Grand Army of the RepublicThe following was taken from the Rose History printed in 1911: "Luverne has been the home of a post of the Grand Army of the Republic since the spring of 1884. Largely through the energy of Captain E.D. Hadley, a petition requesting the establishment of a post was circulated in April. It was signed by a representative number of the Civil War veterans of the town. The petition was favorably received and on Friday evening, May 2, 29 comrades were mustered in as the nucleus of Joe Hooker Post of Luverne, by Deputy Mustering Officer L.M. Lange, of Worthington, and R.R. Miller, junior vice department commander of Minnesota. The following officers were chosen at the initial meeting: E.D. Hadley, commander; A.C. Croft, senior vice commander; W.H. Halbert, junior vice commander; Edward McKenzie, adjutant; P.J. Kniss, quartermaster; Ezra Rice, officer of the day; Edwin Gillham, officer of the guard. P.R. Schuyler, surgeon; G.M. Henton, quartermaster sergeant; James Presto, sergeant major. On reporting the organization to the state department, it was discovered that there was a prior claim to the name Joe Hooker Post, and, accordingly, a month after its organization, the Luverne branch of the G. A. R. was given the name John A. Dix Post No. 95. The man thus honored was General John A. Dix, secretary of the treasury under Pres. Buchanan, who at the outbreak of hostilities issued the famous order: ‘If any man attempts to haul down the American flag, shoot him on the spot." No order is more respected in the city than is John A. Dix Post No. 25. The Luverne order of the G. A. R. was a year old when its auxiliary, the Women’s Relief Corps, took its place among the worthy organizations of the city. Interest in the movement was first awakened at a meeting held in the Methodist Church on Aug. 22, 1885, presided over by W.H. Halbert, senior vice commander of John A. Dix Post, who explained the aims and benefits of the Women’s Relief Corps. At the meeting 14 names were enrolled on the application for a charter, and the balloting for officers who should serve when the organization was perfected resulted as follows: Mrs. Mary R. Crawford, president; Mrs. A.W. Boswell, senior vice president; Mrs. Kate McKenzie, junior vice president; Mrs. Stella T. Gillham, secretary; Mrs. M. Hawes, treasurer; Mrs. James Preston, chaplain; Mrs. M.A. Hinds, director; Mrs. Della E. Halbert, conductor. The institution of the corps took place on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 1885. Donations to the Rock County Historical Endowment Fund can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
