Private John Finnell was born at Arkansas City, Kansas, June 20, 1897. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Wesley & Nettie Luella (Merriam) Finnell, of Newton. He was schooled in Newton and graduated from the high school with the class of 1916, a school companion and chum of Private Arthur Whitesell. He had one year’s work at Bethel College.
He enlisted in Co. K, 3rd Kansas National Guards, May 21, 1917, and remained with that company when consolidated with Missouri troops and designated as the 139th United States infantry until the regiment reached France, when for a short time he was detached for instruction in the intelligence department. On the second day of the famous battle of the Argonne Forest, about 5:15 o’clock in the afternoon he with Private Arthur Whitesell and other soldiers of the detachment was doing observation duty in advance of his company, when he was seriously wounded by a high explosive shell. He was left in care of his friend and comrade, Private Whitesell, and help was summoned to carry him to a dressing station at the rear. While thus situated, another high explosive shell burst near these men and both were killed being found afterward, and given military burial near Charpentry by the army chaplain.
The place has since been visited by other comrades, who have stated that the place is carefully marked. Private Lauren Finnell died facing the enemy, cheerfully accepting the dangerous duty of advancing into the hotly contested territory, that needed information might be secured for the benefit of his comrades. He was a member of the Congregational Church until the family moved to the farm, when he with his parents transferred membership to the Zion Evangelical Church. He was 21 years, 4 months and seven days old.
There bodies were shipped back from France and arrived back in Newton on September 14,1921.On Sunday September 18, 1921 the American Legion was in charge of a military service at Greenwood, where both boys were returned to Kansas soil almost three years after being killed in France. VFW Post #971 was named after Whitsell and Finnell. (c) Harvey County Genealogical Society. Information provided by Julian Wall.
