POST HISTORY
History of Jay Wilson Post 112
AMERICAN LEGION
Madison, Ohio 44057
Jay Wilson Post 112 of the American Legion has a rich history of Veteran and Community involvement. There are Post 112 members who are third and second generation family members.
After World War I ended, a group of war-weary Veterans got together in France to think of a way to keep the comradeship alive with the eventual winding down of all activities in France. Members of the American Expeditionary Force convene in Paris for the first American Legion caucus in March 1919 to define a purpose and mission. Congress chartered the American Legion in September 1919 which swiftly grew to over 1 million and local posts sprang up across the country. Membership stands at over 2.4 million in 14,000 posts worldwide today.
The Veterans of Madison also felt a need to be a part of the newly formed American Legion and 15 local Veterans residents (J. H. Huggins, D. H. Bailey, W. G. Stanton, H. W. Wright, L. G. Jordon, A. H. Hills, H. S. Brown, H. P. Reigert, F. R. Lynch, A. P. Groat, W. J. Keyse, J. V. Winans, J. A. Ellertson, S. Bates and L. A. Peckman) signed a petition to charter on June 19, 1922. The charter was approved on December 11, 1923 officially recognizing Jay Wilson Post 112. The new name was chosen in honor of Mr. Jay Wilson of Thompson, Ohio. Mr. Wilson was born in Painesville, July 18, 1888, enlisted in Company D, 102nd Infantry on September 18, 1917. Jay Wilson went overseas to serve in France on April 23, 1918. He was Killed in Action on June 17, 1918. Later his body was returned and committed to its final resting place in Maplegrove Cemetery, Thompson. Post 112 members stop at Jay Wilson’s grave each Memorial Day morning to pay their respects.
Post 112 had meetings at the Knights of Pythias Hall and later at the Grange Hall and then in 1927 the Madison Township Trustees donated three rooms on the second floor of the post office building at that time now known as the Fine Arts Building. The first Post Commander was Dr. J. V. Winans; he just served as a state legislator from 1911 through 1914 and one term in the state senate 1915 and 1916. The Post 112 Legion Auxiliary was then organized and chartered on June 10, 1924 with Mrs. J. V. Winans serving as its first president. In August 1985 the Sons of the Legion group was chartered allowing qualifying family members to join Post 112. In 2009 Post 112 recognizing the American Legion Riders group to allow qualifying members to join.
Post 112 is always ready to assist the community in any beneficial movement and has sponsored worth-while projects of its own among them Legion Baseball, Rifle Club, Buckeye Boys & Girl’s State, Americanism & Government Test, Gift for the Yanks, Memorial Day Parade and Services, Boy Scouts, Madison High School Scholarships, Cemetery Veterans grave flags, Madison Funeral Team to mention a few.
The current location was acquired through the efforts of the World War I and II and Korean Veterans who needed a place of their own. The first land and a building parcel was purchased from Milton H. and Blanche E. Nichols on December 29, 1961. A second parcel was also purchased from the Nichols on July 11, 1963. Post 112 grew over the years and another parcel was purchased on April 13, 2006 to provide expansion of Post activities and parking. The original section of the Post Home predated 1853 having been utilized as a home, church and possibly a school from local sources. Since 1983 several additions were added to also accommodate growing membership and activities.
In 2000 Post 112 filed the paperwork through the Department of Defense and acquired a M60A3 Battle Tank from Camp Grayling near Traverse City, Michigan which proudly sets out front of Post 112 Home honoring all who served in the United States Armed Forces.
Today Post 112 has over 700 members including the Legion Veterans, the Auxiliary, Sons of the Legion and the Legion Riders who work together to provide support for Veterans, Veteran Family Members and the Community. We currently meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. Our Post Home number is 440-428-7893 for anyone who would like information on joining any of the groups making up Jay Wilson Post 112, American Legion.
God Bless America and our Troops in harms way.
Respectfully submitted,
Mike J. Evangelista (cell 440-417-4804)
Post 112
Researched and edited this day February 2, 2016.
For God, Country and Community