Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Records, 1913-1978
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
- Title
- Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Records
- Dates
- 1913-1978 (inclusive)19131978
1962-1978 (bulk)19621978 - Quantity
- .45 linear feet (1 document case)
- Collection Number
- Mss 2937
- Summary
- A patriotic and civic society organized in 1881, composed of male descendents of Union Civil War veterans. The records consist of correspondence, reports, memoranda, membership rosters, newsletters, charter certificates, and biographical sketches.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
In 1866, Union veterans of the Civil War organized into the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), which existed until 1956. In 1881, the GAR formed the Sons of Veterans of the United States of America (SV) to carry on its traditions. Membership was open to any man who could prove ancestry to a member of the GAR or to a veteran eligible for membership. Men who did not have the ancestry to qualify for membership, but who could subscribe to the objectives of the SUVCW, were admitted as associates. In 1925 the SV name was changed to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), and the organization's federal charter was issued in 1954.
The Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR) is the ceremonial uniformed military division of the SUVCW. SVR units participate in Civil War-related ceremonies, parades, living history programs, and re-enactments.
The SV Owen Summers Camp No. 4, Department of Oregon and Washington, was chartered in 1913 in Portland, Or. In 1963 Claude R. Butcher, a member of the SUVCW, organized a local unit of the Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR) in Lake Oswego, Or.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The records (1913-1978) consist of materials from Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) Owen Summers Camp No. 4 and the local Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR) unit. The records consist of correspondence, reports, memoranda, membership rosters, newsletters, charter certificates, and biographical sketches.
Topics include formation of the local unit of the Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR), expansion of membership, public activities, and performances of the Oregon Blues Brigade Fife and Drum Corps, a unit of the SVR. Many of the records relate to the activities of Claude R. Butcher, Commander of the Sixth Military District of the SVR.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library before any publication use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Records, Mss2937, Oregon Historical Society Research Library
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1 | Correspondence | 1962-1963 |
| 1/2 | Correspondence | 1964 |
| 1/3 | Correspondence | 1965 |
| 1/4 | Correspondence | 1966 |
| 1/5 | Correspondence | undated |
| 1/6-7 | Correspondence and ephemera--Oregon Blues Brigade Fife and Drum Corps | circa 1964-1978 |
| 1/8 | Newsletter--Civil War News -- From Historical Records | 1961-1962 |
| 1/9 | Membership rosters and biographical sketches | circa 1968-1975 |
| 1/10 | Charter certificates--Owen Summers Camp No. 4 | 1913 and 1918 |
| 1/11 | Letterhead and forms | undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Fife and drum corps music--United States--History.
- Fife and drum corps--United States--History.
- Patriotic societies--Oregon--History.
Personal Names
- Butcher, Claude R. (Claude Raymond), d. 1983.
Corporate Names
- Grand Army of the Republic.
- Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War--Archives. (creator)
Form or Genre Terms
- Charters.
- Correspondence.
- Newsletters.
- Rosters.
