Oneida County G.A.R. Posts

# 14 - Utica - Chartered April 5, 1879.
Capt. John F. McQuade, ADC USV. Adjutant of 14th NYSV; appointed ADC August 20, 1862; appointment revoked Feb. 14, 1863.
From the May 31, 1902 edition of the Utica Saturday Globe, "In civic and military life John F. McQuade sustained the honorable reputation of his family. The son of Michael McQuade, who was a power in municipal affairs and in business, he was given an excellent education. He graduated from St. John's College at Fordham, N.Y., and was one of the popular young men of the city. With the breaking out of the war he went to the front with his brother, Col. James McQuade, in the Fourteenth Regiment and served 22 months, when he resigned. He was adjutant of the regiment at the time. He was a man of signal ability and a soldier whose popularity is evidenced by the fact that a post is named for him. After his military service he acted as bookkeeper for his brother, Thomas R. McQuade. He died in 1876. One of his attractive qualities was the ability to sing. He had a splendid voice and had he chosen the stage would undoubtedly have made a success."
# 23 - Waterville - Chartered May 22, 1868.
Sgt. Andrew T. Rowell, Co. D., 117th NYSV. Joined at Sangerfield as Private July, 1862, age 20; KIA near Richmond, VA, Oct. 27, 1864.
# 31 - New York Mills - Chartered May 23, 1868.
1st Lt. George W. Ross, Co. D, 117th NYSV. Joined July, 1862 at Utica as 1st Sgt., age 26; 2d Lt. Sept., 1863; 1st Lt. July, 1864; mustered out with the regiment June, 1865.
# 36 - Utica - May 18, 1878 to June, 1916.
Major William H. Reynolds, 14th NYHA. Capt. 78th NYSV; appointed Major June 13, 1863; captured in action June 11, 1864; escaped Feb., 1866; brevet colonel U.S. Vol. and N.Y. Vol.
From the May 31, 1902 edition of the Utica Saturday Globe, "Post Reynolds is named for Col. William H. Reynolds, whose death in 1874 at the early age of 32 was deplored by a legion of friends. He had lived in Utica from childhood and had gained the esteem and respect of all by his business capacity, his manly bearing and his soldierly qualities. It was in 1863 that he entered the military service by recruiting the Fourteenth New York Heavy Artillery and when it left for the front he was its colonel. At the battle of Pittsburg Landing this regiment suffered severely and many of its members were taken prisoner. Among them was the colonel himself. Later he was exchanged and came home for a brief furlough, but returned to the front and served to the end of the war. He was associated with the firm of Reynolds Bros. until his death in New York May 6, 1874, and his tact and enterprise had much to do with the firm's success. He was prominent in the Masonic fraternity and in the Citizens' Corps."
# 39 - Prospect - May 3, 1875 to 1924.
Capt. John T. Thomas, Co. D, 117th NYSV. A quarryman from Prospect, NY; joined 81st NYSV at Remsen Oct., 1861 as Private in Co. I, age 31; promoted to 1st Lt. Dec., 1861; mustered out Feb. 1, 1862; joined 117th July, 1862 at Trenton as 2d Lt., Co. F; to 1st Lt., Co. C, Dec., 1863; to Capt., Co. D, Oct., 1864; KIA Feb. 16, 1865 at Ft. Fisher, NC; through the efforts of Senator Conkling, his brother Evan T. Thomas was permitted to recover the body; he was nearly shipwrecked in a storm off Cape Hatteras; funeral service was held in Capel Ucha, Remsen and burial was at Prospect Cemetery (Sect. L18); brevet major USV.
# 47 - Rome - Chartered Aug. 29, 1873.
Lt. Col. Charles H. Skillen, 14th NYSV. Joined May, 1861 at Rome as Captain of Co. G, age 41; Major May 8, 1861; Lt. Col. May 17, 1861; KIA June 27, 1862 at Gaines Mill, VA.
# 53 - Utica - Chartered Oct. 24, 1867.
1st Lt. William K. Bacon, Adjutant, Co. F, 26th NYSV. Joined April, 1861 at Utica as Private in Co. A, 14th NYSV, age 19; transferred to Co. F, 26th NYSV July, 1861; Adjutant Aug., 1861; WIA Aug. 31, 1862 at Bull Run; MWIA Dec. 13, 1862 at Fredericksburg, died Dec. 15, 1862.
From the May 31, 1902 edition of the Utica Saturday Globe, "The most youthful of the trio was Adjt. William K. Bacon, the only son of Judge William J. Bacon, of fragrant memory. He was born in Utica February 15, 1842, and was educated in the common schools and the Free Academy., going thence to a preparatory school conducted by Rev. Jonathon Edwards Woodbridge at Auburndale, Mass. He was studying at Hamilton when Sumter's guns aroused the country and he promptly enlisted in Co. A, of the Fourteenth Regiment, and went to the front. Later he became a member of the Twenty-sixth Regiment subsequently became its adjutant. He was wounded at Manassas, but recovered in time to rejoin his regiment in October. December 13, 1862, at the battle of Fredericksburg he fell mortally wounded, shot through the left leg. Amputation was necessary and he died December 16. The post which bears his name is the largest of the local organizations."
# 56 - Lee Center - Feb. 14, 1876 to Dec., 1918.
1st Sgt. Emory C. Starr, Co. F, 146th NYSV. Joined Aug., 1862 at Lee as Corporal, age 21; Sgt. Jan., 1864; captured May 5, 1864 at Wilderness; exchanged March 25, 1865; 1st Sgt. May 18, 1865; mustered out with regiment July, 1865; commissioned as 2d Lt. but never mustered as such.
# 86 - Clayville - Chartered Dec. 14, 1871.
Sgt. William E. Pettee, Co. K, 146th NYSV. Joined at Paris August, 1862, as a Private, age 18; promoted to Corporal and Sgt. ranks; KIA May 5, 1864 at the Wilderness, VA.
# 88 - Camden - Post active in 1872.
Private W. Bradford Willis, Co. B, 117th NYSV. Enlisted at Camden August, 1862, age 19; captured Aug. 25, 1864 at Bermuda Hundred, VA; died Dec. 1, 1864 at Salisbury, NC.
# 97 - Boonville - Chartered July 11, 1868.
Brevet Brig. Gen. Charles Wheelock. Born 1812 in Claremont, NH; merchant and farmer; Colonel of the 97th NYSV; died Jan. 21, 1865 in Washington, DC; buried in Boonville Cemetery (section I, plot D, lot 1).
# 146 - Utica
Major Henry Hastings Curran, 146th NYSV. Joined at Rome Sept., 1862 as a 1st Lt., age 21; promoted to Captain Dec., 1862; to Major Nov., 1863; KIA May 5, 1864 at the Wilderness.
# 181 - Forestport - Chartered May 26, 1881.
Private Henry Walker, Co. K, 117th NYSV. Joined at Remsen Aug., 1862, age 37; WIA June, 1864 at Petersburg, VA; died of wounds July 24, 1864 in Philadelphia hospital.
# 227 - Clinton - Chartered Aug. 17, 1881, "active into the 1920s."
Sgt. Nathaniel B. Hinckley, Co. K, 117th NYSV. Enlisted Aug., 1862 at Clinton as 3d Sgt, age 21; died age 22 of typhoid fever July 7, 1863 aboard the steamer John Brock or John Banks; buried at Fortress Monroe, VA but reinterred in Clinton cemetery.
# 345 - New Hartford - Oct. 27, 1896.
"General" Richard Updyke Sherman, politician. Family also used "Shearman;" born in Vernon, NY in 1819; "educated to be a merchant," he was successful in running political campaigns and was a newspaper editor through the 1840s in Utica, Herkimer, Oswego and Rochester; started Utica Herald in 1847; Utica alderman and Chief of Fire Dept. in 1850; 1853 appointed Brigadier General of 21st Brigade, NYS Militia (Oneida County - 45th and 101st NYSM Regiments), "a position he held for some time;" Clerk of NYS Assembly 1851-1856; "best parliamentarian in the state;" headed a number of local business ventures; died Feb. 21, 1895.
# 413 - Sauquoit - Chartered May 7, 1888.
George W. Chadwick, Sr., capitalist. Owner of cotton mills; member and treasurer of the local war committee; was also a very active recruiter.
# 437 - Utica - Dec. 29, 1883 to 1913.
Captain Frederick "Fritz" Harrer, Co. C, 14th NYSV. Joined May, 1861 at Utica with the above rank, age 36; WIA and captured June 27, 1862 at Gaines Mill, VA; died July 13, 1862 in enemy hands at Savage Station.
From the May 31, 1902, edition of the Utica Saturday Globe, "Post Harrer is made up chiefly of Germans. It bears a name which is respected in Utica, where the family has been represented more than 50 years and has an enviable reputation for industry and integrity. The post was named in honor of Capt. Frederick Harrer, who in the dark days of the civil war was an unflinching patriot and whose courage was an inspiration to his men. Coming from his native Baden to this country 10 years before the war began, with his father, Mathias Harrer, and other members of the family, he speedily gained a wide acquaintance and popularity. He had served in the infantry in Germany and his military knowlege was quickly put into use, when President Lincoln called for volunteers. One of the first companies raised hereabouts was Company C, of the Fourteenth Regiment, with Frederick Harrer as captain. He had got the boys together and when Col. James McQuade took his regiment to the front none of the officers had a more loyal lot of followers than Capt. Harrer. He fell at Gaines Mill, that fearful struggle in which 6,000 men were lost on the Union side, on the ground where two years later 13,000 other brave soldiers in blue fell in what is known in history as the battle of Cold Harbor. Capt. Harrer was shot through the knee in the fighting at Savage station and was sent to the hospital, where he died seven days later - July 4, 1862. It is the testimony of his family that in his last days he was well cared for by the Confederates in charge of the hospital. He is buried where he fell."
# 482 - Camden - Chartered May 12, 1884.
Captain J. Parsons Stone, Co. B, 117th NYSV. Joined Aug., 1862 as 1st Lt., age 28; Captain Aug. 20, 1862; KIA June 17, 1864 at Petersburg, VA.
# 510 - Holland Patent - Aug. 20, 1884 to 1913.
Captain William J. Hunt, Co. D, 117th NYSV. Joined July, 1862 at Utica as 1st Lt., age 21; Captain Dec., 1863; WIA June 28, 1864 at Petersburg, VA; died July 31, 1864 at U.S. General Hospital.
# 526 - Vernon - Chartered Jan. 14, 1889.
Captain James Edgar Jenkins, Co. H, 146th NYSV. Born June 22, 1842; father was a lawyer to John Brown; left Hamilton College as a freshman to raise a company with Rush Cady; 1st Lt. Oneida Independent Company of Cavalry; transferred to 146th in order to be with older brother, Lt Col. David T. Jenkins; Captain March, 1863; WIA July 3, 1863 at Gettysburg; discharged due to wounds Sept., 1864; returned to command Oneida Independent Company of Cavalry (AOP HQ escort); brevet Major US Vol.; settled in Worcester, Mass. after the war, then moved to NY 1871-1881; moved to Florida for relief of war wound, then South Dakota in 1882; elected to political office in Brule County; appointed Adjutant General of Dakota Territory in 1887; felt he was dying and returned to Vernon; died there Sept. 14, 1888; Post named in memoriam.
# 537 - Vienna - Chartered before 1886.
Private George Barton Meays, Co. G, 14th NYSV. Joined May, 1861 at Vienna, age 21; shot while on picket duty, died at Emory Hospital, Washington, DC after discharge.
# 551 - Taberg - April 7, 1885 to 1921.
Captain Willard W. Ballard, Co. I, 81st NYSV. Joined Sept., 1861 at Rome as 1st Lt., age 35; Captian Nov., 1862; KIA June 3, 1864 at Cold Harbor, VA.
# 602 - Florence - Chartered Oct. 6, 1886.
2d Lt. Evan G. Jones, Co. B, 117th NYSV. Joined at Verona Aug., 1862 as Corporal, age 24; promoted to QM Sgt. Nov., 1862; to 2d Lt. April, 1863; died of typhoid fever, July 5, 1863.
# 615 - Verona - July 2, 1887 to 1919.
1st Lt. Joseph Warren, Co. K, 97th NYSV. Joined Oct., 1861 as 1st Lt., age 26; discharged for disability, Sept., 1862.

Maintained by Sue Greenhagen.
E-mail: greenhsh@morrisville.edu