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

Why Should I Look at This Collection?
If you have ancestors who served in the Union army or navy during the Civil War they may have joined the Grand Army of the Republic. This collection could be used in conjunction with the United States Civil War soldiers Index and the United States General Index to Pension Files.

What is in This Collection?
The records in this Collection include membership records of the Minnesota Department Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union army and navy veterans of the Civil War, from 1869 to 1940. The collection consists of registers, lists, adjutant and quartermaster reports, and descriptive books of local post (chapters). For a brief history on the Grand Army of the Republic see the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Membership
 * Member's name
 * Military Unit
 * Town of Residence
 * Birthplace
 * Enlistment date
 * Discharge date
 * Rank
 * Organization served in
 * Remarks

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The soldier’s or sailor’s name
 * The possible location of their Post

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Search for additional military records such as service and pension
 * Search for the family in birth, marriage, and death records
 * Use the information to locate the soldier or sailor and their families in census, church, or land records
 * Search the index to see if other family members were in the same post

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Check for variants of given names, surnames, and place names
 * It was not uncommon for an individual be listed under a nickname or an abbreviation of their name
 * Vary the search terms by using only the first or the last name to return broader list of possible candidates which can then be examined for matches
 * Search the records of nearby posts your soldier or sailor may have joined a different post
 * Look at the actual image of the record to verify the information found in the online description when possible (You may also find additional information on the that may lead to other records or ancestors)
 * Consult the Minnesota Record Finder to find other records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Minnesota.
 * US Military Basic Search Strategies
 * Beginning United States Civil War Research
 * Locating a Union Civil War Soldier (1861-1865)
 * Minnesota Guided Research
 * Minnesota Record Finder
 * Minnesota Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Minnesota Research, 1880-Present
 * Beginning Research in United States Military Records

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Grand Army of the Republic. Department of Minnesota. Post records, 1869-1928
 * Grand Army of the Republic. Department of Minnesota. Post adjutants' and quartermasters' reports, 1880-1940

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890
 * United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934
 * United States Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933
 * United States National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * Robert B. Beath. History of the Grand Army of the Republic. New York, New York : Bryan, Taylor & Co., 1889, c1888
 * Annual Encampment Department of Minnesota 1905


 * Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars, 1861–1865. Two Volumes. St. Paul, Minnesota: Pioneer Press, 1890–93. (Family History Library book
 * Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars, 1861–1865. 2d ed. Two Volumes. St. Paul, Minnesota: Pioneer Press, 1891. (Family History Library )] Volume 1 includes the history of each regiment and regimental rosters listing soldiers’ names, ages, dates of service, and remarks about their service, including whether transferred, wounded, captured, or killed. Volume 2 consists of correspondence and battle reports, arranged chronologically. Indexes at the end of each volume list only some officers and major events. A more complete index to both volumes is at the Minnesota Historical Society
 * Minnesota Adjutant General’s Report of 1866. Roseville, Minnesota: Park Genealogical Books, 1997. (Family History Library .) The report lists 26,088 names of men who served during the Civil War period, including citizen soldiers who served in local militias. It gives name, age, state or country of birth, dates of service, and remarks, and is arranged alphabetically. Family history researchers should look at both

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.