Corporal John Kenneth Christopher, son of Charles S. and Flora Spencer Christopher, was born July 15th, 1894, and was killed in battle November 1, 1918 at Argonne Forest in the last great drive of the European War. He enlisted June 13th, 1817 at Wheeling, West Virginia, and was transferred to Philadelphia Marine Barracks for training. Five weeks later he was on the way to France where he was enrolled in the 5th Regiment of Marines. February 15, 1918 he went into the trenches with his regiment which won an enviable reputation in the battles of Chateau Thierry, June 6th, also June 21-26, at Soissons July 18-19. St. Mihiel Sector, September 12-16, Argonne Woods, November 1. He was wounded in September and was in hospital for a time, but returned to the regiment in season to be in the fight at Argonne where he gave his life as a sacrifice on the altar of freedom. Corporal Christopher was born and spent his youth in the beautiful Ohio Valley, and was educated in the Belpre Schools. As a lad he was generous, self sacrificing and courageous, and gained many warm friends who anticipated for him a successful career. He became a member of the Congregational Church of Belpre, about three years before his enlistment. In the Sunday School he belonged to a class known as Boy Scouts under the care of Miss Persis P. Howe. Of this class more than twenty were in some branch of service during the war.

Letters received from Corporal Christopher indicated that his Christian character was maintained and strengthened by his war experience. He was one of the first men in Belpre to enlist and the first to give his life. Millions of young men were sacrificed during this terrible war and there is mourning in millions of homes, and yet the sorrow is as great in each individual home as though they were the only sufferers, and Belpre should as tenderly cherish the memory of her martyrs as though no other community had been afflicted.

February 16th a very interesting and impressive memorial service was held in the Congregational church, and roses and poppies will probably continue to bloom over an unknown grave "Somewhere in France."

Corporal John Kenneth Christopher and Frank Browning were Belpre's two martyrs in this war.

Source: A History of Belpre, Washington County, Ohio, by C. E. Dickinson, 1920, Transcribed by C. Anthony