DEPARTMENT OF IOWA  GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC

The objects to be accomplished by the Grand Army of the Republic are as follows:

1. To preserve and strengthen those kind and fraternal feelings which bind  together the soldiers, sailors and marines who united to suppress the late rebellion, and to and to perpetuate the memory and history of the dead.

2. To assist such former comrades in arms as need help and protection, and to extend needful aid to the widows and orphans of those who have fallen.

3. To maintain true allegiance to the United States of America, based upon a paramount respect for and fidelity to the National Constitution and laws; to discountenance whatever tends to weaken loyalty, incites to insurrection, treason or rebellion, or in any manner impair the efficiency and permanency of our free institutions; and to encourage the spread of universal liberty, equal rights and justice to all men.

Soldiers and sailors of the United States Army. Navy, or Marine Corps, who served between April 12, 1861, and April 9, 1865, in the war for the suppression of the rebellion, and those having been honorably discharged  from there after such service, and of such State regiments as were called into service and subject to the orders of the U.S. General officers , between the dates mentioned, shall be eligible to membership in the Grand Army of the Republic. No person shall be eligible to membership who has at any time borne arms against the United States.


GAR POSTS IN IOWA

The following information was taken from The Detroit Tribunes Veteran Soldiers and Sailors Hand-Book Copyright 1889.

Commander C.H. Smith- Mt. Pleasant.    
Senior Vice-Commander W.D. Thayer, Jessup.  
Junior Vice- Commander- R.A. Warham Mason City.  
Medical Director- J. W. Tiffany, Carter Point.
Chaplain-Rev. C.O. Brown, Dubuque.  
Assistant Adjutant-General- T. A. Bereman, Mt. Pleasant.

The Department of Iowa was organized Sept. 26, 1866 at Davenport, when J. B. Locke was elected Commander. It then had 45 posts and about 350 members, it now has 408 posts with a membership of 19,400. Encampments are held in April of each year.


Commanders of the Iowa Department of the Grand Army of the Republic

February 1874 to April 1883  James C. Parrott, Albert A. Perkins, Hurlbut E. Griswold, Wm. F. Conrad, Peter V. Carey, George B. Hogin

April 1883 to April 1889         John B. Cooke, Edw. G. Miller, Wm. R. Manning, Wm. A. McHenry, James M. Tuttle, Eugene A. Consigny

April 1889 to May 1895          Chas. H. Smith, Mason P. Mills, Chas. L. Davidson, John J. Steadman, Philip Schaller, George A. Newman

May 1895 to June 1901         James K. Thompson, Josiah Given, Amos H. Evans, Rodney W. Tirrill, Chas F. Bailey, Madison B. Davis

June 1901 to June 1907        George Metzger, John Lindt, Levi B. Raymond, Robt. T. St. John, Samuel H. Harper, Chas. A. Clark

June 1907 to June 1913        David J. Palmer, Jas. C. Milliman, Michael McDonald, Henry A. Dyer, Lot Abraham, John D. Brown

June 1913 to June 1919        Jas. W. Willett, Byron C. Ward, John F. Merry, John H. Mills, J.L. Farrington, Elmer J.C. Bealer

June 1919 to June 1924        Alex. G. Beatty, Rufus L. Chase, Jas. B. Harsh, Leonard J. Kron, William, W. Gist, Wilbert S. Freeman

June 1924 to June 1928        Wm. H. Needham, Daniel B. Cowles, Orlando S. Hartman, Frank Dagle, Eli. J. Stonebraker, Oley Nelson

June 1928 to June 1933         John W. Stratton, John K. Ewing, Joseph Pratt, Watson M. Risden, John T. Lucas, Thomas J. Noll

June 1933 to Aug. 1935         Frank L. Quade, Louis J. Leech, Horace B. Kelly, Jonathan C. Hanes Asst.  Adj. Gen.

1922 to 1935                          John Parker Risley