Title: Sons of Union Veterans Henry Herndon Camp 2 Records
Inclusive Dates: 1905-1944

Creator:

• , Sons of Union Veterans Henry Herndon Camp 2

Call Number: WVM Mss 1939

Quantity: Papers: 2.6 linear ft. (3 archives boxes, 7 oversized boxes and 2 oversized folders) and photographs: 0.1 linear ft. (1 folder)

Repository:

Wisconsin Veterans Museum
Have questions? Contact the Reference Archivist

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Veterans Museum (Map)

See the catalog entry for current shelf locations and additions.

Abstract:

Records pertaining to the Sons of Union Veterans Henry Herndon Camp 2, and Auxiliary, both located in Madison, Wisconsin. Included are financial records of the Camp Treasurer, reports from the Camp Quartermaster, and notes from the Camp Secretary. Other materials include many forms used by the Camp for various purposes, and correspondence between the Camp and Division, the Camp and members or potential members, and other unaffiliated groups. Financial records include receipts, bank statements, bills and the quarterly Treasurer's reports as well as cash logs. Camp Quartermaster materials consist of quarterly reports, correspondence regarding orders from the Division, examples of order forms and inventories of camp supplies. Secretary materials include muster rolls, membership logs, minute books, and correspondence between the Camp and other people or organizations. Records of the Auxiliary include two large decorative charters, undated, minute books, membership logs, cash books and miscellaneous correspondence kept by the Post. Of interest is correspondence regarding a biography on Abraham Lincoln. The Brothers took exception to the author's characterization of Lincoln, and wrote several letters to the author, publishers, book sellers and organizations who focused on Lincoln.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.wvm-mss01939

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Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War is a fraternal organization that was founded in 1861 and later chartered by Congress in 1954 as the legal successor to the Grand Army of the Republic. The primary focus of the organization, both in the early 20th century and now, is to honor the memory and action of veterans of war. Membership was at first restricted to those who had fathers or grandfathers who fought for the Union in the Civil War. After World War I, the Sons of Union Veterans began welcoming veterans of World War I, and later World War II, to join their organization, as well as men who had ancestors involved in the GAR. Members refer to each other as “Brother” as a sign of respect and their involvement in the Sons of Union Veterans. The Henry Herndon Camp, located in Madison, Wisconsin, was established in the early 20th Century and still remains active today.

The Auxiliary to the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War was first formed in 1883 and became an official organization in 1884. The main focus of the Auxiliary is to organize Memorial Day services to honor veterans. The Auxiliary has always engaged in other charitable works, including those done to support soldiers and veterans.

The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and Auxiliary collection is arranged in to four series: Administrative Records, Secretary's Records, Treasurer's Records and Auxiliary Records.

Administrative Records, (1886-1944) Include all working records for the Camp, excluding the Secretary and Treasurer. The Camp received many advertisements from grave marker companies, for their annual decoration of veteran's graves, and GAR and Sons of Union Veterans memorabilia. Forms include Quartermaster's records, Treasurer's reports, Secretary's Reports, application forms, requisition forms, and many other forms the camp used. All forms are kept together for access purposes, used forms can be found in the Treasurer and Secretary's records. Bylaws and constitution has a copy of the Sons of Union Veteran's mission, the constitution and amendments of the Henry Herndon Camp.

Commander and council materials include official forms and letters to the commanders of the camp about various activities. Correspondence includes letters and mailings the Camp received and sent out about Abraham Lincoln, including a scholarship for an essay writing competition. Most interesting is a series of letters exchanged between the Camp and an author of a biography of Lincoln, in which the author expresses negative opinions of Lincoln. Other interesting correspondence revolves around the founding of a rival Camp in Madison that the Brothers of the Henry Herndon Camp accuse of associating and sympathizing with the Klu Klux Klan. Correspondence with Brothers and other organization go over meeting details, collective meetings and attendance of important meetings.

First Sergeant's quarterly reports are copies of reports given to the Division by the first sergeant on the state of the Camp. A major function of the Camp is the attention paid to the veterans of the Civil War, in particular the marking and honoring of their graves. Grave and marker research and grave rosters include a survey done by the Sons of Union Veterans about the state of the graves of Civil War Soldiers in Wisconsin. The grave roster is an alphabetical list by cemetery of Civil War graves in Madison cemeteries.

Miscellaneous and National materials include papers and stickers from big events. Other papers include national publications and updates to members. Quartermaster's materials include reports, filed to the Division, requisition forms, and letters about items that had been requisitioned from the Division, as well as an inventory of items held by the Camp.

Special events and meetings consist of correspondence about special events, and invitations to other meetings. These are patriotic events, including Memorial Day, patriotic parades, and group meetings with other veterans organizations. World Wars and enlistment materials encourage eligible Brothers to join the armed forces and fight in the World War, and encourage those who are unable to enlist to engage in other patriotic duties.

Secretary's Records, (1902-1944) consist of membership materials, meeting minutes and secretary's reports. Applications for membership span from 1905 to 1944, with many being undated. These applications include the applicant's name and information as well as their father or grandfather's name and Civil War regiment and discharge information. Brothers of the Camps were often dropped from the rosters for not paying their membership dues. Brother Kramer materials pertain to the trial and subsequent dishonorable discharge of Brother Kramer.

Outreach materials include national pamphlets sent out for distribution, lists of residents in the area who had ancestors in the Civil War that were not yet part of an organization such as theirs, letters from potential members, and research done on applicants. The Division Secretary frequently corresponded with the Camp Secretary about new members and updating membership rolls. Descriptive membership rolls include names, addresses, and information about the service of a father or grandfather. Minutes document the running of the meetings and important matters discussed, usually financial and the planning of large events. Secretary's materials include loose notes and quarterly reports sent in by the secretary to the division.

Treasurer's Records, (1902-1944) consist of ledgers and cash logs, bills and receipts, and correspondence about dues and fees. The Treasurer kept ledgers, balance sheets and ledgers to keep track of the Camps' spending and intake of money, the per capita tax owed to the Division and money owed by Brothers.

Bids to the Brothers are from several renovations done to the Brother's hall. Bills kept by the Sons of Union Veterans are generally from large events, such as Memorial Day for food, flowers and the rental of tents. A sampling of bills kept by the Sons of Union Veterans for their day-to-day activities, such as food, printing, phone and electric bills for the Camp have been included.

As Treasurer, Brothers were expected to keep track of all financial obligations and actions of the Camp. These Brothers kept ledgers, cash logs, and other records on the intake and expenditure of money by the Camp. This also includes correspondence with state and federal government about the payment of taxes and social security. Treasurers corresponded with many members about the payment of dues and the standing of Brothers within the Camp based on dues. Other correspondence and legal documents include the leasing of their hall to other groups, the rates for renting and leases the organizations signed.

Auxiliary Records, (1911-1960) The Auxiliary records are similar to those found in the Camp records. In the membership descriptive rolls, members are asked to list the service of their fathers or grandfathers and the membership of their husbands in the Sons of Union Veterans. Cash books and ledgers are kept in the same way as in the Camp. A major focus of the miscellaneous camp papers is the spread and of patriotism, especially to children.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Anonymous donor, 2008. Accession Number: Mss 2008.072c and Mss 2008.072g.

Processing Information

Processed by Brittany Strobel, in 2014.

	Series: Administrative Records
Box   1 Folder   1	Advertisements, undated
Box   1 Folder   2	Bylaws and constitution, 1909-1935
Box   1 Folder   3	Commander and council materials, 1906-1944
	Subseries: Correspondence	⇧
Box   1 Folder   4	Lincoln, 1908-1942
Box   1 Folder   5	Resolutions regarding the K.K.K., 1923-1943
Box   1 Folder   6	With Brothers, 1909-1944
Box   1 Folder   7	With other organizations, 1917-1944
Box   1 Folder   8	First Sergeant's quarterly reports, 1907
Box   1 Folder   9	Forms, undated
Box   1 Folder   10	Grave and marker research, 1929
Box   1 Folder   11	Grave roster, undated
Box   1 Folder   12	Miscellaneous, undated
Box   1 Folder   13	National materials, 1886-1908
Box   1 Folder   14	Patriotic songs, undated
Ph   27 Folder   32	Photographs: Fort Riley, Kansas, undated
Box   1 Folder   15	Quartermaster's materials, 1907-1941
Box   1 Folder   16	Sons of Union Veterans, Department of Illinois, 1917
Box   1 Folder   17	Special events, 1917-1942
Box   1 Folder   18	Special meetings, 1908-1944
Box   1 Folder   19	World Wars and enlistment, 1917-1944
	Series: Secretary's Records	⇧
	Subseries: Membership
	Applications
Box   1 Folder   20-22	1905-1914
Box   2 Folder   1-3	1915-1940
Box   2 Folder   4	Brother Kramer, 1914-1918
Box   2 Folder   5	Correspondence with potential members, 1908-1944
Box   2 Folder   6	Memorials, 1919-1945
Box   2 Folder   7	Officers, 1919-1939
Ov   40 Folder   7	Officers of Dane County, 1929
Box   2 Folder   8	Recruitment, 1916-1944
Box   2 Folder   9	Research on new members, 1921-1944
Box   2 Folder   10	Rolls and updates, 1907-1944
Box   4 Folder   1	Descriptive roll, 1902-1907
Box   4 Folder   2	Descriptive roll, 1908-1921
	Subseries: Minutes	⇧
Box   2 Folder   11-14	1914-1917
Box   4 Folder   3	1938-1940
Box   2 Folder   15	Secretary's materials, 1917-1942
	Series: Treasurer's Records	⇧
Box   2 Folder   16	Balance sheets, undated
Box   2 Folder   17	Bank and other statements, 1908-1940
Box   2 Folder   18	Bids, 1917-1939
Box   2 Folder   19-22	Bills, 1908-1942
Box   5 Folder   1	Cash book, 1914-1932
Box   2 Folder   23	Division dues and fees, 1917-1944
Ov   40 Folder   7	Dues and fees logs, 1939, undated
Box   2 Folder   24	Federal tax and social security, 1932-1940
Box   3 Folder   1	Janitor agreements, 1924-1929
	Subseries: Ledgers	⇧
Box   5 Folder   2	1902-1908
Box   5 Folder   3	1909-1915
Box   6 Folder   1	1916-1917
Box   6 Folder   2	1922-1935
Box   3 Folder   2	Membership dues correspondence, 1909-1939
Box   3 Folder   3	Rental agreements and correspondence, 1905-1935
Box   3 Folder   4	Treasurer's quarterly reports, 1908-1940
	Series: Auxiliary	⇧
Box   7 Folder   1	Cash book, 1911-1915
Box   7 Folder   2	Cash book, 1916-1921
Ov   39 Folder   16	Charters, 1911
Box   7 Folder   3	Descriptive membership book, 1939-1956
Box   3 Folder   5	Membership roll, 1937
	Subseries: Minute books	⇧
Box   8 Folder   1-2	1917-1929
Box   9 Folder   1-2	1929-1939
Box   10 Folder   1-2	1939-1947
Box   3 Folder   6	Records, 1912-1959
Box   10 Folder   3	Roll of officers, 1930-1960