Clark County, Indiana - A. R. Grand Army of the Republic Posts, 1909

A. R. Grand Army of the Republic Posts

Clark county has never been found wanting in patriotism, and in all matters where a spirit of pride and veneration for the deeds and lives of the founders and conservers of the state and nation has been possible, there were found those who gave their time and means to keep alive the record of the past.

To the ladies of Jeffersonville belongs the honor of having formed the highest type of patriotic society, the Ann Rogers Clark Chapter. Daughters of the American Revolution. This chapter was organized January 15, 1901, with ]\Irs. Nathan Sparks as Regent. Tlie chapter had twenty charter members and with several losses to its membership has at present forty-five. This chapter has taken the lead in several things which reflects credit on the society. They initiated and carried out the centennial celebration of the founding of Jeffersonville. and they have undertaken, with the city's permission, to presen-e and improve the old deserted Mulberry street cemeten,^ They formed a junior society called the Children of the American Revolution to instill into the younger minds a spirit of patriotism. To the ladies of Ann Rogers Clark Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, and to them alone, belongs the honor of being instrumental in having the state erect a monument to the pioneer heroes massacred at Pigeon Roost. At a state conference of the Daughters of the American Revolution the local chapter initiated the movement, and the state body took it up and had the bill passed at the following session of the Legislature. The present Regent of the chapter is Mrs. Lewis C. Baird.

The Fort Steuben chapter. Children of the American Revolution, was organized in 1907. Its membership is restricted to those children who can trace back to an ancestor of Revolutionary sen-ice similar to that of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The society has twenty members and under the instruction of the ladies of the Daughters of the American Revolution, is becoming a well informed and enthusiastic body of little patriots. Such societies as these, where elevating study and the acquiring of useful knowledge is the object, stands in glaring contrast to the card clubs of present day popularity.

Indiana furnished over two hundred thousand men to the Union armies during the War of the Rebellion, and the survivors who reside in Clark county have always striven to keep alive the memories and presen'e the friendship of battle, camp, march and hospital. That men who patriotically served their country long and well should seek a closer companionship and comradeship after a return to civil life is but natural. The posts of Clark county have been composed of patriotic veterans who gave the strength and health of youth for the cause of liberty and union m the sixties, and yet in 1909 the flush of youth, the elastic step, the erect form, the clear eye and hearty grasp affected by the weight of years, their enthusiasm still rings as clear as it did in 1861. From the early eighties these veterans have maintained their organizations in Clark county, but the sun is setting behind the hills and ere another decade has rolled around taps will have been sounded over comrade and post, and their work bequeathed to the patriots of another generation and age. The following are the posts of Clark county :

Jeffersonville Post No. 86. organized July 26. 1882. Twenty charter members. Post commander, James Keigwin : senior vice, J. W. Thompson ; junior vice, Jacob B. Pifer; officer of the day, James WHiicher; officer of the guard, G. C. Watson; chaplain, E. G. Neeld ; quartennaster, Philip Specht; adjutant, John Gallagher.

Samuel Simonson Post No. 226, Charlestown. Organized September i, 1883, thirty-four charter members. Post commander, George W. Coward; senior vice, I. N. Haymaker; junior vice, James Bottorff; officer of the day, Thomas Strieker; officer of the guard, \Mlliam McComb; chaplain, William Smith ; surgeon, H. D. Rodgers ; quartermaster, William A. Steirheim ; adjutant, Thomas J. Huffman.

Dan Griffin Post No. 323, Sellersburg. Organized March 24, 1884; twenty-three charter members. Post commander, E. T. Leach ; senior vice, George Robinson ; junior vice, J. H. Smith ; officer of the day, A. J. Acton ; officer of the guard, Henry Harrold ; chaplain, Silas Anson ; surgeon. J. V. Robinson ; quartermaster, J. L. Leach ; adjutant, Henry C. Clark. This post has forfeited its charter and is not in existence.

Rosseau Post No. 351, Jeffersonville. Organized May 19, 1884; twelve charter members. Post commander, Wesley Brown ; senior vice, Jefferson Henry ; junior vice, Henry Craycroft; officer of the day, Robert Harris; officer of the guard, "David Hill; chaplain, A. J. Spears; surgeon, Louis Txible; quartennaster, Charles Tinsley ; adjutant. Nimrod Lewis. This post is the negro post of "Jeffersonville.

General Lytle Post No. 416, Bethlehem. Organized October 10. 1885; eleven charter members. Post commander, Frank L. Dean ; senior vice, ]. L.

Baird S History Of Clark Co., Ind

Dean; junior vice, James E. English: officer of the day. James L. McCoy; officer of the guard. \\'iniam Hatclier: chaplain. William S. Dean: surgeon, B. F. Scull: c|uartermaster. ^^'illiam Young: adjutant. B. F. Scull. This post has had to forfeit its charter and suspend.

E. R. T^Iitchell Post No. 425. New Providence. Organized November 12, 1885 : thirty-two charter members. Post commander, John A. McWilliams: senior vice, B. F. Roerk : junior vice, John T. Kelly; officer of the day, J. M. Campbell; officer of the guard. John McCory : chaplain, J. M. Baxter; surgeon. B. F. Stalker : quartermaster. Ernest Schleicher ; adjutant. T. S. Ransom.

Henry Clay Deitz Post No. 430. jNIemphis. Organized April 22. 1886; twenty-three charter members. Post commander. Cornelius D. Hunter; senior vice, Hiram G. Bridgewater: junior vice. Isaac M. Perr\'; officer of the day, Elam L. Guernsey; officer of the guard. John L. McCleary: chaplain. Zacharias Young: surgeon. Charles Henrite: quartermaster. Enoch A. McCoy; adjutant, James M. Gray. This post has ceased to exist.

Heniyville Post No. 461, Henryville. Organized June 29. 1886: twenty charter members. Post commander, Amos T. Grey; senior vice, James Ryan; junior vice, H. H. Prall ; officer of the day. William Sampel ; officer of the guard, George R. Grey : chaplain. T. S. Brooks : surgeon. IMiles Becket ; quai-- termaster, George Luallen : adjutant, W. H. ^^'illiams.

Joel R. Spahr Post No. 580, Jeffersonville. Organized January 27. 1904; thirty-six charter members. Post commander. Charles W. Glossbrenner ; senior vice. Joseph G. Snyder; junior vice. \\'. H. H. Clegg: officer of the day. George \\'. Coward : officer of the guard, Isaiah Higdon ; chaplain, Samuel J. Gardner: surgeon. James \^'. Stanforth; quartermaster. Charles Stranch: adjutant. B. H. Robinson.

John Brown Post No. 585, Charlestown. Organized October 25. 1890; twelve charter members. Post commander. Robert Wilson ; senior vice. Basil Van Cleave, junior vice. Hiram Colwell : officer of the day. Washington Lee; officer of the guard. Lewis Stone ; chaplain. George \\'. Wilson ; quartermaster, David Stone: adjutant, Richard Green. This last post was organized by negro soldiers, but its life was short and its charter has been surrendered.

The United Spanish War Veterans In Clark Coltnty

Among the vonnger patriotic organizations represented within Clark county. Indiana, is the L'nited Spanish \\'ar A^eterans. which might be aptly termed "The Young Grand Army of the Republic." it being an organization somewhat along the lines of the Grand Anny of the Republic. In membership the organization is composed of representatives from the North. East. South and ^^'est, who were engaged in the late war with Spain, which war, it is ad- mitted on every hand has done more than all else to unite the two sections of the country, so long designated as the North and South, into one grand union of patriotic citizens with a love and admiration for one grand old flag, not surpassed by any nation on the globe. And this is but fitting, for upon the call of our country for volunteers to sustain its honor, the North and South vied with each other in sending forth their best sons, and those sons of the North and South fought shoulder to shoulder in the cause of their common country.

"Its object shall be to perfect and maintain national, state and local organizations ; to keep alive the memories of the war with Spain ; to promote the best interests of those who, in the service of the United States, took part in that war, and their dependents ; to encourage and spread universal liberty and equal rights and justice to all men, as well as to inculcate the principles of freedom, patriotism and humanity. It shall be non-partisan."

"Active Members : All honorably discharged officers, soldiers and sailors of the regular and volunteer army and navy and marine corps of the United States, including acting assistant surgeons, who honorably sensed during the war with Spain, or in the incident insurrection in the Philippines, or participated in said war or insurrection prior to July 4, 1902, as an officer or enlisted man, in the United States Revenue Cutter Service, on any vessel assigned to duty under the control of the United States Army or Navy Departments during such war or insurrection, are eligible to membership.

"Honorary Members : Any person who performed distinguished and faithful service during the war with Spain may be elected an honorary member."

Shortly after the close of the Spanish-American \\'ar there was organized throughout tl>e United States many organizations seeking to promote the welfare of the participants in that war in the sen-ice of the United States. Among these may be mentioned the Spanish-American War Veterans and the Spanish War Veterans, as probabh' having the largest membership.

The first camp of Spanish War Veterans to be organized within Clark county was the W. T. Durbin Camp No. 31 at Jeffersonville, affiliated with what was known as the Spanish- American ^^'ar Veterans, that camp being named in honor of Col. W. T. Durbin, the regimental commander of the One Hundred and Sixty-first Indiana Volunteers, who afterwards became Governor of the state of Indiana. This camp was one of the first, if not the first camp organized within the state of Indiana, so Clark county may be given credit for being one of the leaders in the movement to organize the veterans of the Spanish war. Durbin camp was kept alive for several years by the strenuous efforts of a few faithful young veterans, and after tinally being disbanded it was succeeded by Nathaniel Isler Camp No. 261, Spanish \\'ar Veterans, at that time a separate and distinct organization from the Spanish-American War Veterans. Isler camp was named in honor of Nathaniel Isler, of Jeft'ersonville, who met death in the battle of San Juan Hill, Cuba, in the late war.

After the organization of Nathaniel Isler Camp No. 261, Spanish War Veterans, a movement was inaugxu^ated to amalgamate all societies composed of Spanish War Veterans, the first organizations to join forces being the Spanish War Veterans and the Spanish-American War Veterans, after which the combined organization gradually absorbed those outstanding until now the veterans of the Spanish war are organized into one united organization known as the United Spanish War Veterans.

During the course of the consolidation of all these societies Nathaniel Isler Camp of Jeffersonville has continued to exist, being taken into the United Organization as Nathaniel Isler Camp No. 13. United Spanish War Veterans.

By a perusal of the foregoing recitation of events as they transpired, it will be seen that Clark county has been represented within the ranks of this splendid patriotic organization from its inception until the present time, and the fact may be further mentioned that the state of Indiana was and has been since the close of the Spanish war, the leader in the movement to keep alive this organization, as it has in all patriotic organizations.

The United Spanish \\'ar Veterans, as mentioned in the foregoing part of this article, is much akin to the Grand Army of the Republic, and also to the United Confederate Veterans, being- destined, in all probability, to be the sticcessors of these two organizations of valiant and courageous veterans within the next few years. The grand old defenders of our Union and their worthy and courageous foes in the conflict of 1861-1865 are one by one succumbing to man's undefeated foe - death, and passing surely and silently into that great beyond, where there shall be no battles to fight and no foe to vanquish, but where all is peace and love. And it is fitting that this younger organization of veterans, composed as it is of the sons of the North and the South, should be the natural heirs and successors to the glory and honor bestowed upon these great old heroes. Was it not their blood coursing through the veins of the "Boys of '98" that carried these boys through the battles of Santiago. Manila Bay and others with such distinction to their country? A\'hom else but a man through whose veins flowed the rich red blood of American citizenship, when the enthusiasm of a great victory had not had time to subside, could have such compassion for his foe as he who uttered those now famous words, "Don't cheer, boys, those poor men are dying" ? It was such magnanimity upon the part of the combatants of 1861-1865 that made easier the task of their sons to remove the feeling of bitterness and hatred between the North and South, as they did by fighting side by side in the Spanish-American war for the protection of that Union, the disruption of which had been the bone of contention between their sires. It is but meet and proper that an organization composed of their sons should be their successors in the effort to continue and protect a Union stronger than ever, of whicli it has been aptlysaid, "There is no North, no. East, no South, no West."

The constitution and by-laws of the United Spanish War Veterans provide that each local camp of that organization shall co-operate with the Grand Army of the Republic in all matters of import to those organizations, and in no other part of the country has there been such readiness on the part of the Grand Army to assist in every way possible the young veterans in everything they undertake, than within the County of Clark.

The United Spanish War Veterans is composed of a national organization, known as the National Encampment United Spanish War Veterans. The National Encampment is divided into what are known as departments, corresponding with the states, the departments being divided into local organizations known as camps.

The National Encampment United Spanish War Veterans is commanded by an officer known as the commander-in-chief, assisted by a staff of officers corresponding to the offices of secretary, treasurer, etc., in other organizations. The departments are commanded by department commanders, who also have a staff' of officers assisting them, whose titles correspond to those officers of the National Encampment, witli the additional designation of "department" added to their titles. The present department commander of Indiana is Maj. M. R. Doyon, of Kokomo, Indiana.

The local branches of the United Spanish War Veterans, or camps, are presided over by an officer known as a camp commander, assisted by a senior vice commander, junior vice commander, chaplain, officer of the day, officer of the guard, adjutant and quartermaster. The present officers of Nathaniel Isler Camp are : Commander, John W. Ware, senior vice commander, John F. Boyce ; junior vice commander, John Morris ; chaplain, Henry Barron ; officer of the day, Warren Francisco : officer of the guard, James Smithers ; adjutant, C. F. Faux: quartermaster, J. Henry Meiboon.

Nathaniel Isler Camp has among its members one department officer in the person of J. Hem-y Meiboon, senior vice department commander, who has risen steadily year after year from office to office, until at the present time he holds the next to the highest office within the gift of the Department of Indiana, having been elected to that office in July, 1908.

The Clark Coltnty Historical Society

This society was organized on May i, 1903. Its general purposes are the promotion of historical study and investigation of the County of Clark, through the discovery, collection, preservation, organization and publication of historical facts pertaining to said county ; and by the collection and preservation of books, pamphlets, papers, maps, genealogies, pictures, relics, manuscripts, letters, journals, field books memoirs and any and all articles which will describe or illustrate the social, religious, political, industrial or educational progress of said county. L. C. Baird was elected president and has served as such continuously to the present time. The membership is composed of those who realize the value of historical research and preservation. The society has had read before its members many papers of historical value, and has preserved from loss facts and articles which may possibly be appreciated in the course of time. That it might come into closer touch with all the townships of the county, vice presidents were elected for each township. The society has met with but scant encouragement, but it stands ready to further any move which has as its object the preservation of the histoiy of Clark county.