Col. David Allen, Post #45

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

J. Franklin Dyer Camp #24

Women’s Relief Corps

View the collection here.

The Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) was established in 1866 for Civil War veterans. At its peak in 1890 membership reached a reported 400,000. The stated purpose of the G.A.R. (other than the social bonding of veterans) was to establish Memorial Day for those killed in the war; to give aid to soldiers’ widows, orphans and handicapped veterans; and to establish benefits such as pension increases. While purporting to be non-political, the G.A.R. was overwhelmingly Republican. The Democratic party was held to be the party of rebellion.

The Col. Allen Post #45 was established in 1867 and named after Col. David Allen, 12th Mass. Volunteers, who was killed in 1864 at the Battle of the Wilderness. The Post was particularly active for the rest of the 19th century. Old age and death limited the Post by the early 20th century. Auxiliary organizations included the Sons of Union Veterans (1881), J. Franklin Dyer Camp #24, the Daughters of Union Veterans (1886), Jennie Wade Tent #73, and the Women’s Relief Corps. (1883). J. Franklin Dyer, a physician from Annisquam, served in the Civil War and died in 1879. Jennie Wade was killed at Gettysburg while nursing Union soldiers in her home.

This collection of records from the Col. Allen post #45, g.a.r., includes a detailed listing of all gloucester enlistments in the civil war and other units. Burial plots of veterans are listed for rememberance on memorial day. Applications for membership, ledgers detailing meetings, membership lists, payment of dues and financial reports cover the period 1868 to the early 1920s. Included are assorted memorabilia including photos and newspaper accounts of the Civil War period.

Series I. G.A.R. Col. Allen Post #45

Series II. Sons of Union Veterans

J. Franklin Dyer Camp #24

Daughters of Union Veterans, Jennie Wade

Box 1

Series I

Enlistment Roll: Mass. Volunteer Militia Aug. 15, 1862

Book 1: Ledger: Listing of members, service record etc.

Book 2: Ledger: Listing of members, dues, deaths 1918-1921

Book 3: List of deceased soldiers & place of burial

Book 4: 1865 Diary kept by unknown person on duty in Union Army.

Folder 1: Membership applications.

These contain applicants age, place of birth, occupation, enlistment rank, period of service, and re-enlistment. A list of the names is filed in the folder. Roster of the Col. Allen Post, 1898 Roster of the G.A.R., 1923

Folder 2: Officers of Post #45, 1904, 1909

First notice to subsribers to form the Post, July 1885

Folder 3: Mass. Commendation, William Ferguson, 1870

Folder 4: Correspondance:

Conveyance, 1877

Attesting to enlistment of John Rynos, 1895

Misc. Correspondance, 1895-1904

Burial return Alice Everdeen (property), 1901

Burial return William Alexander (pension), 1902

Burial return Rinaldo R. Sargent (marriage), 1903

Service record Charles J. Hooper, 1903

Burial return Alexander McCurdy (pension), 1904

Invitation to Installation, 1918

Invitation to Memorial Dinner, 1921

Copy of transfer of property n/d Resignation of C.R. Hobbs, n/d

Bill of lading for 7 headstones, n/d (names given)

Letter to Capt. of Police boat, n/d

Other papers:

Record of service of Lemuel Friend

News clipping in support of GAR

Resignation form, John Burpee, 1903

Insurance certificate, 1897

Facsimile of Charter of Post #1

Folder 5: Star form the flag of USS Cumberland

Folder 6: Certificate of appointment as Aide-de-Camp, William Ferguson, 1917

Folder 7: Photographs

Box 2

Series I

Folder 1: Book & 3 Pamphlets

Book of Testament & Psalms belonging to Capt. Joseph Moore, Co.B.

The Merrimac and Monitor Naval Engagement, illustrated, 1886

Lincoln and the Convention of 1860, address by Addison Procter, 1918

Box 2 continued

Folder 1 (continued)

Report of the Number of Men Furnished by the Town of Rockport for the Army & Navy during the Rebellion, 1861-1865, 1866

Folder 2: Gettysburg Cyclorama Pamphley, 1886

Folder 3: Lincoln Assasination, New York Herald 4/15/1865 (2 copies very fragile)

Folder 4: Frank Leslies’ Illustrated News, 12/1/1860, 2/2/1861, 2/16/1861

Frank Leslie’s Portrait Pictorial nd

Folder 5: Bill for timber for Eastern Point Battery (Fort)

Confederate $2, $5 & $20 bill

Folder 6: Memorial Day

Letter re: speaker, 1907

Letter re: money allowed, 1907

Memorial Day Program, 1906, 1932

Notes & expenses, 1895, 1906

Committee Report 1897

Chaplain’s Report, 1904

Program, 1942

Folder 7: Sunday Morning Chronicle, Washington, 4/23/1865 - Pres. Lincoln’s obsequies.

Daily Morning Chronicle, Washington, 6/1/1865 - The trial. 

Folder 8: Misc. Papers

Bills & receipts

Transfer & Application cards, 1904, 1946, 1948, 1954-58

Misc papers & blank forms

Acts re: Burial Allowances, 1894, 1901, 1902

23rd Annual Report of Soldiers’ Home, Chelsea, 1905 (only cover & 1 pg)

26th Annual Report of Soldiers’ Home, Chelsea, 1908 (Wm. H. Dolliver, John D.P. Emery, Randall McVarish, Tellef Olson)

29th Annual Report of Soldiers’ Home, Chelsea, 1911 (Wm. H. Dolliver, Andrew Jones, Henry A. Lane)

Annual Report Soldiers’ Relief Dept., 1907

Folder 9: Financial Reports

1875, 1879-80, 1882, 188 -90, 1892-95, 1897-1901, 1903-05, 1909-10

Book 1: Meeting Minutes, 1868

Book 2: Minutes of Tri Mountain Wide Awake Guard, Boston, 1860

Copies of Charles Little Stevens’ Diaries written in by Joseph L. Stevens:

1st Campaigne, Mass. 8th, 1861

2nd Campaign, Maine 14th, 1862

Box 3

Series I

Book 1: Member Rolls, 1868-1909

Minutes of Meetings, 1870-73

Book 2: Discharge Certificates of Gloucester Seamen, 1862-64. Dates & Service records

Book 3: Member Dues (alphabetical), 1899-1909

Folder 1: Muster Roll, 1893

Muster record of Henry C. Smith, 1863

Discharge papers of Tho’s Ferguy, 1812, Thomas Ferguson, 1865

Folder 2: Deaths May 30, 1906 - May 15, 1907

Folder 3: Personal Histories

Clement Farrell, John McEachin

Folder 4: Fragment of 23rd Mass Roster

Folder 5: Civil War Muster Rolls

Newspaper listing of all Gloucester soldiers & sailors who served

Box 4

Series II

Book 1: Minutes, inc. newspaper clippings, announcements etc., 1942-52

Book 2: Treasurers Ledger, 1884

Book 3: Membership & Dues paid, 1918-25

Folder 1: J.F. Dyer Camp #24

Chaplain’s Memorial Day Report, 1933

Invitation to Exercises, nd

Memorial Day Program, nd & 1944

Folder 2: Application Forms for membership in J.F. Dyer Camp #24

Member lists.

Folder 3: Misc. Bills & Receipts

Folder 4: Misc. Correspondance & Papers

Folder 5: Final accounting after death of Maria D. Dyer, 1928

Folder 6: Letter re: final dispersal of funds, 1938

Folder 7: Sons of Union Vets Booklets

Roster, 1944-45

Orders, 1950, 1951

Proceedings of Annual Encampment, 1922

Box 5

Series II

Book 1: Sons of Union Vets - General Orders, 1898-1903

Book 2: J.F. Dyer Camp #24 Black Book -dropped & rejected membershps 1888-89

Book 3: Descriptive Book - Records of members’ fathers

Book 4: Alphabetical List of Vessel Captors & Prizes in Civil War. (old # 298)

Folder 1: Daughters of Union Vets Ritual,

Rules & Regulations, Women’s State Relief.

Jennie Wade Tent Obligations, 1925, 1931

Check Book, 1968-70

Friendly Relations Committee, ticket & Invitation

Folder 2: Letter of Daniel Webster to citizens of Newburyport, 1859 & reply.

Folder 3: Booklet - Battle of Bunker Hill, by William W. Whieldon, 1875

Folder 4: Secretary’s Report, 1908

Folder 5: Secretary’s Report, 1928-33

Folder 6: First Sargeant’s Report, 1898-1901

Folder 7: Misc. Papers

Constitution & Regulations, 1920

Official Ballot

List of Officers

Addendum - G.A.R. Documents – Col. Allen post #45

Book

Personal war sketches of the members of Col. Allen post #45. This volume was designed to contain the record of the war services (1861-65) of the living and deceased members of Col. Post #45. A biographical sketch of their war years was to be filled out by living members. Facts about deceased members were certified and entered by the post Historian. Pages are provided for resolutions passed by the Post upon the death of a member. The volume was presented to the post by Joseph O. Procter in 1895. The volume also contains a history of Col. Allen post #45 up to 1895.

Ledgers

Cash book – no entries

Dues book – 1898-1907

Notes of Relief Committee meetings – 1899-1912

(2) Receipt books – payments by Relief committee

Roster Post #45 to Jan. 14, 1921

List of officers in history of Post #45

List of members (no date)

Relief Committee meetings 1882-99

Cash income – cash spent 1918-1925

Dues 1905-1918

Cash income – cash spent 1910-1917

Cash income – cash spent 1903-1920

Relief Fund financial records – 1885-1897

Regular meetings – recorded deaths – 1922-1934

Cash received - 1926-1934

Pamphlet

“The Flag of the U.S.

Book

Etchings from the Naval Academy Class of 1867

Small Notebook

Services used by the G.A.R. 

Small Notebook

Ritual for Sons of Veterans 1899

Book

(2) History of the Twelfth Mass. Vol. by Lt. Col. Benjamin Cook, Boston, 1882

Book

Record of the Mass. Volunteers 1861-1864, Vol. I (1868)

Books

Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the Commonwealth of Mass. 1863, 1864, 1865