A picker found this rough looking charter, contained in a  21" x 26" wood frame, in a Claremont, New Hampshire barn attic and put it up for auction on Ebay, in July 2022. This damaged document once belonged to the Major Jarvis Post, No. 12, in Claremont, and bears the date of 3 Dec 1888, the third charter issued to this Post. 

First organized on 7 July 1868, they ended up disbanding after May of 1872, due to financial problems in collecting dues (even though they had 110 comrades at that time). They reorganized on 29 June 1880, the charter members being those written on the above document. A fire in Brown's Block, on the night of April 1st, 1887, wiped out the GAR Hall, along with their furniture, books, muskets, flags, etc. They built another Hall when a new block was constructed.

The NH GAR Department issued the Jarvis Post a new charter, apparently on the 3 Dec 1888 date written on the paper (instead of copying their chartered date, as many other replacements had done).

This Post was active through 1933, when it was down to only four members. They disbanded between that date and 1936.

The following twenty names were written on the charter (names as written in bold):

Hiram G. Sherman - Co. D, 35th MA INF; Co. B, 29th MA INF
J. H. (James Henry) Perkins  - Co. L, 1st NH Cavalry
William H. Ellsworth - not clear
W. H. Redfield - 16th CT INF
Cyrus E. Baker - Asst. Surg., Dept. of VA & NC
Martin V. B. Knox - Co. E, 118 NY INF; Capt., Co. E, 23rd USCT
H. H. (Harvey H) Sargent  - Co. G, 9th NH INF
John M. Southwick - Co. L, 1st NH Cavalry
H. P. (Harlan Page) Hunter  - Co. I, 14th NH INF
Jotham S. Toothaker - Co. F, 3rd NH INF; Co. D, 5th NH INF
Samuel Crowther - Co. G, 5th NH INF
H. R. (Henry R) Whipple  - Co. D, 9th VT INF
Ira Gerrey (Gerry) - Co. G, 14th NH INF
Mitchell Oliver  - Co. I, 14th NH INF 
Henry T. Freeman (middle initial actually V) - Co. E, 13th NH INF
William Judd - Co. E, 6th VT INF
T. L. (Truman L) Heath  - Co. H, 1st NH HA
William M. Whipple - Co. D, 9th VT; B, 17th US INF; B, 1st NH HA
E. S. (Elijah S) Carlton (Carleton) - Co. G, 5th NH INF; B, 10th VRC 
George W. Barnard - Co. A, 9th NH INF; 18th Co., 2 Batt'n, VRC

The following clipping is from Claremont's National Eagle, dated 11 April 1891 [link to paper], and was part of an article on the GAR's 25th Anniversary. It gives in detail the 1880 reorganization of the Jarvis Post, and its elected officers. 

The charter of the Phil. Kearney Post, No. 53, dated April 9th, 1880. It includes the names of twenty-five charter members, the majority of them having resided in Canaan during the 1880 census, while others lived in Orange. A notice in The People and Patriot newspaper, dated May 15th, 1884, mentions this Post meeting in Grafton, NH. The Dep't Annual Report for the year prior makes no mention of a No. 53. This number would later be reused by a New Ipswich Post before 1890. Many former members of this Post would join the one in Enfield, NH.

The original membership (with service):
Horace P. Emerson - Co. D, 8th VT INF
Thomas Hogle - perhaps Co. I, 10th VT INF
Alonzo Allen Smith - Co. C, 7th NH INF
John W. Towle - Co. B, 6th NH INF
Stephen R. Swett - 1st Batt'n, New England Cav + 1st RI Cav
James Morrill - Co. D, 14th NH INF
Moses T. Hale - Co. B, 18th NH INF
Jonas S. Watson - Co. B, 12th NH INF
Orville Goss - Co. E, 3rd NH INF
William Wesley Knowlton - Co. F, 6th MA INF
Allen Hayes George - Co. H, 11th NH INF
Simeon Currier - Co. H, 7th VT INF
Benjamin F. Terrill - Co. D, 14th NH INF
George P. McCormick - US Navy
Robert R. Morey - Co. B & F, 9th VT INF
Charles R. Coburn - Co. D, 13th NH INF
Stephen D. Smith - Co. C, 7th NH INF
John Ford - Co. F, 15th NH INF
Philip G. Prescott - Co. H, 11th NH INF
Melvin Marcus Barney - Co. F, 15th NH INF
Edwin (Edward) M. Tucker - 3rd MA Battery, LA + 24th VRC 
John W. Philbrick - Co. E, 3rd NH INF
Charles D. Washburn - Co. H, 11th NH INF
Hiram G. Blaisdell - Co. I, 9th NH INF
​E. G. Fogg - maybe the George E of Canaan, 3rd VT INF

This Post was likely named for Brigadier General Philip "Phil" Kearney, US Volunteers, who was killed at the Battle of Chantilly on Sept. 1st, 1862. His surname was usually spelled "Kearny", but was often spelled both ways. The pension papers for his widow Agnes even used the -ey variation.

​It was one of many in the country given the name Phil Kearney (or Kearny), presumably all after the famed general. Others (with their spellings alternating) included Post, No. 10, in Richmond, VA, Post No 5 in Jersey City, NJ, Post No 48 in East Wallingford, VT, No. 40 in Oskaloosa, IA, No. 2, Fort Omaha, NE, No. 7, Toledo, WA, # 5 in Washington, KS, and Post #8 in New York City. Muskegon, MI had the Phil Kearny Post, No. 7.

The charter of the GEORGE BOWERS Post, No. 81, Department of New Hampshire, dated October 15th, 1884. This one is a replacement, as the original was lost when a fire destroyed the GAR Hall in Warren on Feb. 8th, 1890.

​There were thirteen charter members:

This post was named for Lt. Col. George Bowers of the 13th Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers. He was a resident of Nashua, NH, a graduate of West Point, and was a lieut. in the Mexican War. A charter member of Nashua's GAR Post No. 7, he was its first commander for two years. He served as Department Commander in 1879 and 1880, becoming the Junior Vice-Commander of the National G.A.R. in 1881. He died in Nashua on Feb. 14th, 1884, and the veterans of Warren honored him eight months later with this Post.

The Bowers Post was active through April 1911, when their name was last seen listed in the 44th Department Encampment Journal.

The front of the monument shows signs that a plaque was once attached there, though it is unclear (by me) what was inscribed upon it. Being the same size as the one attached on the back of the monument - did it become dislodged from the front, and was then reattached on the opposite side? 

CO. E, 4TH N.H.V.
KILLED OR DIED IN CIVIL WAR

Lieut. Frank B. Hutchinson
Born Oct. 17, 1837 - killed May 16, 1864
grave unknown

Sergt. Williard K. Cobb
Born Dec. 26, 1843
Killed Sep. 29, 1864
grave unknown

Amos Cressy
Born Oct. 5, 1822
Died of wounds June 6, 1864
​grave unknown

Below are older photos, taken in 2013, before tree was removed

The charter of the LYMAN LOCKE Post, No. 82, Department of New Hampshire, dated 17 November 1884. This is a replacement, issued on 28 June 1899. A note on the very bottom indicated that this Post lost their original charter in a fire. The charter itself doesn't list a town, but this Post was located in Strafford, NH. Newspaper accounts do indicate that their hall was destroyed in a fire in the spring of 1898.

The names of the 16 charter members are as follows:

The namesake of this post was Lyman Locke, who was a resident of Barrington, NH when he enlisted on 2 Oct 1861 and was mustered in as a 2nd Lt of Co. G, 8th NH Infantry on 23 Dec 1861. During his service, he was promoted to 1st lieut, on 4 Mar 1863, and to captain, on 16 Dec 1863. He was mustered out on 29 Sept 1864. He died on 29 Oct 1876, in Barrington, and was buried in the Gonic Village Cemetery.

Noted in papers as having participated in Memorial Day activities in May 1909, they had disbanded prior to April 1910.