MC 205
Grand Army of the Republic.
Department of Montana
Grand Army of the Republic Montana
Department records
1881-1941
5 linear feet of shelf space
This collection consists of records of the Montana
Department of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) and of the Woman's Relief Corps. Records
include correspondence, financial records, organizational materials, rosters, minutes, and
miscellany for locals in Anaconda, Butte, Boulder Valley, Columbia Falls, Deer Lodge, Fort
Custer, Great Falls, Hamilton, Helena, and Missoula.
12:3-7
146:1-2 (volumes 1-3)
English
Fragile material copied on MF 429. See inventory below for specific items.
The Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) was the national organization of Union Army
veterans of the Civil War. The first G.A.R. post in Montana was the John Buford Post, No.
15, Department of the Mountains, established at Fort Custer on August 20, 1881. In October
1883 the Department of Utah was organized, and Montana became part of this new department.
On March 10, 1885, the Department of Montana was formed. Posts from the Department of the
Mountains and the Department of Utah were re-numbered as posts within the Department of
Montana. Montana eventually had 26 posts, although not all were active at the same time. The
National Woman's Relief Corps, auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, was organized in
Denver, Colorado, on July 25, 1883. The Montana division, added on May 3, 1888, originally
was under the jurisdiction of the Department of North Dakota, but after six corps were
formed in Montana, making the state eligible for a department of its own, the Department of
Montana was created on April 15, 1893. Starting with a membership of 215 in 1893, the
Woman's Relief Corps Department of Montana, grew to 850 members in 1922. The organization's
primary duty was to care for veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic, and in Montana it
was partially responsible for the passage, in 1895, of a bill to establish and maintain a
solders' home at Columbia Falls. The Corps was also involved in relief work and fundraising
of a general nature, raising money for famine and flood victims throughout the world.
This collection is arranged in four subgroups. The first subgroup contains Department of
Montana records of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Woman's Relief Corps, and the Ladies
of the G.A.R., including general correspondence (1893-1934, undated); outgoing correspondence
(1885-1936), including general and special orders, and circulars; financial records
(1887-1918); organizational materials (1903, 1933, undated); miscellany, including encampment
programs and minutes, index to records of local posts, histories, membership information,
and roster books, etc.; a scrapbook (1939-1965); and clippings (1920-1921, undated). A second
subgroup contains the records of Local Posts, including John Buford Post #1, Fort Custer;
Lincoln Post #2, Butte; Wadsworth Post #3, Helena; George H. Thomas Post #4, Deer Lodge;
Custer Post #5, Soldiers' Home, Columbia Falls; William English Post #10, Bozeman; Frederick
Winthrop Post #11, Missoula; James B. McPherson Post #13, Boulder Valley; George G. Meade
Post #16, Anaconda; Sheridan Post #18, Great Falls; John C. Fremont Post #21, Hamilton; and
George B. McClelland Post #24, Columbia Falls. Records included are correspondence, minutes,
descriptive books of members, rosters, and ledgers. Not all posts include all these records.
The third subgroup in the collection contains records of Woman's Relief Corps local posts
including Wadsworth Post #1, Helena and Lincoln Post #6, Butte. Records include ledger books
for Helena, and correspondence, minutes, and reports for Butte. The fourth subgroup consists
of records of the Ladies of the G.A.R. local post at Butte, entitled the John F. Reynolds
Circle #14. Records include correspondence, financial records, minutes, and reports.
Arranged by series and subgroup. Some material housed in Archives Map Case and Manuscript
Volumes, see inventory below for more information.
Acquisition Information available upon request
Artifacts separated to Museum. See inventory below for more information.
See MF 429 for microfilmed copies of fragile material.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society
Archives catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places
should search under these terms.
Grand Army of the Republic.
Department of Montana
Boulder (Mont.)--social life and customs
United States--history--civil war, 1861-1865
Veterans--societies, etc.--Montana
Women--societies and clubs--Montana
Military
Montana
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection
Department Of Montana
General Correspondence
1 / 1
Chronological (correspondents include Knights of
Labor, Anaconda; U.S. Bureau of Pensions; Woman's Relief Corps, Bozeman, Helena;
George H. Taylor; C.P.H. Bielenberg; Effie MacRae; Ladies of the Grand Army of the
Republic; U.S. General Land Office; Roy C. Minard; Samuel V. Stewart; Benton
Halstead)
1893-1934, undated
Outgoing Correspondence
1 / 2
Letterpress book (includes general orders, special
orders)
1885-1889, 1896
1 / 3
General orders, special orders, circulars
1886-1923, 1936
1 / 4
General orders, special orders, circulars: Woman's
Relief Corps and Ladies of the G.A.R.
1896-1935
Financial Records
1 / 5
Cash book kept by Assistant Quartermaster General
1887-1918
Organizational Records
1 / 6
Ladies of the G.A.R. bylaws; report from annual
convention of Woman's Relief Corps; minutes of meeting; history of Woman's Relief
Corps
1903, 1933, undated
Miscellany
1 / 7
Encampment programs and minutes
1886-1947
1 / 8
Index to records of posts
undated
1 / 9
List of artifacts transferred to Museum
1 / 10
List of pensioners; membership reports; list of
department commanders
1885-1936
1 / 11
Memorial Day programs, salutes to the flag, pension
requirements, forms, etc.
1886-1895, 1926, undated
1 / 12
Notes on and history of Dept. of Montana and local
posts
undated
1 / 13
Pension authorizations, certificates of honorable
discharge, certificates of service, etc.
1889-1905
2 / 1
Register of delegates to encampments
1894-1908
Vol. 1
Register of delegates to encampments
1917-1923
2 / 2-3
Roster books (include rosters of officers of Dept.
of Montana, local posts, past commanders, etc.)
1887-1907
2 / 4
Rosters of Dept. of Montana and Woman's Relief
Corps [scattered dates]
1887-1921
2 / 5
Transfers in from other states
1887-1925
2 / 6
United Veterans Council bylaws and constitution
1933
Clippings
2 / 7
Miscellaneous (includes minutes of meetings,
obituaries, political commentary)
1895-1930, undated
Vol. 2
Scrapbook (compiled by Mrs. O.E. Selzer and Myra
Korlsund: includes news, obituaries, and mementos)
1939-1965
Local Posts
Subject Files
2 / 8
John Buford Post #1, Fort Custer: account ledger
1885-1896, undated
2 / 9
John Buford Post #1, Fort Custer: minute book
[includes John Buford Post #15, Fort Custer, Dept. of the Mountains]
1881-1892
2 / 10
John Buford Post #1, Fort Custer: regulations,
bylaws, and rosters [includes John Buford Post #15, Fort Custer, Dept. of the
Mountains]
1881-1892
2 / 11
John Buford Post #1, Fort Custer: descriptive book
of members [includes John Buford Post #15, Fort Custer, Dept. of the Mountains]
[FRAGILE: Use MF 429]
1881-1892
3 / 1
Lincoln Post #2, Butte: correspondence
1887-1929, undated
3 / 2
Lincoln Post #2, Butte: bills, statements etc.
1886-1927
3 / 3
Lincoln Post #2, Butte: cash book
1908-1920
3 / 4-6
Lincoln Post #2, Butte: ledgers
1884-1935
3 / 7
Lincoln Post #2, Butte: minute book [includes
Lincoln Post #1, Butte, Dept. of Utah]
1883-1894
4 / 1-5
Lincoln Post #2, Butte: minute books
1895-1924
5 / 1
Lincoln Post #2, Butte: minute book
1924-1936
5 / 2
Lincoln Post #2, Butte: items removed from minute
books
1899-1931
5 / 3
Lincoln Post #2, Butte: minutes of meetings with
other patriotic organizations to found camp of Sons of Veterans
1917
5 / 4
Lincoln Post #2, Butte: quarterly reports,
committee reports, etc.
1894-1934
5 / 5
Lincoln Post #2, Butte: applications, memorials,
resolutions, registrations for headstones, admission requirements
1888-1924
5 / 6-8
Lincoln Post #2, Butte: descriptive books of
members [FRAGILE: Use MF 429]
1883-1914
5 / 9
Lincoln Post #2, Butte: programs, etc.
1908-1933
5 / 10
Lincoln Post #2, Butte: rosters [includes Lincoln
Woman's Relief Corps #6; Sons of Veterans Camp #5; John F. Reynolds Circle #14,
Ladies of the G.A.R.; Wilbur F. Sanders Circle #17, Ladie of the G.A.R.]
1902-1932
5 / 11
Wadsworth Post #3, Helena: correspondence
1902, undated
5 / 12
Wadsworth Post #3, Helena: rules and regulations
and roster [includes Wadsworth Post #8, Helena, Dept. of Utah]
1883-1896
5 / 13
Wadsworth Post #3, Helena: roster
1895
Vol. 3
Wadsworth Post #3, Helena: minutes
1888-1892
5 / 14
Wadsworth Post #3, Helena: minutes
1892-1897
6 / 1
Wadsworth Post #3, Helena: minutes
1903-1915
6 / 2-3
Wadsworth Post #3, Helena: descriptive books of
members [includes Wadsworth Post #8, Helena, Dept. of Utah] [FRAGILE: Use MF 429]
1883-1904
6 / 4
Wadsworth Post #3, Helena: inventory
undated
6 / 5
Wadsworth Post #3, Helena: rituals
1921
6 / 6
George H. Thomas Post #4, Deer Lodge: minute book
[includes George H. Thomas Post #9, Deer Lodge, Dept. of Utah]
1884-1941
7 / 1
George H. Thomas Post #4, Deer Lodge: descriptive
book of members [includes George H. Thomas Post #9, Deer Lodge, Dept. of Utah]
[FRAGILE: Use MF 429]
1884-1991
7 / 2
Custer Post #5, Columbia Falls: minute book
1911-1930
7 / 3
Custer Post #5, Columbia Falls: descriptive book of
members [includes Soldier's Home and George B. McClelland Post #24, Columbia Falls]
[FRAGILE: Use MF 429]
1886-1924
7 / 4
William English Post #10, Bozeman: program
1886
7 / 5-7
Frederick Winthrop Post #11, Missoula: minutes
[includes Robert C. Winthrop Post #11, Missoula]
1884-1891, 1904-1934
7 / 8
James B. McPherson Post #13, Boulder Valley: ledger
book
1885-1892
7 / 9
James B. McPherson Post #13, Boulder Valley:
descriptive book of members [FRAGILE: Use MF 429]
1885-1895
8 / 1
George G. Meade Post #16, Anaconda: ledger book
1897-1920
8 / 2-3
George G. Meade Post #16, Anaconda: minute books
1899-1916
8 / 4
George G. Meade Post #16, Anaconda: bylaws and
resolutions
undated
8 / 5
George G. Meade Post #16, Anaconda: descriptive
books of members [FRAGILE: Use MF 429]
1887-1907
8 / 6
George G. Meade Post #16, Anaconda: post register
1893-1915
MC 199-215
George G. Meade Post #16, Anaconda:
membership lists [OVERSIZE: See Archives Map Case folder MC 199-215]
1893-1915
8 / 7
Sheridan Post #18, Great Falls: membership
applications
undated
8 / 8
John C. Fremont Post #21, Hamilton: descriptive
book of members [FRAGILE: Use MF 429]
1890-1898
Woman's Relief Corps Local Posts
Subject Files
9 / 1-2
Wadsworth Post #1, Helena: ledger books
1888-1913
9 / 3
Lincoln Post #6, Butte: correspondence
1898-1923, undated
9 / 4
Lincoln Post #6, Butte: minutes
1899-1902, undated
9 / 5
Lincoln Post #6, Butte: quarterly reports,
treasurers' reports, election reports, etc.
1900-1921
Ladies Of The G.A.R.
Membership Records
9 / 6
Phil Sheridan Circle # 4: History
1953
Subject Files
9 / 7
John F. Reynolds Circle # 14, Butte: correspondence
1916-1933
9 / 8
John F. Reynolds Circle # 14, Butte: account books
1931-1935
9 / 9
John F. Reynolds Circle # 14, Butte: bills, bank
books, receipts, etc.
1901-1933
9 / 10
John F. Reynolds Circle # 14, Butte: minutes
1916-1935, undated
9 / 11
John F. Reynolds Circle # 14, Butte: convention
reports, quarterly reports, committee reports
1920-1939
Miscellany
9 / 12
Phil Sheridan Circle # 4: Encampment brochure,
Certificate of Participation for Arline Childs, Star Spangled Banner lyrics
1949, 1975
Clippings
9 / 13
Phil Sheridan Circle # 4
1932-1962