Category: donation

Mervil Sawtelle CCC Shovel

Mervil Sydney Sawtell was born on November 30, 1920, in Bonilla (near Hitchcock), South Dakota, the first of five children to Lee and Florence Sawtelle.

In 1939, Mervil worked at the Este CCC Camp near Nemo, South Dakota. From 1942-1945, he served in the U.S. Navy. After the war, he moved to Independence, Oregon, where he married Verna Dolney. They moved to nearby Corvallis, Oregon, and raised four children there. Mervil worked as a lineman for Pacific Northwest Bell for 30 years. He passed away on February 5, 1988 at the age of 67. His CCC shovel was one of his prized possessions.

This donation to The Civilian Conservation Corps Museum of South Dakota is made on behalf of Mervil Sawtelle's daughter Carolyn Sawtelle.