Maurice Biggers World War I Collection, 1868, 1918-1919

Maurice W. Biggers was born to Elam R. and Jane Bost Biggers of Union County on October 8, 1892. Biggers received his education from both Erskine College and the University of North Carolina. After receiving this education, he became a principal for schools in Union County.

Biggers also served our country in World War I, first in France as a machine gunner and later in Germany in the Army of Occupation. On August 31, 1918, he arrived at Camp Merritt in New Jersey. From there the soldiers hiked 15 miles along the Hudson River where they sailed on small boats to Hoboken, New Jersey. On September 3, 1918, they boarded USS Maui and set sail the following day. After nine days of travel, the men saw land along the Bay of Biscay, and eventually landed at St. Nazaire, France on September 14, 1918. Biggers wrote that the men spied on submarines during the trip across the Atlantic Ocean.

While in France he assisted in routing the Germans from the Argonne Forest during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. On September 29, 1918, Biggers wrote that they heard the “first sound of the big guns on front”. On the night of October 4, 1918, Biggers’ troop suffered 1 fatality and 12 wounded soldiers as they made heavy contact with German troops in Charpentry, France. Several weeks later on October 31, 1918, Biggers wrote, “the Allies put over a big barrage … and ceased at 12 noon. Captured twenty-two thousand prisoners.” On November 11, 1918, an armistice ceased further militaristic action. The Meuse-Argonne Offensive is considered as one of the events that contributed to the end of World War I.

A letter included in the collection reveals that after the signing of the armistice in November 1918, Biggers was transferred to the Third Army. He served in Germany in the Army of Occupation, where he was “in charge of schools.” In his wartime journal, there is detailed description of the machine guns he used and interesting descriptions of German markets, art, and culture.

In 1919, Biggers returned to the United States and again immersed himself in the teaching profession. As a resident of Matthews, North Carolina, Mr. Biggers married Hattie E. Stevens on July 20, 1928. He also became largely connected with the Post Office Department and served as the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Matthews. He was a member of the American Legion Post No. 225. He valued his faith as well, as demonstrated through his membership of the Board of Stewards of the First Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC. Maurice Biggers died on January 13, 1962, and is buried in Union County, North Carolina.

Also included in this collection is official documentation submitted by Biggers proving his relation to Captain Daniel Little, a Revolutionary War veteran. There is supplemental genealogical information relating to the Little family in the form of newspaper articles and handwritten notes.