From History of Barron County (p. 658): Clarence O. Stout, one of the rising young business men of Rice Lake, was born at Evart, Mich., Sept. 18, 1893, son of Charles F. and Lila J. (Alexander) Stout. He received his early education in the public schools of Evart, Mich., and Westboro, Wis., and was graduated from the Rice Lake High School in the class of 1912. In 1914 he was graduated from the Ferris Institute in Big Rapids, Mich., For a while he was employed as an accountant by the First National Bank in Rice Lake, and then became city reporter for the Rice Lake Journal. In 1915 he became accountant and salesman for the Automatic Trip Carrier Manufacturing Co. He is now associated with his father in the cigar business, being vice president in the Bear Cat Cigar Co. and secretary and general manager of the Stout Cigar Manufacturing Co., spending a part of his time on the road for this company.

Mr. Stout joined the Wisconsin National Guard in 1910 as a private in Co. A, Third W.N.G., later the Machine Gun Company of Third Wisconsin Infantry. On March 26, 1917, this company was called into the Federal service and placed on duty at Superior, Wis., and on the declaration of war was ordered into active service. Mr. Stout entered the First Officers’ Training Camp at Fort Sheridan, Ill., on May 28, 1917, and was commissioned first lieutenant of infantry July 7, 1917, and assigned to the Sixth Wisconsin Infantry at its organization. In October, 1917, he was transferred as adjutant to the 119th Machine Gun Battalion, and in December, 1917, to the 127th Infantry of the 32nd Division, with which unit he that month went to France. He was transferred to the general staff of the 32nd Division in August, 1918, and was with that division in the Army of Occupation, and in May, 1919, was assigned to duty at the Allied Peace Conference, Paris. He returned to the United States in October, 1919, and was discharged at Camp Dodge October 2nd, of that year. He now holds a commission as captain in the infantry reserves. His war service consists of active participation in the battles of the Aisne-Marne, the Oise-Aisne, St. Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne, and in the occupation of the right bank of the Rhine.

Mr. Stout was married June 16, 1917, to Dorothy K. Scharlau, of Rice Lake.4


From 1907 Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin:

CHARLES F. STOUT (Rep.), of Westboro, was born in Kent county, Michigan, April 15, 1866. He was educated in
the common schools of Cedar Springs, Michigan; studied law in an office at Evart, Michigan; was admitted to the bar July 1887, and afterward, for a time, attended the Ferris Institute of Big Rapids, Michigan. Born, and growing up, amidst the lumbering industries, he became conversant with, and attached to, that line of business. He came to Westboro in 1899 as sales manager for the lumber company at that place. In 1904 he organized the C. F. Stout Lumber Company, of Westboro. From an early age he took an active interest in politics, affiliating with the republican party. He was elected to the assembly in 1906, receiving 2,362 votes to 1,765 votes for C. A. Rosander (Dem.).

Clarence O. Stout
Clarence O. Stout, 46, son of Mr. and Mrs. C.F. Stout, this city, died Monday at a Detroit, Mich., hospital.
Mr. Stout was born Sept. 18, 1893, in Evart, Mich. He received his early education at Evart and Westboro, Wis., and was graduated from the Rice Lake high school in 1912. In 1914 he was graduated from the Ferris Institute at Big Rapids, Mich. He worked in Rice Lake several years and was associated with his father in the cigar manufacturing business.
Mr. Stout joined the National Guard in 1910, and saw service on the Mexican border in 1916. On March 26, 1917, the company was called into the federal service and placed on duty at Superior and on the declaration of war was ordered into active service. Mr. Stout entered the officers’ training camp at Fort Sheridan, Ill., and received a first lieutenant’s commission July 7, 1917, and was assigned to the Sixth Wisconsin Infantry. In October 1917, he was transferred as adjutant to the 119th Machine Gun battalion and in December to the 127th Infantry of the 32nd Division.
Mr. Stout was later transferred to the general staff of the 32nd division and served in the army of occupation and in May, 1919, was assigned to duty at the allied peace conference at Paris. He returned to this country in 1919, and was discharged October 2. During the war he saw active service in the battles of the Aisne-Marne, the Oise-Asne, St. Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne, and in the occupation of the right bank of the Rhine.
Mr. Stout was married June 16, 1917, to Dora Scharlau. Soon after the war Mr. Stout entered the government service where he worked until 1933. He was in the garage business with his brother, Marshall, at Frankfort, Mich., for a year, and later was at Rice Lake and Milwaukee. For the last three years he and his wife had managed an apartment building in Detroit.
Mr. Stout has not been well in recent years. He was gassed during the war and this played a part in the four sieges of pneumonia he suffered, the last causing his death.
He is survived by his wife, two daughters, Mary Alice and Helen Jean, Detroit; his parents, this city; a sister, Mrs. S.O. Mauseth, Elbow Lake, Minn., and a brother, Marshall, Elk Rapids, Mich.
Funeral services will be held Thursday in Detroit with the American Legion in charge.43