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Joe Hooker Post #32 GAR Records

Title:     Joe Hooker Post #32 GAR Records
Date:    1924-1934
Collection Number: H073

Extent: 1 cu. ft.

Repository: Alfred M. Heston Collection, Atlantic City Free Public Library, 1 North Tennessee Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, (609) 345-2269.

Preferred Citation: Joe Hooker Post #32 Records, Alfred M. Heston Collection, Atlantic City Free Public Library.

Creator: Joe Hooker Post #32, Grand Army of the Republic

Historical Note:
The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was organized in 1866 by General John A. Logan and Dr. Benjamin Stephenson, both Union veterans of the Civil War. The GAR operated as a veterans support organization, providing pensions for disabled veterans, their widows and orphans. It was the largest Union veterans’ organization.

The GAR was comprised of Posts in individual cities. Posts within a state made up Departments, and – as a whole – these Departments made up the national organization. Most, though not all, Posts were segregated organizations with separate Posts for white and black veterans. Atlantic City maintained two, segregated Posts. General Joseph Hooker Post #32 was the white veterans group, and Martin Delaney Post #54 was the black veterans group.

Post #32 was named for General Joseph Hooker, who led the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of Chancellorville, Virginia. Joseph Hooker Post #32 was established on September 1, 1897 and remained active through 1931. At its inception, it was made up of 279 members and was located at 31 South New York Avenue in Atlantic City.

White veterans groups such as Post #32 held meetings and events at the All Wars Memorial Building, located at 814 Pacific Avenue. The building was opened on April 24, 1924 and boasted a 600-seat auditorium and a dining room that seated 280. This building was purchased and demolished by the Trump organization in the 1990s. Black groups, such as Post #54 convened at the Northside All Wars Memorial Building, or the Old Soldiers’ Home, which was dedicated on August 15, 1925 and still stands at 1510 Adriatic Avenue.

IN-DEPTH INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLECTION

Scope and Content:
This collection contains one bound ledger. This ledger documents the name, Post, Company/Regiment and residence of members of the Joe Hooker Post #32 of the Grand Army of the Republic. The cover is imprinted “Presented by the Women’s Relief Corp,” and a number of women’s signatures are written on the front endsheets. In addition to the Joe Hooker Post #32, this ledger also documents the membership of other military posts and organizations, including the Colonel John Jacob Astor Camp #28 which served in the Spanish-American War.

While it is known that this ledger was used to record organizational membership and attendance at functions held at the All Wars Memorial building, the full provenance of the ledger is unknown. The Joe Hooker Post #32 ledger was discovered within the Heston Collection during a collection inventory in January 2007.

OTHER INFORMATION FOR USERS OF THE COLLECTION

Access Points:
Joe Hooker Post #32
Grand Army of the Republic
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Regimental histories
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Veterans
Hooker, Joseph, 1814-1879

Related Materials:
The Heston Collection has additional resources related to the Grand Army of the Republic and the All Wars Memorial building. These vertical files and archival collections:

Vertical subject files:
Grand Army of the Republic – 1910 Encampment
Parks/Memorials/Monuments – All Wars Memorial Building

Other archival collections:
H009 – Atlantic City Photograph Collection
H015 – Morris Guards Collection, 1893-1977
H049 – Atlantic City Postcard Collection
H041 – Col JJ Astor Camp #28 Records
Hex002 – 1910 GAR Encampment Collection
Hex006 – And They Marched On: Atlantic City Veterans, a Photograph Exhibit

Processing Note: The collection is processed. Finding aid written by Shannon O’Neill, archivist, September 2011.

Copyright Notice: While the Atlantic City Free Public Library owns the collection, the Library may not own the copyright for the materials. Researchers wishing to reproduce materials are responsible for obtaining the proper permission.

ITEM LIST
Box 1
Item 1    Joe Hooker Post #32 GAR 1 ledger

Note: The Joe Hooker Post #32 GAR ledger is in fragile condition. Advance notice must be given in order to view this ledger. At the discretion of the archivist, a surrogate copy may be supplied rather than the original.