GAR Posts in PA
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Grand Army of the Republic Posts - Historical Summary National GAR Records Program - Historical Summary of Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Posts by State PENNSYLVANIA Prepared by the National Organization SONS OF UNION VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR INCORPORATED BY ACT OF CONGRESS No. Alt. Post Name Location County Dept. Post Namesake Meeting Place(s) Organized Last Mentioned Notes Source(s) No. PLEASE NOTE: The GAR Post History section is a work in progress (begun 2013). More data will be added at a future date. 000 (Department) N/A N/A PA Org. 16 January Dis. 1947 Provisional Department organized 22 November 1866. Permanent Beath, 1889; Carnahan, 1893; 1867 Department 16 January 1867 with 19 Posts. The Department National Encampment closed in 1947, and its remaining members were transferred to "at Proceedings, 1948 large" status. 001 GEN George G. Meade Philadelphia Philadelphia PA MG George Gordon Meade (1815- Wetherill House, Sansom Street Chart'd 16 Oct. Originally chartered by National HQ. It was first commanded by Beath, 1889; History of the 1872), famous Civil War leader. above Sixth (1866); Home Labor 1866; Must'd 17 COL McMichael. Its seniority was challenged by other Posts George G. Meade Post No. League Rooms, 114 South Third Oct. 1866 named No. 1 in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. It was found to be One, 1889; Philadelphia in the Street (1866-67); NE cor. Broad the ranking Post in the Department and retained its name as Post Civil War, 1913 and Arch Streets (1867); NE cor. No. 1. It adopted George G. Meade as its namesake on 8 Jan. Tenth and Chestnut Streets 1873. President Ulysses S. Grant became a member of this Post (1867); 1316 Chestnut Street on 16 May 1877, and remained a member until his death. (1867); 809 & 811 Chestnut Street (1869); Parkway Building (1913) 001 002 Post No. 1 (later changed) Philadelphia Philadelphia PA No namesake. Known only by its Chart'd 29 Oct. Originally chartered by the Department of Wisconsin as Post No. Beath, 1889 number. 1866 1. It was first commanded by COL Mitchell. When its seniority was challenged by a Post No. 1 in Pittsburgh and the other Post No. 1 in Philadelphia, its rank was reassigned to No. 2. 001 003 Post No. 1 (later changed) Pittsburgh Allegheny PA No namesake. Known only by its Apollo Building, 4th Street (1867) Chart'd 3 Nov. Original Charter issued by National HQ. The Post was renamed Pittsburgh Daily Commercial, number. 1866 Post, No.3 when its seniority was challenged by the other Posts 16 Oct. 1867; Beath, 1889 named No. 1. It later became GEN Alexander Hays Post, No. 3. 002 001 Post No. 2 Philadelphia Philadelphia PA No namesake. Known only by its 667-669 N. Twelfth Street (1913) Chart'd 29 Oct. Originally charted as Post No. 1, chartered by the Department of Beath, 1889; Philadelphia in number. 1866 Wisconsin. Its seniority was challenged by two other Posts, and the Civil War, 1913 its rank was changed to No. 2. It continued to use the name Post No. 2 for the remainder of its existence. 002 004 Post No. 2 (later changed) Pittsburgh Allegheny PA No namesake. Known only by its Chart'd Nov. 1866 Original Charter issued by National HQ. The Post was renamed Beath, 1889 number. Post No. 4 when its seniority was challenged. It was a short-lived Post. 002 005 Post No. 2 (later changed) Philadelphia Philadelphia PA No namesake. Known only by its Chart'd 7 Nov. Organized in 3rd Ward. The Post was renamed Post No. 5 when Beath, 1889 number. 1866 its seniority was questioned. It later became GEN U. S. Grant Post, No. 5. 003 001 GEN Alexander Hays Pittsburgh Allegheny PA BG Alexander Hays (1819-1864), Chart'd 3 Nov. Originally chartered as Post No. 1 in Pittsburgh. Thirteen charter Beath, 1889; Courier-Journal famous Civil War leader, KIA at 1866 members. (Louisville, KY), 9 Sept. 1895 Wilderness, VA, on 5 May 1864. Resident of Pittsburg, local hero. 003 006 Post No. 3 (later changed) Philadelphia Philadelphia PA No namesake. Known only by its Chart'd 16 Nov. Organized in 22nd Ward. The Post was renamed Post No. 6 Beath, 1889 number. 1866 when its seniority was questioned. It later became Ellis Post, No. 6. 004 007 Post No. 4 (later changed) Philadelphia Philadelphia PA No namesake. Known only by its Chart'd 19 Nov. Organized in 18th Ward. The Post was renamed Post No. 7 when Beath, 1889 number. 1866 its seniority was questioned. It later became CPT William S. Newhall Post, No. 7. 004 002 Post No. 2 (later changed) Pittsburgh Allegheny PA No namesake. Known only by its Chart'd Nov. 1866 Originally chartered as Post No. 2 in Pittsburgh. It was a short- number. lived Post. Its members were mainly transferred to Post No. 3 in 004 MAJ John B. Keenan Greensburg Westmoreland PA MAJ John B. Keenan (1832- Org. 18 Apr. 1874 Name changed OrganizedPittsburgh. as MAJ John B. Keenan Post, No. 4, in Greensburg in Albert, 1882, History of the 1864), 11th PA Inf., KIA at Laurel April 1880 1874, being the first GAR Post in Westmoreland County. The County of Westmoreland, vol. 1 Hill (Spotsylvania Court House), Post headquarters was moved to Latrobe in April 1880 and the VA, on 8 May 1864. Resident of name changed to P. A. Williams Post, No. 4. See entry for P. A. Westmoreland County, local hero. Williams Post, No. 4. 004 P. A. Williams Latrobe Westmoreland PA SGT Patrick A. Williams (1843- Org. 18 Apr. 1874 Name changed from MAJ John B. Keenan Post, No. 4, in April Albert, 1882, History of the 1862), Co. K, 53rd PA Inf., KIA at 1880. County of Westmoreland, vol. Fair Oaks, VA, on 1 June 1862. 1; headstone, Sgt. Patrick A. Resident of Latrobe and first Williams soldier from Latrobe to die in the Civil War, local hero. SUVCW - GAR Records Program (www.garrecords.org) Pennsylvania Page 1 of 47 Grand Army of the Republic Posts - Historical Summary No. Alt. Post Name Location County Dept. Post Namesake Meeting Place(s) Organized Last Mentioned Notes Source(s) No. 005 008 Post No. 5 (later changed) Philadelphia Philadelphia PA No namesake. Known only by its Chart'd 20 Nov. Organized in 19th Ward. The Post was renamed Post No. 8 when Beath, 1889 number. 1866 its seniority was questioned. It later became GEN E. D. Baker Post, No. 8. 005 002 GEN U. S. Grant Philadelphia Philadelphia PA GEN Ulysses Simpson Grant 1706 South Street (1913) Chart'd 7 Nov. Originally chartered as Post No. 2, 3rd Ward, Philadelphia. The Beath, 1889; Philadelphia in 1822-1885), famous Civil War 1866 Post established a cadet corps in the late 1870's, which was one the Civil War, 1913 leader, later US President. of the organizations to eventually consolidate as the SUVCW. 006 003 Ellis Germantown Philadelphia PA PVT John Ellis (1839-1861), Co. Town Hall (1899, 1913) Chart'd 16 Nov. Originally chartered as Post No. 3, 22nd Ward, Philadelphia. Beath, 1889; Philadelphia in H, 3rd NJ Inf., accidentally shot 1866 the Civil War, 1913; while on sentry duty at Camp Stackhouse, 2010, Olden, Trenton, NJ, on 17 July Germantown in the Civil War 1861. First soldier from Germantown killed in the Civil War, local hero. 007 004 CPT Walter S. Newhall Philadelphia Philadelphia PA CPT Walter Symonds Newhall Dicke's Hall, Eyre Street (1899); Chart'd 19 Nov. Originally chartered as Post No. 4, 18th Ward, Philadelphia Beath, 1889; Philadelphia in (1841-1863), Co. A, 3rd PA Cav., Girard Ave. and Eyre Street 1866 the Civil War, 1913 accidentally drowned at (1913) Rappahannock Station, VA, on 18 Dec. 1863, while attempting to ford the river on horseback. 008 005 GEN E. D. Baker Philadelphia Philadelphia PA COL Edward Dickinson Baker 1417 Columbia Ave. Chart'd 20 Nov. Originally chartered as Post No. 5, 19th Ward, Philadelphia. In National Tribune, 10 May 1888; (1811-1861), KIA at Ball's Bluff, 1866 1888, this Post adopted a plan to accept "contributing members" Beath, 1889; Philadelphia in VA, 20 October 1861. Resident of who were "worthy and liberal citizens" who didn't qualify for regular the Civil War, 1913 Philadelphia. Buried in San membership in the GAR. Francisco. Promoted to BG, but didn't accept appointment. 009 CPL Skelly Gettysburg Adams PA CPL Johnston H. Skelly, Jr. ( ? - Org. 1867 Dis. 1930 The Post Hall is still in use as a public meeting place, located at 53 Historic Gettysburg Adams 1863), Co. F, 87th PA Inf., died 12 E.Middle Street in Gettysburg. County website, 2016 July 1863 at Winchester, VA, from wounds received there on 16 June 1863. Resident of Gettysburg, local hero. 010 LT John T. Greble Philadelphia Philadelphia PA LTC John Trout Greble (1834- 721 Wharton Street Philadelphia in the Civil War, 1861), 2nd US Lt. Art. KIA at Big 1913 Bethel, VA, on 10 June 1861. 011 GEN S. K. Zook Norristown Montgomery PA BG (Bvt. MG) Samuel Kosciuszko Org. 12 Dec. Thirteen charter members. History of Montgomery County, Zook (1821-1863), famous Civil 1866; Chart'd 1 1884 War leader. Died 3 July 1863 at Dec. 1866; Must'd Gettysburg, PA, from wounds 14 Dec. 1866 received there on 2 July 1863. 012 Hetty A. Jones Roxborough Philadelphia PA Hetty Ann Jones (1807-1864), One of only two Pennsylvania Posts named in honor of a woman. The National Memorial Day, beloved Civil War nurse, died of The Post (known then as Post No. 12) was in existence by May 1869 disease in her tent at City Point, 1869, when it observed Memorial Day.