Fox, better yet an early Merry Christmas to you and yours. I don't think the fella would have ignited a 1 cent or 5 cent(what ever the cost circa WWI) for anything but protection or food. Anyway I don't see any pinnates, so with the leaves in the top left corner of the pic I'd say the tree is a white oak or similar oak.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse