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The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR).

This was the major veterans’ organization after the war. It reached its largest membership in the 1890s with about 400,000 members. Below are published histories of the organization with biographical sketches of national and state officials:

  • Robert B. Beath. History of the Grand Army of the Republic. (1889) FamilySearch Digital Library
  • J. Worth Carnahan. History of the Easel-Shaped Monument and a key to the principles and objects of the Grand Army of the Republic and its co-workers : also a concise history of such historical events as would naturally be suggested by a careful study of the picture of the Easel-Shaped Monument viz: Divisions and subdivisions of the Union Army; Officers in the Order of their rank and line of promotion; enlistments from the different states with total loss by death; alphabetical list of all the battles and engagements, (land and sea) with casualties; together with a complete list of all the G.A.R. Posts in the United States, alphabetically arranged by towns, with time of meeting, &c, &c. (1893) G.A.R. Posts Images 119-217 DGS 8877468
  • Grand Army of the Republic National Memorial Hall at Decatur, Illinois, the birthplace of the G.A.R., April 6, 1866 - April 6, 1891 Decatur, Illinois : Hamsher & Mosser Printers, 1890 FamilySearch Digital Library
  • Albert E. Davis, The Grand Army of the Republic : a guide to resources in the general collections of the Library of Congress (1996) FamilySearch Digital Library

By 1890, about 40 percent of Union veterans were members of the Grand Army of the Republic. The descriptive books of each GAR post usually indicate each member’s name, age, birthplace, residence, occupation, and enlistment and discharge information. Records of GAR posts and of other veterans’ organizations may be found in historical societies, state archives, and state libraries.

National Encampments

FamilySearch Historical Records

The FamilySearch Library has records for:

  • Department Death Rolls
  • Dennis Northcott. Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Illinois: transcription of the death rolls, 1879-1947. St. Louis, Missouri: D. Northcott, 2003. FS Library 977.3 M2n
  • Dennis Northcott. Indiana Civil War veterans: transcription of the death rolls of the Department of Indiana, Grand Army of the Republic, 1882-1948. St. Louis, Missouri: D. Northcott, c2005. FS Library 977.2 M2n
  • Dennis Northcott. Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska Civil War veterans: compilation of the death rolls of the Departments of Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska, Grand Army of the Republic, 1883-1948St. Louis, Missouri: D. Northcott, 2007. FS Library 973 M2nde
  • Antona Hawkins Richardson. Roll of the dead, 1886-1906: Department of Minnesota, Grand Army of the Republic. Saint Paul, Minnesota: Paduan Press, 2000. FS Library 977.6 M2ra
  • Membership Records

GAR unit records may be found at local, county or state levels in the FamilySearch Catalog. Explore how to do a place-name search of the FamilySearch Catalog.  In addition, some records may be found by doing a keyword search of theFamilySearch Catalog, using the the keyword "Grand Army of the Republic".

Illinois GAR unit records are held by the Lincoln Presidential Library, but they are not “complete.” In general, they are the quarterly reports sent to the headquarters by each post. They vary widely in what they contain. Some of the older posts have more extensive records. The earlier ones may include a charter, lists of members with age, occupation, and war service information. Possibly also place of birth. Some records include new members and the deaths of members. Most include a list of the current officers. In almost all cases, later records are much less informative than the earlier ones. Many posts have notices of closing. For a few posts we have some minutes or others papers. The date span of the collection is 1866-1939, but most of the post records do not begin until at least the mid-1870s. Search the online catalog of the Lincoln Presidential Library for GAR titles.


Other Civil War lineage societies can be found by using a Place-Name Search of the FamilySearch Catalog and then looking for military history or records (1861–1865) or societies.  Explore how to use the FamilySearch Catalog.

  • African American Veterans in the Grand Army of the Republic. By Tim Pinnick. National Genealogical Society Magazine. (NGS Magazine). July-Sept. 2009. Vol. 35 Number 3 page 28-32. FS Library 973 D25ngs. World Cat

State Societies

The following publications contain deaths of GAR members:

Entries list name, post number and location, age at death, and the year and page numbers in which the death was reported.
Alphabetically arranged. Entries contain the name of the veteran, company, regiment, date of death, and GAR post number in Oregon.

Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861–65

This organization was established in 1885. The address of their library and museum is:

Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War
503 South Walnut Street
Springfield, IL 62704
Telephone: 217-544-0616
Website: Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Established in 1881, the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War has no permanent headquarters. The society has a grave registration committee. Check the current edition of the "Encyclopedia of Associations" (Worldcat) for contact information.

This site includes a history of the organization, membership information, coming events, a Civil War ancestor registration project, grave registration project, state department (chapter) websites, and links to other related genealogical websites.

The society publishes the following:

Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS)

This society was organized by officers of the Union Army in 1865. Their website has announcements, membership requirements, and national and state organization information.

MOLLUS
1805 Pine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Telephone: 215-546-2425
Website: MOLLUS

A roster of the society members are located in:


Additional Civil War Related Societies


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