WWI Doughboy (1923) Stamford, CT and other locations

On Wednesday, May 30, 1923 a life size statute of a WWI Doughboy was unvailed on the Town Hall grounds of Stamford, CT (pop. approx. 130,000). The project, developed by a Citizens Committee formed shortly after WWI, featured a 20 ton granate foundation of several drinking spickets with the Doughboy, sculpted by Steven A. Rebeck, as the crowning centerpiece of the fountain:

Images courtesy of Dave Pelland/ctmonuments.net

The community newspaper, the Stamford Advocate, gave this August 25, 1922 update of the fountain's progess, identifing Rebeck as sculptor:

"The bronze foundry also advises the A.E. Bounty Co. that it is working on the bronze statute of a soldier which will crown the fountain. The soldier is in a crouching position and the figure will be practically life size. Rebeck, a Middle-West sculptor, made the model from which the statute will be cast."

Duplicate Doughboys by Rebeck

It appears there are two versions of a WWI Doughboy sculpted by Rebeck. One is part of a collection in Alliance, OH. The other is the Doughboy in Stamford as well as Enid and marketed by at least the John Harsch Bronze and Foundry Co. Documentation describing these duplicates include:

The Stamford Advocate newspaper, July 22, 1922:

"The stone is to weigh in the neighborhood of twenty tons. The figure of a doughboy will ????? the fountain. This figure is to be of cast bronze, and designed by S. A. Rebeck, noted sculptor, of Cleveland, who has given his permission that a duplicate may be made. The original was made for the capitol at Albany."

In the Spring 2015 edition of Stamford's Historic Neighborhood News periodical, the back page is dedicated to a historical review of the Doughboy Statute, currently a featured display of a new Veterans Park and community center in downtown Stamford. The narrative included reference to:

"Kathleen Hayes, granddaughter of Paul Hayes, the Stamford resident whose family believed posed for Stamford's doughboy memorial statue. The statue was created by Steven Augustus Rebeck (1891- 1975) of Cleveland, a protege of noted early 20th century sculptor Karl Bitter, and was installed in May, 1923, under the auspices of the Citizen's Honor Roll Committee in Stamford. There are several other copies of the statue in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri and Oklahoma."

A cursory internet search suggests this work exists in Tyrone, PA and Millvale, PA.

Among the findings was this advertisement showing Rebeck's work:

In a letter to the coordinator of the Enid, OK Doughboy dated June 17, 1924, the General Manager of the John Harsch Bronze & Foundry Co named Steven A. Rebeck as sculptor of their Doughboy, and it would appear, was also featured in this advertisement!