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

United States Iowa 



Record Description
These records include images of the Department of Iowa Grand Army of the Republic membership records for the years 1861 to 1865. The records are arranged by county and then by posts within each county. They include veteran's name, residence, occupation, date and place of birth, date and place of death, cemetery where buried, war record, dates of enlistment and discharge, names of parents, spouse, children (if given), and sources of information.

Record Content
These records generally contain the following information:


 * Member's name
 * Residence
 * 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 the requested information in the boxes on the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the individuals in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to look at the information on several individuals comparing the information about them to your ancestors to make this determination. 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.
 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.
 * Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

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

To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the appropriate "County" ⇒Select the appropriate "Post Name" 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. 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.

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.

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Related Digital Books

 * G.A.R. State Encampment 1906
 * Roster of Torrence Post 2
 * Ex-Soldiers, Sailors and Marines Living in Iowa 1866

Related FamilySearch Catalog Collections
History of the Iowa Department Grand Army of the Republic

Related Websites

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

Related Wiki Articles

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

Citations for This Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image

Collection Citation:

Image Citation: