George Bowers Post, No. 81 - Warren, NH

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:

George H. L. Head
A. Whitcher
J. M. Simonds
O. H. French
George W. Merrill
F. Ferguson
​S. M. Perry

S. H. Conner
H. D. Judkins
B. G. Andrews
D. O. Swain
Rinaldo R. Whitcher
​C. W. Burleigh

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.

Notes on the charter members:
George H. L. Head, 10th NH, died in 1909, and buried in Head Cem., Hooksett
Adoniram Whitcher (1836-1898), 33rd and 1st Wisconsin Infantry
J. M. Simonds was perhaps James M. of Alexandria, Co. I, 5th NH
Osco H. French, Co. F, 2nd NH Inf, and Co. H, 1st NH Heavy Artillery
George W. Merrill (1828-1899), Co. G, 12th NH Infantry
Franklin Ferguson, Co. B, 15th NH Inf.
Samuel M. Perry (1838-1910), Co. H, 14th NH, from Chichester, NH
Stephen H. Conner, Co. B, 4th NH INF
Harvey D. Judkins, Co. G, 3rd VT INF. Died in Barnet, VT, 1913
Byron G. Andrews, Co. E, 10th NH INF
Darius O. Swain (1843-1908), 1st NH Heavy Artillery
Rinaldo R. Whitcher (1835-1911), Co. F, 3rd United States Infantry 
Charles W. Burleigh, Co. K, 5th NH Infantry