Michigan, Grand Army of the Republic Membership Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of an index of membership records of the Michigan Department Grand Army of the Republic. An organization of Union army and navy veterans of the Civil War. The collection consists of registers, lists and descriptive books of local post (chapters). The collection covers the years 1876 to -1945.

Record Content
The records generally contain the following information:


 * Member's name
 * Residence
 * Age
 * Birthplace
 * Enlistment date
 * Discharge date
 * Rank
 * Organization served in
 * Remarks

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know:


 * Name of the soldier
 * Other identifying information such as birthplace or organization where served

Search the Collection
To search the collection by name fill in your ancestor’s name in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about those in the list to what you already know about your own ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person.

If you did not find the person you were looking for, you may need to search the collection by image. ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the "Record" category ⇒Select the “Post Number Range or Record Type and Date Range" category which takes you to the images

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

With either search keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article [FamilySearch Tips and Tricks].

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use the name, enlistment date and organization to find the soldier’s military records.
 * Use the name and residence to find the soldier’s family in census, church, and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Continue to search the records to identify other relatives who may have served in the same unit or a nearby unit.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Search the records of nearby military units.
 * You may need to compare the information of more than one family or person to make this determination.
 * If you are unable to find your ancestor look for variant spellings of the surnames. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names.

Related Websites

 * Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Grand Army of the Republic Department of Michigan
 * Library of Congress Finding Aid Grand Army of the Republic Records

Related Wiki Articles

 * Union Veterans' and Lineage Society Records
 * Michigan in the Civil War
 * Michigan Military Records
 * Michigan Societies

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):

Image Citation: