Arthur Deem was born Oct. 11, 1877 in Evanston and the family moved to Sterling when he was a youth. Deem moved to Rock Falls in the early 1900's when he accepted employment at the Russell, Burdall & Ward Bolt & Nut Company in 1907. Earlier he was employed as a machinst at the firm of Cobb & Drew which occupied a portion of the Old Flexonic building. Prior to that, he was employed by the Charter Gas Engine Company and worked in experimental and metal pattern department of Butler and Utley before the firm was purchased by International Harvester Co.
Deem was a veteran employee of some 42 service with the RB & W at the time of his retirement Feb. 1, 1949. At the time of retirement, he was the superintendent of the RB & W machine shop.
Deem was active in civic and church programs having served as a member of the Rock Falls Elementary board of educaiton and a member of the Community General Hospital board of directors during the major expansion project which was completed in 1956. He was also a member of the Masons, the Sterling Elks and the Rock Falls Methodist Church.
He married the former Genevieve Coe and they were the parents of two daughters, Mrs. Fay (June) Robinson and Mrs. Virginia Hunter, and one son, Arthur A. of Rock Falls. The Deem home is located at 314 E. 2nd St. in Rock Falls.
As in the war before, as well as the two big wars to follow, men from Rock Falls were to enlist and make individual contributions as well as sacrifices which were later to be noted in the pages of history.
The Sixth Illinois Volunteer infantry history includes the names of a number of Rock Falls and area men who volunteered and "servedthe call to colors" during the Spanish-American War in 1898.
Among the young soldiers to enlist in this conflict at the turn of the century was Arthur E. Deem at the age of 20. At the time of his death in 1964 at the age of 87, Deem closed another chapter in the history book for he held the distinction of being the last remaining veteran of the Spanish-American War from Rock Falls.
Deem, after enlisting in the "Old Sixth" was assigned to Company E of the Sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry Division. The Sixth IL Vol. Inf. was ordered to the state capitol in Springfield on April 26, 1898. They left Springfield on May 11 by rail enroute to Camp Russell A. Alger in Virginia and they arrived on May 20.
"The Sixth" remained at Camp Alger until July 5, when the regiment left again by rail, for Charloeston SC arriving July 6. Company E., of which Deem was assigned, along with Companies I and F, boarded the heavy cruiser USS Columbia and on July 11 they arrived at Santiago just after the bombardment had stopped. They were followed by Company A on the USS Yale and Companies B, C, G, H, K, and L on the USS Rita which arrived in Cuba on July 15. Companies D & M embarked on Transport No. 21 and arrived at Ponce, Puerto Rico on July 27.
An interesting note is the fact the American troops from Company E did not land at Cuba and on July 21, left Santiago with their effectiv force of 3,300 infantry and artillery. On July 25, Deem's Company landed at Guanica, Puerto Rico which was occupied by some 8,223 Spanish regular soldiers and 9,107 volunteers. The first American troops to land on Puerto Rican soil was a compnay of U.S> Marines who hoisted the "Stars and Stripes."
It proved to be a peaceful occupation of the island and the SPanish troops did not act on the offensive. The Sixth had only one small skirmish with the enemy on July 26 some four miels from Guanica. The troops left Guanica on July 30 during a trying march over poor roads caused by the rain, food not fit to eat and other problems in the strange country. They arrived at Ponce where they remained until Aug 8, when the regiment moved to Guaragos. On Aug. 10 they left Guaragos marching four miles over the mountains and advanced to Adjuntas Aug. 11. They camped there until Aug. 16 when they marced to Utnado. On Aug. 26 the troops left Utnado and returned to Adjuntas and then returned to Ponce where they camped until Sept. 7 at which time they embarked on board the USS Manitoba at Port Ponce and arrived at Weekaawken NJ Sep. 13.
The Regiment left Weehawken by rail and arrived in Springfield on Sept. 16 where they were assigned to Camp Lincoln. On Sept. 22, 1898, all the "Old Sixth" were given 60 day leave with order to return to Springfield where the regiment was officially mustered out on Nov. 25, 1898.
Rock Falls men on the original roster were Gus Hanson, Deville B. Deyoe, Chrales and Henry Eberle, Charles Johnson, Bert Palmer, Herman Rodemeyer, Frank Rossiter, Sgt. F.E. Wagley, H.N. Geyer, Sam Feigley, and Frank Blair, M.L. Alpress from Montmorency was also on the roster.
Daily Gazette Bi-Centennial Edition 01 July 1976
