Monroe Township near Madison in Jefferson County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Samuel Woodfill

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 3, 2025

1. Samuel Woodfill Marker, Side One

Inscription. Decorated soldier and marksman Samuel Woodfill was born on a farm near here in 1883. He joined the U.S. Army in 1901 and saw action in the Philippines. With American Expeditionary Forces he fought in the WWI Meuse-Argonne Offensive in France. On Oct. 12, 1918, with his company halted by enemy fire, Woodfill advanced alone to destroy three German machine gun nests.

For his courage. Woodfill received much recognition and the Medal of Honor, the only Hoosier so honored in WWI. He left the army in 1923 and faced hardship during the Great Depression. The army recalled him to serve as a firearms instructor during WWII. He quietly retired to Vevay in 1943, died in 1951, and was reinterred at Arlington National Cemetery in 1955.

Erected 2018 by Indiana Historical Bureau • Indiana World War I Centennial Committee.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • War, World I. In addition, it is included in the Indiana Historical Bureau Markers series list. A significant historical date for this entry is October 12, 1918.

Location. 38° 52.427′ N, 85° 22.543′ W.

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

Marker is near Madison, Indiana, in Jefferson County. It is in Monroe Township. It is on U.S. 421 2 miles north of East 733 North, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9317 US-421, Madison IN 47250, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southern Indiana.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Ohio River Valley,

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Morgan Targets Versailles (approx. 3.7 miles away); Gen. John Morgan's Troops (approx. 5.7 miles away); Patriot Burials (approx. 7.2 miles away); Dupont: Fourth Night in Indiana (approx. 7.8 miles away); Morgan's Troops Camped Here (approx. 7.8 miles away); Morgan's Raid (approx. 7.8 miles away); William Hendricks of Madison (approx. 8.1 miles away); Col. John Paul, 1758-1830

Samuel Woodfill Marker, Side Two image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 3, 2025

2. Samuel Woodfill Marker, Side Two

(approx. 8.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Madison.

Also see . . . Samuel Woodfill. Citation for his Medal of Honor, which was presented to him by Gen. John J. Pershing. (Congressional Medal of Honor Society) (Submitted on December 10, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Samuel Woodfill Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 3, 2025

3. Samuel Woodfill Marker

Master Sgt. Samuel Woodfill image. Click for full size.

U.S. Army via Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain), April 14, 1921

4. Master Sgt. Samuel Woodfill

His Medal of Honor is at his throat. His other awards include two from the French Foreign Legion.

Awarding of Medal of Honor image. Click for full size.

Underwood and Underwood; via U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (Public Domain), February 5, 1919

5. Awarding of Medal of Honor

U.S. Army Gen. John J. Pershing pins the medal on then-1st Lt. Samuel Woodfill outside Pershing's headquarters at Chaumont, France.

Samuel Woodfill Marker (Side 1) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 13, 2026

6. Samuel Woodfill Marker (Side 1)

Samuel Woodfill Marker (Side 2) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 13, 2026

7. Samuel Woodfill Marker (Side 2)

Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 13, 2026

8. Samuel Woodfill Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on July 10, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 26, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 79 times since then and 49 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 26, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 4, 5. submitted on December 10, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 6, 7, 8. submitted on June 17, 2026, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee.