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World War I photo links two prominent Marshalltown families

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Hubler Studio of Marshalltown took this photo of 246 Marshall County men drafted into the armed services July 24, 1918, at the local YMCA. The facility’s address was listed as Church Street and First Avenue, according to a 1918 city directory.

A vintage 1918 photo chronicling the largest contingent of Marshall County men drafted into World War I has reinforced a bond between two families.

“This picture is neat,” Vic Hellberg said at his Main Street business recently. “It is something we can show our grandchildren.”

The picture shows 246 men, many holding hats, dressed in suits or sport coats and wearing ties posing in front of the local YMCA, listed at First Avenue and Church Street.

“The late Bill Lane’s wife, Phyllis, had told me of the photo years ago,” Hellberg said. “Her father, George C. Jonnson, is pictured along with my grandfather, Hjalmer Victor Hellberg Sr. Jonnson is pictured one row back from my grandfather who is pictured second row, lower right.

I could pick out my grandfather because he always wore a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up twice to the inside.”

Hellberg said Lane had promised him he would get the photo. She later moved to Washington state to retire and be closer to a son. After she died, one of her sons came to Marshalltown and gave it to Hellberg.

“It must have turned up during her move from Marshalltown to Washington state or after she died and they were going through her possessions.”

Many of the men have large, white visible tags around their neck going down to mid-chest which Hellberg thinks were used for identification.

A caption in the lower left corner reads: “Seventh increment of selected men from Marshall Co. Bound for Camp Pike in Little Rock, Ark.”

Business connection

The Hellberg and Lane families were united in commerce.

Hellberg Jewelers has been in Marshalltown more than 100 years with current owner-operators Vic and Gayle Hellberg at the helm of the Main Street store. Vic is the fourth generation. William Hellberg was the first of the family to call Marshalltown home.

Vic and Gayle are active in a number of civic groups, especially those serving veterans.

Phyllis’ husband William (Bill) worked briefly at Security Savings Bank as part-time janitor and bookkeeper while in high school, according to the “Continuing History of Marshall County 1996.”

He began regular employment as a teller after graduating from Marshalltown Junior College and University of Iowa followed by one year at Kaiser Shipyards near San Francisco, Calif.

After marriage to Bill, Phyllis worked at the renown Western Grocers Co., and also at First Methodist Church.

Bill worked at Security Bank in several management positions before retiring in 1985. He continued to serve as bank chairman of the board.

Nick Lane, Bill and Phyllis’s son, is now a prominent musician.

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