Charter Members 1884
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· Chas. S. Crysler - 1884-1885 Division Commander
· W. O. Hirt · Chas. B. Reed · Chas. A. Willhartitz · J. J. Speaker - 1886 Division Commander · J. Hugo Grimm · B. W. Walley · F. T. Brooks · B. F. Speaker · J. H. Bueitner · Allen Adams · Seth M. Beach · J. L. Lister · Chas. Schoening · J. W. Martin · Fred Axtell · T. A. Sawyer · H. W. Bugle · B. F. Perkins · H. H. Geiselman Formation of the Sons of Veterans in Missouri
From Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri: a compendium of history ... - Howard Louis Conard - 1901 Sons of Veterans.--The military order of Sons of Veterans owes its origin to Major A. P. Davis, who instituted the first camp in Philadelphia in 1878. A national organization was effected at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1881, and in 1897 there were in the United States 680 camps, with an aggregate membership of 33,000. Like the Society of the Cincinnati, established immediately after the Revolutionary War, it was designed to perpetuate the memory of the achievements of American patriots who had served their country on the field of battle, through the banding together in fraternal relationship of their male descendants. Those admitted to membership are the sons of officers and soldiers who served in the Union Army during the Civil War who have reached the age of eighteen years, and are of good moral character, and provision has since been made for the perpetuation of the order through successive generations. During the earlier years of its existence the membership of the order was confined mainly to the Eastern States, but in time was extended throughout all the Northern States. The first camp organized in Missouri was instituted at St. Joseph in 1883. In the same year General George H. Thomas Camp was organized in St. Louis with fifteen charter members. • At the end of an existence of four years this camp surrendered its charter. In the fall of 1885 the ten camps then in existence in the State, through duly chosen representatives, formed the Missouri Division of the Sons of Veterans, electing Charles S. Crysler colonel in command of the division. The next camp organized in St. Louis was General F. Schaefer Camp, No. 28. which came into existence October 28, 1886. Since then the following camps have been instituted in the city: General John C. Fremont Camp, No. 35, February 3, 1887; Admiral Porter Camp, No. 47, May n, 1887; General John W. Noble Camp, No. 51, June 3, 1887; Colonel D. P. Slattery Camp, No. 85, September 7, 1888; Major Leo Rassieur Camp, No. 4, July 21, 1893, and Elijah P. Lovejoy Camp, No. l00, composed of colored men, March 19, 1889. The official title of the division commander is colonel, and that of the commander of a camp, captain. The number of camps in the State in 1900 was nineteen, with 435 members. There were six camps in St. Louis and one each at St. Joseph, Melrose, Isadora, Cape Girardeau, Grant City, Webb City, Sticklerville, Memphis, Sedalia, Sheridan. Arnsberg, Bethel and Pierce City. |
1884 Charter
Sterling Price Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans Commander Oliver Sappington discovered the old Sons of Union Veterans Charter for sale and purchased it and donated it to the department!
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The Father of the G.A.R.
Dr. Benjamin F. Stephenson, founder of the Grand Army of the Republic and provisional commander-in-chief, April 6, 1866 to November 21, 1866. Born in Wayne County, Ill, October 3, 1823, his father being a native of South Carolina and his mother a native of North Carolina. When he was about 3 years of age the family moved to Sagamon County. Here he received his early education and February 7, 1850, he given his diploma from Rush Medical College, Chicago. He then returned to the family home, a farm in Menard County, near Petersburg, Ill, and after a time began the practice of medicine in Petersburg. On the organization of the 14th Illinois Infantry he was elected surgeon of he regiment by the officers and enlisted men, but another doctor was commissioned. Later he was mustered in as surgeon of the 14th Illinois Infantry at Pittsburg Landing, April 7, 1862. He served with the regiment through all its campaigns as part of the Army of the Tennessee. As a result of his action at Shiloh he was commissioned major by Governor Yates. The 3 year term of the regiment expired June 24, 1864, and it was mustered out of service. He returned to Springfield, Ill., to resume the practice of medicine and became connected with a firm of druggists. During the service in the Army his tent mate and close companion was the chaplain of the regiment, Rev. W.J. Rutledge, a native of Virginia. They often discussed what would be the future of the men and boys in the Union Armies after the war and from these talks came the foundation for the organization of the Grand Army of the Republic.
While Dr. Stephenson worked in the drugstore he never lost an opportunity to discuss with former soldiers the possibility of a society to bind them closer together, and so as a result of these efforts on April 6, 1866, in Decatur, Ill, there was formed post No. 1 of the Grand Army of the Republic with 12 charter members. Dr. Stephenson then worked enthusiastically to promote the formation of more posts, often neglecting his own personal interests. Then came one disappointment after another, for the first departmental encampment called in Springfield, Ill, in July 1866, another was elected department commander, an honor which should have gone to Dr. Stephenson. Again at the first national encampment held in Indianapolis, Ind., in 1866 he expected to be chosen commander-in-chief, but had to see his friend General Hurlbut chosen instead. He was, however, appointed adjutant general and the work of the organization became uppermost in his mind. He died at Rock Creek, Menard County, Ill, August 30, 1871, in the 48th year and was buried in the cemetery there. August 29, 1882, the body was removed to the Soldiers Plot in Rose Hill Cemetery, Petersburg, Ill, where a beautiful monument has been erected by public subscription to the founder of the Grand Army of the Republic. Estill Post No. 71, GAR of Petersburg, conducted the burial service of the Grand Army ritual. Judge James A. Matheny, the orator, summed up the life of Dr. Stephenson in following words: “Success in life is one of the earth's strangest mysteries. To some it come unheralded and unsought for and in too many instances undeserved. Others labor for it and labor ever in vain, dying with every aspiration unsatisfied and every reasonable hope unfulfilled. So died our comrade. The law of compensation pervades all nature. In obedience to that law we have come, even at this late day, to do honor to our departed comrade.” Source: Final Journal of the Grand Army of the Republic, pages 33-34, 1957 by Cora Gillis, Past National President, Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-1865 and last national secretary of the Grand Army of Republic. Submitted by: Lorraine Orton, Past Department President Woman's Relief Corps, Aux. to GAR Camillus, New York December 1, 1999 |
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