ORITANI FIELD CLUB

Walter S. Brown Biography	The Evening Record	Letter From Doremus	American Legion
Oritani Field Club	A Mother's Grief	Girl and Smile	Walter S. Brown KIA
The Evening Record Condolence	Walter S. Brown Memorial	Wall Unit Display	The Record Article

The photo below was hanging in the Walter Scott Brown Post 226 in
River Edge until it was sold in December 2010. On the back of the photo in the center it
has written “Mrs. C. Brown”, in the upper right hand corner it has written
“taken Sept. 3, 1917 Oritani Field Club” then on the right side towards the middle on the back it has
written “Corporal Walter Brown”. A stamp by the photographers is also on the back
which reads as best I can read it
‘L.O. Haring A. J. Butenoen 106 State Street, Hackensack N.J.'
A newspaper article dated September 10,1917 sent by
Harry Doremus to his wife mentions the Company G Boys being well in Anniston
Alabama. This Oritani Field Club Photo may very well have been the farewell event the people of Hackensack had just prior to the men under the leadership of Harry Doremus shipping out.

War had been declared on April 6, 1917 by the United States on Germany and this
photo of servicemen on the Oritani Field Club grounds on September 3, 1917 fits with the
time table of newspaper articles and events of the day. The men of Hackensack and the
surrounding towns were creating there own Company to fight in the Great War and this
photo captures that event. I do not know who is who in the photo but I am sure
Captain Doremus, Walter Brown and others are in this photo along with the dignitaries of the day
in Hackensack. There are probably veterans of the Spanish American War and Civil War
possibly on hand at this event to honor the service of those who are about to go off to War.
The Oritani Field Club was located from the building where it still is today
(February 2010) which is to the right of the Johnson Library and across the street from
the Toyota dealership. The Oritani Field Club during 1918, keep in mind, there was no
River Road and the Club grounds ran all the way through River road to the river and all
of Foschini Park. Looking at this photo it brings to my mind the trees planted in
Foschini Park with a plaque placed on a small cement marker in honor of those who died while serving during the Great War Among others both Harry Doremus and Walter S. Brown
have a tree and marker in their names.

Written by:
Bob Meli
February 21, 2010

Walter S. Brown