Telegram-herald., 1891-04-07

VT" existence 10 still
here. II stands
h. '. STEPHENSON. facing the public
square Just as II did on the Gay Ben
iamin +. Stephenson and his twelve
comrades met there and completed what
has since become the greatest organiza-
ton OF the kind under tho sun. OF the
thirteen men who assisted in the or
ganization of this post, No. /, but six
survive. Stephenson is dead NJ. F.
Kanan Is still living and Is serving his
third tern as mayor Of this city. g. X.
Steele is treasurer of Macon county. j.
I. Bishop Is comptroller of Bradford,
Pa C. Rcibsame is . wholesale mer-
chant in Bloomington, Ill. b. +. Sib-
ley Is a physician in Decatur and j. L.
Coltrin is a printer here. George Dun
ming, I. c. Pugh, j. II. Male, j. w.
Routh. Joseph Prior and A. Toland are
dead.
The election Of . commander of the
department of Illinois to succeed tho
present commander, Distin. will be one
Of the important business transactions
of this meeting. The two names con-
sidered SO far are Horace s. Clark, Of
Nation, and T. c. Fullerton, of Otta-
wa
Maj. Stephenson formulated the
grand army idea when he was n soldier
on the field. When the war was over
he submitted his plan to several COM
rades who did not think much OF it at
the time. He travelled about tho state
urging his notion on the Old
comrades, but found no encourage
ment. Such an organization meant
expense and the soldiers had not
recupcrated from the shock cs the war.
Stephenson himself was as poor as a
church mouse. He submitted his
scheme to Richard j. Oglesby, then
governor; John w. Snyder, Robert NJ.
Woods, John A. Lightfoot, John S.
Phelps and others of Springfield.
Doubtless from each of these friends
he received many suggestions that
were incorporated in the plan.
In the spring of 1886 at the request OF
comrades j. w. Routh and NJ. +. Kanan
Stephenson visited Decatur with his
manuscript plans Of organization,
briefs for ritual, etc, and placed them
in the hands Of j. w. Routh, j. 7.
Bishop, NJ. F. Karan and George II. Dun
ming, who revised the manuscript and
formulated the original constitution,
regulation and ritual of the order. This
was a work Of revision, not creation.
To them are due many Of the details Of
the work of the order. Versed,
as some of them were. in the work
of secret societies, they put in
form the ritual that is SO striking,
impressive and beautiful. Fortunate
" there were in Decatur two old
soldiers--I. N. Coltrain and Joseph
Prior, publishers of the Tribune. To
these skilled printers were administered
the obligations prescribed in the ritual
and to them was intrusted the printing
of the several documents
Next to the charter in interest arc the
minutes Of tho first assembly Of old
Post I, which are as follows:
Eat an informal meeting held April q 1863
for the purpose OF organizing IA cncampment
Of the Grand Army Of the Republic, the follow.
Ing named persons werc mustered By MAJ. b.
r. Stephenson and constituted charter MEM
hers:
Il C. Pugh. J. W. Routh. J. II. Nala @. II.
punning NJ F. Kanan. ~ Colirln' q. X
Steele, John Prior, J. 7. Bishop, u. =. Sibley.
c. Rcibsanc. Aquilia Toland
'swhen. upon motion, the ercampmert en-
tefcd into On election Of ofncerA With the fol-
lowing result:
''onlcers for the district: Bris. Gen. l. c.
Pugh, commandant OF district; Lieut.. Col. J.
II. Male. district 0uartermaster; J. W. Routh
district adjutant. Oeieefs for the post; NJ. r.
Kaaan post commander. q. T. Steele post
adjutans. q. n Dunning. post quarterrnastsr;
Chris Reihsame. Officer of the day; J. T..
bishop. oficer Of the guard; J. w. Roush. post
surgeon.
'Aii OF whom were duly mastered ny Mai.
Stephenson. who then declared the encarnp-
nent duly organized and ready for the transac-
ton of sny business which might come before
n, and signed IL the post Of honor - Decatur
encampment No. I.
"on motion. o committee of two was appoint.
cd 10 procure q suitable room for the encsmp-
rnens ard repors az psxt regular meeting.
On Notion Tuesday was decided upon ~
the right for regular meetings. On motion, I'D
iournet - meet April ~. 1888
M = KAysy Post CommsnaeY.
sGxoRsE n SrErr.k. Post Atiutant."
Such was the birth Of the Grand
Army Of the Republic. The records Of
Post were lost for many years, and
not until 1887 were they found. and
then only in part. General order No. I
was issued on the list Of April. 1859,
from Springfield. III. and the following
officers were announced: Col Jules G.
webber. aid de camp and chief ri
staff, and Col. John NJ snyder.squsr.
termaster general, Canton, H., Maj
Robert NJ. Woods adiutant general
Joliet. III: Capt John A. Lightfoot,
assistant sdjusant general; Lieut. j. s.
Phelps, sid de camp. Chicago
The foregoing data in regard 70 the
organization 81 the flrst Grand Army Of
the Republic post in this cosntry Is
from . book which viii be read a,
the meetingi tonight at tie Opera
house in this city. after which q copy
viii be presented - each cemrsde pres
ent A copy vii also Re given n each
eer,rsde N the United States cn ths
ssrae evening, ss every post ia Tho
United States vii hold memorial serv.
les IA honor a. the fo1nder Of The
orsier.
Some sinae after the organization ~