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The artifact of the month is a souvenir silk pillow
case or “pillow top” with the words “Mother” printed in large
lettering across the center. On the upper left corner is an image
of a young soldier surrounded by flags and an American eagle with
text reading “World War Service”. On the lower right corner is an
image of the Goddess of Liberty carrying a shield and surrounded by
pink flowers. In the center in black ink is “R.C. Burgette L Co. 75
Inf.” Pillow tops were popular souvenirs given by serviceman to
loved ones during the first and second world wars. Usually they were
decorated with patriotic motifs and poems to “Sweetheart” or
“Mother.” According to the National Museum of American History,
these mementos used symbolism to reinforce the emotional bonds of
home, family, and the nation. |
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Donated
to the Healdsburg Museum by Robert Charles Burgett’s
wife Alice, this pillow top was probably given by
R.C. Burgett to his mother, Elizabeth (Walker)
Burgett, when he joined the Army. Burgett was
registered June 5, 1918 at the age of 21. His older
brother James Burgett registered the year before.
According to the Healdsburg Tribune, Robert Burgett
departed for training at Camp Lewis, Washington,
with several other Healdsburg men (Dee Walker, Emil
Sioli, and Leopold Pey) in August, 1918, as a crowd
of friends and family bid the men farewell. The Army
had only 25,000 regulars in 1917 and needed
thousands more to fight in France. The "Draft" was
revived and many men, levied from Washington,
Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming and
Montana, to Camp Lewis, which was the first National
Army cantonment for draftee training to be opened.
There men were in processed, clothed, armed, and
trained. The first recruits arrived at Camp Lewis on
5 September 1917 and 37,000 officers, cadre,
garrison, and trainees were on post by 31 December.
Camp Lewis was the largest military post in the USA
at the time. Armistice was declared between the
Germans and the Allies on November 11, 1918, so
Robert Burgett probably experienced little or no
combat. |
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Robert
Burgett (1897-1957) was the son of William Burgett, a well-known
local brick manufacturer and brick layer who moved to Healdsburg in
the 1870s. Robert was the youngest of five children (Nettie,
William, Laura, James, and Robert). He returned to Healdsburg
following his stint in the Army to continue in the family trade,
working as a plasterer and mason. He married his Healdsburg
sweetheart, Alice Bequette, in 1929. After his parents died, he and
Alice lived in the home that his father built (739 Fitch Street) out
of bricks from his own brickyard. |
