# 1 - Rochester - Until sometime around 1900 when it was given a
charter dated Oct. 8, 1866, this post held its rank and number in the Grand
Army of the Republic without a charter. The charter dispensation was granted
because the post was organized during 1866. It was the second post organized in
the nation, the first and original post having been mustered in Decatur,
Illinois, the same year. A drill corps was organized among its members during
the 1880s and distinguished themselves at the funeral of General Grant. Charter
was surrendered in 1931.
Colonel Patrick H. O'Rorke, 140th NYSV. USMA; entered the service in 1861
attached to the US Army Engineer Corps as a Lt.; breveted a Colonel Oct. 1,
1862 and placed in command of the 140th NYSV; KIA at Gettysburg July 2, 1863;
grave is next to Col. Ryan of the 140th NYSV in Holy Sepulchre RC Cemetery in
Rochester, NY.
# 4 - Rochester - Chartered Feb. 10, 1875; secured the post number
"4" on special dispensation from one that had been disbanded; disbanded in
1931.
Major General George Henry Thomas. Born in 1816 in Virginia; USMA; appointed
Brigadier General Aug. 1861; appointed Major General April 1862; remained in
regular army after the war; died in 1870 in San Francisco; buried in Oakwood
Cemetery, Troy, NY.
# 84 - Rochester - Chartered Jan. 10, 1896.
2d Lt. Myron Adams, USV, Signal Corps. Enrolled Aug. 8, 1862 in Co. F, 126th
NYSV at East Bloomfield as a corporal, age 21; surrendered and paroled Sept.
16, 1862 at Harper's Ferry; discharged March 9, 1863; appointed 2d Lt. 2d USCT;
resigned Oct. 6, 1864; appointed 2d Lt. USV Signal Corps March 3, 1863;
resigned Aug. 1, 1865.
# 106 - Rochester - Chartered June 13, 1871. "A post composed
entirely of Germans and the whole work of the Order translated to the German
language."
Colonel Elias Piessner, 119th NYSV. "Born in Germany, a polished scholar;"
professor of German and political economy at Union College in Schenectady;
organized a military company there; appointed colonel June 26, 1862 at NYC, age
35; KIA at Chancellorsville May 2, 1863.
# 211 - Fairport - Chartered April 25, 1881.
1st Sgt. Edwain A. Slocum, Co. A, 8th NY Cavalry. "Resident of Fairport who
joined as a private and won his promotion through faithful duty;" shot through
the head July 1, 1863 at Gettysburg, age 27; grave in Gettysburg National
Cemetery.
# 236 - Brockport - Chartered Oct. 19, 1881.
Captain Lester A. Cady, 24th NYLA. [Note - This unit was Battery B Rocket
Battalion of NYLA until Nov. 1, 1862.] Joined Oct. 1861 at Hamlin as 2d Lt.,
age 25; promoted to captain June 1863; captured at Plymouth, NC, April 20,
1864; escaped from Columbia, SC, Oct. 5, 1864; reported to Camp Parole, MD,
Dec. 29, 1864; discharged Jan. 13, 1865; died Nov. 8, 1865.
# 270 - Spencerport - Chartered May 17, 1882.
Major General John Henry Martindale. Born 1815 in Hudson Falls, NY; spn of a
five-term Whig Congressman; USMA '35; resigned his commission in 1836 for law
practice in Batavia, NY; served two terms as District Attorney in Batavia;
appointed Brigadier General Aug. 9, 1861; led a Third Corps brigade on the
Peninsula; military governor of Washington, DC, until spring of 1864; led XVIII
Corps division in 1864; resigned Sept. 13, 1864; brevet Major General USV for
actions at Malvern Hill in 1862; Attorney General of NYS, 1867-69; died in
1881; buried in Harvester St. Cemetery, Batavia. "The post was named in honor
of the General, under whom so many of its members served during the war."
# 275 - Webster - Chartered July 13, 1882.
Captain Thomas L. Farr, Co. L, 8th NY Cav. Enrolled Aug. 29, 1862 in 8th Cav.
in Rochester, age 32; Sgt. of Co. L; promoted to 2d Lt. June 25, 1863; as
Captain to date Sept. 1, 1864; wounded and captured Sept. 28, 1864 at
Waynesboro, VA; died Oct. 1864 while a POW at Charlottesville, VA.
# 288 - Pittsford - June 19, 1884 to 1920.
Captain Edwin J. Tyler, Co. A, 33d NYSV. Joined May 1861 at Seneca Falls as 1st
Lt., age 38; mustered out with company 1863.
# 369 - Honeoye Falls - April 30, 1883 to 1923.
Private Lewis Gates, Co. C, 7th Ohio Volunteers. KIA at Port Republic,
Missouri, June 9, 1862.
# 391 - Rochester - Chartered Aug. 3, 1883.
Brevet Major General Charles J. Powers, U.S.V. Born in 1833 in Haldimand,
Ontario, Canada; attended Harvard & University of Toronto; lawyer; enrolled May
8, 1861 in 13th NYSV at Rochester as 1st Lt. and Adjutant, age 27; promoted to
Captain and Assistant Adjutant General, USV, Nov. 6, 1861 on staff of General
Martindale; mustered Oct. 9, 1862 as Lt. Col. of 108th NYSV; Colonel March 2,
1863; wounded at the Wilderness; discharged for wounds Oct. 29, 1864 but order
revoked and discharged to date May 28, 1865; brevet Brigadier General USV and
Major General USV March 13, 1865; died Aug. 27, 1882 in Rochester; buried in
Mt. Hope Cemetery (section W, lot 23).
# 397 - Rochester - Chartered Aug. 24, 1883.
Brevet Brigadier General Elisha Gaylord Marshall. Born in 1829 in Seneca
Falls; Captain 6th US Inf. and 14th US Inf.; Colonel of 13th NYSV; Colonel 14th
NYHA; captured at Fort Hell in 1864 and held out until the last regular
exchange of prisoners took place; after the war Major in 5th US Inf.; died 1883
in Canandaigua; buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Rochester (section G, lot 193).
# 409 - Rochester - Chartered March 13, 1897.
Brigadier General Isaac Ferdinand Quinby. Born in Morristown, N.J.; West Point
'43; "lifelong friend of U.S. Grant;" professor at West Point;professor of math
and science at the University of Rochester; raised the 13th NYSV and was its
colonel through Aug. 1861; returned to University of Rochester; Brigadier
General March 1862; participated in the Vicksburg Campaign though plagued by
illness; resigned Dec. 1863 and went back to University of Rochester;died in
1891; buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Rochester.
# 433 - Churchville - Chartered Dec. 21, 1883.
Captain Asa L. Goodrich, Co. F, 8th NY Cavalry. Joined at Rochester as a
private, age 29; promoted to corporal Dec. 1862; to 1st Sgt. Jan. 1863; to 2d
Lt. June 1863; to captain April 1864; captured June 29, 1864; paroled; KIA
April 3, 1865 at Namozine Church, VA.
# 455 - Rochester - Chartered Mar. 14, 1902.
Brevet Brigadier General Francis Edwin Pierce. Born in 1833 in Fowlersville,
Livingston County; attended the University of Rochester; school teacher;
enrolled Aug. 9, 1862 as captain, Co. F in 108th at Rochester, age 29; as major
Sept. 17, 1862; wounded at Fredericksburg; as Lt. Col. Mar. 2, 1863; wounded at
Gettysburg; wounded at Morton's Ford Feb 6, 1864; wounded at the Wilderness and
again at Spotsylvania; Colonel 8th US Veteran Vols.; died in 1896 in San
Francisco; buried there in National Cemetery.