A Very Brief History of the Joplin O.P. Morton Grand Army Republic (GAR) Post

Joplin’s O.P. Morton GAR Post was organized on May 17, 1882. It was named for Indiana Governor Oliver P. Morton. W.H. Fairbanks was elected commander; F.M. Redburn served as senior vice-commander; John C. Bailey elected junior vice-commander; S.B. Williams selected quartermaster; J.W. Lupton voted adjutant; C.T.G. Workizer elected chaplain; C.C. Wheeler, voted officer of the day; and H.C. Combs elected officer of the guard.

Other members included B.F. Joslin, T.H. Mintner, W.E.O. Rush, Edwin Whipple, F.M. Downing, F.D. Owen, N.L. Barner, E.W. Beach, G.O. Boucher, J.T. Everett, Jacob Lurwick, Samuel Ramsey, M.W. Stafford, Ira W. Gilbert, F.E. Eberhart, Samuel Lake, W.S. Scott, T.H. Short, William Stump, Ira Creech, Peter Bittmer, A.B. Adair, W.F. Cloud, T.P. Hill, W.W. Pate, William Sergeant, and W.C. Williams.

In the twenty-five years that followed, hundreds of other names were added to the post’s membership rolls. In 1907, only four of the original charter members were alive: Downing, Whipple, Boucher, and Joslin.

A list of the post’s commanders follows:

1882 W.H. Fairbanks and W.H. Pate

1883 E.W. Beach

1885 E.W. Beach

1886 E.W. Beach

1887 F.M. Redburn and Henry Phelps

1888 Henry Phelps

1889 E.W. Beach and J.L. Briggs

1890 J.G. Lurwick

1891 P.L. Schwartz

1892 A.H. Brewer

1893 J.L. Briggs

1894 H.W. Davison

1895 F.M. Redburn

1896 J.R.B. Roe

1897 H. Crandall and John R. York

1898 John R. York

1899 W.H. Crane

1900 J.R. Goheen

1901 G.W. Hight

1902 L.D. Middleton

1903 W. Jones

1904 M.M. Rice

1905 W.H. McCubbin

1906 G.W. Hight

1907 Henry Digby

1908 Henry Digby

1909 Henry Digby

1910 Albert McCann

1911 J.N. Theurer

1912 D.H. Rhodes

1913 J.M. Theurer

1914 F.L. Yale

1915 F.L. Yale

1916 F.L. Yale

Sources: Joplin News-Herald; Roster of O.P. Morton Post No. 14 G.A.R., Department of Missouri, July 1, 1916 Roster


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One Response to “A Very Brief History of the Joplin O.P. Morton Grand Army Republic (GAR) Post”


  • Comment from bill holloway

    I am in possession of an old “fraternal” medal, inscribed ” Capt Henry Phelps, Joplin MO, Sept 29 1905″ I note by this article that Henry Phelps was Commander of the G.A.R. post in Joplin in 1888, very likely the same Henry Phelps, altho the medal has no reference to the G A R. I would like to find the descendants of Capt Phelps so that I could give them this medal, re-uniting them in a fashion with their past relative. Can you halp?


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