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The Grand Army of the Republic

In the aftermath of the bloody conflict that was the American Civil War, soldiers returning home were met by communities struggling to rebuild after paying the heavy costs of war. With communities struggling to support their veterans, soldiers formed their own support groups, which became so popular that they eventually wielded political power. The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was one of the most famous of these organizations, founded in 1866 and boasting over 400,000 members by the year 1890.

William H. Bartlett Post No. 3

The Grand Army of the Republic was a national organization further divided into posts by state and county. Each post was given a number and named after an honorable veteran of the Civil War. Post No. 3 was named after William H. Bartlett, a former resident of Taunton, and Captain in Company K of the 4th Regiment of Massachusetts Infantry. Bartlett initially enlisted in April of 1861 as Sergeant in Company G of the 4th regiment. When his first term of service expired in July of that same year, he reenlisted in August of 1862 only to be killed at the siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana, June 1863. The William H. Bartlett Post No. 3 served as the GAR post for the areas surrounding Taunton, Massachusetts. The Grand Army of the Republic lasted as an organization until the mid-1900s, with its last meeting taking place in Indiana in 1949.

GAR Members

A
Bradford D Albro
Clerk, enlisted at age 19.
Charles Swinerton Anthony
Painter, enlisted at age 29.
Jacob T Ashley
N/A
Albert Alonzo Austin
Farmer, enlisted at age 18.
B
David Dean Babbitt
Core maker, enlisted at age 30.
Francis S Babbitt
Tailor, enlisted at age 18.
James Bradford Babbitt
Farmer, enlisted at age 34.
Rollin H Babbitt
Machinist, enlisted at age 20.
Orville Anson Barker
Apothecary, enlisted at age 22.
Lorenzo Octavius Barnard
Enlisted at age 30.
Ira Belcher
Butcher, enlisted at age 32.
William H Benton
Farmer, enlisted at age 41.
George Henry Bickford
Machinist, enlisted at age 31.
Alden Hathaway Blake
Carpenter, enlisted at age 27.
Samuel Orlando Blake
Moulder, enlisted at age 22.
Simeon Gardner Blandin
Enlisted at age 40.
Nelson E Blinn
N/A
Alfred Boardman
Shoemaker, enlisted at age 24.
James Booth
Laborer, enlisted at age 16.
Samuel Bostock
Spinner, enlisted at age 42.
Amasa W Bowen
N/A
William Bradshaw
N/A
Lewis Bragg
N/A
Charles Henry Briggs
Carriage maker, enlisted at age 18.
George P Briggs
Carriage maker, enlisted at age 20.
Henry Russell Briggs
Machinist, enlisted at age 24.
Jesse H Briggs
Shoemaker, enlisted at age 21.
William James Briggs
Enlisted at age 27.
Joseph E Brouitte
N/A
James Brown
Enlisted at age 32.
Joseph A Bullard
Merchant, enlisted at age 21.
William Riley Burgess
N/A
Michael Burns
Soldier, enlisted at age 23.
Thomas Preston Burt
Painter, enlisted at age 18.
C
David H Cahoon
Butcher, enlisted at age 26.
William C Cahoon
Machinist, enlisted at age 18.
Hiram Thomas Cain
Shoe cutter, enlisted at age 21.
John Carey
N/A
William W Carsley
Carpenter, enlisted at age 21.
Gilbert Walter Carver
Baker, enlisted at age 24.
William H Case
Clerk, enlisted at age 20.
George E Caswell
Clerk, enlisted at age 18.
John Carpenter Chace
Carpenter, enlisted at age 18.
Whitman Chase
N/A
Walter F Churchill
Mechanic, enlisted at age 22.
David M Coates
Bonnet presser, enlisted at age 24.
Henry Harrison Codding
Clerk, enlisted at age 21.
Francis G Cole
Farmer, enlisted at age 18.
Samuel Parker Colvin
N/A
Levi K Congdon
Machinist, enlisted at age 19.
Joseph J Cooper
Nailer, enlisted at age 34.
Joseph A Copeland
Wire manufacturer, enlisted at age 22.
Edward L Cordner
N/A
John Corr
N/A
Darius Nash Couch
Manufacturer, enlisted at age 38.
Edward Coyle
Laborer, enlisted at age 22.
Calvin Thomas Crane
Enlisted at age 21.
James Crannage
Nailer, enlisted at age 21.
Edward Williams Crossman
Clerk, enlisted at age 18.
Robert II Crossman
Tack maker, enlisted at age 35.
Benjamin Franklin Cunningham
Carpenter, enlisted at age 29.
Harrison “Harrie†Allen Cushman
Clerk, enlisted at age 16.
D
Michael E Dargan
N/A
Abiathar Dean
Moulder, enlisted at age 31.
Charles Warren Dean
Nailer, enlisted at age 19.
Orin Thomas Dean
Farmer, enlisted at age 23.
Asahel Sumner Deane
N/A
George I Deaves
Painter, enlisted at age 18.
John Dennison
N/A
Joseph C Dickerman
Teamster, enlisted at age 27.
Elisha Doane
Merchant, enlisted at age 35.
William Doherty
Laborer, enlisted at age 33.
Patrick Dugan
Laborer, enlisted at age 30.
Isaac C Dunham
Nailer, enlisted at age 19.
Horace Webster Durgin
Merchant, enlisted at age 23.
Deloss M Dwight
N/A
Peter Dyer
Blacksmith, enlisted at age 37.
E
Lewis D Eames
Machinist, enlisted at age 28.
Osborne Elmore Eaton
Nailer, enlisted at age 19.
Duncan Samuel Elliott
Machinist, enlisted at age 20.
William H Elliott
Rigger, enlisted at age 39.
Francis Wolcott Reed Emery
N/A
Samuel Hopkins Emery
N/A
James Madison Evans
Moulder, enlisted at age 25.
F
Charles F Fales
Farmer, enlisted at age 21.
George Martin Fales
Machinist, enlisted at age 28.
Orlando Fales
N/A
James Fannon
N/A
George W Field
Farmer, enlisted at age 19.
Allen A Fisher
Enlisted at age 20.
Gustavus Theodore Fisher
Paper maker, enlisted at age 23.
Charles Edwin Lyon Fowler
N/A
John Frawley
Enlisted at age 21.
John A Frees
Enlisted at age 41.
James O French
Carpenter, enlisted at age 26.
Timothy E French
Carpenter, enlisted at age 34.
George W Fuller
Nailer, enlisted at age 18.
G
Lemuel T Gammons
Farmer, enlisted at age 34.
George A Gardner
Operative, enlisted at age 18.
William Gilchrist
Farmer, enlisted at age 35.
George O Goff
N/A
Arthur Judson Gould
N/A
Owen Gray
N/A
Jonathan James Green
Britannia worker, enlisted at age 21.
James K. Polk Greer
N/A
H
William M Hale
Mason, enlisted at age 40.
John White Hall
Shoemaker, enlisted at age 21.
Rufus W Hall
Machinist, enlisted at age 34.
James Halliday
N/A
Ezra Hamlen
Glass worker, enlisted at age 25.
John Hanrahan
Farmer, enlisted at age 23.
Reuben Asa Harlow
Farmer, enlisted at age 18.
William Henry Harlow
Blacksmith, enlisted at age 18.
Owen Hart
Machinist, enlisted at age 21.
Preston B Harvey
Teamster, enlisted at age 41.
Edwin Haskins
Moulder, enlisted at age 24.
James E Haskins
Nailer, enlisted at age 19.
Urial M Haskins
Nailer, enlisted at age 19.
Andrew J Hathaway
Yeoman, enlisted at age 24.
Benajah W Hathaway
Nailer, enlisted at age 28.
Charles B Hathaway
Bookbinder, enlisted at age 18.
Charles B Hathaway
N/A
George Whitfield Hathaway
Brickmaker, enlisted at age 26.
Nathaniel Gardner Hathaway
Nailer, enlisted at age 18.
John Thomas Hawkins
N/A
Edward Augustus Hayden
Laborer, enlisted at age 19.
Abraham Healy
Laborer, enlisted at age 28.
Charles Henry Hewitt
Farmer, enlisted at age 18.
Richard L Hewitt
Laborer, enlisted at age 18.
John Hinchey
N/A
Alfred B Hodges
Clerk, enlisted at age 22.
Charles Henry Holmes
Painter, enlisted at age 24.
Edward Holmes
N/A
Henry Newton Hopkins
N/A
Josiah T Horton
Moulder, enlisted at age 22.
Thomas Houlihan
N/A
George Franklin Howard
Clerk, enlisted at age 18.
George W Howe
N/A
Simeon Peas Hubbard
N/A
I
Charles Frederick Ivers
N/A
J
Albert P Jenney
Harness maker, enlisted at age 43.
Eleazer A Johnson
N/A
Mark E Jones
Hostler, enlisted at age 24.
K
Josiah Evans Kennedy
N/A
Edward King
Clerk, enlisted at age 19.
Hugh King
Laborer, enlisted at age 36.
John King
N/A
L
William F Laird
Mechanic, enlisted at age 18.
John Lambert
N/A
William Allen Lane
Farmer, enlisted at age 21.
Manlius Bradford Leonard
Engraver, enlisted at age 19.
Benjamin Lincoln
N/A
Daniel Lincoln
N/A
William H Lindsey
Shoemaker, enlisted at age 19.
Michael Littleton
Laborer, enlisted at age 22.
Timothy C Lucas
Blacksmith, enlisted at age 26.
James H Luther
Mariner, enlisted at age 20.
M
William Augustus Manchester
N/A
Thomas D Marble
N/A
Lyman Mason
N/A
Patrick Masterson
N/A
Lowell Mason Maxham
Nailer, enlisted at age 19.
James Eveleth Maynadier
Lawyer, enlisted at age 23.
Leonidas M Maynard
N/A
Edward McLaughlin
N/A
David Washington McVay
Moulder, enlisted at age 18.
Josiah C Meade
Teacher, enlisted at age 41.
George Adelbert Millay
N/A
Frederick 'Anthony' August Miller
N/A
Benjamin Morris
N/A
Bernard Morris
N/A
Edward Morrisey
N/A
Benjamin Edward Morse
N/A
Henry D Moulton
Silversmith, enlisted at age 21.
Thomas Mullen
Laborer, enlisted at age 37.
Matthew Murphy
N/A
Michael Murray
N/A
N
George M Nichols
Fish merchant, enlisted at age 30.
Hiram Nickerson
N/A
Henry Norris
Packer, enlisted at age 35.
O
John O'Connell
Laborer, enlisted at age 44.
Joseph O'Neil
Enlisted at age 22.
Charles Henry Orchard
Upholsterer, enlisted at age 29.
P
George E Packard
Farmer, enlisted at age 18.
John E Paige
Carpenter, enlisted at age 33.
George Henry Park
Stair builder, enlisted at age 27.
William Park
Carpenter, enlisted at age 21.
William E Peck
Enlisted at age 20.
Luther Petty
Watchman, enlisted at age 34.
Andrew W Pierce
Clerk, enlisted at age 23.
Charles Andrew Pierce
Carpenter, enlisted at age 25.
Charles Bradford Pierce
Blacksmith, enlisted at age 24.
James H Pierce
Enlisted at age 20.
Lemuel C Porter
Britannia worker, enlisted at age 24.
Willis S Potter
Blacksmith, enlisted at age 19.
Alanson Pratt
N/A
Phineas M Pratt
Painter, enlisted at age 23.
Evander Pray
Clerk, enlisted at age 18.
James L Presbrey
Carpenter, enlisted at age 33.
Q
William Quillen
Painter, enlisted at age 20.
R
James E Rawson
Butcher, enlisted at age 29.
Edward Stillman Raymond
Clerk, enlisted at age 18.
Levi S Raymond
Engineer, enlisted at age 31.
Henry E Reed
Brickmaker, enlisted at age 18.
James John Reilly
Laborer, enlisted at age 33.
Jefferson Rowe
Farmer, enlisted at age 20.
S
Alonzo Phillips Sanford
Roofer, enlisted at age 18.
Albert Franklin Shaw
Painter, enlisted at age 27.
Thomas F Shaw
Moulder, enlisted at age 30.
Zacheus Sherman
Enlisted at age 42.
Micah G Shurtleff
Shoemaker, enlisted at age 21.
Samuel Bartlett Simmons
N/A
Edwin H.C. Smith
Shoemaker, enlisted at age 18.
Thomas L Smith
Nailer, enlisted at age 21.
William Roundsville Smith
N/A
Henry F Spencer
N/A
John Edward Spencer
Moulder, enlisted at age 20.
Edgar Russell Sprague
Machinist, enlisted at age 23.
Edward Franklin Staples
N/A
William Francis Storey
Enlisted at age 20.
Walter S Sutcliffe
N/A
George W Sweet
Machinist, enlisted at age 34.
John French Swett
Enlisted at age 30.
T
Stephen William Tallman
Teamer, enlisted at age 41.
Frederick Thayer
Blacksmith, enlisted at age 23.
Joseph S Tidd
Clerk, enlisted at age 19.
Terrence Tighe
Laborer, enlisted at age 39.
Ichabod Allen Tilson
Farmer, enlisted at age 22.
Charles Tinkham
Laborer, enlisted at age 40.
Samuel L Tisdale
Mariner, enlisted at age 24.
John Toomey
Laborer, enlisted at age 26.
George Russell Trafton
Farmer, enlisted at age 19.
William H Tyndal
Nailer, enlisted at age 20.
V
Edwin N Vial
Carpenter, enlisted at age 33.
Cassius Eugene Viall
N/A
W
Joseph Walker
Enlisted at age 30.
Nathan Otis Walker
Farmer, enlisted at age 23.
William Leonard Walker
Farmer, enlisted at age 22.
George Albert Washburn
Enlisted at age 25.
Oliver A White
Farmer, enlisted at age 18.
George E Wilbur
Machinist, enlisted at age 19.
Charles Henry Williams
Farmer, enlisted at age 26.
Henry A Williams
Farmer, enlisted at age 36.
John Weston Williams
N/A
Philander Williams
Grocer, enlisted at age 33.
Samuel King Williams
Laborer, enlisted at age 21.
Silas W Wood
N/A
Matthew Woodward
Moulder, enlisted at age 38.

References:
Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Massachusetts, Personal War Sketches of the Members of William H. Bartlett Post, No. 3, Taunton. Philadelphia, 1890, by L. H. Everts.

Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War, compiled by The Adjutant General, Norwood Press, 1931.

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War: National Headquarters, 2013. http://www.suvcw.org/?page_id=167.

The Spirit of Liberty & Union: A Pageant of Three Hundred Historical Years of Taunton, Mass., Joseph Everett Warner, 1947.

Project by Anna Flynn, Bristol Community College, Intern, January – May 2017.