GAR Records

The Department of Michigan is a proud leader in the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War GAR Records Program. Led by Past Department Commander, James T. Lyons, the Department GAR Records Committee has uncovered records of many of Michigan's nearly 500 (some Post numbers were used multiple times) GAR Posts. Brother Lyons and the GAR Records Committee have developed methods and procedures that are emulated by other Departments as they develop their own programs.

The GAR records are a goldmine of information about the GAR Posts and the communities in which they existed. Post Descriptive books, financial records and periodic reports the the Deparment paint a very vivid picture of the day by day and year by year evolution of the Post. Many Posts maintained bound Memorial Books in which detailed information about individual members was kept. In the pages of the Memorial Book Comrades would often write detailed remembrances of their time in the service.

The LeValley- Heusted Camp GAR Records Committee is actively soliciting any information about the whereabouts of any records or artifacts of GAR Posts which operated in Tuscola or Huron Counties. While the Camp recommends that all such records be placed in depository with the Michigan State Archives it, in no way, wishes to claim or dictate the ownership or direction of these items. We seek to catalogue and, if possible, copy the content of such records and artifacts for posterity. With the permission of the possessor, we provide a copy of the content to the Michigan Department Graves Records Committee and to local historical societies. We ask the support of the public in this noble cause. If you possess or know of the whereabouts of any records or artifacts of a GAR Post please contact the Camp GAR Records Officer.