The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1921-08-12
RANKS or C. A. R.
FAST THINNING.
Drop of 10, 103 in Number OF Vet
Grams of Civil War in the
Past Year.
4,445 POSTS IN As STATES
Ohio Has the Largest Quota, with
Pennsylvania Second and New
York. Third Organized in
Illinois in Spring of 1866.

Indianapolis. - When the Grand
Army of the Republic holds it's annual
reunion this year more than 10000 Of
the Civil war veterans who attended
the encampment of 1920 will be count
ed among the missing, as the ranks
have been depleted to this extent
through the last year.
The total membership of the G.. A.
r. today is 93,155, while its member
ship in 1920 was 1O3,25S.
The total membership is scattered
among 4,445 posts in every state Ohio,
with 1924, has the largest member
ship, with Pennsylvania second with
9122; New York third, S,795; Illinois
fourth, 6,S6S; Indiana fifth, 5,949;
Massachusetts sixth, 1856. No other
state has 5000 or more members.
Property owned by all posts is
valued at S2,O75,O27, including real
estate worth S802,841.
Members in the old Confederate
states total approximately 900.
The G. A. r. was organized in Illi-
nOiS in the spring of 1866. Who its
originatOrs were is q matter Of tradi-
ton, rather than of record, says the
report made to the national encamp-
ment in 1869 by N. P. Chapman, then
adjutant general of the national Or
ganization.
First Post in 1866.
"There can be no doubt that the
late Col. B. F. Stephenson of Deca-
tur. ILL.,, was one of the prime movers"
says Chipman's report. Being recOg-
nized as such, he organized the first
post at Decatur, Ill"
By July, 1866, there were 40 posts
in Illinois, representatives Of which
met in convention and organized the
state department. Stephenson was
by common consent the provisional
commander in chief, and posts were
organized in other states, resulting in
the first national encampment being
held at Indianapolis, November 20,
1866. After the Indianapolis conven-
ton Chapman records that posts seem
to have sprung up as if by magic in
all parts of the North" but he adds
there was no record of progress. Ten
states were represented at the In
dianapolis encampment, Fl states in
1857, "a in 1868, 81 in 1869-having
2,O5O posts.
At the 1869 encampment a mutual
life insurance scheme was proposed,
it being said that the G. A. r. had
100000 members. In 1867 it had been
said that the state departments
claimed to represent a constituency
of over 100000, But there is no au-
thentic record Of the number for the
early years, the insurance proposal,
containing an estimate, 1t is thought,
and the 1857 estimate being regarded
as the number of Union soldiers liv-
ing in the jurisdiction Of the state de-
partments represented at the conven-
ton. For instance, the adjutant gen.
erals report at the 1870 encampment,
when there were 80 departments, says
1t is absolutely impossible for me to
furnish anything like correct report,
of the present membership"
Decline Constant Since 1890.
In 1890, however, reports taken as
authentic state that the membership
was 400, 489, the highest mark record
ed. From 1873 to 1890 the growth
was rapid, being from $4,000 to $1,000
annually. Since 1890 the decline has
been constant except for 5000 gain
in 1906, said to be due to prospects
of favorable pension legislation. Sub
sequent enrolment figures from the
time the G. A. r. reached it's zenith
to the present time follow: