Louis Julius Freudenberg I (1894-1918) was a private in UnIted States Army who was killed in action during World War I in the Battle of Montfaucon during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. He was 24 years old and his death was 26 days before the Armistice. (b. Saturday, August 4, 1894; 220 Madison Street, Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey, USA - d. Wednesday, October 16, 1918; Battle of Montfaucon, Meuse-Argonne Offensive, Argonne, France, during World War I) Military Service Number 1749623.

Parents:
Max S. Freudenberg (1857-1921) and Eloise Lindauer (1860-1935).

Birth:
Louis was born on Saturday, August 4, 1894 at 220 Madison Street in Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey.

Siblings:
Babyboy Freudenberg (1879-1879) who died as an infant; Max S. Freudenberg II (1881-1881) who died as an infant; Ada Augusta Freudenberg (1885-1957) who married Ralph Kohlman (1885-1957) the printer; Charles Frederick Freudenberg (1887-1942) who married Julia Mary Buttomer (1883-1973); Jennie Gertrude Freudenberg (1888-1888) who died as an infant; Clara Freudenberg (1890-1959) who never married; Arthur Oscar Freudenberg I (1891-1968) a real estate broker who married Maria Elisabeth Winblad III (1895-1987); Max S. Freudenberg III (1893-1900) who died at 7 years old.; Harry Freudenberg (1895-1896) who died as an infant; Richard F. Freudenberg I (1896-1988) a chemical salesman who married Charlotte C. Kahrar (1897-1963); Eloise Freudenberg (1898) who died as an infant; Eugene Freudenberg (1900-1956) aka Gene Freudenberg who was a freight handler that married Florence Catherine Skinner (1901-1986) and died of emphysema from smoking; Ralph Freudenberg (1903-1980) a typesetter for the New York Times who married Nora Belle Conklin (1905-1963) and after her death married Lottie Dombrowska (1916-1995); and Grace May Freudenberg (1904-1981) who married George Dewey Sanford I (1898-1965) who worked at a print shop.

Street and Smith Publishers (S&S):
In 1916 Louis was working for Street and Smith Publishers (S&S), in Manhattan, in the mail room, where his brother Arthur had previously worked. He left the company around October of 1916. Louis' best friend, Victor Julius Faller (1888-1973), worked at S&S with him, but Victor left for another job at Huntington Station on Long Island, New York.

Butler Brothers:
Louis was working as a clerk for Butler Brothers on Warren Street in Jersey City when he filled out his draft registration card on June 2, 1917. He was classified as "A1" on January 20, 1918. On February 12, 1918 he was ordered to appear before the draft board for a physical examination that was scheduled for February 20, 1918.

Killed in Action in World War I:
Louis was inducted into The US Army on April 4, 1918 and he trained at Camp Dix in New Jersey and went overseas on May 19, 1918. Louis was killed in action on Wednesday, October 16, 1918. He was shot in the leg during the Battle of Montfaucon and while crawling to a first aid station a sniper shot him in the head. At the time of his death he was five feet and nine inches, and weighed 155 pounds which gave him a body mass index (BMI) of 22.9. He was 24 years, 2 months, and 12 days old excluding the day of his death as a full day. He died 26 days before the Armistice with Germany.

Eloise Lindauer (1860-1935) letter circa 1918-1919:
"Private Louis Julius Freudenberg; Co. 'M' 309th Infantry sailed from the U.S. May 19th, 1918. Arrived overseas May the 31st. Fought in the following battles: St. Mihel offensive, September 12th to 15th, 1918; Limey Sector, September 16th to October 4th; Meuse Argonne offensive, October 11th to 16th. Private Freudenberg was a 'runner' delivering messages along the lines. He was called an 'angel' by the boys because he was constantly cheering them up, and had words of comfort for all. While participating in an attack on enemy positions near St. Juvin, France, on October 16th, 1918 he was wounded by machine gun bullets and was lying in a shell hole with his sergeant who was wounded in the arm. Private Freudenberg volunteered to try and get back [to] the line to summon aid for his sergeant, and when he arose to do so was shot in the head and killed. His body was laid to rest with full military honors, East of Champineulle, France. Born August 4th, 1894."

Obituary:
The Hudson Observer on Friday, November 22, 1918 wrote: "Heights Boy Died On French Battlefield. Private Louis J. Freudenberg reported killed in action October 16, was a member of company M, 309th U.S. Infantry. He entered the service April 4, last and went overseas May 19. He was twenty-four years old and was born in Hoboken but his family moved to 63 Concord Street, Jersey City twenty years ago. Private Freudenberg graduated from Public School Number 6, Jersey City and at the time he joined the colors he held a responsible position with Butler Brothers, Jersey City. The young hero is survived by his parents Max and Eloise Freudenberg; three sisters, Ada, Clara and Grace, and by four brothers, Arthur, Eugene, Ralph and Richard, the last name being in the service at Camp Meade, Maryland."

Burial:
He was buried on November 5, 1918 in Argonne, France. This was 20 days after his death. A cemetery plot was purchased at Flower Hill Cemetery in North Bergen, New Jersey on March 22, 1921 for the death of Max S. Freudenberg I (1858-1921). Louis' body was disinterred on June 7, 1921 and re-interred at Flower Hill Cemetery on July 24, 1921. The notice for his re-interment says he was a corporal but all indications are that he was a private.

Reburial:
Jersey Journal on July 19, 1921: "Will Bury Heights War Hero. Another of World War Martyrs, Corporal [sic] Louis Julius Freudenberg will be buried Sunday afternoon in Flower Hill Cemetery. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. at his late home, 22 Hopkins Avenue, Jersey City. Dr. Clark, of the Summit Avenue, M.E. Church and a delegation of Fisk Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars, will officiate. Corporal Freudenberg was 24 years old at the time of his death. He was a runner in Company M, of the 309th Infantry, 78th Division. He was wounded in the right leg at the battle of Montfaucon, October 16, 1918 and while making his way back to the first aid station was shot through the head by a German sniper. Young Freudenberg was born in Hoboken and attended No. 3 School of that city and No. 8 School of Jersey City. He was inducted April 4, 1918 and trained at Camp Dix, leaving for France in May with his unit. He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Eloise Freudenberg, five brothers, Charles, Arthur, Richard, formerly of the 32nd Field Artillery, 11th Division; Ralph and Eugene and three sisters, Ada, Clara and Grace."

Tree planted:
Jersey Journal on May 28, 1931: "War Mothers Meet. The Edith Kermit Cowan Roosevelt Chapter of the American War Mothers met last evening in Edgar's Hall, 94 Hudson Street. ... Saturday afternoon the chapter will dedicate a tree in Pershing Field to the memory of Private Freudenberg. ..." Note: At one time there was a bronze plaque to the Jersey City war dead in Pershing Field, it is no longer extant.

Insurance:
His war risk insurance was for $10,000 and was paid out at $57.50 per month as of April 10, 1918.

Archive:
Louis was listed in "Soldiers of the Great War, Volume 2" and he has a file at the New Jersey State Archive in Trenton which contains a copy of the photograph that was submitted for the publication of his death announcement. That file has now been supplemented with additional photographs and copies of his death announcement. Copies of his Army Death File and related family papers were sent to the Army History Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania for archiving. In 2002 a new tombstone was ordered from the Veterans Administration to replace his fallen and unreadable one.

Tombstone:
His original 1921 tombstone had a Star of David and when his mother visited the grave she asked that it be replaced with one containing a Latin cross. That tombstone was toppled and broken sometime before 2004. A new tombstone was ordered by Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ) and delivered in September of 2004, and it was installed in 2007-2008 by the cemetery.

Relationship:
Louis Julius Freudenberg I (1894-1918) was the granduncle of Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ).

Research:
Researched and written by Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ) for Findagrave starting on June 6, 2003. Updated on Veterans Day, November 11, 2009 with information to distinguish "Battle of Montfaucon" from the "Meuse-Argonne Offensive". Updated on January 5, 2012 with age at death and number of days till end of war. Updated on October 4, 2014 with information on the cemetery plot. Updated on April 4, 2017 with information on a tree planted in his memory. Update on June 23, 2017 with the text of the letter concerning his death written by his mother. Updated on Veterans Day, November 11, 2018, the 100th anniversary of the end of the war with the information on his Star of David tombstone and his current replacement tombstone.

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