Zachariah Masker - VFW blog posting

As special thanks to Doug Neralich and the Franklin Lakes VFW Post for this blog. All info courtesy of the Franklin Lakes VFW Post .

Zachariah Masker
Citizen Soldier American Hero

“’Zach’ Masker, as he was known to the people of Franklin and Crystal Lake, was one of the sons of ‘Dick Masker,’ a family of early American pioneering stock. Born in Campgaw, he worked as a caretaker under Mr. Moore, supervisor of the MacKenzie estate at Franklin Lakes. Zack was known as an industrious, hard-working and conscientious man.” He was living with his sister Catherine Israel at Crystal Lake when the war began, and he enlisted in Paterson a short time later. (Source – Wyckoff News, May 25, 1939)

Zack was a Private First Class in Company D, 114^th Regiment, 57^th Brigade, 29^th Division. According to a letter from his sister Catherine, Zachariah had been on the front lines for several months. “In the Battle of Bois D’ Ormont East of Verdun, on October 12, 1918, he went over the top with his company at 7:00 A.M. Shortly after he was mortally wounded, and he died telling his buddies to send word to his brothers and sisters and friends.

Zack, as he was known by all his buddies, was well-liked and always did his full share of all duties as a soldier, friend and buddy. 24 of his company died that day and 76 were wounded.”

According to accounts, “Zach” was a machine gunner and, after going over the top, had gotten his gun into action when he was struck in the shoulder with a one-pound shell. He lived only long enough to send his best wishes back to the ones he loved. (Source – Wyckoff News, May 25, 1939)

This is the flag that covered Zachariah Masker’s casket during the trip back to the United States.

A Memorial dedicated to Zachariah was built in Crystal Lake. The stone structure in the picture to the left housed a spring. If you look at the picture carefully, you can see a domed indentation in the bottom center the Memorial.

In the very center of that domed indentation, the lion’s head pictured to the left would have been mounted. Much in the tradition of an eternal flame, people could go the Memorial for water, and the water would have come out of the mouth of the Lion’s head.

The bronze oval pictured to the left would have been mounted on the top of Zachariah’s Memorial. Note that it has the date of Zachariah’s death and the notation “World War.”

Unfortunately, Zachariah’s Memorial was destroyed several years ago when the land where it was located was developed. Thanks to Jack Goudsward of the Franklin Lakes Historical Society, who superimposed images of the lion’s head and plaque on a picture of the Memorial, we know what visitors would have seen when they went to pay homage to Zachariah and to get water from the spring.

Zachariah was thirty years old when he died. He is buried in a Wyckoff, NJ cemetery.