About Us

Chester P. Tuttle

Chester P. Tuttle was born in Needham Massachusetts on November 4, 1895 to Chester F. and Ada J. (Percy) Tuttle.  In May of 1909 he moved from a farm in Sullivan New Hampshire to a farm in Auburn which was the Adamsky Vegetable Farm.  He worked on this farm until October 6, 1917 when he enlisted in the Army.

From Camp Devins he went to Gordon, Georgia where he joined Battery 8, 319th Filed Artillery, 82nd Division.  He went overseas on May 19, 1918 and was wounded in France on October 31, 1918.  He died the following day and was buried in France.

In 1921 his body was brought home and services were held a the First Congregational Church of which he was a member.  His body was interned in the Tuttle lot in Hillside Cemetery, Auburn.  At the time of his death, he was survived by his parents, two sisters, Florence and Alice (Tuttle) Bratt and a brother, Earl Tuttle.

 History of the Tuttle Post

On July 14, 1922, a group of men whose vocations varied from chauffeur to engineer mat at the Stoneville schoolhouse.  Their common interests evolved around the fact that they were all veterans of the "Great War" and they met for the purpose of organizing an American Legion Post in Auburn. 

At this meeting, a list of names of those present desiring membership was taken and the meeting was then given over to the election of officers.  As a result of this election, Albert J. Eno became the first commander of the "Voluntary Post 279" which Ralph Sibley as Vice Commander, Clifton Stone as Post Adjutant and Raymond Grosvenor as Treasurer.

One hundred years and 77 Commanders later, as of 2023 the membership has grown from 15 to 430.  That the Chester P. Tuttle Post #279 (named after the first Auburn resident to make the supreme sacrifice during World War I) was more than a social group is evident by her many financial and physical contributions "to the community, state and nation".

Patients at veteran's hospitals remember the entertaining programs and gifts which brightened their days from these Legionnaires.   Boy's State, Boy Scouts, Little League, softball, Pop Warner, Lassie League, and the Drum Corps are just a few of the youth programs sponsored by the Tuttle Post over the years.  The annual efforts of this organization to make Memorial Day a memorable day are known to Auburn residents of all ages.  The principles of "justice, freedom and democracy" have always been a driving force for this American Organization.

In the early days, they met at the old fire station or Town Hall and, although they were not always looked upon kindly by some people in town, they vowed they would endeavor to be financially independent.  In the words of John Riley, Town Clerk and Past Commander of the Post "we were determined not to become a burden to our town."