The American Legion Everett Ray Seymour Post 78 was organized on August 20th 1920. The Post was named to honor Ridgefield’s first son who met his death on the firing line fighting the Germans in World War I. Everett Ray Seymour died near Fere-en-Tradensois, France. His body was buried in the field where he fell, he was 23 years of age, "a bright young man of straight-forward, clean habits".

Always active to insure all of Ridgefield’s veterans are remembered, Post 78 was responsible for establishing three other memorials. In 1964 a monument in Veterans Park, located on Main Street, was erected and bears the names of our “Fallen Heros” of the Korean and Vietnam wars. In 1966 a plaque with the names of our World War II “Fallen Heros” and in 2011 a plaque honoring Ridgefield’s brave men who served during the Vietnam War was installed in the Town Hall.

Today, Post 78 is active in perpetuating Americanism and comradeship through Legion activities and good deeds within the community.

- Post 78 is in the American Legion Department of Connecticut, Third District

       Everett Ray Seymour was born around June 1, 1895 and worked as an apprentice carpenter when he became one of the first Ridgefield, Tt men to be drafted into the war, enlisting in October 1917.

     After training at Camp Devens and Camp Merritt, he was shipped to France with Company L of the 165th Infantry from Connecticut.

In July of 1918, Private Seymour and his Company, then part of the 42nd Division, were involved in a battle near Fere-en-Tardenois northeast of Paris and west of Reims. They were working their way up a hill on a farm fighting a long morning cleaning up machine gun nest, and near the summit young Seymour was brought down by a bullet that suddenly ended his brief, but honorable career serving his country. He was 23 years of age and described as "A bright young man of straightforward, clean-cut habits and a fine, manly fellow who was well liked.

      In August of 1920 The American Legion Post Number 78 was named in his honor as he was the first Ridgefield resident to die in battle during WWI.

     Today his grave is on Row 10 of Plot B at the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery, very near where he fell.