William G. Quesnell was born in McIntosh, Minnesota, January 18th, 1890. He was raised in Crookston, Minnesota, and educated in the public and high schools there. After leaving high school, he took up the occupation of jobber in lumber and, as such, traveled through lower Canada, the Middle West and the Pacific Coast. He was following his calling in Winnemucca, Humboldt County, Nevada, when the call for men reached him. On June 16th, 1918, he was sworn in with other Humboldt County boys about to enter the army. Because of his knowledge of wood and lumber, he was a valuable man to the Government in the production of aeroplanes, and for this reason was placed immediately in the 11th Provisional Squadron (76th Spruce Squadron, Spruce Production Detachment, Bureau of Aircraft Production) at Astoria, Oregon.

On September 20th, he was transferred to the 12th Company; Gas Department, Aviation Section, at Fort Stevens, Oregon, He was serving with the latter company when he was stricken with disease and died at Fort Stevens, November 16th, 1918. His remains rest in the Oakdale Cemetery, at Crookston, Minnesota. Those who survive the soldier are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Quesnell, of 1920 South Front Street, Crookston, Minnesota, and his brothers and sisters, Harris and Rudhie Quesnell and Mrs. Mark L. Walton of St. Paul; Arthur Quesnell of Chicago, Illinois; Harry Quesnell of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Mrs. Ford Ross of Portland, Oregon; Mrs. J. P. Laughlin of Camden, N. J., and Miss Whitty Quesnell of Washington, D. C.

William Quesnell was known as a square man and a true friend. Ambitious and independent of spirit and fond of traveling, he had seen much of the United States and Canada, and was facing a bright future when the war put an end to his hopes. Yet he gave his life for the Nation in the same spirit in which so many thousands of his brother Americans died, and America and the State of Nevada, especially, will ever honor his memory.