The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1884-01-17
Lewis; Surgeon, r. d. Barber; Adj, g.
/. Pope; 9: NJ, 1. b: Bennett; Officer

Lewis; Surgeon, r. ID. Barber; Adj, g.
II, Pope; @. NJ, l.. B. Bennett; Officer
Of the day, j. G. Goodnow; y. e.. Jas.
\, Hut; q. M. s., j. II. Johnson; $.
NJ, j. s.. Stone. Relief Committee
r. d. Barber, Chm; NJ. B. Soule, 5. d.
Harrington, Il. G. Bell, j. &. GoOdnow.
On the evening Of June 29th, 1872,
about thirty-iive or forty ex-s0loiers Of
the Union army, who had faithfully
served their country during the rebe.-
lion, met at Il building which was iI-
tended for Il carpenter shop, and which
was then standing where the COngre'
gatiOnal church now stands, for the
purpose OF organizing Il Post ofxti.e
Grand Army Of the Republic. The
meeting was addressed by Capt. Henry
A. Castle, of st. Paul. and the objects
Of the organization fully explained, at
ter which he proceeded to muster III
those assembled as Stoddard Post No.
81, Department of Minnesota, &: "A. r.,
Capt. Castle being at that time Com
mander of the Department.
The Post received its name from an
old gentleman named otOduard, who
had died here the previous winter, he
being tile first ex soldier buried in No
bles county. The first officers of the
Post were us follows: VIM: b. Atkins,
| Commander: J. 5. Shuck, Senior Vice
Commander; L. e.. Bell. Junior Vice
Commander; NJ. B. Soule, Adjutant; G.
G. Goodnow, Quartermaster; 4. d. Bar
Der, Surgeons; "A. B. Wiley, Officer Of
the Day; j. G. Goodnow, Officer Of the
Guard.
Tie Post held weekly meetings dur.
| ing the summer, but as winter ap-
preached it WAS found impossible To
procure suitable place for meeting,
aud as 4 consequence the Post became
somewhat demOralized, and owing tC
the fact that the members were scat
tered over the prairie, the meetings
were thinly attended and much of the
interest died out. But Il determined
few continued to meet as often AS pos
sible, and 1T the first meeting III lS7;
the following officers were elected:- =
r. u. Barber. Commanders; Il. &. Bell
Senior Vice Commander; G.. ". Rhone
Junior Vice Commanders; NJ. Is. Soule
Adjutant; a. !. Manley, Quartermas
ter; r. d. Barber, Surgeon; B. 5. Lang
don, Chaplain; J. G. Goodmow, Otficel
OF the Day; j. 5. Stone. Officer OF thu
Guard: Daniel Stone, Sergeant Major
b. r.. Prince, Quartermaster Sergeant
Things remained very quiet until the
fall OF this year (1S73), when the Post
seemed to take q new lease of power
and the headquarters were changed
from Miller Hall, where they had beer
previously established, to Masonic Hall
where better accommodations were af
forded, and from that time to the
present the Post has continued to pros
per. At the last meeting in 1873 thu
following officers were elected for tht
ensuing year: J. a. Town, Comman
der; T. &. Bell, Senior Vice Comman
der; NJ. II. Stevens, Junior Vice Com
mander; NJ. B. Soule, Adjutant: A. J.
Manley, Quartermaster; Il. D. Barber
Surgeon; J. W. Smith, Chaplain; y. p
Haydenburk, Officer of the Day; l.. b
Bennett, Officer Of the Guard.
The Post has given several public en-
tertainments, ut which the utmost gO"(
feeling has prevailed, and which ha
been the means of raising asmal! funt
which has been expended in charity
1t also held public exercises on Decora
tion Day. in the years 1873 and 1874
On the latter occasion the Post turnet
out to the number of sixty and listened
to u very fine address by Comrade 7. G
Bell. During the last quarter of th'
year 1874 the Post was enabled to dis
burse Il considerable amount IN charit,
among the ex-soldiers. the same hay
ing been furnished the Post through
the liberality of comrades in the differ
ent societies in the United States, ant
for which they will ever be held j,
grateful remembrance by the man,
soldiers in Southwestern Minnesota.