Samuel Reader's cane
Date: 1903
Simple hand-carved maple walking stick with brass ferrule at tip. Carved lettering: S. J. READER. / MAY 29 / 1903. / NORTH TOPEKA KANS. / FLOOD AND FIELD / BIG BLUE. / OCT. 22d 1864. / GAR. This cane was carved and used by Samuel James Reader, who settled near Topeka in Kansas Territory in 1855. Staunchly antislavery, Reader mustered into the 2nd Kansas Infantry as Quartermaster during the Civil War. His only wartime experience came on Oct. 22, 1864, at the Battle of the Big Blue, where Union forces were routed and all survivors taken prisoner. Reader escaped by tricking his captors into believing he was a Confederate soldier. After the war, Reader married and lived with his family near Topeka. This cane was likely used at the end of Reader's life when he suffered from arthritis. The "GAR" carved on the head refers to the Grand Army of the Republic, the Union veterans' organization. The date May 29, 1903, refers to the flooding of Soldier Creek during the massive 1903 floods. Reader was an avid diarist, and in volume 15 of his diaries describes his inability to escape the rising water due to rheumatism.

Triangular bayonet
Date: between 1855 and 1870
Steel bayonet for U.S. rifle-musket model 1855-1870. This steel bayonet was transferred to the Kansas Historical Society from the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) headquarters, located in Memorial Hall in downtown Topeka, Kansas, from 1914 until the early 1960s. The GAR eventually passed out of existence along with the last Union army veteran, and the objects from its museum were absorbed into the collections of the Kansas Historical Society.

Souvenir to the dedication of the Grand Army Memorial Hall, Topeka, Kansas
Creator: Grand Army of the Republic. Dept. of Kansas
Date: 1914
This small booklet was presented to the ex-Union soldiers and sailors of the Civil War who attended the dedication of the Grand Army Memorial Hall, May 27, 1914, in Topeka, Kansas. The booklet contains photos and information on Union officers, the Grand Army of the Republic, and Union cemeteries and memorials in the United States.

Sons of Veterans fraternal ribbon
Creator: Journal Company
Date: 1895
Fraternal ribbon of silver plated pin, ivory celluloid card, and red silk. The Sons of Veterans was an Allied Order of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Union soldiers' veterans organization. This ribbon was given to all attendees of the Kansas Department's annual encampment at Lawrence, Kansas, in 1895. The celluloid card attached displays "Old Fraser Hall" on the University of Kansas campus. This establishment was named for John Fraser, who served as chancellor of the University from 1867-74, and was a general in the Union Army during the Civil War. The donor (Grant Harrington) was a member of the Sons of Veterans, General Crook Camp No. 169 of Hiawatha. He probably acquired this ribbon while attending the encampment for which it was issued.

Sons of Veterans fraternal ribbon
Date: 1883
Fraternal ribbon of ivory silk with blue text. The Sons of Veterans was an Allied Order of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Union soldiers' veterans organization. This ribbon was given to all attendees of the National Encampment at Dayton, Ohio in 1883. The top of the ribbon features the Sons of Veterans emblem. The donor (Grant Harrington) was a member of the Sons of Veterans, General Crook Camp No. 169 of Hiawatha. He probably acquired this ribbon while attending the encampment for which it was issued.

Sons of Veterans fraternal ribbon
Creator: Whitehead & Hoag Co.
Date: 1894
Fraternal ribbon composed of smaller red-white-blue ribbon and larger gold ribbon. The Sons of Veterans was an Allied Order of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Union soldiers' veterans organization. This ribbon was given to all attendees of the national encampment at Davenport, Iowa, in 1894. The red-white-blue portion of the ribbon features the Sons of Veterans emblem containing the group's motto, Filii Veteranorium- Gratia Dei Servatus, which is Latin for "Sons of Veterans- Preserved by the Grace of God." The donor (Grant Harrington) was a member of the Sons of Veterans, General Crook Camp No. 169 of Hiawatha. He probably acquired this ribbon while attending the encampment for which it was issued.

Sons of Veterans fraternal ribbon
Creator: C.S. Cole & Co.
Date: 1897
Fraternal ribbon composed of brass pin, gray silk, and celluloid medallion. The Sons of Veterans was an Allied Order of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Union soldiers' veterans organization. This ribbon was given to all attendees of the Kansas Department's annual encampment at Chanute in 1897. The man pictured on the medallion is Clay D. Herod, past division commander. The donor (Grant Harrington) was a member of the Sons of Veterans, General Crook Camp No. 169 of Hiawatha. He probably acquired this ribbon while attending the encampment for which it was issued.

Sons of Veterans fraternal ribbon
Date: between 1888 and 1894
Fraternal ribbon of ivory silk. The Sons of Veterans was an Allied Order of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Union soldiers' veterans organization. This ribbon was given to all members of the General Crook Camp who were attending the Kansas Division encampment in Hutchinson around 1891. The donor (Grant Harrington) was a member of this camp. He probably acquired the ribbon while attending the encampment for which it was issued.

Grand Army of the Republic fraternal ribbon
Date: 1892
Fraternal ribbon of ivory-colored silk. Ribbon was presented to veteran soldiers of the G.A.R. at a dedication ceremony in Olathe, Kansas, in 1892. G.A.R. emblem in the center of the badge. The recipient of this ribbon, James B. Abbott (1918-1897), was a Union officer during the Civil War. Before the war, Abbott raised funds and purchased arms to support the free-state cause in Kansas Territory, and took part in the Battle of Black Jack and the 1856 defense of Lawrence. After the war, Abbot was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Union soldiers' veterans organization, and served in the state legislature. This ribbon was presented to his wife in 1897 at the indicated G.A.R. dedication ceremony after Abbott's death.

Sons of Veterans fraternal ribbon
Date: 1892
Fraternal ribbon of red and ivory silk. The Sons of Veterans was an Allied Order of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Union soldiers' veterans organization. Ribbon was given to all attendees of the Kansas Department encampment at Atchison in 1892. The man pictured on the front of the ivory-colored ribbon is John Martin, a Union general in the Civil War; mayor of Atchison, Kansas, from 1865- 77; and Kansas Governor from 1885-89. Martin was also the first commander of the Kansas Department's division of the G.A.R. The donor (Grant Harrington) was a member of the Sons of Veterans, General Crook Camp No. 169 of Hiawatha. He probably acquired this ribbon while attending the encampment for which it was issued.

Sons of Veterans fraternal ribbon
Date: 1894
Fraternal ribbon of red silk with gold stamped text. The Sons of Veterans was an Allied Order of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Union soldiers' veterans organization. This ribbon was given to all attendees of the 13th Annual National Encampment at Davenport, Iowa in 1894. It apparently was worn by a member of the Massachusetts delegation, and features an illustration of what appears to be a bean pot?a tribute to Massachusetts's famous history with baked beans. The donor (Grant Harrington) was a member of the Sons of Veterans, General Crook Camp No. 169 of Hiawatha. He probably acquired this ribbon while attending the encampment for which it was issued.

Sons of Veterans fraternal ribbon
Creator: Grant Woven Novelty Co., Patterson, NJ
Date: 1893
Fraternal ribbon of white silk with embroidered red, yellow, and blue text and gold-colored fringe. The Sons of Veterans was an Allied Order of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Union soldiers' veterans organization. Ribbon was given to all attendees of the Kansas Department encampment at Pittsburg, Kansas in 1893. Front of ribbon has a light blue circular scene with large buildings along a body of water. These seemingly industrial buildings may be a tribute to Pittsburg's years as a prominent coal-mining town. The donor (Grant Harrington) was a member of the Sons of Veterans, General Crook Camp No. 169 of Hiawatha. He probably acquired this ribbon while attending the encampment for which it was issued.

Sons of Veterans fraternal ribbon
Date: 1891
Fraternal ribbon of light-blue silk. The Sons of Veterans was an Allied Order of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Union soldiers' veterans organization. Ribbon was given to all attendees of the state encampment at Hutchinson, Kansas in 1891. Front of ribbon also features the Sons of Veterans emblem with the group's motto, Filii Veteranorium- Gratia Del Servatus, which is Latin for "Sons of Veterans- Preserved by the Grace of God." The donor (Grant Harrington) was a member of the Sons of Veterans, General Crook Camp No. 169 of Hiawatha. He probably acquired this ribbon while attending the encampment for which it was issued.

Ottawa's Grand Army of the Republic veterans
Date: Between 1920 and 1930
The unidentified members of Ottawa's Grand Army of the Republic are pictured in this photograph taken in about 1926.

Ottawa Chautauqua Assembly, Ottawa, Kansas
Date: 1886
These two photographs show scenes from the Ottawa Chautauqua Assembly of 1886. The first image shows a gathering at the Ottawa Chautauqua in Forest Park. The second image shows three unidentified men at the GAR day.

Dedication of GAR Memorial Tree in Ottawa, Kansas
Date: April 1, 1911
The dedication of a Grand Army of the Republic memorial tree on the grounds of the Franklin County courthouse in Ottawa, Kansas.

Captain Hudson Post No. 366, Cimarron, Kansas
Date: Between 1904 and 1905
A photograph of the Captain Hudson G. A. R. Post, No. 366 in Cimarron, Kansas. Members in the photograph are identified as: F. V. Hull, Peterson, J. F. McDowell, W. H. Lyon, M. Naylor, Byrd Williams, P.C. Egbert, John Brock, Adolph Neidiger, D. T. Tabb, O. D. Lemert, Francis McDermott, Preston, Peter King, James W. Brock, W. H. Flaugher, Isaac H. Cilp, Henry J. Dodson, George W. Shields, and John Morrison.

Roster of the members and posts: Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Kansas
Creator: Grand Army of the Republic
Date: 1894
The Kansas Department of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), headquartered in Topeka, Kansas, periodically published a roster of all members in good standing. The 1894 state roster lists the names of members by post as of August 4, 1894. Post rosters are grouped by county in no apparent order. The counties are arranged in alphabetical order. 460 posts are represented with 17,376 members. Some post rosters that arrived too late to be included with their county were added at the end of the county listing. Post rosters include the name of the member and the unit in which they served. Many of the G.A.R. members moved to Kansas after the Civil War so they served in military units in all northern states. It is important to check both to find the all the posts in a county. Information on related organizations such as the Sons of Veterans, Women's Relief Corpts, and the Kansas Ladies of the G.A.R. A name index to this roster is available in the Kansas Historical Society library. The Grand Army of the Republic was an association of Union veterans of the Civil War that sought to preserve the legacy of the Union Army and the ideals underwriting the preservation of the union. It also assisted veterans in need, and their families, worked to increase veteran benefits, and promoted allegiance to the United States and the federal constitution.

Women's Relief Corp
Date: Between 1883 and 1910
Group portrait of the Women's Relief Corp in Cedar Vale, Kansas.

Legless Andrews to Seat of G.A.R.
Creator: Andrews, Legless
Date: May 22, 1914
Legless Andrews of Kansas City, Missouri, writes to the Kansas Department of the Grand Army of the Republic of Topeka, Kansas, concerning free attractions to be provided at the dedication ceremony of the Soldiers' Memorial Building in Topeka, May 27, 1914. Mr. Andrews describes himself as a legless airnaut [sic] and proposes to perform three balloon ascensions and parachute leaps for fifty dollars. He claims to be the only legless acrobat conducting such performances. This letter is significant for its documentation of the social history of disabled persons in the early twentieth century.

Neosho Valley District fair, Neosho Falls, Kansas
Date: September 22 - 28, 1879
This fair poster advertises the Neosho Valley District Fair to be held in Neosho Falls, Kansas. The poster makes note of the soldiers reunion, presidential party, horse racing and other entertainment events.

Third annual exposition. The great fair at Bismarck Grove, Lawrence, Kansas
Date: September 18 - 23, 1882
This poster advertises a fair to be held at Bismark Grove in Lawrence, Kansas. Highlights include a baseball game, military veteran encampment, rowing regatta, and other entertainment events.

President Taft addressing a crowd
Date: September 27, 1911
This is a photo of President William H. Taft addressing the crowd at the laying of the cornerstone of the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall in Topeka, Kansas, a memorial to Union soldiers of the civil war.

Construction of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Memorial Hall
Date: April 1, 1912
This is a photo of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Memorial Hall under construction at 10th and Jackson in Topeka, Kansas.

Grand Army of the Republic, Memorial Hall, Topeka, Kansas
Date: 1914
This is a photograph of a crowd watching a parade during the dedication ceremonies of the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall in Topeka, Kansas.