{"id":54927,"date":"2019-12-23T10:56:22","date_gmt":"2019-12-23T15:56:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=54927"},"modified":"2025-12-19T10:35:51","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T15:35:51","slug":"patriot-spinners-knitters-wwi-christmas-packages-for-the-troops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/patriot-spinners-knitters-wwi-christmas-packages-for-the-troops.html","title":{"rendered":"Patriot Spinners & Knitters: WWI Christmas Packages for the Troops"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/em><\/strong>: In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry tells how all of America \u2013 and especially Anna White \u2013 gave WWI soldiers a wonderful Christmas gift in 1917: warm, knitted woolens <\/em>Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com<\/a><\/em>, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History<\/a><\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Everyone knitted to do their bit for the soldiers in World War I. The U.S. formed a Wool Brigade and many men, women, and children took up the needle. The schools had knitting bees, public parks hosted knit-a-thons, and charities held fundraisers for yarn and supplies. In 1917 the American Red Cross called for all things Khaki that Christmas Season. The knitting started and thousands of soldiers were cheered by cozy comfort packages.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Jackson Citizen Patriot<\/a> (Jackson, Michigan), 25 December 1917, page 1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That year, reporter E. C. Rodger\u2019s editor assigned him a story to \u201cFind out what Christmas gift the star Red Cross worker sent to Sammy.\u201d The \u201cstar\u201d Red Cross worker was Mrs. Chris \u201cAnna\u201d White.<\/p>\n

Note<\/em><\/strong>: The volunteer American troops of the AEF (Regular Army & National Guard) DID in fact accept the term \u201cSammies\u201d as a moniker for \u201cUncle Sam\u2019s Boys.\u201d This distinguished those who served in the trenches long before the draft troops of the U.S. National Army had even arrived. (From \u201cThe Word Detective Blog,\u201d 2009)<\/p>\n

Rodgers looked into the story, and told four million, one-hundred thousand readers:<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn’t go to Washington or New York, and I didn\u2019t hunt up any fashionable knitting club. I came to Dell Rapids [South Dakota] to see Mrs. Chris White. She, I think, stands foremost of all the millions who helped Red Cross make this a merry Christmas for our soldier boys and sailors.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"An<\/a>
Detroit Times (Detroit, Michigan), 25 December 1917, page 4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mrs. Chris \u201cAnna\u201d White, \u201cAmerica\u2019s Champion Red Cross Helper,\u201d made headlines. Her contribution to keeping Uncle Sam\u2019s boys warm on the front created a buzz! The 70-year-old patriotic pioneer\u2019s message to America: \u201cLearn to Spin!\u201d to serve in the war effort.<\/p>\n

Anna knitted sweaters, helmets, socks, and scarfs from the wool of her own sheep, which she sheared, carded, and spun by her own hands. According to Rodgers, Anna sent all her work to the Minneapolis Red Cross Headquarters.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: the caption reads: \u201cThe photograph of this American soldier was made \u2018Somewhere in France\u2019 where he now is fighting for America. It was cold and snowing that day when the boy was taking a brief nap during a rest interval, comfortable in warm helmet, gloves and other things made by Red Cross workers over here, one of whom is Mrs. Chris White. Her picture at her spinning wheel is shown.\u201d Detroit Times (Detroit, Michigan), 25 December 1917, page 4.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Anna was a wise and thrifty lady \u2013 no one could pull the wool over her eyes. She told Rodgers:<\/p>\n

\u201cUp here, you know, we women can\u2019t run to the store every time we need a little yarn. And they charge too much for the yarn, much more than they ought to, considering what they pay us for the wool.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Mrs. Chris \u201cAnna\u201d White of South Dakota at her spinning wheel. Credit: Scandinavian Review.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

She learned her trade in Denmark where her family raised sheep and made her living by knitting. She came to prairie land in the U.S. and took up the sheep trade. She sheared the local farmers\u2019 sheep and boasted \u201cI have done as many as thirty-five in a day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anna had grandsons fighting in France and wanted them to be snug and warm, and knew that some of the other boys did not have grandmothers to make them sweaters.<\/p>\n

Anna told Rodgers:<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that the children are married and scattered, I have plenty of time to spin and knit, and I want to help keep the boys warm. I want to do my little share for Uncle Sam who has done so much for me and mine.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Anna made many men merry that Christmas!<\/p>\n

Explore over 330 years of newspapers and historical records in GenealogyBank. Discover your family story! Start a 7-Day Free Trial<\/a><\/p>\n

Genealogy:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ane Marie \u201cAnna\u201d Sorensen (1868-1953), born in Demark to Niels Christen Sorensen and Karen \u201cCarn\u201d Jensdatter. Married to Hendrick Jensen (1824-1896), then to Christian J. White (1846-1927).<\/p>\n

Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n