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North Platte has the distinction -- and it is an exceptional distinction -- of being the home
of six brothers who are in the service of their country. These six brothers are the sons of
Mr. and Mrs. Nolan, who resided at Wood River [Hall County], and both of whom passed to the beyond some
ten years ago. Two years after the death of the parents the children moved to North Platte
and have since made this city their home. The removal was suggested by Mr. and Mrs. J.I. Smith,
Mrs. Smith being a sister of the mother, Miss Amelia Nolan "mothered" the boys, and the younger
sister Regina, until they reached the matured age, and now the two sisters are left alone.
In the service of their country these six brothers are widely scattered. Paul A. Nolan is in the
officers training school of the Second Infantry at Camp Cody; James F. is with the 84th
Engineering Corps, now in France; Francis F. is with Company G, 355th Infantry at Camp Mills,
Long Island; James is in a training camp at Ft. Gordon, Georgia; Arthur C. enlisted at
Grand Island this week, passed through Ft. Logan Wednesday and from there will probably be
sent to Camp Fremont, California; while Charles, the sixth of the brothers, was called to
Grand Island last Wednesday to take the examination for enlistment in the Railway Engineering
Corps.
It is questionable if there is another family in the state that is represented in the service
by six brothers; in fact it is probable that in these entire United States there are very few
parallel cases.
It is regretable that the parents of these patriotic, sturdy boys could not have lived until
these days and thus have seen a fruition of the lessons of patriotism they must have taught
their children, for certainly these boys are the offspring of a father and mother who loved
their country, loved its [..] and considered it an honor and a privilege to be citizens of the
United States.
