

The epidemic slowed down considerably by November 11, when the First World War officially ended.  Catholic sisters (who tended bedsides), Catholic seminarians (who dug graves), and clergy in Philadelphia were especially commended by the city for their heroic efforts during the crisis.  Worldwide, more people died of influenza than died in World War I, and more people died of influenza in Philadelphia than anywhere else in the world – a dubious distinction for our fair city!

 

Coronavirus 2020

Rectory offices have been closed since March 13 and Masses are being celebrated privately. Find Morning Prayer livestreamed on the Matt Guckin Facebook page at 7 AM (Monday to Friday) and 9 AM (Saturday and Sunday); Night Prayer at 9 PM.  

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SERVICES TO BE CELEBRATED PRIVATELY. On March 25, 2020, The Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship issued the Decree in Time of Covid 19 (II) stating that “Given that the date of Easter cannot be transferred, in the countries which have been struck by the disease and where restrictions around the assembly and movement of people have been imposed, Bishops and priests may celebrate the rites of Holy Week without the presence of the people and in a suitable place, avoiding concelebration and omitting the sign of peace. The faithful should be informed of the beginning times of the celebrations so that they can prayerfully unite themselves in their homes. Means of live (not recorded) telematic broadcasts can be of help….”

SFDS Holy Week 2020 Services, celebrated privately,  will be available on Youtube and Facebook:

April 5 Palm Sunday Mass at 10:15 AM

Thursday April 9 Mass at 7:00 PM

Friday April 10 Passion at 3:00 PM

Sunday April 12 Easter Sunday Mass at 10:15 AM