Welcome
The Otis Sampson
American Legion Post 59
History
Welcome to the Post 59 history page! This project has been over a century in the making, representing years of dedicated documentation by our Post historians.
We hope you enjoy exploring it!
This project is dedicated to the rich history of Post 59 and its Commanders over the past 106 years. This endeavor began in March 2025 and has grown significantly as we uncovered historical binders created by Leonard "Lennie" Swingen, Lynn (Swingen) Robertson, and Steve Grady. With help from Al Vick, the current Post 59 historian, Jim Oler, Michael Currie, and various archives, I've been piecing together stories and artifacts. I invite you to explore this ongoing project, and if you have any comments and/or stories related to Post 59, please feel free to reach out to me at stenjemdean@gmail.com.
Thank you for visiting!
Dean Stenjem
Our Story
Establishment of The American Legion and Post 59
by: Leonard "Lennie" Swingen
In the fall of 1919, Stoughton American Legion Post 59 was formed, with Fred Mattingly serving as the Post's first Commander. The Post was named in honor of Otis Sampson, Stoughton's first casualty of World War I.
Otis Sampson was born in Stoughton on September 7, 1898, the son of Andrew and Elsye Sampson. Less than a week after the United States entered World War I, Otis enlisted in the U.S. Army in Madison on April 12, 1917. He was assigned to the 16th Infantry and was among the first American forces sent to France.
During his service, Otis took part in some of the major battles involving American forces during the war, including Soissons, St. Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne offensive. In June 1918, he was wounded after being exposed to poison gas and spent several weeks hospitalized. After recovering, he returned to his unit and continued serving on the front.
On October 8, 1918, during the Meuse-Argonne offensive in France, Otis Sampson was killed in action. He was just 20 years old. His death came barely a month before the fighting ended on November 11, 1918.
When Stoughton's American Legion Post was organized the following year, its members chose to honor the city's first World War I casualty by naming it The Otis Sampson American Legion Post 59. More than a century later, his name remains part of the identity of the Post and a lasting reminder of the young Stoughton soldier who left his hometown to serve his country and never returned home.
For many years, the Post occupied several locations on Main Street until 1944, when it found a permanent home in the former Congregational Church building at 401 S. Fifth Street. Palmer Henderson was very influential in obtaining a loan to help purchase the building. Many of the Legion members pitched in with both cash donations and manual labor to help remodel the building for use as their clubhouse. The Ladies Auxiliary was very helpful in "dressing up" the building.
Click Below for Information on the Philo C. Buckman Post during the Civil War.
Meet Our Past Commanders
1919
Army
04/21/1892-12/16/1976
Occupation:
Justice of the Peace, "Revenuer" State of Wisconsin, Owner-Eatmore Restaurant Stoughton
Wife:
Meryl (Newkirk) Mattingly
1891-1972
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1921
Army
02/01/1890-10/27/1956
Occupation:
Banker- Citizens State Bank
​
Wife:
Edna (Burull) Rippchen
1893-1983
​
1922
Army
03/01/1895-06/27/1984
Occupation:
Grocerer-Stoughton 1923, Owner-Edwin O. Olson & Son Clothing -State Street Madison
​
Wife:
Ruth (Hougan) Olson
1895-1992
​
1923
Army
10/12/1890-07/03/1924
Occupation:
Cashier-C.M & St. Paul
Wife:
Not Married​
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1924
Navy
02/02/1897-11/08/1985
Occupation:
Print Shop Owner, Author, Stoughton Hall of Fame Member.​
Wife:
Dorothy (Sobatta) Hanson
1897-1977
​
1925
Army
08/21/1887-12/24/1939
Occupation:
Employee- Fairbanks Morse Plant- Beloit, WI.​
Wife:
Hazel (Patterson) Bigelow
1894-1971
​
1926-1927 & 1932
Navy
01/25/1894-10/13/1966
Occupation:
Justice of the Peace, City Supervisor- Stoughton, Lawyer​
Wife:
Florence (Klenert) Donahue
1899-1998
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1928-1929
Army
10/17/1900-03/14/1953
Occupation:
Editor- Stoughton Courier Hub, Insurance Agent, Asst. Secretary of State Public Service Commission.​
Wife:
Alida (Perrizo) Olson
1902-1991
​
1930
Army
04/02/1892-01/03/1949
Occupation:
Pastor- Universalist Church- Stoughton, WI.​
Wife:
Irma (Knight) Aldridge
1891-1982
​
1931
Army
05/04/1894-05/28/1974
Occupation:
Self-Employed- Meat Market Owner, Alderman- Stoughton, WI.​
Wife:
Phoebe (Stickle) Smithback
1897-1972
​
1933
Army
06/24/1894-09/24/1973
Occupation:
Owner- Ford & Klefstad Furniture Store- Stoughton, WI.​
Wife:
Ada H. (Hemsing) Klefstad
1896-1983
​
1934
Army
08/13/1898-08/15/1958
Occupation:
Employee- Highway Trailer Co.- Stoughton, WI.​
Wife:
Ida (Dewey) Rue
1894-1977
​
1935
Army
09/11/1895-07/28/1961
Occupation:
Jeweler- Stoughton, WI., Musician​
Wife:
Ella (Gjertson) Drotning
1893-1978
​
1936 & 1942
Marines
06/02/1892-01/01/1966
Occupation:
Manager-Brittingham-Hixon Lumber Co.- Stoughton, WI.​
Wife:
Antonia (Tesch) Blakley
1900-1964
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1938
Army
07/18/1897-09/16/1965
Occupation:
Manager-Steiner Mfg. & Stoughton Garment, Chef-Stoughton Country Club​
Wife:
Helen (Gjestson) Vold
1901-1966
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1939
Army
01/17/1892-09/04/1973
Occupation:
Self-Employed Carpenter​
Wife:
Rose (Dailey) Cleven
1895-1980
​
1940
Army
12/20/1896-10/23/1969
Occupation:
Alderman, Machinist-Stoughton Wagon Works​
Wife:
Jessie (Ligon) Tronnes
1893-1988
​
1941
Army
11/24/1889-01/19/1979
Occupation:
Grocerer, Alderman - Stoughton, WI.​
Wife:
Irene (Ethun) Halverson
1905-1989
​
1943-1944
Army
07/10/1891-03/09/1990
Occupation:
Owner-Thomas Oscar & Son Mercury-Ford Dealership- Stoughton, WI.​
Wife:
Ruby (White) Oscar
1891-1979
​
1945
Navy
03/01/1897-08/01/1948
Occupation:
Restaurant owner -News Cafe-Stoughton, WI., Political Activist​
Wife:
Dolores (Malkie) Olson Jackson
1916-1988
​
1946
Army
03/27/1891-07/29/1981
Occupation:
Manager- Wisconsin Petroleum Co. Stoughton,WI.​
Wife:
Claudine (Johnson) Teige
1891-1988​
1947
Army
02/26/1918-08/26/1969
Occupation:
Owner-Walter Eggleson Insurance Agency -Stoughton, WI.​
Wife:
Vivian D. (Skindingsrude) Eggleson
1924-2003
​
1949
Navy
01/08/1917-02/18/1990
Occupation:
Police Officer - Stoughton, WI. 1948​
Wife:
Marian (Olson) Chayka
1920-1988
​
1950
Navy
08/07/1916-07/27/2020
Occupation:
Printer - Stoughton Courier Hub & Straus Printing Madison​
Wife:
June (Evenson) Swingen
1922-2005
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1951
Navy
09/12/1917-10/20/2006
Occupation:
Physician- Stoughton, WI.​
Wife:
Janet (Nelson) Peterson
1916-1964
Francis (Gumble) Peterson
1916-2011
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1952
Army
06/11/1920-11/03/1968
Occupation:
Salesman​
Wife:
Aurita (Eldridge) Osterheld
1920-1988
​
1953
Army
06/30/1909-09/05/1993
Occupation:
Store Owner - Seils Grocery Store- Lake Kegonsa​
Wife:
Laura (Gasser) Seils
1909-1982
​
1954
Army
08/20/1907-11/17/1989
Occupation:
Armour Company​
Wife:
Gladys (Gagnon) Owen
1909-2008
​
1955
Army
11/16/1917-01/20/2005
Occupation:
Alderman, Insurance Agent​
Wife:
Dorothy (Wright) Olson
1921-2017
​
1956-1957 & 1971-1975
Air Force
11/10/1903-10/14/1975
Occupation:
Real Estate Broker​
Wife:
Rae (Skibrek) Ladd
1919-2015
​
1958
Navy (U.S. Coast Guard)
09/09/1919-03/06/1983
Occupation:
Farmer, Painting Contractor, Disaster Chmn. American Red Cross​
Wife:
Theressa (Gyland) King
1921-
​
1959-1962 & 1965 & 1970
Army
02/15/1919-01/23/1988
Occupation:
Car Salesman- Dvorak Chevrolet- Stoughton,WI.​
Wife:
Mary (Hildebrandt) Borgen
1920-2002
​
1963-1964 & 1969 & 1976
Army
09/07/1924-11/13/2001
Occupation:
Machinist- Ohio Medical Co. Madison, WI.​
Wife:
Mildred (Foss) Stiff
1926-2011
​
1966
Navy
05/22/1933-05/04/2010
Occupation:
Western Electric, Stoughton Cab Co.​
Wife:
Gloria (Froh) Carpenter
1935-
​
1977-1978
Army
02/06/1927-04/18/1994
Occupation:
Stoughton Post Office, Jensen Furniture Store​
Wife:
Virginia (Green) Hansen
1927-1973
​
1979-1980
Army
01/16/1916-04/29/2002
Occupation:
Farmer, Carpenter​
Wife:
Elvira (Shantz) Emerson
1910-1978
Beulah (Hoffman) Mulcahy Emerson
1914-2005
​
1981-1982
Army
07/24/1939-10/05/2017
Occupation:
Meat Cutter​
Wife:
Kathleen (Olson) Christpherson
1952-2012
​
1983-1990
Army
06/15/1939-05/04/2004
Occupation:
Baker- Fosdals Bakery- Stoughton, WI.​
Wife:
Virginia (Klawes) Carpenter
1947-
​
1991
Army
06/25/1933-09/09/2019
Occupation:
City of Stoughton Street Dept Superintendent, Fire Chief​
Wife:
JoAnn (Gunsolus) Teigen
1936-1963
Katherine (Kraedemann) Teigen​
1942-2012
​
1999-2000
Navy
03/07/1937-12/13/2013
Occupation:
Operating Engineer- Madison Crushing & Excavating​
Wife:
Elvira (Erdman) Phelps
1943-
​​
2001
Army
06/23/1931-03/08/2021
Occupation:
Teacher, VP of TDS, Cable TV Pioneer, Dane Co. Supervisor​
Wife:
Jeanne (Rowley) Burull
1935-2021
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