Grand Army of the Republic, Department of New York, Harry Lee Post No. 21 records
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Abstract
The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), a national fraternity of Union Army Civil War veterans, came to prominence in the late 19th century. This collection, spanning the period circa 1870 to 1935, contains records of the Brooklyn-based Harry Lee Post No. 21, a unit of the New York Department of the GAR. The records are comprised of member lists, meeting minutes, one photograph, and four bound volumes detailing the activities of the Post and the military backgrounds and personal histories of hundreds of Post members, with particular emphasis on their dates of death and burial locations.
Historical Note
The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a national association of Union Army Civil War veterans organized in 1866 by Benjamin Franklin Stephenson of Illinois under three cardinal objectives: fraternity, charity, and loyalty. The GAR was divided into state departments, which were in turn divided into local posts. Common activities at the local level included regular social meetings, discussing politics, passing resolutions, and dispensing charitable assistance to fellow members in need.
The first post was chartered in Decatur, IL, on April 6, 1866. By July of that year, another 38 posts had been chartered in Benjamin Stpehenson's home state, and together they formed the Department of Illinois. The GAR grew rapidly from these regional beginnings. The Harry Lee Post No. 21 of Brooklyn, N.Y. was chartered in January 28, 1870, subsequently incorporated in 1885, and was named after Captain Harry R. Lee of the 173rd Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry.
The GAR reached its zenith in 1890 with a membership of over 400,000. At its annual state or national events known as "encampments," members from different posts would congregate to socialize, reconnect, and discuss organizational business. As the Civil War veterans began to pass away, membership naturally dwindled. The last national encampment was held in Indianapolis, IN, in 1949, followed by the close of the GAR's national office in 1956.
Sources:
- Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library. "A Brief History of the Grand Army of the Republic." Accessed June 29, 2010. http://www.garmuslib.org/ Library of Congress. "The Grand Army of the Republic and Kindred Societies." Accessed June 29, 2010. http://www.loc.gov/rr/main/gar/garintro.html
- Library of Congress. "The Grand Army of the Republic and Kindred Societies." Accessed June 29, 2010. http://www.loc.gov/rr/main/gar/garintro.html
Scope and Contents
The records of the Harry Lee Post No. 21 span the period circa 1870 to 1935 and are comprised of member lists, meeting minutes, one photograph, and four bound volumes detailing the activities of the Post and the military backgrounds and personal histories of hundreds of Post members, with particular emphasis on their dates of death and burial locations.
Minutes are from the Post's February 13, 1902 meeting and concern the Post's resolutions to secure employment for its members, recommendations of the Post's councils regarding member dues and relief, reports on the activities of certain members, the Post's plans for the celebration of Memorial Day, and the management of the Post's finances, among other issues.
Loose-leaf member lists document the dates of death and burial locations of several Post members.
The photograph dates from 1911 and shows surviving Post members dressed in Union Army uniform and gathered around Captain Harry Lee's headstone.
Volumes include a muster roll listing of Post members with a range of information on each, including age, birthplace, occupation, date of enlistment, and date of death; a signature book including members' names and addresses, as well as the Post's rules and regulations; and a complete indexed roster of Post members indicating their rank and arm of service during the Civil War, dates of death, and burial locations. The roster also includes yearly listings of Post officers for the period 1870 to 1902, printed rolls of officers and members for the period 1903 to 1925, and clippings of newspaper articles about the Post dating from 1880 to 1909.
The collection also includes an 1892 indexed volume entitled Personal War Sketches, a gift to the Post from Mary M. Doane in memory of her husband Charles R. Doane, one of the pillars of the Harry Lee community in the late 19th century. The volume devotes a page each to approximately 300 members, denoting the details of their births, military careers, and deaths. Due to its large size, the volume is housed separately from the rest of the collection in an oversize box.
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Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
Reproduction rights for photographs have not been evaluated. Please consult library staff for more information.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Grand Army of the Republic, Department of New York, Harry Lee Post No. 21 records, 1977.078, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Edith C. White, 1936.
Other Finding Aids
An earlier version of this finding aid, containing a complete folder listing, is available in paper form at the Brooklyn Historical Society. Please consult library staff for more information.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Minimally processed to the collection level.
